Small Unit Tactics: The BW Way

Author: SovietOnion

This is, to me, a TL;DR of unit tactics. It's freshly updated, and probably still contants typos or outdaded information, so if you catch that let me know. I'll be adding some diagrams later.

Cohesion

Stay with your color team buddy. If your STHUD icons overlap (Or turn orange), you are too close. Buddy teams are the smallest maneuver element in a Bourbon Platoon.

The fire team should be spaced well enough apart to avoid multiple casualties from area effect weapons, but close enough to ensure voice communications between elements to cut down on radio usage.

STHUD is your limit of movement for fire team level tactics such as bounding or peeling. Always go for light cover (or concealment) that is close, than the hard cover that is far.

Fire teams should be within GPS range of each other if not visual, with the squad leader helping to coordinate movement with other elements. Squads can be further separated but should remain in radio contact, and visual contact where possible. Squads that can provide mutually supporting fire and observation will be far more effective than individual elements.

Security

Security is everyone's responsibility, but here are some good rules to follow. If A1 is right and A2 is left, and they are in line, A1 watches right, 2 Left. Both watch the rear. The squad medic, when not treating, provides rear security. Team leaders are responsible for establishing arcs of fire and observation with their different buddy teams, or establishing forward lookouts.

Squad leaders are generally busy with radios and observation with range finders, so it is vital the medic covers the rear. When moving, scan your surroundings, but focus on your side of the formation. When reloading, check your immediate left and right. You aren't in the firefight at that point anyway.

Maintaining security in a firefight is difficult, as every player understandably wants to get in on the action. It is the job of the FTL to ensure some security is being maintained, even if he has to do it himself. A squad wiped due to a enemy buddy team circling around the rear is a very real possibility.

Orders and Radios

As a SL, repeat all relative platoon radio information to your squad remember they do not have access to this radio, so you are their window into what the platoon and company is doing. Ask your FTLs if they have any questions before stepping off.

Information such as friendly direction is critical to help avoid friendly fire. As an FTL, repeat orders from your SL to your team in verbal to make sure everyone knows whats going on, and ask if they have any questions. Ask them to repeat it if you doubt they understand. If the fireteam is spread out (As they should be in combat) repeat orders down the line. Sounding like a broken record is better than someone not hearing and shooting a friendly or getting left behind.

Use the radio as little as possible. Confirm and read back orders. Ask questions and give alternatives. Platoon leaders should give squad leaders room to adjust orders as needed. Squad leaders should give their lead fire team the same. This leeway should then be transmitted back up the line to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Eg: 1PLT: “Alpha, I want you to scout forward to BOF2. Follow the marked path.” ASL: “Roger Platoon, Alpha moving to scout BOF2.” “Alpha 1, you're going to be on point, we're moving to scout forward to BOF2. Don't crest the hill, but you're picking the path for the squad.” A1FTL: “One copies. Looks like if we travel a bit more to the West we'll have some low ground masking us from objective two.” ASL: “Copy that one. Get moving.” “Platoon, Alpha. We're going to move more West than your marks to get concealment.” 1PLT: Sounds good Alpha, Platoon Out.”

Smoke

Smoke is a tactical device used to help conceal friendly movement, or to mark enemy positions, landing zones or other areas of interest. A unit may employ smoke as it sees fit to block lanes of fire in the offense, or to cover a hasty retreat. Remember that smoke is a double edged sword. While it hides your exact location, an otherwise unawares opponent will now now your rough location, and will likely saturate it with area fires.

A premature use of smoke can give away an assault, and so leadership must weight this risk versus the potential reward.

Healing

Leave your buddies alone until you've killed the enemy who shot him. You getting shot won't help your buddy. If possible, throw smoke and drag him to cover. One person per casualty. Diagnose and tell the medic whats wrong when possible to save time. Protect the medic. Avoid areas where multiple players have been wounded. There is likely still a threat waiting for a fresh target.

When you find a casualty, try to ascertain if the player is wounded or dead. Saying "Down" leaves it open to interpretation which is bad. "Command is knocked out" is better.

See 1:20 and on

Types Of Fire

You do not need to see the bad guy to hit him. You do not need to hit a bad guy to render him combat ineffective. If we are getting shot at from the trees to the NE, shoot into the trees. Worry about accuracy as the firefight continues.

Suppressing fire is as accurate as possible, but fired despite the enemy seen or not. It is fired in support of friendly movement or action. When called to do suppressing fire, you fire. Suppressing fire can be a preemptive move.

Covering fire is like suppressing fire, but you wait until you see enemies, or the element you are covering is engaged. When called to cover, you set your sights up and watch.

Rapid Fire is called when overwhelming lead needs to be put down range. A rapid fire order might have a time attached to it “Fifteen seconds rapid fire!” or not. If no time is given, rifleman empty their magazine into the target area on semi-automatic. Machine gunners put long bursts out. If given a time, keep shooting until that time. Once the time is over, keep firing but dial down the rate of fire. No one wants to run out of bullets and resort to harsh language mid firefight.

REEF: Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire

Either grab the closest cover or go prone. Face threat and return fire. Call out target direction and estimate range. Estimate number of contacts. Once Firefight/skirmish line is established, team leaders ensure flank/rear security is established. Team leaders should be delegating responsibilities and supporting with grenade launcher rounds.

Bounding Overwatch

Can be done inside of fire teams (Buddy teams or individuals) all the way up to platoon strength. One element moves while another element covers. A bound is a 3-5 second rush to the next covered position. “I'm up, they see me, I'm down.” This tactic allows, if necessary, suppressive fire in support of offensive forward movement or defensive disengagement to be deployed quickly.

Forward movement is slow but continuous. Elements of a squad/platoon should never be far apart during bounding overwatch so as to provide mutual support and to have a minimal radio footprint. At the fireteam level, you should never be out of the STHUD range from each other.

Bounding Overwatch is a preparatory tactic, and generally used when expecting contact. It can be used in combat through the same means, but will usually be at smaller levels. Full fireteams may bound during a movement to contact, but once contact is initiated switch to buddy team bounding.

Fire and Movement/Squad Attack

Fire and Movement is a military tactic that uses suppressive fire to decrease the enemy's ability to return fire. The tactic is used by small unit commanders. The “movement” part of the action consists of a separate organizational unit moving forward in greater safety afforded by the suppressive fire laid down by the “fire” element.

This can be done at fireteam, squad and platoon level. Communication is key.

Alpha can lay down fire on the target objective, while bravo moves through covered/concealed positions towards the objective in increased safety. If Bravo is coming from the left, when ready to breach they call Alpha to “Shift Fire Right.” This lets Alpha to continue to put out fire and suppressive enemies, but to move the fire away from friendlies. Once objective is secure, call to Alpha to “Cease fire.” The same can be done with two fireteam in a squad, or two buddy teams in a fireteam.

Peeling

Peeling is like bounding, but laterally instead of forward or back, done at the firteam level. When in a firefight, we establish a skirmish line facing the enemy. When called to peel, the command will come with a direction “left” or “right”. It is important that players keep an eye on their STHUD for this.

When called to “peel left” the rightmost soldier calls out that he is moving (Either in direct or radio, depending on noise level, only use radio if necessary) and moves behind the fireteam until he is the leftmost member of the team. He rejoins the line and calls out that he is “set.” The next member calls out moving, and so on and so forth until called to stop.