Post by 2nd Bat on Jan 7, 2006 11:30:29 GMT -5
A couple of key elements of modern land combat are the concepts of COVER and CONCEALMENT
Concealment is defined as all the steps one takes to prevent the enemy from becoming aware of your presence. It is accomplished by numerous means (generally covered in discussions about camouflage.) Screening your presence by foliage, breaking up your silouette, avoiding back light, staying still and noise sensitivity being the primary elements.
Cover involves things that not only might conceal you but also protects you from enemy fire. Defilade positions, bunkers, heavy logs, sandbags, thick walls and structures etc.
In airsoft (more so then with real steel) the delineation between cover and concealment gets a bit cloudy. A common mistake many soldiers in real combat make is to assume if you're concealed you're covered. This goes away in a hurry when the enemy employs recon by fire or supporting fire. Often times you'd fire some rounds into a likely enemy position to encourage them to reveal their position by firing pre maturely. (They don't know if you saw them or not!) With supporting fire one element (or individual) fires into likely enemy positions to pin the position down while another element or individual moves. (The most common Infantry tactic in the world)
When a soldier has selected a position that only affords concealment (Hiding in thick brush) He might find himself a casualty though actually never seen. This was a very common mistake by untrained infantry and one of the reasons "green troops" became casualties at such an alarming rate. Seasoned soldiers had long since learned to select positions or only halt at a position that provided ideally both cover and concealment. (If you could only choose one, choose cover!)
Even though the inertia of airsoft is such that often times a position that in the real world would only provide concealment has the effect of also providing cover (Thick blackberry bushes or thin walls) it is still a concept for situational awareness. Recon by fire and supporting fires are still sound concepts. You still get "kills" by firing blindly into likely positions. Eliminations still happen from intense supporting fires by the support element (even when the intent is just to pin the enemy down or restrict their movement) You still increase your survivability rates by getting behind a log or rock in the bushes versus just getting into the bushes.
Even with airsoft it pays to consider the concept of cover and concealment and evaluate your position or route of movement according to what the terrain will provide.
Green airsofters will continue to hide thinking they're safe and extensive fire into likely "hiding" places will get you eliminations until your opponents learn this concept.
In WW2 another common mistake new soldiers made was to NOT fire their weapons unless an enemy soldier was spotted. Seasoned troops quickly taught those that survived long enough to learn to fire down range and spend your ammo aggressively. "Good things happen when you're doing lots of shootin!"
With that said: I love the ammo limitations most reeanctment airsoft groups or true milsim teams encourage (low cap magazines vs high cap, or ammo restrictions) Because it presents a cost with this sort of tactic. (With high caps the concept of spray and pray is too prevalent to be authentic) But even with limited or more realistic ammo restrictions, Recon by fire and supoporting fire is still a very sound tactic.
Concealment is defined as all the steps one takes to prevent the enemy from becoming aware of your presence. It is accomplished by numerous means (generally covered in discussions about camouflage.) Screening your presence by foliage, breaking up your silouette, avoiding back light, staying still and noise sensitivity being the primary elements.
Cover involves things that not only might conceal you but also protects you from enemy fire. Defilade positions, bunkers, heavy logs, sandbags, thick walls and structures etc.
In airsoft (more so then with real steel) the delineation between cover and concealment gets a bit cloudy. A common mistake many soldiers in real combat make is to assume if you're concealed you're covered. This goes away in a hurry when the enemy employs recon by fire or supporting fire. Often times you'd fire some rounds into a likely enemy position to encourage them to reveal their position by firing pre maturely. (They don't know if you saw them or not!) With supporting fire one element (or individual) fires into likely enemy positions to pin the position down while another element or individual moves. (The most common Infantry tactic in the world)
When a soldier has selected a position that only affords concealment (Hiding in thick brush) He might find himself a casualty though actually never seen. This was a very common mistake by untrained infantry and one of the reasons "green troops" became casualties at such an alarming rate. Seasoned soldiers had long since learned to select positions or only halt at a position that provided ideally both cover and concealment. (If you could only choose one, choose cover!)
Even though the inertia of airsoft is such that often times a position that in the real world would only provide concealment has the effect of also providing cover (Thick blackberry bushes or thin walls) it is still a concept for situational awareness. Recon by fire and supporting fires are still sound concepts. You still get "kills" by firing blindly into likely positions. Eliminations still happen from intense supporting fires by the support element (even when the intent is just to pin the enemy down or restrict their movement) You still increase your survivability rates by getting behind a log or rock in the bushes versus just getting into the bushes.
Even with airsoft it pays to consider the concept of cover and concealment and evaluate your position or route of movement according to what the terrain will provide.
Green airsofters will continue to hide thinking they're safe and extensive fire into likely "hiding" places will get you eliminations until your opponents learn this concept.
In WW2 another common mistake new soldiers made was to NOT fire their weapons unless an enemy soldier was spotted. Seasoned troops quickly taught those that survived long enough to learn to fire down range and spend your ammo aggressively. "Good things happen when you're doing lots of shootin!"
With that said: I love the ammo limitations most reeanctment airsoft groups or true milsim teams encourage (low cap magazines vs high cap, or ammo restrictions) Because it presents a cost with this sort of tactic. (With high caps the concept of spray and pray is too prevalent to be authentic) But even with limited or more realistic ammo restrictions, Recon by fire and supoporting fire is still a very sound tactic.