Post by Snake Eyes 88 USMC on Nov 24, 2005 3:36:36 GMT -5
Close Quarters Battle.
Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain.
Some considerations for CQB/MOUT
* Long unsupported assaults are deadly.
Assault for short distances, against a lightly armed or well-suppressed position.
A single enemy soldier can destroy a squad across many meters of open ground.
* A long covered approach is always better than a short open route.
Be careful of covered approaches that cannot be covered by an over-watching unit.
* Every unit needs obscuration. Smoke saves lives. Every assault and every withdrawal should use smoke.
* Fire and maneuver is the key tactic.
Use the majority of your force to overwhelmingly suppress the enemy, and a small assault unit to rapidly close on the objective.
* It's all about suppression! Fire without maneuver is wasteful and indecisive.
Effective suppression is the basis for all infantry tactics.
* Units without mutual support are doomed. Mutually supported units protect each other from being fixed or assaulted.
* Mortars and launchers are inherently inaccurate. Area suppression is NOT destruction.
Rounds are limited. Use them well. Don’t waste mortars on bunkers or buildings.
* Every unit— squad, platoon, and company—needs antitank capability when facing tanks.
An infantry unit with no organic antitank weapon is either retreating or overrun. Tanks can only be fought in close terrain.
* Concentrate your fire. Fire control insures decisive action.
In contact, men will disburse their fire.
Sequentially destroying targets with point fire is more effective than distributing ineffective fires.
* Every unit— squad, platoon, and company—needs antitank capability when facing tanks. An infantry unit with no organic antitank weapon is either retreating or overrun. Tanks can only be fought in close terrain.
* For anti-tank positions, deep and narrow sectors of fire with defilade on both sides are best.
The best sector of fire allows you to engage only one tank at a time.
* Defensive positions are temporary. All units need multiple positions and the ability to withdraw.
* For machinegun positions, deep and narrow sectors of fire, with defilade on both sides, are best.
Primary and secondary sectors separated by frontal protection are better.
* COVER IS LIFE. Move from one covered position to another. Good cover is relative to a single enemy position.
Mutually supporting enemy positions can overcome the protection of your cover.
* Use bounding over- watch to move. A squad in contact needs immediate suppression from another unit.
The measure of success is the number of units that can immediately bring suppression to bear upon enemy contact.
If possible use snipers to provide cover so your main element can reach the building. If you can’t do this unseen, use lots of smoke to conceal your movement, while snipers provide harassing fire.
If you can make it the roof and enter from the top this is your best bet. The top-to-bottom method is preferred for clearing a building.
Entering at the top and fighting downward is easier from an upper story because gravity works to your advantage when throwing hand grenades and moving from floor to floor. As well as building construction and moving dynamics become assets to the assault elements.
There is a tactical advantage in psychology when attacking from the top to bottom the enemy is naturally forced down and out of the building, wear supporting elements can take care of them so if your snipers are positioned outside in good cover they can pick them off as they exit the building while the main assault element is still on their ass.
This also gives the enemy of weaker stomach a chance to flee outside and surrender (but you have no need for taking prisoners do you?).
When attacking from the bottom to top the enemy is forced to stay inside the building and revert to the natural stance of an animal in a corner making his stand for life, death, and territory.
If you have no access to the top level assaulting the bottom floor and clearing upward is a common method. When you use this technique, the assault force closes on the flank(s) or rear of the building.
The team then clears each room on the ground floor; continuously moving upward, begin a systematic clearance of the remaining floors.
Entry should be gained through walls breached by explosives or gunfire (substitute for paintball as best as you can).
Assault elements should avoid windows and doors because they are usually covered by fire or booby-trapped.
Remember to stay away from walls paint balls either roll down them and on to you or bust and splatter you. Use lots of Grenades for entering rooms and remember SMOKE- SMOKE- SMOKE.
Keep yourself and your movement concealed rapid action lots of fire and confusion will have your enemies head spinning.
I also like to use whistling Peat’s( I stock up every 4th of July.) They are so loud and annoying a good distraction for something like a “Breach, Bang, and Clear”.
Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain.
Some considerations for CQB/MOUT
* Long unsupported assaults are deadly.
Assault for short distances, against a lightly armed or well-suppressed position.
A single enemy soldier can destroy a squad across many meters of open ground.
* A long covered approach is always better than a short open route.
Be careful of covered approaches that cannot be covered by an over-watching unit.
* Every unit needs obscuration. Smoke saves lives. Every assault and every withdrawal should use smoke.
* Fire and maneuver is the key tactic.
Use the majority of your force to overwhelmingly suppress the enemy, and a small assault unit to rapidly close on the objective.
* It's all about suppression! Fire without maneuver is wasteful and indecisive.
Effective suppression is the basis for all infantry tactics.
* Units without mutual support are doomed. Mutually supported units protect each other from being fixed or assaulted.
* Mortars and launchers are inherently inaccurate. Area suppression is NOT destruction.
Rounds are limited. Use them well. Don’t waste mortars on bunkers or buildings.
* Every unit— squad, platoon, and company—needs antitank capability when facing tanks.
An infantry unit with no organic antitank weapon is either retreating or overrun. Tanks can only be fought in close terrain.
* Concentrate your fire. Fire control insures decisive action.
In contact, men will disburse their fire.
Sequentially destroying targets with point fire is more effective than distributing ineffective fires.
* Every unit— squad, platoon, and company—needs antitank capability when facing tanks. An infantry unit with no organic antitank weapon is either retreating or overrun. Tanks can only be fought in close terrain.
* For anti-tank positions, deep and narrow sectors of fire with defilade on both sides are best.
The best sector of fire allows you to engage only one tank at a time.
* Defensive positions are temporary. All units need multiple positions and the ability to withdraw.
* For machinegun positions, deep and narrow sectors of fire, with defilade on both sides, are best.
Primary and secondary sectors separated by frontal protection are better.
* COVER IS LIFE. Move from one covered position to another. Good cover is relative to a single enemy position.
Mutually supporting enemy positions can overcome the protection of your cover.
* Use bounding over- watch to move. A squad in contact needs immediate suppression from another unit.
The measure of success is the number of units that can immediately bring suppression to bear upon enemy contact.
If possible use snipers to provide cover so your main element can reach the building. If you can’t do this unseen, use lots of smoke to conceal your movement, while snipers provide harassing fire.
If you can make it the roof and enter from the top this is your best bet. The top-to-bottom method is preferred for clearing a building.
Entering at the top and fighting downward is easier from an upper story because gravity works to your advantage when throwing hand grenades and moving from floor to floor. As well as building construction and moving dynamics become assets to the assault elements.
There is a tactical advantage in psychology when attacking from the top to bottom the enemy is naturally forced down and out of the building, wear supporting elements can take care of them so if your snipers are positioned outside in good cover they can pick them off as they exit the building while the main assault element is still on their ass.
This also gives the enemy of weaker stomach a chance to flee outside and surrender (but you have no need for taking prisoners do you?).
When attacking from the bottom to top the enemy is forced to stay inside the building and revert to the natural stance of an animal in a corner making his stand for life, death, and territory.
If you have no access to the top level assaulting the bottom floor and clearing upward is a common method. When you use this technique, the assault force closes on the flank(s) or rear of the building.
The team then clears each room on the ground floor; continuously moving upward, begin a systematic clearance of the remaining floors.
Entry should be gained through walls breached by explosives or gunfire (substitute for paintball as best as you can).
Assault elements should avoid windows and doors because they are usually covered by fire or booby-trapped.
Remember to stay away from walls paint balls either roll down them and on to you or bust and splatter you. Use lots of Grenades for entering rooms and remember SMOKE- SMOKE- SMOKE.
Keep yourself and your movement concealed rapid action lots of fire and confusion will have your enemies head spinning.
I also like to use whistling Peat’s( I stock up every 4th of July.) They are so loud and annoying a good distraction for something like a “Breach, Bang, and Clear”.
