Post by Snake Eyes 88 USMC on Nov 24, 2005 3:43:54 GMT -5
Having been pointman many a time in the military as well as a long carrear of point in paintball I would have to say that much like Snipers the pointman is a "Spooky art".
It takes the right kind of person, someone who just has that sense about them to be in tune w/ thier surroundings.
Your pointman shouldn't just be some boot who you stick up front he should a well expierenced player.
This guy is going to be placed w/ the trust of the fire team to get them weare they need to go and safely.
He should travel lightly.
Have good compass/land nav. skills.
Practice in observation skills ( so as to avoid ambushes, booby traps, snipers, and not lead the fire team down some fu*^ed up bushy route that gets everyone bogged down)
I prefer to have the point man in some sort of light wieght "leafy wear" ghillie like the ones used for bow hunting, They don't weigh anything and while not as good as a burlap/jute ghillie offer some better camouflage than the normal BDU's.
I want my point man to have some good cammo since he will be the first person to likely be seen by the enemy which means that once he is compromised so is your fire team.
The point man should be able to have enough knowledge in sound tactics to be able to analyize the battle field and react to ambushes.
His actions will be the first ones taken once contact is made; If he is good then he can direct the team to immdieate action such as what the team is to do in "contact front" "contact right" and what not.
The fire team will know the basic manouvers for thease drills but the point man is the one that see's the situation right as it unfolds.
The point man must also know his tactics so he can either direct the team into the first portion of a hasty ambush to get the fire team to safety and the ambush moving while the fire team leader gets his bearings and finalizes his tactics before he takes command of the situation.
Also there is what I call a React ambush this would be a super hasty ambush I see the enemy and have about 1/2 second before he see's me, I can't open fire up on him in the position my team is in, Crap what do I do. Laslty on ambushes he should be able to understand how to set a pre planned ambush up-
Situation A: Fire team leader issues orders to pointman take us to along Ho-chi min trail and so we can set up an ambush at check point Zulu.
Point man takes the fire team to designated route and arrives at check point zulu His understanding of ambushes, tactics and him bieng the first one to observe and encounter the terrain will enable him to guide the fire team to a good ambush position right off the bat and the all the fire team leader has to do is make fine detail adjustments to his team.
Situation B: While on patrol The point man breaks through the brush and comes to the bush/tree line of a changing terrain he is not compromised but observes the OPFOR w/ his expierience and understaning of sound tactics along the fact that he is privy w/ the information of the terrain ahead, the enemies position, the size of the OPFOR, and thier equipment.
He can quickly form an idea of to either take the fire team quickly and silently out of the area to avoid getting in the fire fight w/ enemy or if an ambush looks as if it might be in order he can quickly form an idea of how to lay one and tell the fire team leader before he briefs him, that way the fire team leader may think about the plan of actions while bieng
briefed and have a conclusion ready by the end of the briefing.
I also believe the pointman should have a good understanding of fire an manouvere.
Once contact is made the point man will be scrapping like the rest of the team.
The point man will be the guy to take charge of a small flanking force lead them through the bush into a position that the flank force can attack- no wait I mean destroy the opposition.
The fire team is a family and in that family.
The fire team leader is the daddy.
The machine gunner is your big brother who always
bails you out of trouble.
The light and med riflemen are your hyper-active little brothers always getting into trouble.
The point man is your cousin from out of town that shows up and takes you in town for a night of partying and ends up leading you into some wild and Fu**ed up adventure you will never forget.
It takes the right kind of person, someone who just has that sense about them to be in tune w/ thier surroundings.
Your pointman shouldn't just be some boot who you stick up front he should a well expierenced player.
This guy is going to be placed w/ the trust of the fire team to get them weare they need to go and safely.
He should travel lightly.
Have good compass/land nav. skills.
Practice in observation skills ( so as to avoid ambushes, booby traps, snipers, and not lead the fire team down some fu*^ed up bushy route that gets everyone bogged down)
I prefer to have the point man in some sort of light wieght "leafy wear" ghillie like the ones used for bow hunting, They don't weigh anything and while not as good as a burlap/jute ghillie offer some better camouflage than the normal BDU's.
I want my point man to have some good cammo since he will be the first person to likely be seen by the enemy which means that once he is compromised so is your fire team.
The point man should be able to have enough knowledge in sound tactics to be able to analyize the battle field and react to ambushes.
His actions will be the first ones taken once contact is made; If he is good then he can direct the team to immdieate action such as what the team is to do in "contact front" "contact right" and what not.
The fire team will know the basic manouvers for thease drills but the point man is the one that see's the situation right as it unfolds.
The point man must also know his tactics so he can either direct the team into the first portion of a hasty ambush to get the fire team to safety and the ambush moving while the fire team leader gets his bearings and finalizes his tactics before he takes command of the situation.
Also there is what I call a React ambush this would be a super hasty ambush I see the enemy and have about 1/2 second before he see's me, I can't open fire up on him in the position my team is in, Crap what do I do. Laslty on ambushes he should be able to understand how to set a pre planned ambush up-
Situation A: Fire team leader issues orders to pointman take us to along Ho-chi min trail and so we can set up an ambush at check point Zulu.
Point man takes the fire team to designated route and arrives at check point zulu His understanding of ambushes, tactics and him bieng the first one to observe and encounter the terrain will enable him to guide the fire team to a good ambush position right off the bat and the all the fire team leader has to do is make fine detail adjustments to his team.
Situation B: While on patrol The point man breaks through the brush and comes to the bush/tree line of a changing terrain he is not compromised but observes the OPFOR w/ his expierience and understaning of sound tactics along the fact that he is privy w/ the information of the terrain ahead, the enemies position, the size of the OPFOR, and thier equipment.
He can quickly form an idea of to either take the fire team quickly and silently out of the area to avoid getting in the fire fight w/ enemy or if an ambush looks as if it might be in order he can quickly form an idea of how to lay one and tell the fire team leader before he briefs him, that way the fire team leader may think about the plan of actions while bieng
briefed and have a conclusion ready by the end of the briefing.
I also believe the pointman should have a good understanding of fire an manouvere.
Once contact is made the point man will be scrapping like the rest of the team.
The point man will be the guy to take charge of a small flanking force lead them through the bush into a position that the flank force can attack- no wait I mean destroy the opposition.
The fire team is a family and in that family.
The fire team leader is the daddy.
The machine gunner is your big brother who always
bails you out of trouble.
The light and med riflemen are your hyper-active little brothers always getting into trouble.
The point man is your cousin from out of town that shows up and takes you in town for a night of partying and ends up leading you into some wild and Fu**ed up adventure you will never forget.
