STaRGATE OPERATIONS: AIRSOFT TEAM TACTICS FOR GENERAL USE SGC & SG-SOCOM COPY Revision 1, July 2010 SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 1
SG-OPERATIONS: The Home Base of SGC & SG-SOCOM The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday!!! SG-Operations Airsoft Team Basic Training Topics Subjects to be covered: Hand & Arm Signals Radio Procedures Cover vs. Concealment Squad Movement Bounding Cover & Overwatch Peeling Fields Of Fire Zones Of Fire Vehicle Embarking & Debarking (EP and combat) Ambush Procedures (Foot & Vehicle) Convoy Operations (as Feasible) 1. Hand & Arm Signals: Hand and arm signals are a great way of communicating when you don't want to be heard, and are quieter and often more reliable than whispering into a radio mike. It is best to have a standardized set for the Team. When on the move, shoot an eye towards your Team members every ten or fifteen seconds in case they re trying to signal you. Get in the habit of passing the signals on: when one member of the Team uses a hand and arm signal, everyone who sees it should repeat it. That will let the signaler know that his sign is acknowledged and increases the chance that the intended recipient (who may be looking away at any given moment) will get the message. A few common signals used by military and SWAT teams are shown below. We can use them as is, or modify them for our purposes, or if we feel them insufficient, make up our own from scratch. Whatever we do though, we all need to learn and use them. SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 2
Numbers Standardized Hand Signals For Close Range Engagement (C.R.E.) Operations: Numbers One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Hand & Arm Signals: Standardized Hand Signals For Close Range Engagement (C.R.E.) Operations You Me Come Listen or I Hear Watch or I See Hurry Up Stop Freeze Cover This Area Go Here or Move Up Enemy Hostage SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 3
Sniper obstacle Team Leader Column Formation File Formation Line Abreast Formation Wedge Formation Rally Point Pistol Rifle Shotgun Ammunition Vehicle I Understand I Don't Understand Crouch or Go Prone Door Window Point of Entry SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 4
2. Radio Procedures: Radio communications should be short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary chatter. Speak clearly and distinctly. Use of the phonetic alphabet helps to clarify clear communication, especially when dealing with potentially distracting and disruptive background noise. For example, you wish to report spotting 3 vehicles (1 car, 2 vans) and 14 unarmed personnel, at the corner of Ulster Lane and Broward Street at 3pm. You would first start your transmission with who you are contacting and your ID or call sign. It would follow something like this: You: "Base, this is Shadow. Over" Use of the word "Over", means that you have completed your transmission, and wish a response. Base: "Shadow, this is Base. Report. Over" You: "Base. Shadow reports wun sedan and too vans. Fourteen personnel, I say, Wun fo'-wer personnel present, no arms visible. Location is corner of Ulster Lane and Broward Street. I repeat, corner of Ulster Lane, I spell Uniform, Lima, Sierra, Tango, Echo, Romeo (pause) Lima, Alpha, November, Echo (pause) and Broward Street, I spell Bravo, Romeo, Oscar, Whiskey, Alpha, Romeo, Delta (pause) Sierra, Tango, Romeo, Echo, Echo, Tango. Time is 1500 Local, Over" Base: "Shadow. Roger" Use of the word "Roger", means that you understand the transmission, but want a response. Use of the word "Wilco", means you understand, but don't require a response. You: "Base, Shadow will continue to observe and will report any updates. Shadow out" "Out" means that the transmission is complete, and no response is required. SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 5
Phonetic Alphabet A - Alpha (Al'-fa) B - Bravo (Bra'-vo) C - Charlie (Char'-lee) D - Delta (Del'-ta) E - Echo (Eh'-ko) F - Foxtrot (Fox'-trot) G - Golf (Golf) H - Hotel (Ho'-tel) I - India (In-dee'-a) J - Juliet (Ju-lee'-et) K - Kilo (Kee'-low) L - Lima (Lee'-ma) M - Mike (Mike) N - November (No-vem'-ber) O - Oscar (Os'-car) P - Papa (Pa'-pa) Q - Quebec (Queh-beck') R - Romeo (Row-mee'-o) S - Sierra (See-er'-ra) T - Tango (Tan'-go) U - Uniform (U'-neh-form) V - Victor (Vic'-tor) W - Wiskey (Wis'-kee) X - Xray (X'-ray) Y - Yankee (Yan'-kee) Z - Zulu (Zoo'-loo) 1 - One (Wun) 2 - Two (Too) 3 - Three (Tree) 4 - Four (Fo'-wer) 5 - Five (Fife) 6 - Six (Six) 7 - Seven (Se'-vun) 8 - Eight (Ate) 9 - Nine (Ni'-ner) 0 - Zero (Zee'-row) 24 Hour Clock 1:00 AM - 0100 Hours 1:00 PM - 1300 Hours 2:00 AM - 0200 Hours 2:00 PM - 1400 Hours 3:00 AM - 0300 Hours 3:00 PM - 1500 Hours 4:00 AM - 0400 Hours 4:00 PM - 1600 Hours 5:00 AM - 0500 Hours 5:00 PM - 1700 Hours 6:00 AM - 0600 Hours 6:00 PM - 1800 Hours 7:00 AM - 0700 Hours 7:00 PM - 1900 Hours 8:00 AM - 0800 Hours 8:00 PM - 2000 Hours 9:00 AM - 0900 Hours 9:00 PM - 2100 Hours 10:00 AM - 1000 Hours 10:00 PM - 2200 Hours 11:00 AM - 1100 Hours 11:00 PM - 2300 Hours 12:00 AM (Noon) - 1200 Hours 12:00 PM (Midnight) - 2400 hours 1 minute after Midnight would be 0001 Hours Zulu Time Zulu time (Greenwich Mean Time - GMT/Universal Coordinated Time - UCT) is based on the time at Greenwich, England. Eastern Standard time is 5 hours difference (-) to Greenwich. A report that gives the time as 1000 Hours Zulu would be 0500 Hours EST, or 5:00 AM in Richmond, VA. See http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/info/timezone.htm for a more detailed explanation Many of the reports we will be exposed to will be expressed in Zulu Time. SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 6
3. Cover vs. Concealment: CONCEALMENT is the term used for an item that will shield you from view. However, it will offer NO ballistic protection. An example would be to hide behind a bush. It will shield you from view, but bullets will easily penetrate it. Shape. From any distance your outline will give you away. Change you shape to match that of your surroundings. Shadow. Stay in the shadows and do not allow your own shadow to be seen. Texture. Beware of smooth, shiny surfaces such as watches, weapon barrel, glasses, etc. Most smooth surfaces will reflect light. Color. Blend in with your surroundings. Bright colors attract unwanted attention. Position. When choosing your position, make it appear as though nothing is out of the ordinary Movement. Motion naturally attracts the eye, so keep still. * * - http://tkdtutor.com/06concepts/combat/coverconceal.htm COVER is the term used for an item that not only can shield you from view, but also offers some level of ballistic protection. Hiding behind a vehicle would be considered using cover, as the vehicle would probably stop most small caliber ammunition from completely penetrating through to you. Natural cover, such as rocks, logs, rubble, etc., is best because it is hard to detect in darkness. Good cover also includes buildings, structures, concrete, etc. Propane or other fuel tanks do not make good cover. Cinder blocks used as foundations for houses or walls are not impenetrable cover. Although they are made of a dense material, they are brittle and may shatter upon impact from small arms fire, causing injury by secondary fragmentation. Wood, such as trees, logs, power poles, etc., is a relatively dense material and offers good cover but bullets have a tendency to fragment when they penetrate wood. Live trees have a greater resistance to bullet penetration than dead wood. Wood that has been treated with creosote, such as telephone poles and railroad ties, offers better protection from projectiles than untreated wood.* * - http://tkdtutor.com/06concepts/combat/coverconceal.htm SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 7
4. Squad Movement: When we are deployed in a tactical type scenario, there are three basic Team formations. A formation is nothing more than an arrangement of Elements and Agents to each other. The Team uses formations to control flexibility and security. The Team Leader chooses the formation based on their analysis of METT-T (Mission, Enemy, Terrain, Troops, Time). MISSION. Is exactly as it sounds. What is the Team's objective? To patrol a pipeline? Patrol a residential area after a natural disaster? The mission is the prime element. ENEMY. It could be anything from displaced populace after a disaster, to a well organized/armed insurgent force. TERRAIN. Dense woods or jungle to urban sprawl. TROOPS. How many agents does the Team Leader have to work with. Are there friendly forces available to supplement his/her team. Others assets that he/she can bring in to aid the mission. TIME. Just how much time does the Team have to accomplish the mission? How long to get to the objective? How much time on station? How much to return to base, or to head to the next objective? The three basic types of formations are as follows: Wedge, Column (file), or Line. 1. The Wedge is the most frequently utilized. It is an inverted "V" shape. O - Team Leader O - Agent O - Agent O - Agent X - Alternate position for an Agent in a 4 Person Team The normal interval between Agents should be about 10 meters. This distance can be increased or decreased depending upon the type of terrain to be crossed. The Team Leader is in the front, where he/she is easily visible to all members of the Team. The advantages of the Wedge are that the Control of the Team is easy, flexibility is good, security is good, and it allows for immediate fire in all directions. Obviously, the more agents available, the longer the sides of the Wedge will be. 2. The Column or File Formation is a single line of Agents, preceded by the Team Leader. O - TL O - A O - A O - A SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 8
The Column/File is used with close terrain, dense vegetation, or poor visibility. Control of the Team is probably the easiest. However, flexibility is more difficult. It does allow for immediate fire to the flanks (sides), but masks most fire to the rear. Therefore security is not as great. 3. The third formation is the (Skirmish) Line Formation. This is used when contact with an opposing force has occurred, or is imminent. It allows for the greatest amount of firepower to be brought in a single direction. O - A O - A O - TL O - A The Line can be shifted to slant either Left or Right if movement along a tree line or other type terrain is encountered. Below is a Line that would be advancing with a tree line to its left. O - A O - TL O - A O - A The disadvantage of the Line s that it is geared toward bringing Firepower mainly in one direction, so immediate fire to the flanks is minimal. Also, with the Team Leader toward the middle of the Formation, if the Line angles, the Team Leader is no longer readily visible to the Agents preceding him/her. SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 9
5. Bounding Cover & Overwatch: When an encounter is imminent, the Team Leader can break his/her 4 person Team into two 2 person elements. This is also known as a 2 x 2 Formation. One element will move from a covered/concealed position to another, while the other element provides cover fire if necessary. After the first element has reached their new position, they will then provide covering fire, while the second element moves. This is known as a Bounding Overwatch, also colloquially known as Leapfrogging. Element A \ \ / O O \ \ /.. \ new position \.. \ /.. \ Field of Fire /.. \ /.. \ /.. \ /_.. / O O \.. / Element B\............. / O O \.. /.. \......... Element A old position Care must be taken when choosing a new position to move to, that the advancing element does not inadvertently enter the covering element's Field of Fire. Below is an excerpt straight from the U.S. Army FM 7-8, showing Bounding Overwatch: SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 10
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6. Peeling: Peeling is a technique for retreating while under fire. It is so called, because each member of the team falls back sequentially, from one end of the squad to the other, like layers of an onion, being peeled away. The team will either peel left or right, as the situation determines. If the team peels left, upon the command to peel, the left flanking member will spin to their left, retreat back to the next suitable firing position, and resume a new field of fire, covering the left flank. While this action is occurring, the next member in line from the left takes over the duties and field of fire of the left flank thereby providing covering fire for the retreating member. Once the first member is in place, the second member will announce that they are peeling, spin to the left, and fall back to join the first member. The third member from the left, now becomes the left flank of the forward position, and in addition to the first member, provides covering fire for the second to retreat. Once the second member has reached the new position, the third will announce peeling and repeat the actions of the first two. Each subsequent member of the team will follow these actions, until all members have reached the new position. They can either dig in at that point, or continue to peel back as necessary. Peeling Right is the same basic procedure, except reversed to the right. The team generally peels to the side that requires the most firepower, as the members who have successfully retreated, are better suited to provide the most covering fire without endangering their own members with friendly fire. 7. Fields of Fire: US Military Definition - The area that a weapon or a group of weapons may cover effectively with fire from a given position. Marine Corp Dictionary - The radius that an automatic weapon can cover in an arc from port to starboard. 8. Zones of Fire: Military Dictionary - (DOD) An area into which a designated ground unit or fire support ship delivers, or is prepared to deliver, fire support. Fire may or may not be observed. SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 12
9. Vehicle Embarking and Debarking (EP & Combat): Vehicle embarking and debarking - EP SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 13
10. Ambush Procedures (Foot and Vehicle): Basic Ambush types: SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 14
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11. Convoy Procedures: SG Operations: The Home Base of SGC & SG SOCOM 16
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