// 03
TACTICS 101
You don't need to be a tactician. You need to know enough to not get your squad killed. These are the basics that every first-timer should have locked before the op starts.
Combat Spacing
The most common first-timer mistake. Everyone bunches up and one grenade wipes the squad.
5–10m between each person
This is combat spacing. One grenade has a 15ft kill radius — if you're stacked on your buddy, you both die. Spread out.
Never walk in a straight line
Single file on a trail is how your whole squad gets ambushed at once. Offset your spacing and use the terrain.
Don't cluster when stopped
When your element halts, face outward — everyone covers a different direction. This is 360 security. If everyone looks the same way, you have a blind side.
Keep eyes on the person in front
Don't lose visual on your element. If the person ahead disappears, stop and wait — don't wander off.
Cover vs Concealment
They are not the same thing. Mixing them up will get you killed.
Stops BBs. Get behind it. This is what actually saves you.
Hides you but doesn't stop anything. BBs go right through. Don't mistake concealment for safety.
Grenade rule: Soft cover does not save you from grenades or rockets. Only solid cover counts. If a grenade lands near you and all you have is bushes, you're dead.
React to Contact
The moment you start taking fire, most new players freeze or run. Neither is correct. This is what you do.
Get down
Drop immediately. Standing is how you get wiped. Get low and get behind something.
Return fire
Shoot back in the direction of contact. You don't need a target — suppression buys your squad time to move.
Communicate
Yell "CONTACT" and the direction — "CONTACT NORTH", "CONTACT LEFT". Your SL needs to know immediately.
Wait for orders
Don't charge or flank on your own. Your SL will call the move. Stay put, stay low, keep suppressing until told otherwise.
Bounding Overwatch
How you move under fire. One element suppresses while the other moves — then you switch.
Element A suppresses
Lay down fire on the enemy position. You don't need hits — you need them keeping their heads down.
Element B moves
While A is suppressing, B rushes to the next piece of cover. Short bursts — never run further than you can make it in a few seconds.
B takes cover and suppresses
Once B is set and firing, A stops suppressing and bounds forward past B to the next position.
Repeat
Keep leapfrogging forward. You're always covered — one element is always firing while the other moves.
In practice: Your SL will call this. You'll hear "Alpha — move!" or "Bravo — suppress!" Listen and react fast. Don't think too hard about it, just do your job when called.
The L-Shape
A classic ambush setup. When your element sets an ambush, this is often how it's positioned.
Alpha — the base of fire
Sets up facing the kill zone directly. When the enemy enters the kill zone, Alpha engages from the front, pinning them in place.
Bravo — the flank
Positioned perpendicular to Alpha, forming the "L". Once Alpha initiates, Bravo hits from the side. The enemy is now taking fire from two directions with nowhere to go.
The kill zone
The open area between Alpha and Bravo where the enemy is caught. Once they're in it and the ambush is initiated, they have no good options.
Fratricide risk: Make absolutely sure Alpha and Bravo are not in each other's line of fire. The L-shape only works if the two elements are shooting away from each other, not across.
Sectors of Fire
Every person covers a direction. No blind sides.
Don't all shoot the same thing
When contact happens, the instinct is to all look and shoot in the same direction. That leaves your flanks and rear completely open for a second element to wipe you.
Your SL will assign sectors
"Alpha, watch left." "Bravo, cover the rear." When you're given a sector, own it. Don't drift toward where the action is — that's someone else's job.
If you're not assigned, ask
New to the squad? Ask your ATL or the person next to you: "what's my sector?" Don't just stand there looking at what everyone else is looking at.
Hand Signals
Used when radio silence is needed or noise discipline is in effect. When you see a signal, pass it to the person behind you — that's how it travels down the line.
Fist raised up
Stop moving. Hold your position.
Fist raised, no movement
Same as halt but tighter — don't move, don't make a sound. Enemy is close.
One arm straight up, index finger pointing up
Get into a single file line. Used when terrain is tight or you need to minimize your footprint.
Both arms out, hand rotating up and down alternating (pancake flip)
Offset your spacing left and right of the person in front of you, alternating sides. Standard patrol formation — more coverage, harder to wipe with one grenade.
Two fingers pointed at eyes, then pointed in a direction
I see the enemy — in that direction. Heads up, prepare to engage or take cover.
Palm facing down, pushed downward
Drop low immediately. No noise.
Arm raised forward, sweeping motion
Let's go. Forward movement.
Pass it down: When you see a signal, immediately repeat it for the person behind you. Don't assume they saw it. The whole point is that everyone gets the message without a word being said.
Bottom Line
You don't need to master all of this before day one. Spread out, get behind real cover, call contact when you see the enemy, and listen to your SL. The rest comes with reps. Most first-timers who struggle do so because they didn't do those four things — not because they didn't know the L-shape.