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Tactics Individual Tactics

MtnMan01

Grizzled Veteran
Feb 17, 2006
266
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Info on Individual tactics:
It's quite interesting.I hope it's useful to some:
This is just a Section of one subject on Mr.Frisbee's site.
http://www.military-sf.com/Tactics.htm#Individual
Its about a 10 minute read,,so grab a brew.
*********************************




** By William S. Frisbee Jr **
I was a US Marine Non-Commisioned Officer and a squad leader. I served in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. While I was in the Marines my hobby was small unit tactics. I enjoyed learning about all manner of small unit fighting from guerrilla wars to large scale conflicts. I was an NCO, not an officer so my viewpoints are that of a small unit leader who loved his job and strove for excellence.
__________________________

Individual tactics:

Tactics at the individual level are as complex as tactics at higher levels. The individual usually has little say in whether or not combat is initiated and is more concerned with not getting killed, killing the enemy is secondary.

**
Individual tactics, more than any other level of tactics are extremely common sense. If the enemy doesn't know you are there he's not likely to shoot you. If he does know you're there and is firing at you, he can't hit you if there is something in the way that his bullets can't go through, unless of course you stick your head up to shoot back. If you don't stick your head up and shoot back he is going to move into a position where he can shoot around your cover or throw a grenade at you.

This is what it is all about and it is amazing how commonly people mess it up. Amateurs (like Rambo) will stand out in the open (believing they are bullet proof?) and try to mow down the opposition. What usually happens is that one of the bad guys takes aim from behind cover and ventilates the 'hero.'

Some other common mistakes an amateur makes are taking cover behind something that does not stop bullets. Plywood does not stop bullets, neither do leaves and bushes. Leaning up against a wall is a bad thing too because bullets will ricochet off it and travel along the wall, about one to six inches parallel. Bullets do not ricochet off objects in perfect angles. Laying on concrete is not a good idea for this reason.

Another thing that amateurs do is keep sticking their head up to fire from the same spot. Eventually the enemy gets a chance to aim and when the amateur does get predictable and stick his head up again he gets shot because the enemy was waiting for him. A professional will vary his firing location and he will look around cover instead of over it because it is easier to silhouette yourself by looking over something.

It is never easy to figure out where the enemy is when he is shooting at you because nine out of ten times he is shooting from cover or concealment and you are trying to avoid getting hit rather than finding the enemy. A muzzle flash is not very visible in the light but at night it is a good indicator of where the enemy is. Bullets cannot be seen as they fly overhead, the human eye cannot track something that fast. Bullets do make a crack as they zip by because they are breaking the sound barrier. This crack can sometimes be mistake for the firing of the weapon. At longer ranges this can make things confusing because a crack can be made by shooting past a large hill. This makes the target thing the shot came from that hill.

It is very difficult to pinpoint one single shot (which is why snipers prefer firing only once) and the more shots the easier it is to figure out which direction the shooter is in.

Also, despite what most people see on the movies, bullets do not make cute little explosions when they hit something. If they don't penetrate the object and leave a little hole, they ricochet, usually unpredictably. Although they lose much of their velocity when they hit an object and ricochet, they can still be very deadly.

The movies are usually pretty good about having the good guy leap behind cover made of dry wall and receive protection. Dry wall does not protect against bullets. A trailer, in a trailer park is unlikely to stop bullets, some of the furniture inside probably will but usually not the walls, floor or ceiling. Concrete stops bullets, along with heavy metal. The type of round is also important, an armor piercer will very likely go right through a car door which will stop a lesser round but an armor piercer will also punch a hole in the bad guy that is much smaller and less dangerous than another round.

Another important aspect of individual tactics is presenting as little a target to the enemy as possible. This is one reason for crouching, or laying prone. An amateur will show a lot more of his body than a pro when firing from cover. For instance, when a pro fires around the right side of a corner, he/she places his right foot at the corner and leans over, this presents a very small target area for the enemy. An amateur will step to the side exposing everything from his head to his foot. Ricochets make it easier to hit this type of amateur.

When an individual fires it is usually his intent to hit and kill the enemy. This is not done by 'throwing bullets' at him, aiming is the most effective way of hitting the enemy. Aiming is also best accomplished when the weapon is braced. Anyone who has handled a weapon and used the sights will have noticed that the sights don't sit still on the target. Even something as little as breathing will cause the aimpoint to keep moving. This becomes even more important at longer ranges when the target is smaller.

Consider the size of everything. Bullets are very small, even a 30mm cannon round is small when you compare it with the area it is being shot at. Bullets do not home in on living targets, they go where they are aimed at and where gravity helps guide them to. This means that it is much easier to miss a target than hit it, unless the target is close enough to count pimples.

That is why professionals do not run and fire at the same time, even with a machine gun. If the weapon sight is wavering when the shooter is motionless and concentrating, it is going to waver a hundred times more dramatically when the shooter is moving. Even slowly walking forward and aiming it is difficult to keep the weapon aligned on a target at further than fifteen feet. Try aiming sometime with a toy gun and you will see how difficult it would be to hit a target at about fifty to sixty feet. Rifles are easier to aim and have a longer range, pistols are the worst and anything beyond twenty feet is usually a waste of ammunition. Pistols are good for close range where speed and ease of movement is important.

A pro is going to aim his weapon, even a machine gun, an amateur is going to spray and pray. Machine guns put out more rounds than a regular rifle, they are not more accurate. The advantage of a machine gun is that by firing a larger number of bullets at the enemy the shooter is more likely to hit OR force the enemy to take cover.

If the enemy takes cover he can't fire back effectively because it takes time to aim, time he no longer has. Of course the spray and pray practitioner might get lucky but chances are he won't. Spray and pray was the method preferred in Vietnam and thousands of bullets were expended to just get one single hit, and that was not always fatal. Explosives and shrapnel scored most of the kills.

Another reason a person will get in the prone, or behind something is because he/she can then brace his/her weapon and fire more accurately. Fox holes usually have the edge of the hole carved out to brace their weapon and expose as little of the shooter to the enemy as possible. Fox holes (or fighting positions as the Marines call them) are not just holes in the ground, when properly built they provide cover, concealment and a brace for their weapon so the shooter can kill the enemy with a minimum of personal danger.

Firing from the hip is also stupid, even firing a machine gun from the hip is something only an amateur will do. Some machine guns, however, have too much kick to fire from the shoulder and must be fired from the hip in an emergency. When Rambo mowed down all the bad guys with an M60 machine gun in one hand I realized that the producer had no clue as to what he was doing. Hip firing is not accurate at all and is a great way to waste ammo. The only way it might be accurate is if the gunner 'walked' his rounds into the target by observing where they hit and adjusting his hold. Walking rounds into a target is only effective if the shooter has all the time in the world and the target is not firing back. Machine guns come with bipods and tripods for this reason, they are not meant to be firing without being braced on something solid.

Moving under fire is also important. The shooter wants to get closer to this target because it is easier to hit him. Running across the open is stupid, the runner is a big target and very hard not to see. Running is fast however and is most effective when the individual has to cover a small distance. Crossing a long distance (like thirty or more feet) is suicide unless the individual's buddies are keeping the bad guys from looking.

Zig-zagging is good when running toward the enemy and he is aiming at you, it only makes you move slower when you are running across his front. Zig-zagging can also be bad if you are zigging or zagging in front of a buddy behind you who is trying to provide covering fire, he might accidentally shoot you in the back.

It is always important to move unpredictably when the enemy is firing at you because he will try to anticipate your movement and aim at where you will be. Shooting at a moving target is not as easy as it sounds, especially at longer ranges, don't forget the bullet is very small compared to the target area.

Another thing that is important about movement is the person should know where he is going before he moves and it shouldn't be far away. Solid cover should be chosen before the person even gets up.


By William S. Frisbee Jr:
http://www.military-sf.com/Tactics.htm#Individual
 
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r5cya::eek: I never wrote the article it was written

By *William S. Frisbee Jr.*

I included his name at the end with a link to his site.
I take no credit with composing it.

I also included his name at the beginning as to not be misunderstood/no mistake as who composed/wrote/put together that article.
 
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r5cya::eek: I never wrote the article it was written

By *William S. Frisbee Jr.*

I included his name at the end with a link to his site.
I take no credit with composing it.

I also included his name at the beginning as to not be misunderstood/no mistake as who composed/wrote/put together that article.
sorry. thanks for reposting the article anyway!:D
 
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Some more interesting tactics for individuals.
From the same site.

http://www.military-sf.com/evasmove.htm


*******************************************************
"Not Getting Hit"
By William S. Frisbee Jr.


The most important thing in battle is not getting killed. Then you worry about killing the enemy. Simple in theory, not simple in practice. It is mostly common sense but it is amazing how many people lack common sense.

Being shot is the last thing anyone wants to happen to them. It hurts and can be very fatal. The best way to avoid getting shot and killed is to not attend the war. Unfortunately this is not always a choice.

Another method to avoid getting shot is to prevent the enemy from seeing you. If he doesn't know you are there he can't shoot you right?

Okay. You have to shoot him, that is your job and by shooting at him he quickly learns that you are there. The enemy is mostly likely just like you, he doesn't want to get shot and killed and his job is to shoot you.

Now you both know the other person is out there. You may not always know exactly where the other person is however. Standing out in the open lets the enemy find you and shoot you quickly. Getting behind a bush delays the enemy from figuring out where to shoot at. Bullets go through bushes and if the enemy guesses right you get shot and that is very bad.

To avoid having the enemy get lucky you have to get behind something that can stop bullets, like a rock, a car, ect. Simple stuff.

If the enemy knows where you are he can still aim and shoot you if you keep trying to shoot him. You can aim too. However, by aiming you are taking the chance that the enemy will get lucky and shoot you first so you will probably try to be quick about shooting at the enemy. Quick does not mean accurate, but the enemy is probably in the same situation so neither one of you is very accurate.

In order to fire effectively at the enemy several firing requirements must be met.

1. He must be able to find and know where you are.

2. He must have a target to shoot at. He can know you are behind a car but that doesn't mean he can shoot you unless you give him something (like your head) to shoot at.

3. He must be able to aim. If you don't aim your accuracy will suffer dramatically.

This is where tactics come into effect. The best marksman cannot hit the broad side of a barn if he is not willing to take a shot at it. An enemy machine gunner cannot shoot you if he is not willing to expose themselves and fire at you. Sticking your gun out of cover and firing blindly is still a dangerous thing to do because you might get a hand shot off. Besides, it is very unlikely you will hit anything.

By firing more bullets you might intimidate the enemy and ruin his aim. By firing more bullets you might even get lucky but probably not. If the enemy gets scared and gets behind something that stops bullets you can take your time to aim and wait for him to stick his head out. When he does stick his head out to see where you are at, you can drill him right between the eyes.

Make it harder for the enemy to see you and you make it harder for him to shoot you, period.

This is where teamwork comes into play. One on one is not a battle, it is a fight. A battle involves multiple opponents. One of my favorite sayings is "Teamwork is essential, it gives them someone else to shoot at." If they are shooting at someone else they are not shooting at you. However, you have a duty to the person who is being shot at to make the enemy stop. He would do the same for you right?

When the enemy is not shooting at you then you can take the time to aim at the enemy and fire accurately. A lot of confusion comes from the fact that nobody knows who is being shot at or where the enemy is. The enemy may not see all of your team, just a few individuals. If he doesn't see you he isn't shooting at you. . .

If the enemy is shooting he is easier to find. Follow the noise and muzzle flash, then shoot there. You get the picture.

The enemy might see you and fire at you. You can stand in the open and pretend to be Rambo for the brief period of time it will take for the enemy to shoot you or you can take countermeasures.

Countermeasures will make it harder for the enemy to see and shoot you. They will give the enemy less of a target to shoot and may confuse him. Countermeasures don't work if you remain stationary and they are called Evasive Movement. Key word 'Movement'.

Here is a list of Evasive Movements that are taught.

1. When moving under fire zig-zag randomly. This gives the enemy less time to acquire sight alignment and sight picture. Make sure you don't 'zig' in front of a buddy or you might get shot in the back.

2. When stopping, do so behind full or partial cover (a bush is concealment, not cover because bullets go through bushes). It makes you harder to find and hit.

3. Move from cover to cover and don't be predictable because all the enemy has to do is aim and wait for you to run into his sights.

4. When firing from behind cover, change firing positions/places to keep the enemy from aiming where you will appear. Confuse him, remain unpredictable.

5. After diving for cover do not return fire from the same place you dived in. The enemy will be expecting that.

6. Lie down or kneel whenever possible. It reduces your silhouette and what the enemy can shoot at.

7. Don't look over objects, look around them. You may see less but it makes it harder for the enemy to see you.

8. Roll instead of crawling. It is faster and keeps you lower where there less target to shoot at.

9. Don't let your shape be silhouetted, it makes you easy to recognize and if the enemy recognizes you will shoot you.

10. Right handed firers should fire around the right side eof cover, it keeps more of you safe. If you have to fire around the left side of something you might consider firing left handed.

11. When firing around the right side of a corner, or tree, the right foot should be placed against the object, just out of view of the enemy. This forces the shooter to lean to the right, exposing less of his body. Amateurs may step out of cover a little bit to fire, thus exposing themselves from the head down to the feet.

12. Do not move and fire at the same time. Even with a machinegun this is very inaccurate. Besides, it slows you down while you are in an exposed position.

13. Keep moving. It makes the enemy have to look for you and try to predict what you are up to. Besides , if you stay stationary too long he is going to send someone to flank you.

14. Reload only behind full cover.

15. Scan the area to your front as well as sides, rear and up, avoid tunnel vision. The main reason flanking is so effective is because of tunnel vision.

16. Don't get so suppressed you won't peek out of cover. The enemy might walk up and shoot you.

17. Use cover and concealment whenever possible, when running OR taking cover. The enemy can't see you coming if there is a tree between the two of you.

By William S. Frisbee Jr.
 
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The funny thing is that much of what he has said is relevant to what exists in RO2.

Over the last few months, so many people complained about the weapons being too accurate, complained about dying faster than they did in RO1, complained about getting shot the moment they popped their head out from cover, complained about not having those extended fire fights with other players where they kept their heads out while shooting at one another as bullets wiz around them...... complained about everything that made them die faster than what they remember.

Firearms were designed to be easy to use and designed to be accurate.

Many of the tips he has mentioned are tactics I've used in RO since the mod days.

When I am being shot at or think I will be shot at, I zig zag from cover to cover.

When I pop around cover to shoot and I miss, I drop back down into the cover & relocate from my previous position.... I do not pop back out to try a second time in the exact same position, which I continually see so many players do over and over again, who then complain about weapons being too accurate.

In close quarters, while many will take the chance to run around the corner to hip fire & spray the room, I almost always move in crouched position (lower profile to target) with my iron sights up. I sometimes get hit by the spray & pray but it's non-critical most times and I can bandage up later when he's laying on the ground dying from my shot to his chest. While Leaning and such has existed in RO since RO1, I've never used it in these scenarios and have used my crouch/IS approach since ROCA...... when I do the "Crouch/IS Approach" 7 times out of 10 I not only come out alive, but I end up taking down several enemies in the process.

I made a video a while back in RO1 when I was playing as Squad Leader and not only could you see my zig zag tactics, but you could also see me commonly clearing out trenches and strong holds using my Crouch/IS Approach...... it also helps that I almost always flank fortified positions while doing the above. In the video, our team won both rounds in a row. The first round was over quickly as we rolled over the Russians. The second round they learned a few hard lessons and made a better defensive position. I then flanked to the far right and sweeped through the trenches taking out anybody I saw. The funny thing was that all the Russians were oblivious to their flanks and I had an easy time mowing them all down from behind with my MP41.... I then informed my team that I just cleared out the trenches and they easily moved up for the cap.

Unless I don't have the time to do so, when I see a target, I stop, crouch, IS and shoot.... then advance. If I'm holding a position, I prone, IS and shoot.

Unless you're completely surrounded and having bullets raining down on your position, going prone as an attacker chews up your mobility time and you usually end up dead before you can aim, let alone shoot..... while crouching is faster for mobility while still giving you decent accuracy. You end up with a larger profile to target, but balances out if/when you need to get the hell out of the spot you're in, such as when a grenade lands at your feet or you see bullets impacting around you.

If more players heeded the tips mentioned in this thread while playing RO2, the game would be a lot more immersive and you'd live a bit longer.
 
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