Rifleman (Leadership Observer) Handbook

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The FM outlines our core skills, policies and guides to ensure every member stands ready for the mission ahead.

Your role access is determined by your skills, experience with those skills, and the specific roles that utilize them. With over 100 roles in UNITAF, creating detailed skill breakdowns for every role is a substantial undertaking that cannot be completed overnight. 

Estimated Role Cards

To ensure the entire unit can transition to the new system immediately, some roles are tagged as **"Estimated"**. These roles use a transitional approach:

• Temporary skill blocks simulate role-specific experience
• Estimated access levels are calculated based on these placeholder blocks
• Similar to LTS functionality but with improved accuracy and fewer limitations

Current State: Estimated roles provide functional access levels that closely mirror the previous LTS system while addressing many of its shortcomings. As development progresses, estimated role cards will be upgraded to the full FTS3 standard with detailed, role-specific skill requirements.

Important Note: When roles transition from "Estimated" to "Verified" status, your access level may change (either increase or decrease) as the requirements become more precise and role-specific.

This approach allows UNITAF to:

• Maintain operations during the transition period
• Provide immediate access to the improved FTS3 system
• Ensure continuity while detailed role cards are developed
• Gradually improve role accuracy over time

The estimated system serves as a bridge, ensuring no disruption to unit operations while we build toward the comprehensive FTS3 vision.

This is a temporary skill block, the skill block is being used to accumulate SP for time spent as any Platoon Leader or Platoon Commander role until it's role card is completed.

This is a temporary skill block, the skill block is being used to accumulate SP for time spent as Platoon Sergeant until it's role card is completed.

This is a temporary skill block, the skill block is being used to accumulate SP for time spent as Acting Platoon Leader until it's role card is completed.

This is a temporary skill block, the skill block is being used to accumulate SP for time spent as Platoon Leader until it's role card is completed.

This is a temporary skill block, the skill block is being used to accumulate SP for time spent as Platoon Commander until it's role card is completed.

This is a temporary skill block, the skill block is being used to accumulate SP for time spent as Platoon Commander until it's role card is completed.

This is a temporary skill block, the skill block is being used to accumulate SP for time spent as Company Commander until it's role card is completed.

Rules of engagement (ROE) are directives that dictate how and when military forces can engage in combat. ROE outline conditions for using force, including target identification, self-defence, and proportionality. They are designed to ensure lawful and ethical conduct in military operations, and vary depending on the mission and environment. ROE always take precedence in operational decisions.

Identify targets as legitimate targets before engagement. This is crucial to prevent harm to civilians and ensure adherence to the principles of distinction and proportionality in combat.

Combatants: Individuals who are actively engaged in hostilities or are members of armed forces.

• Enemy soldiers in uniform not surrendering or wounded
• Armed militants
• Persons directly participating in hostilities
• A person posing an immediate threat (e.g., aiming a weapon) can be considered a combatant
• Parachuting active airborne infantry

Non-Combatants: Individuals who are not actively participating in hostilities. These are not legitimate targets.

• Civilians not taking direct part in hostilities
• Unarmed medical and religious personnel
• Wounded/surrendering soldiers who are not participating combat in any way, and prisoners of war
• Parachuting crew from a downed aircraft

Do not intentionally engage non-combatants as defined in FM/BS-349 - Identify legitimate targets

Do not cause damage to civilian infrastructure, unless necessary to archieve a military purpose. In general, preserving life should be prioritised over the avoidance of damage, but the destruction must be proportional to the purpose.

Examples:

• Acceptable situations:
  • Using explosives on a civilian house used as a military HQ
  • Dropping a bomb on an actively engaging enemy tank next to a house
• Unacceptable situations:
  • Cluster-bombing an enemy-held town
  • Destroying a house to take out a single shooter

Do not intentionally cause collateral damage to civilian infrastructure as defined in FM/BS-350 - Minimize collateral damage against civilian infrastructure

Captured Persons (CPERS) = Anyone you’ve captured. 

Don’t worry about categories: if someone is in UNITAF custody, treat them as CPERS. 

Why we do this: 

• Reflects FM/G71 - Rules of engagement.
• Prevents abuse and maintains fair, immersive gameplay.
• Ensures consistent behaviour across all members.
• Encourages role-play or story development

Definition

A CPERS is any person who has been captured, surrendered, or detained and is under UNITAF control, regardless of their status (enemy, civilian, etc.).

Obligations

• Preserve life and provide medical care if needed.
• Treat humanely: no humiliation, torture, or degrading treatment.
• Respect personal protective gear unless unsafe to keep.
• Keep CPERS secure and guarded until handover.
• Report CPERS to chain of command quickly.

Prohibitions

• No execution or deliberate harm.
• No using CPERS for tactical advantage (e.g. human shield).
• No unauthorised trials, interrogations, or punishments.
• No taking personal items except for safety or mission reasons.

Command Responsibility

• Leaders ensure proper custody, communication and handover.

• Approach safely, disarm CPERS.
• Apply restraints securely (e.g. zip ties).
• Conduct a quick safety search for weapons, explosives, intel.
• Leave protective equipment in place unless unsafe.
• Move CPERS to a secure, guarded position.

Report: “One CPERS secured, location ____, information/context ____, condition ____.” 

• Include any intelligence or weapons recovered.

Guard: Never leave CPERS unattended.

• Ensure safety from friendly fire and environment.

Plan & Transfer: Confirm with chain of command when/where to move CPERS.

• Escort during movement; avoid unnecessary exposure.
• Confirm transfer of custody with the receiving element.

"Weapons Red"

• Engage only if there is an imminent threat to life. 
• Authorisation is required for all other targets
  • with the exception of immediate life-threatening situations. 
• Return fire only if absolutely necessary. 
• This state is typically used when stealth is important.

"Weapons Orange"

• Return fire only and limit engagements to active threats against you or friendlies. 
• Disengage if the threat ceases.
• The most common state.

"Weapons Green"

• Engage any confirmed enemy target.
• This state is common in prolonged firefights, emphasising rapid response to enemy threats without the need for authorisation or detailed contact reports for each engagement.

A weapon control status is a temporary condition set by the Commander of an operation, one state is always in effect. It describes the terms under which elements can engage valid targets. Under normal conditions a rifleman or element would contact report a target and await authorisation to fire. A weapon control status modifies this condition and allows those elements to fire using self authorisation under certain conditions based on target identification criteria. The Commander sets and adjusts the weapon control state based on friendly and enemy disposition and clarity of the overall situation.

A weapon control state is not the same as the Rules of Engagement (ROE) or the Law of armed conflict (LOAC) which always apply.

Point fire is fire using a direct and controlled aim, for the specific purpose of hitting an individual target accurately.

Example:

• A rifleman takes aim for an enemy combatant he can see in a window, releases controlled, accurate fire with the intended purpose of wounding the enemy

Area fire is aiming for a group of enemies close together, or an area of concealment that is hiding enemy units, with the intention not to hit any specific individual target, but to hit any target within the area of fire.

Example:

• A rifleman engages a column of enemy infantry, with the intention of putting enough rounds towards the general location that it is likely to wound several enemy combatants.
• A pilot, receiving an instruction to engage enemy infantry in a treeline, engages in area fire on that treeline. Despite not being able to see individual targets, the pilot knows they are there, and puts enough fire down in that area that it is likely to cause casualties.

Suppressive fire is fire where the primary intention is not to hit an enemy target, but to fix them in place and prevent them from returning effective fire, by placing them in the position where if they were to try, they would likely be wounded. If enemy combatants are wounded, this is simply a benefit. Suppressing the enemy can be used for many reasons but the main reasons are; preventing a superior enemy from returning fire, providing the opportunity to get into cover, or keeping the enemy in place whilst friendly units flank them.

Examples:

• A fireteam suppresses an enemy behind a wall, preventing them from moving without being hit, whilst another fireteam moves to the wall to finish the enemy
• A pilot, seeing an enemy fixed wing making an attack run, suppresses the enemy by firing towards them as much as possible, causing them to have to disengage.

Deliberate fire is the a rate of fire that, looking to make deliberate and controlled shots towards a target that have a high chance of accuracy despite a slower pace. This is the standard and default rate of fire.

A rough guide for a standard rifleman, would be 1 round per 4 seconds, for a combined total of 1-1.5 round per second per fireteam

Rapid fire is a rate of fire that is faster than deliberate in order to increase the volume of rounds towards the enemy, at the expense of accuracy. Often used to achieve suppressing fire, rapid fire is used sparingly, as its higher rate increases ammunition consumption.

A rough guide for a rifleman, is 1 round per second, for a total of 4-6 rounds per second from the fireteam.

Burst fire, commonly used with automatic rifles or any rifle with the burst fire setting, achieves a rate much like deliberate fire, but instead of a single round, a burst of 3-5 rounds is fired.

A fire control order (FCO) is used by an element leader to direct their element's fire quickly and effectively towards a target.

The acronym for fire control order is: GRIT

1. GROUP: who is being addressed, "Section", "Fire Team" (Charlie or Delta), "No. 2 Rifleman", etc. 
2. RANGE: the distance to the target. 
3. INDICATION: in which direction to look and what to look for. 
4. TYPE OF FIRE: the type of fire that is required.

Example:

FTL: ‘Green Team. 100m. Enemy infantry, North. Point fire!’

Engage the target specified in a given fire control order using:

• the correct type of fire
• using the correct rate of fire if specified, otherwise using an appropriate rate of fire depending on the target

Vehicle identification is a useful skill for anyone on the battlefield, and a requirement for many of the more specialised roles. While some vehicles pose only a minimal threat, some can halt an entire platoon by themselves. As such accurate identification is crucial to good situational awareness, planning and tasking.

• Identifying a vehicle can be done at three levels of depth:
  • Vehicle class
  • Subclass within vehicle class
  • Specific vehicle model
• Not all vehicles within a class fall under a subclass.
• Vehicle identification covers only military vehicles. 
• Any other vehicle should be referred to by it's common name, e.g.
  • pickup 
  • truck
  • bicycle
  • jetski

• Auto-cannon: an automatic gun with a caliber between 20-60 mm
• Cannon: a gun bigger than an auto-cannon
• Direct fire: firing a weapon within the line-of-sight of the user of the weapon in a (relatively) flat trajectory
• Indirect fire: firing a weapon outside the line-of-sight of the user of the weapon

Rapidly identify a light vehicle as being:

• Wheeled
• Not armed with an autocannon or larger
• Not classified as an AFV

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• Technical: civilian vehicle adapted for military use
• MRAP: mine resistant and protected against small arms
• Truck: military truck

Above: A column of US Army M1114 uparmored HMMWV (or Humvee)

Rapidly identify a AFV as being:

• Wheeled or tracked
• Armed with nothing to cannon, intended for direct fire
• Protected against at least small arms

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• APC: armed with up to a heavy machine-gun
• IFV: armed with an autocannon
• Assault gun: armed with a cannon
• ATGM carrier: armed with ATGMs (anti-tank guided missile) as primary armament

Above: US Army M1126 Stryker AFV on patrol

Rapidly identify a tank as being:

• Tracked
• Turreted
• Protected against at least auto-cannon fire
• Having a cannon capable and intended for direct fire

There are no subclasses.

Above: A section of US Army M1A2 SEPv2 Tanks engaging enemy forces

Rapidly identify artillery as being:

• Towed, wheeled or tracked
• Having a cannon or rocket tubes intended for indirect fire

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• Towed artillery: cannot move by itself
• Self propelled artillery: cannon/rocket tubes are mounted on a wheeled or tracked vehicle

Above: M119 Howitzer towed artillery unit in it's deployed configuration

Rapidly identify anti-air being:

• Primarily inteded for engaging helicopters or planes

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• AAA (anti-air artillery): primary armament is one or more guns
• SAM: primary armament is surface-to-air missiles

Above: ZSU-23 Shilka Anti-Aircraft System

Rapidly identify a helicopter as being:

• Capable of powered flight
• Generating lift with one or more horizontally spinning fixed rotors

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• Utility helicopter: armament is only intended for self defense (e.g. a door gun)
• Attack helicopter: armament is intended for offensive use (e.g. rocket pods)

Above: US Army AH-64D Apache Gunship

Rapidly identify tiltrotor aircraft as being:

• Capable of powered flight
• Generating lift with one or more horizontally spinning rotors capable of rotating in flight

There are no subclasses.

Rapidly identify a plane as being:

• Capable of powered flight
• Generating lift with wings

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• Cargo plane: military plane used to ferry cargo or passengers
• Attack plane: slower flying aircraft intended for ground attack
• Fighter plane: fast flying aircraft intended to fight other planes

Above: US Air Force A-10A Warthog releasing a GBU-48 Enhanced Paveway II

As the main APC of the Soviet/Russian army the BTR has a crew of 3 that sits at the front, a passenger compartment in the middle with a door on each side of the vehicle and a rear-mounted engine. It is armed with either a 14.5mm MG or a 30mm auto-cannon and is amphibious. 

When targeting this vehicle you should: shoot at it frontally or from the rear, as side shots are tricky and it is easy to hit the passenger compartment missing vital components.

Above: A pair of Chedaki BTR-60 APCs

The BMP-1 is one of the most common types of Soviet/Russian IFVs, it has a crew of 3 that sits in the middle of the vehicle, a passenger compartment in the rear and a front mounted engine. It is armed with a 76mm cannon, and some versions are also equipped with an ATGM and is amphibious. 

When targeting this vehicle you should: shoot frontally or from the side and from the rear only with APFSDS. Shooting from the front will take out the engine, when shooting from the side aim from the front half of the vehicle, as everything behind the turret is passenger compartment. Hitting from the rear will not damage the vehicle unless it can penetrate deep into the vehicle.

Above: A pair of Russian BMP-1 IFVs

The BMP-2 is an improved BMP-1 equipped with a 30mm autocannon instead of the 76mm cannon.

Above: Russian BMP-2M IFV

The main thing to remember is that the grids must be read right, and then up. Due to the fact that the map grid is composed entirely of numbers, it's important that you do not transpose them, else you're likely to send someone far, far away from where you needed them to go.

Above: Read the x (horizontal) axis first, then read the y (vertical) axis

• State the proword “GRID”
• Read the first three digits representing west to east (X Axis)
• Pause briefly
• Read the next three digits representing south to north (Y Axis)

• State the proword “GRID”
• Read the first four digits representing west to east (X Axis)
• Pause briefly
• Read the next four digits representing south to north (Y Axis)

Recognise points of elevation and hill numbers:

• 2 or 3-digit numbers on the tops of hills are known as hill numbers and should be referenced as ‘Hill xxx’
• The zoom scale of the map affects whether some of these numbers are visible (specifically the smaller/minor hills).
• In mountainous or hilly terrain there may be multiple hills with the same number. In these circumstances, provide additional context, such as a grid reference to ensure clarity of communication.

Read contour lines using the 2 types contour intervals marked on map:

• Thinner brown lines representing the places of same height at the minor interval (listed in the map legend)
• Thicker brown or red lines representing places of same height at the major interval level (5 times the minor interval)

Recognize the gradient (steepness) of the terrain, based on the spread of the contour lines (the closer contour lines are, the steeper the terrain)

‘These are small. But the ones out there are far away.’

Give yourself a thumbs-up and hold it out at arm’s length. Congratulations! You’ve just measured two degrees of arc with the width of your thumb. Now raise your hand and hold it out at arm’s length. Spread your fingers all the way. Brilliant! With the span between the tip of your thumb and pinky, you have measured 300 milliradians.

Degrees of arc, the kind you use routinely from your compass, are relatively imprecise compared to milliradians, mrad or mils. Remember, the width of your thumb is already one or two degrees. You can’t easily go smaller without chopping your body to bits for MOA, minutes of arc.

The width of a finger in mrad is closer to 20 to 30.

More specifically, where a circle is 360°, it is also 6400 mrad. This gives us a conversion factor of 17.77, or close enough 18. You can be 18 times more precise using mrad than degrees! This is why we use them for marksmanship and artillery.

Your real-world hands are great tools for remarkably reliable rule-of-thumb estimations. In Arma, much more accurate (and immediately usable) tools to measure mils include your compass, binoculars, rifle optics and spotting scopes.

Above: US Army FM 6-30, Chapter 32

The apparent size of an object changes with distance, as we see daily. The width of your index finger may be a couple centimetres. Move it close to your eye and you can block your whole vision out of it. Move it further away and it occupies a small fraction of your field of view. All the while, the absolute width of your index finger has never changed.

Because our field of view is described by an angle, the area we can see increases with distance. As an object moves farther away, its real-world size doesn't change, but its apparent proportion of our field of view becomes smaller and smaller. This proportion of an angle is also an angle and we can describe it with milliradians.

A metre is always a metre, but we can measure its apparent size to us in milliradians, so we can tell what a metre is at any distance.

If you know how far an object is and measure the milliradians between it and another point, you know the distance between them.

Similarly, if you know the real size of an object, you can use its apparent size to calculate the distance to it. We can do this with surprising accuracy and very little effort using the mil-relation formula.

Above: 1 metre cube appearance at different ranges

‘At 1000 metres, 1 mil is 1 metre.’

This relationship is the key to acquiring ranges quickly and accurately. Just like you know now how many milliradians are in different shapes of your hand, you can remember the real size of different objects, then use milliradians to get ranges from them.

Remember our finger (known size) appeared bigger (milliradians) the closer we held it to our eye, but always the same moved side to side. Therefore: 1 metre (known size) will always appear as 1 milliradian at a distance of 1000 metres.

That same metre will appear as 2 milliradians at a distance of 500 metres. Then again 4 mrad at 250, 5 mrad at 200, 10 mrad at 100 metres. Note how the distance halves for every further factor of 2 mrad. What would be the distance to that 1-metre object when measured 8 mrad?

So if you can remember different ‘metre sticks’ common to targets and terrain you encounter, you have a veritable arsenal of rangefinders using just your eyes and quick maths.

The specific formula is:

(object size in metres) * 1000 / mrad = (range in metres)

Note how this formula has one unknown for two known quantities: you know the size, because you pick the object, and can read off the mrad, therefore you can calculate the unknown range. 

With this knowledge, you are also not limited to using objects that are exactly 1 metre. You can plug in any number for the object size; 1 metre just makes it easier since you can divide 1000 by the number of mils you measured straight away, because 1 * 1000 is always 1000.

As a note, 1000 is a conversion factor. You could plug in the object size in millimetres without it and get the same effect. We just don't generally think in millimetres.

Therefore, it will serve you well to remember or collect a list of objects that are easy whole numbers either tall or wide. A standing person measures about one metre head to crotch, likewise head to toe when kneeling. You can approximate doors as 2 metres, which is a similarly nice round number for the formula.

In your typical mil-dot scope you will find a reticle with markings of dots or lines and these markings follow one prime rule: their centres are spaced 1 mrad apart.

For all properly modelled mil-dot reticles, the rule is further:

• from centre to centre of adjacent dots, there is 1 mrad,
• from edge to the close edge of an adjacent dot, there are 0.8 mrad,
• a mildot is 0.2 mrad wide.

They can also have other properties that extend their utility. Some have additional markings in between the main ones. Some have stadiametric tools to quickly get a range from a known object, or a combination of all of these features.

A commonly issued scope is the M8541A as illustrated, so it serves to manage expectations throughout. In its case, the dots are 1 mrad apart with 0.5 mrad dashes in between, making for accurate at-a-glance measurements.

First focal plane vs. second focal plane

Telescopic sights come in two ‘zoom flavours’:

• FFP or first focal plane, scopes show a constant sub-tension of markings. This means that the markings mean the same at any given zoom level, but it shrinks with lower magnifications and grows with larger magnifications. Their advantage is therefore that you can use the mil-relation formula as-is, without an intermediate conversion for the zoom factor. Their potential disadvantage is that lower magnifications make the reticle harder to read, which could hinder follow-up adjustments in close-quarters situations. FFP scopes are the most commonly issued scopes.
• SFP or second focal plane, scopes come with reticles that stay a constant size at every zoom level. This means that their angular measurements are only true at one specific power setting: usually the highest. If the space between two markings is 1 mrad at 12x magnification, it would cover 2 mrad at 6x magnification instead. This can be useful for shooters who expect proportionally many close-range engagements, where fully zooming in with a high-power scope narrows the field of view too much, causing tunnel vision and loss of awareness. In such close-range situations, the scope can comfortably be kept at the lowest power setting but maintain a clear and visible reticle. Their disadvantage is that for accurate distance measurements at any magnification other than the true magnification, you have to convert. Good practice is to keep it at the 1:1 setting when ‘milling’ a range to avoid this.

Above: M8541A sight picture with mil-dots and half-mil-dashes

• A person is 1.8 metres tall.
• They appear as 6 mrad in our scope, therefore following the mil-relation formula:
  • ((person's height in metres) * 1000) / (mrad measured) = (range in metres)
  • (1.8 m * 1000) / 6 mrad = 1800 / 6
  • = 300 metres

Above: A man standing relaxed, known to be 1.8 m tall

From FM/BG-525 - Milliradians: Ranging example 1a we know the distance using the person's full height, however, you can’t always see a person’s whole body. 

For reliability and to avoid a decimal (we want it easy for expedience after all), consider the person’s height from the top of their head to the crotch: it’s one metre!

• Head-to-crotch now appears as 3.2 mil. 
• Round to 3 mil because we want it easy, so:
  • ((head-to-crotch in metres) * 1000) / (mrad measured) = (range in metres)
  • (1 m * 1000) / 3 mil = 1000 / 3
  • = 330 metres
• We’re off by 30 because we rounded. 
• Try to be as precise as possible, but we preferred ease of use this time, judging the balance of this is a skill, too.

Above: A man standing relaxed, measured head to crotch as a known dimension of 1 metre

Sometimes people are hard to spot or track, making range estimation using body dimensions difficult. At long ranges, smaller objects require a more accurate reading of mrads, which is error-prone. Other larger objects, including identifiable vehicles, lend themselves to the same purpose.

• A BTR-80 is 2 metres from the ground to the top of the hull, appearing as 4 mrad in our scope:
  • ((Ground to top of BTR hull) * 1000) / (mrad measured) = (range in metres)
  • (2 m * 1000) / 4 mrad = 2000 / 4
  • = 500 metres

Above: A BTR-80, known to be 2 metres high when measured from the ground to the top of its hull

Use milliradian tools to obtain a range to the target, by applying the core concept that at 1000 meters, 1 milliradian equals 1 metre.

Use your Vector 21 to measure the current distance and inclination angle to your target by holding Tab + R with center circle aligned on target.

• If equipped with an AtragMX, these values will automatically be transferred from the Vector 21 as displayed below.

Above: Vector 21 data automatically populating into the ATragMX

Look at the target and fire the laser rangefinder to obtain an exact range to the target.

Every infantryman operates within a buddy team, ensuring that everyone always has someone to rely on in combat. This approach provides mutual protection and improves combat effectiveness. Standardised in the platoon, buddy teams can be adjusted by fireteam leads based on the situation. The specific composition is indicated on the ORBAT.

Responsibilities

• Always stay close to your buddy, within verbal range (shouting/talking distance) at all times.
• Keep your buddy informed of your movements and actions to maintain situational awareness.
• Cover your buddy’s movements, opposing sectors, and vulnerable moments.
• If your buddy goes down, quickly assess the situation, provide cover, and extract them to safety.
• Maintain mutual accountability, losing track of your buddy is as much your responsibility as theirs.

Each Fireteam consists of four to six players: a leader and 3 to 5 subordinates. New players will end up acting as a rifleman in one of the Fireteams. Riflemen will be under the charge of a more experienced player, acting as the Fireteam Leader (FTL). They in turn, will be under the command of a Squad Leader who leads the two Fireteams that make up each squad. Likewise, the Squad Leader will be under the command of the Platoon Commander, who commands the two or three squads that form the platoon. They are led by the Company Commander, who directs the movements of the platoons in their Company.

Above: A typical fireteam in the field

A rifle squad is a formidable unit built around flexibility and firepower. Each squad typically consists of two Fireteams and a Squad Leader element, usually totalling 14 personnel. The Squad Leader commands two Fireteam Leaders and their teams, supported by a Squad Medic who provides immediate medical care and acts as the second member of the squad lead element.

Squads form the primary fighting unit of a platoon. They execute the Platoon Commander’s intent through aggressive manoeuvre, disciplined communication, and mutual support between Fireteams.

Responsibilities

• Execute the Platoon Commander’s intent through coordinated Fireteam manoeuvre and fire.
• Maintain constant situational awareness of friendly and enemy positions.
• Keep both Fireteams within mutual support range at all times.
• Communicate regularly with other squad leaders and up to the platoon command.
• Ensure all squad members understand the current plan, ROE, and formations.
• Manage casualties within the squad and coordinate with the Platoon Medic when required.
• Reorganise and redistribute personnel or equipment as casualties occur.
• Avoid changing the squad’s structure without approval from the field leader.

A standard platoon is composed of three rifle squads and a four-man Command Element, known as Platoon Headquarters (PltHQ). The PltHQ includes the Platoon Commander (PltCo), Platoon Sergeant (PltSgt), Platoon Medic (PltMed), and a Rifleman who provides security for the element.

Platoons are the core tactical formation on the battlefield, linking company-level direction to squad-level execution. The Platoon Commander leads the platoon in accordance with the Company Commander’s intent, ensuring that all subordinate squads act in concert toward a unified mission objective.

Responsibilities

• Brief squad leaders on the Commander’s intent and ensure full understanding of the mission and desired end state.
• Maintain control and coordination of all attached squads and supporting elements.
• Position command and support elements effectively to maintain visibility and control of the battle.
• Keep squads within mutually supporting distance, avoiding fragmentation of combat power.
• Delegate tasks and share workload with the Platoon Sergeant.
• Avoid micromanagement; empower Squad Leaders to adapt the fight as required.
• Gather and maintain awareness of platoon ACE (Ammo, Casualties, Equipment) status and report to company command as needed.
• Reorganise or reinforce squads when casualties or mission conditions require.

A company is composed of two to three platoons and a Company Command Element, forming the largest cohesive player-controlled formation. The company executes the overall mission assigned by higher command, coordinating all subordinate platoons and attached support assets such as logistics, air, and artillery. The Company Commander (CoyCo) provides strategic direction and overall control.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the movement and actions of all platoons to ensure unity of effort.
• Manage and allocate supporting assets in line with mission priorities.
• Maintain situational awareness of friendly platoon positions, combat effectiveness, and logistics status.
• Communicate regularly with higher command, relaying progress and requesting support as required.
• Ensure platoon commanders understand the plan’s purpose as well as its details, enabling initiative under changing conditions.
• Maintain flexibility to reinforce, recover casualties, or shift the main effort as the battle evolves.
• Conduct post-mission evaluation to identify lessons learned and improve future performance.

The key aspect of our organization is that of closely-knit teams. A rifleman by himself is not nearly as useful as a group of players working as one cohesive unit. Fireteams look out for their own members as well as those of their fellow fireteams. Fireteams are the tip of the infantry spear.

You will find yourself grouped with different players in different missions and your comprehension of this guide is what will allow you to all act as a cohesive and combat-effective group, regardless of who is in your fireteam specifically.

Within each fireteam, buddy teams are formed, typically composed of two members: a leader and a buddy. The leader guides the pair, making decisions and setting the pace, while the buddy supports the leader, covers blind spots, and helps maintain the effectiveness of the team.

Above: A fireteam takes cover at a low stone wall

Know who is in your element and what their role is. This makes it easier to understand and act on orders given by the element leader.

Remain within an appropriate distance of the other members of the element, such that:

• Mutual support is possible
• In-person communication, without using a radio, is possible
• The element leader is aware of your position

Actively listen for and follow the orders given by the element leader.

Do not intentionally ignore the orders given by those in leadership positions.

When it comes to infantry spacing, i.e. the appropriate distance between one individual and another, the specific distance should be dependent on terrain and circumstance, usually called out by the lead element e.g. the fireteam leader. For infantry, in thick, low visibility terrain or atmosphere, such as jungle or night-time forest, spacing should be as close as 3-5m, whereas in high visibility open terrain, such as desert or open fields in broad daylight, spacing can and should be up to 25m between each individual. The likelihood of mines/IEDs, or Indirect Fire (IDF) should also factor into the chosen spacing with higher risk, increasing the recommended spacing size.

Spacing is the distance that should be held in standard situations both when on the move and holding position, though it is allowable for individuals to move closer for specific reasons such as: buddy team medical assistance, ammo distribution, spotting etc, but individuals should always move back to an effective spacing as soon as these are completed.

Maintain an effective distance between yourself and others, striking a balance between cohesion and minimising potential casualties, based on:

• The terrain being traversed
• The threats faced
• Visibility (foliage, fog,…)

Maintain situational awareness, avoid tunnel vision, and know where friendly forces are. This all helps to prevent being surprised by enemy contacts, prevents friendly-fire incidents by knowing where friendly forces are operating, and gives you an idea of what areas may need more observation based upon how the squad or platoon is oriented.

Players should, at any time, know roughly where their nearest friendly element is, where enemies are most likely to come from, and what the current tasking for their callsign is.

If context is not being provided on what we are doing and what friendlies are doing around us, ask!

Maintain awareness of:

• Your position
• The position of the members of your team
• The general position of other friendly elements
• Potential dangers

When moving, cover the direction appropriate for the given position in the formation.

When stationary, cover the direction instructed by the element leader. When no direction is specified, cover a direction and communicate that direction, such that the element combined has the best all-round coverage.

Avoid crossing through lines of fire as much as possible, instead preferring to go behind the element that is (potentially) engaging. This includes elements providing base of fire, even if they are not actively engaging at the time.

Adjust your aiming point vertically relative to the target by:

• estimating the distance to the target visually
• adjusting based on previous shot impacts

Adjust your aiming point horizontally, relative to the target, by:

• estimating the target speed visually
• estimating the distance to the target visually
• adjusting based on previous shot impacts

Hold your breath when pulling the trigger to ensure steady aim.

Follow these principles for more effective breath control:

• Be efficient and keep the held duration short to avoid getting winded.
• Time your hold in the brief respiratory pause at the bottom of the movement cycle to better predict placement.
• Learn to compensate for respiratory sway, as situations may arise that expose this technique as privileged for time.

When aiming your rifle, remember that at close ranges bullets will hit lower than what your sight is indicating because the sight is mounted above the barrel. This effect is even more pronounced if you are using the backup sights on a scope.

Above: Sight line vs Bore line

Every shooting stance has advantages and disadvantages.

Standing

• most visible shooter target profile
• likely to clear ground-based obstacles with line of bore
• quickest to assume
• least stable, hardest to take long-range shots

Kneeling

• makes use of ground-based cover such as rocks and low structures
• reduces shooter target profile in the open
• quick to assume
• stable enough for extended-range shots
• versatile

Sitting

• low profile
• useful to clear obstacles low to the ground, such as grass, that otherwise hinder prone shooting
• low mobility, rendering reaction to fire delayed
• very stable

Prone

• lowest profile
• low mobility while still allowing lateral reactions to fire by combat rolling
• capable of shooting underneath obstacles, including cars by adjusting stance down or left / right
• most stable

Use an appropriate shooting stance for the engement while taking into account available cover, sight stability and mobility requirements.

The range card provides ready access to some of the most frequently required information for placing measured shots at distance. The first and largest variable to account for in all ballistic solutions is bullet drop, or the effect of gravity on a bullet in flight over time. Auto-populated for your unique combination of rifle and optic in hand, the range card dedicates a majority of its data to accurately accommodating this first variable in a ballistic solution.

Using a range card

The coloured columns under the range card’s “Bullet Drop” section display different sets of adjustments to accommodate the effects of temperature on bullet drop. As temperature affects both muzzle velocity and air resistance, the differences between cold and warm climates can have a significant effect on how far a bullet will fall due to gravity at any given range. Be sure to have a rough estimate of the temperature in hand to help decide which temperature column to read.

With an appropriate temperature column picked out, all of the below values will display how far your bullet will drop for the given “Target Range”, found on the far left side of the sheet. These drop values are measured in milliradians, or MRAD. For example, a value of “-4.5” (reading the 15°C temperature column at a distance of 500m) describes that your bullet will fall 4.5 milliradians below your crosshairs at that distance. To counteract that negative drop value, we need to either hold the crosshairs 4.5 MRADs above the target, or dial our scope up 4.5 MRADs to bring the bullet impact back up to our crosshair level.

Advanced considerations

In a similar fashion, the range card also provides information for use with wind accommodation, engaging moving targets, and for calculations requiring general equipment information. This data, however, is seldom required in the opening marksmanship roles where simplicity encourages speed, and speed is our most valuable asset.

At the highest level of marksmanship roles, it should be noted that the populated BDA information is limited to temperature and equipment considerations only. Displayed drop values do not account for changes in altitude, pressure or humidity variables, as default Arma values are assumed. This under extreme conditions may compromise all drop, wind and moving target information, requiring manual data collection or calculation.

• Look up the vertical deviation caused by gravity using the range to target and a range card
• Integrate the calculated value into the final ballistics solution

The tools and knowledge available to a Squad Designated Marksman enable him to quickly place accurate fire against a target in the intended range. However, tolerances in calculations, time constraints, environmental factors and incoming fire - all work against the marksman, meaning that first shots do miss. A competent marksmen will quickly adjust their fire to hit the intended target.

Adjustment of fire - Visually estimating offset

If you have a non-milliradian sight, the only method of adjustment available is to:

1. Observe the existing impact point - Easier with tracer rounds, look for evidence of impact on the ground or on an object behind the target. 
2. Estimate the offset from the aim point (when your reticule crosshairs were pointing) - e.g. in the example below, the impag point was approximately two body widths to the left, and half a body higher.
3. Adjust your fire by aiming the reticule by an equal amount in the opposite axes - e.g. in the same example, aim two body widths to the right, and half a body lower

This method is quick, often accurate enough and can be used with any weapon/scope.

Adjustment of fire - Measuring offset in mrads

If you have a milliradian scope, as most modern-era marksmen will do, you can more accurately calculate the adjustment using the mildots on your scope. 

1. Observe the existing impact point.
2. Measure the offset in mrads - in the example below, the impact point is 2.5 mrads left and 1 mrad up from the centre of the reticule.  
3. Adjust your fire…
   1. By aiming the reticule by an equal amount in the opposite axes - e.g. in the same example, aim 2.5 mrads to the right, and 1 mrad lower, or…
   2. By dialling in the necessary adjustment - e.g. dial 2.5 mrads to the right, and 1 mrad lower

Visual adjustment vs Scope adjustment

Visual adjustment is quicker but potentially less accurate - even if you know exactly what the adjustment should be, making a visual adjustment is less reliable than putting the centre of the reticule on the target. Dialling in the adjustment into the scope, takes a little extra time, but then you just need to centre the reticule on the target.

If you have multiple targets in a similar area, it may be worth the investment to adjust your scope, or at least the lateral adjustment - wind and other lateral effects are likely to be similar when aiming in a given general direction. However if your targets are spread widely apart, the adjustment will be different for each shot, thus visual adjustments might be preferred.

Above: Scope view showing the impact point offset from the reticule

Adjust for misses by correcting for the observed impact through any of the following core principles:

• with any sight, estimating the impact offset and holding its inverse,
• with a milliradian sight, reading the impact offset in mrad to hold the inverse of that exact amount,
• with a milliradian sight, reading the impact offset in mrad to dial in the inverse of that exact amount on the scope.

• Rhythm: Use short sentences divided into sensible phrases which maintain a natural rhythm, they should not be spoken word by word.
• Speed: Speak slightly slower than normal conversation. Speed is easily adjusted by increasing or decreasing the length of pauses between phrases, as opposed to altering the length of pauses between words as this will create an unnatural, halted style of speech which is difficult to understand.
• Volume: Volume should be as for normal conversation. There is no need to shout, the sensitivity of the microphone will clearly communicate your voice, even in a noisy environment.
• Pitch: The voice should be the natural pitch of your voice to maintain clarity.

During any operation that requires it, you'll be provided with an AN/PRC-152. It is the short range radio used by all elements. The main frequency is the channel (C1, C2,…) that is currently selected on the radio.

To set up your main frequency:

1. Check with your leader or in the ORBAT what frequency you should be on
2. Hover with your mouse on your current frequency (2) and type the desired frequency; eg. 271
3. Click the ENT (4) button to enter (save) the frequency
4. Check in with your team to see if the radio is working properly

Using the AN/PRC-152 you can also set up an additional frequency to communicate with other elements that aren't your own. The additional frequency is set manually and will show as “A#” in place of the channel name e.g. If channel 2 is selected as the alternate frequency, it will become A2.

To set up an additional frequency:

1. Click the + button (5) to select the desired channel.
2. Click the left arrow button (8) to set an additional channel. 
   1. At this point you should read A# (# being the channel number) instead of C#, next to the frequency number.
3. Type the wanted frequency you want to use as additional; eg. 270
4. Click the ENT (4) button to enter the frequency
5. Click the - button (6) to return to your main frequency

If you want to dictate which ear you want the audio for your main and alternate channels to come out from, select the frequency you want to adjust and click the 0(9) button to modify the stereo settings. On the bottom right of the screen, you'll see an indicator that says either "left", "right" or "left and right". Ensure you do this for both your main and alternate channels on any radios you're using.

Now you should be able to hear both frequencies in different ears.

Above: The BLUFOR issued AN/PRC-152 and its buttons explained.

A radio is a specialized communication device designed for use by armed forces to facilitate secure and reliable communication on the battlefield and during military operations.

The primary purpose of a radio is to enable effective coordination and command among elements, allowing for the swift transmission of orders, intelligence, and situational updates. This real-time communication capability is crucial for coordinating maneuvers, calling for support, reporting enemy positions, and ensuring overall operational efficiency and safety of personnel during operations.

A contact report is a way for any member of the unit to concisely communicate important information about the enemy in a standard way. Being able to concisely report enemy locations is a critical communication skill to have. The sooner we know about enemy positions, and the faster it is passed to the entire squad, the better our survivability will be and the more effective we will be at reacting to threats.

A contact report consists of several key elements that must be presented in a specific order for it to be effective.

1. ALERT: Begin with an alert pro-word. 
   • Use "Contact!" for entities in contact with the reporter
   • Use "Sighting!" for entities sighted but not in contact.
   • Use "Audible!" for entities not sighted and only heard.
2. ORIENT: Provide direction and range. Range can be omitted if desired. Direction should be one of the following:
   • Relative direction (front, left, right, rear) if movement direction is established.
   • Cardinal direction.
   • Compass bearing in degrees for high precision.
3. DESCRIBE: Composition of the enemy element:
   • Type of the enemy (infantry, MG nest, tank,…)
   • Rough size estimate (fireteam, squad,…)
4. EXPOUND: Give additional details such as:
   • Range if not provided during orient (from general, e.g. "Close", to specific, e.g. "523 meters").
   • A specific degree bearing if only a relative bearing was initially given
   • Movement of the enemy
   • Detailed information about individual enemy positions

Example Contact Report: "Contact front! Enemy infantry in the open, bearing 210, three hundred meters!"

Recognize the following meanings of smoke colors:

Formations are a set way of positioning members of an element during combat. These formations are used for several key reasons:

1. Command and control: They allow leaders to effectively manage and direct their units, ensuring clear communication and efficient execution of orders.
2. Mutual support and security: Soldiers in these formations can cover each other, provide overlapping fields of fire, and maintain situational awareness, enhancing their overall survivability and effectiveness.
3. Team cohesion: By having a standard for where everyone should be, it is easier to maintain cohesion as an element

The wedge is a versatile formation that is easy to establish and control. It allows for good all-around observation and security, and can be used in the majority of situations encountered. Fire can be placed in any direction in good quantity, and a shift in formation upon contact is easy to accomplish to suit where the contact came from.

If contacted from the front or rear, the wedge allows for easy transition to a line formation. If attacked from either side, one buddy team is able to return fire whilst the other maneuvers to support them.

The fireteam leader will usually take the forward-most position, with the first buddy team to their left, and the second buddy team to their right. The fireteam leader may adjust positions within the formation based on need, such as putting the automatic rifleman to the front and the medic to the rear, but should generally avoid splitting buddy teams between the two sides.

Strengths:

• Good all-around security
• Allows balanced volume of fire in all directions
• Good movement control, even with limited visibility or difficult terrain
• Easily transitions to other formations

Weaknesses:

• The balanced forward, rearward, and side firing angles are each limited compared to other formations
• May not be suitable for restrictive terrain

Above: A fireteam wedge, led by the fireteam leader

The line formation is well-suited for advancing towards a known or suspected threat with the maximum number of guns brought to bear, and excels at placing a heavy volume of fire to the formation's front.

Strengths:

• Allows largest possible volume of fire forward and rearward
• Good troop dispersion
• Large area coverage
• Easily transitions to base of fire, bounding overwatch, or flanking maneuvers

Weaknesses:

• Vulnerable to both sides
• Allows very limited volume of fire on both sides
• Difficult to maneuver and control movement
• Highly visible due to large area coverage
• Ill-suited for maintaining stealth

Above: A fireteam line

The fireteam column is the opposite of a fireteam line in that, instead of being lined up left-to-right, the fireteam is lined up front-to-back. In other words, a single column line. Each team member after the point man should walk the exact same path as the person in front of them, to minimize risk of exposure to environmental hazards (such as mines or IEDs), and to keep the team together in low-visibility environments and on difficult terrain. When available, a role with a mine detector, such as an EOD Specialist or combat engineer, should take point if such hazards are known or suspected in the area.

A column must be used with caution, as only the point man can immediately react to any contact from the front, while the rest of the team must maneuver to support. If the team is in a column because the area is dangerous, those maneuvers are especially risky.

Strengths:

• Easiest formation to control, especially on difficult or restrictive terrain
• Allows largest possible volume of fire on both sides
• Easy to maintain at higher movement speeds
• Ideal for maintaining stealth

Weaknesses:

• Vulnerable to the front and rear
• Allows very limited volume of fire forward
• Often has poor dispersion of troops, especially with limited visibility
• Difficult to transition to base of fire, bounding overwatch, or flanking maneuvers

Above: A fireteam column, led by the fireteam leader

The fireteam staggered column sees the fireteam split into two adjacent column formations, staggered so that each member of each column is diagonal from those in the adjacent column. They should never be directly next to each other, as this prevents one team member from being able to effectively return fire when contacted from the side. Additionally, being staggered improves the spacing between fireteam members, reducing risk from explosives and ambushes.

The staggered column is usually utilized when following a road, and is useful for scouting ahead of friendly vehicles and sweeping the road for hazards. It also allows the team to maintain improved security over a single column, while avoiding walking on the center of the road. The team can easily condense into a single column on either side of the road at any time.

The staggered column does make it more difficult to effectively return fire to the front without forming a wedge, though is still better than a single column formation.

Buddy teams should create the front and rear of the formation, not the left and right columns. When the team takes contact from front or rear, this allows one buddy team to return fire whilst the other maneuvers to support them. When taking contact from the sides, it allows for the quick formation of a fireteam line, with one buddy team on the left and right.

Strengths:

• Good dispersion of troops
• Allows large volume of fire on both sides
• Better forward and rearward sectors of fire than a column
• Good maneuverability and movement control

Weaknesses:

• Fairly vulnerable to the front and rear
• Allows limited volume of fire forward and rearward
• Difficult to transition into base of fire, bounding overwatch, or flanking maneuvers

Above: A fireteam staggered column, led by the fireteam leader

Echelon left/right comprises the fireteam creating a single diagonal line going rearwards from the given side of the point man, which is usually the fireteam leader. Echelon left means the fireteam will be on the point man’s left, while echelon right means the fireteam will be on the point man’s right.

Used when the fireteam has another element covering the echelon’s weak side (the left side of an echelon right, and vice versa). Most commonly used to create a squad wedge formation, which is two fireteam echelon formations connecting to form a protective wedge for the squad leader element.

Pros:

• Allows excellent volume of fire on the specified side
• Allows good volume of fire forward and rearward
• Easily transitions to other formations

Cons:

• Vulnerable to the opposite side without an adjacent element
• Somewhat difficult to maneuver
• Not suitable for restrictive terrain

Above: An echelon left (top) and an echelon right (bottom), each led by the fireteam leader

The squad column comprises a fireteam wedge at the front, the other fireteam wedge at the rear, and the squad Leader element in the middle. The most common squad formation, it allows contact from either side to be engaged by both fireteams, while contact from the front or rear allows one fireteam to establish a base of fire whilst the other maneuvers to support.

Pros:

• Good all-around security
• Allows large volume of fire to the sides
• Good movement control with limited visibility or difficult terrain
• Easily transitions to base of fire, bounding overwatch, or flanking maneuvers

Cons:

• Allows limited volume of fire forward and rearward
• May not be suitable for restrictive terrain

Above: A squad column, led by the first fireteam leader

The squad wedge is created by having two fireteams form an echelon left and an echelon right, and connecting at their point men, usually with the first fireteam leader or taking point. In other words, wherein the fireteam wedge has a buddy team on either side, the squad wedge has a Fireteam on either side. The squad leader element is positioned behind the front of the wedge, but still within the formation, for optimal security and control over the formation.

Just like the fireteam wedge, if contacted from the front or rear, the wedge allows for easy transition to a line formation. If attacked from either side, one fireteam is able to return fire whilst the other maneuvers to support them.

Pros:

• Well-balanced for contact from the front, rear, and both sides
• Balanced volume of fire forward, rearward, and to both sides
• Good movement control, even with limited visibility or difficult terrain
• Large area coverage
• Easily transitions to other formations

Cons:

• The balanced forward, rearward, and side firing angles are each limited compared to other formations
• Highly visible due to large area coverage
• May not be suitable for restrictive terrain

Above: A squad wedge, led by the first fireteam leader

The squad file comprises the whole squad as one single column line, with one Fireteam at the front, the squad leader element in the middle, and the other Fireteam at the rear.

Just like the fireteam column, the squad file is usually used when there is a risk of mines/IEDs or other UXOs, to minimize risk of detonation by ensuring each person steps exactly where the point man did. It can also be used to maintain stealth, as the point man only needs to find a single path for the entire squad, and can easily stop the formation to avoid detection.

Strengths:

• Easiest formation to control, especially on difficult or restrictive terrain
• Allows largest possible volume of fire on both sides
• Easy to maintain at higher movement speeds
• Ideal for maintaining stealth

Weaknesses:

• Vulnerable to the front and rear
• Allows very limited volume of fire forward
• Poor dispersion of troops, especially with limited visibility
• Difficult to transition into base of fire, bounding overwatch, or flanking maneuvers

Above: A squad file, led by the first fireteam leader

The squad staggered column is created by having one fireteam in a staggered column at the front, the squad leader element in the middle, and the other fireteam in a staggered column at the rear. The formation can be done as either a single, unbroken staggered column, or with additional spacing between each element’s staggered column..

Similar to the fireteam staggered column, it is usually utilized when following a road, and is useful for scouting ahead of friendly vehicles and sweeping the road for hazards. It also allows the squad to maintain improved security while avoiding walking on the center of the road.

Strengths:

• Good dispersion of troops
• Allows large volume of fire on both sides
• Better forward and rearward security than a file
• Good maneuverability and movement control

Weaknesses:

• Vulnerable to the front and rear
• Allows limited volume of fire forward and rearward
• Difficult to transition into base of fire, bounding overwatch, or flanking maneuvers

Above: A squad staggered column, led by the first fireteam leader

Maintain the correct position in the formation set by the element leader.

Bounding overwatch is the process of ensuring that one team is moving, whilst another is stationary and providing overwatch. When a bounding maneuver is called there are five parts described:

1. The type of bounding (successive or alternate)
2. The maneuver element scale (individual, buddy team, fireteam, squad), 
3. The direction of movement (bearing or landmark)
4. (optional) The desired stop point (distance, location or number of bounds)
5. Which element is moving first

E.g.:

• A squad leader calling “This is Alpha 1-0. Successive, Fireteam bounding, towards that barn, 1 move" wants one Fireteam to move as a whole element, while the other provides cover, for one bound, then stop to allow the other Fireteam to move. He does not want the Fireteams to then utilise buddy team bounding.
• A squad leader instructing teams to “Alternating, Buddy Team Bounding, North, 400m” implies that each Fireteam will move North at the same time, with one buddy team moving in each Fireteam at a time.

The size of each bound should be based on the terrain, visibility, proximity of enemy threat, etc. For instance, bounds across relatively open terrain can be long - both in the interest of getting across as quickly as possible and because the range of the overwatch element is higher due to the open terrain. Urban bounds, on the other hand, are typically short due to the increased density of the area and the desire to maintain security and not overextend any one element.

Bound using the follow method:

1. The lead element calls for bounding and designates which element will move first
   1. e.g. “This is actual. Successive Fireteam bounding North. 1 move first.”
2. The first element acknowledges and shouts "Moving"
3. The first element moves to a position and holds shouting “Set”
4. The second element shouts “Moving” and moves to the same position as the first, confirming “Set”
5. The first element now moves, again shouting “Moving”, to the next position and holds, shouting “Set” again
6. The second element again calls and moves up to the same position as the first

This process is repeated until the unit reaches the desired end position.

Compared with FM/BS-504 - Bound using alternating bounding this process provides a higher level of security, but is slower.

Above:

Bound using the follow method:

1. The lead element calls for bounding and designates which element will move first
   1. e.g. “This is actual. Alternating Fireteam bounding North. 1 move first.”
2. The first element acknowledges and shouts "Moving"
3. The first element moves to a position and holds shouting “Set”
4. The second element shouts “Moving” and moves to a new position past the first element, confirming “Set”
5. The first element now moves, again shouting “Moving”, again passing the other element, to a futher position and holds, shouting “Set” again
6. The second element again calls and moves past the first element.

This process is repeated until the unit reaches the desired end position.

Compared with FM/BS-503 - Bound using successive bounding this process is faster, but provides a lower level of security

Above:

‘Peeling’ is a squad or fireteam movement used when encountering a larger force with overwhelming firepower. During a peel the team employs continuous suppressive fire while successively and rapidly moving, one person at a time, in the chosen direction. This is different to bounding as a peel implies a defensive tactic being performed, whereby a bound can be both offensive and defensive.

A peel is used when an element is operating on its own when no other forces are available to provide mutual support, and splitting the element would be detrimental to the engagement. The engagement is maintained until contact is successfully broken and the element is safe or until a mutual support element is in place to provide fire to cover their withdrawal.

A center peel is used when the element encounters an overwhelming force from the front, especially in staggered column, and needs to withdraw to their rear. This will be used when operating in urban terrain and the element needs to move back down a street or in open terrain where natural cover and concealment is to the rear.

A line peel is used when the element encounters an overwhelming force from the front and needs to withdraw to cover on their right or left. This will be used in urban terrain when moving off a main street onto a side road or when out in the open to move towards natural cover and concealment.

Peel using the following method:

1. The element under fire immediately forms and maintains a staggered column towards the contact, with at least enough room in the middle for one person to sprint through.
2. The two persons abreast facing the contact begin suppressive fire.
3. The person furthest up disengages, shouts ‘MOVING!’ and turns inwards to run down the column to take the rearmost position on the same side, then calls ‘SET!
4. As soon as the first person passes the next on the opposite side, they also immediately disengage, shouting ‘MOVING’ to run down the column and calling ‘SET!’ in the rear.
5. This continues down the column until the leader calls the transition to a different manoeuvre towards a safe position or support arrives.

Above: Center peel diagram

Peel using the following method:

1. The unit under fire immediately forms a line with all guns facing the direction of contact and initiating suppressive fire.
2. The person on the far end of the line disengages, shouting ‘MOVING!’, and runs passing behind the line towards the designated direction of retreat, then calls ‘SET!’
3. As soon as the next person in line on the far end is passed by the first, they disengage shouting ‘MOVING!’, continuing the cycle.
4. This process repeats, shuffling the unit sideways one by one while keeping up suppression until disengaged.

Above: Line peel diagram

Breaking contact is the act of deliberately disengaging an active enemy and withdrawing from contact, instead of defeating the enemy.

We can break contact from the enemy for multiple reasons, including but not limited to:

• The engaged element is no longer combat effective (Through either casualties or lack of ammunition)
• The engaged element is not able to defeat the enemy (e.g. Has no AT capability strong enough to defeat the OPFOR vehicle attacking them)
• Engaging the enemy would expose the Task Force tactically (e.g. the leader wishes to ensure the engaged element is available to assist another element, rather than engaged in their own fight

It is not the case that if the instruction is given to break contact, that the lead element does not believe that the engaged element could have won the fight! We often break contact from fights we can win due to operational/tactical reasons.

When given the order to break contact, immediately stop engaging the enemy and move according to the orders of the element leader. Be prepared to throw smoke grenades, as the element leader may order smoke to be deployed as concealment.

As always when in an infantry role covering your sector is key in MOUT, if anything it is more important. When watching your sectors there are particular MOUT specific considerations:

• MOUT environments have a vertical element, ensure that you are watching windows as well as ground level
• Think carefully about your stance, communicating with your team to provide maximum security

Above: Two infantry cover a sector high/low with appropriate stances

Watch the correct sector depending on your position in a formation moving down a street where:

• The front man watches "front"
• The second man watches "inside"
• The third man watches "across"
• The last man watches "rear"

Any other personnel between the 3rd and rear man (4th or 5th members of a 6-man team etc.) also watch "across" but at different heights, i.e. ground vs. multi-storey windows.

Above: A 4-man and 5-man examples of formation when moving down a street

Stay away from potential killzones where possible, especially out of the open in urban terrain as this is a natural killzone. Instead, maximize the use of cover like walls and structures.

Cross a danger area using the following method:

1. First man gets set on the last piece of cover before the danger area, covering the danger area itself, and checks for possible threats. 
2. When they are ready, they announce ‘Set’
3. The second man, then moves past, shouting ‘Crossing’ and sprints across the danger area to the cover on the other side.
4. They take cover slightly further on from the danger area and keep their direction of travel covered i.e. the front.
5. This continues with each person crossing the danger area under the cover of the lead man, but ensuring that there is only 1 or 2 players in the danger area at any one time, limiting the risk.
6. The second to last man shouts ‘Last man’ to the man covering the danger area as they pass them to cross
7. After crossing, they then turn and cover the danger area, announcing ‘Set’ to the last man.
8. The last man crosses the danger area and his team on the other side
9. They move past and retake their place as the first man. The team is now across the danger area and in the same formation as they were before.

Above: A team leader rushes across a danger area as his team provides cover

When covering corners, if one player kneels while another stands behind them, two pairs of eyes and two rifles can cover the same area, increasing effectiveness. This is commonly known as a "high/low stack" and can be employed naturally whenever the situation allows. Note that the kneeling player must not stand unless he has cleared it with the standing player - else he's likely to stand up into a bullet.

Above: 2 players using High/Low stacking to maximize fire around a corner

A Fireteam is never alone during MOUT, a common situation will be a squad of two teams working in the same area towards a set goal. 

Contrary to a Squad Staggered Column, the teams would each have a designated flank, and they are to advance together through the obstacles. It is important to have the same pacing between the two teams. This may come in the form of short halts to let the other team catch up safely, or coordinating the crossing of danger areas to sync sector coverage. Maintaining pacing also allows for street side sector to cover and alert the other element of danger on their side (contact on higher floors or behind corners)

There are two ways that a breaching team can ‘stack up’ on a door – one is with all the members on the same side of the doorway (“stack”). If this is the case, the first man will state his entry type (“Cross!” or “Hook!”), with the following team members doing the opposite of the person in front of him/her. If the entry type is not stated, the second man simply does the opposite of what the entry man does, third man does the opposite of the second man, etc.

When ordering a stack, the lead man will either say "stack left" or "stack right" - the directions are relative to facing the doorway. "Stack left" will result in the entry team being on the left side of the door.

The following is a general description of the duties of the breaching team when stacking. Keep in mind that these duties are very contextual, and the focus should be on fluidity rather than doing things exactly by the book.

One Man: The point man, will before the breach maintain security of the breach and never take his eyes or gun away from it. The One Man will initiate the breach when the rest of the breaching team is ready.

Two Man: Keeps security long before breach. If the room needs to be prepped with frags or stuns, this will be the Two Man’s duty.

Three (+Four & Five if applicable) Man: Keeps security to the side (2-4 o’clock) of the stack. If more than four in the team, Three watches ground floor, Four takes upper floors, Five watches 4 o'clock (side-rear).

Last Man (all team sizes): Takes rear security, watching behind the team. The last man is always in the last man role, regardless of team size e.g. In a Fireteam of five, the Fifth man does the last man role and watches the rear, not the “Five man” role described above.

Above: Example of a single stack left, demonstrating how the 2nd man is the person to deploy grenades if needed, to ensure the point man -always- has eyes on the doorway and trigger finger ready

The other option is to split the stack into two, one on either side of the doorway ("split stack"). The One Man will state his entry type, and the other members of the breaching team will prepare to do a similar type of entry, except that the team in the other stack will do so from the opposite side of the door. This type of stack is best assumed when a closed door is present - moving across an open doorway for the sake of setting up a 'split stack' should never be done.

The following is a general description of the duties of the breaching team when performing a split stack. Again, keep in mind that the focus should be on fluidity rather than doing things by the book.

One Man: The point man, will before the breach maintain security of the breach and never take his eyes or gun away from it. Unless otherwise signaled, will be situated on the left hand side of the breach.

Two Man: On the opposite side of the breach, will provide cross cover into the breach

Three Man: Behind One Man, provides cover side front (approx 1 to 3 o’clock) from their perspective. If the room needs to be prepped with frag or stun grenades, this is the duty of the Three Man.

Four Man: Behind Two Man, provides cover ‘rear’ or ‘away’ if there are more men behind.

Above: An example of a 6-man team split stacking and executing a 'hook' entry. Notice that the 1st man is on the left of the doorway, and the grenadier is still the man behind him, therefore the 4th man is covering 'away' from the door

Stack up on an entry point using on of the following methods:

• Single stack: all members of the team stack up on a single side of the door
• Split stack: all members of the team distribute themselves and stack up on opposite sides of the door

When clearing a room with no non-combatents inside, throw in a offensive grenade (fragmentation, concussion) before entering the room

If there are non-combatents inside or when executing a capture mission, flashbangs can be used instead.

Before entering an entry point or when passing close by an opening in a building, pie it by deliberately maving from one side to the other while looking inside.This allows for visually clearing everything except for a corner or two.

Above: A demonstration of pieing an entryway

Enter a room using on of the two following methods:

• Hook: enter and immediatly turn back to the side your were stacked, essentially making a U-turn.
• Cross: enter and continue moving in the same direction, ending up on the opposite side of where you were stacked.

Once inside a room move and clear in the following manner:

• Move following the outside wall, and don't stop until the room has been cleared
• Clear the corner closest to you on your side of the room
• Clear the corner furthest from you on your side of the room
• Clear the center of the room

Say "Clear" when an area, room or building has been cleared.

If the area, room or building can be ambiguous, prepend it before saying clear: "{area} clear". 

• Stay off crew intercom, and join cargo if crew was selected by default
• Do not try to interact directly with the crew, regardless of the situation
• Casual conversation is allowed, unless instructed otherwise by the crew/leadership
• Cease casual conversation automatically when in contact or in an emergency

When vehicles are moving with you in an urban environment you must stay on the sides of the road, ahead of the vehicle, as the most dangerous place to be is in front of or behind the vehicle. This is because;

• Vehicles will move without communicating and you don't want to be run over
• If you are working with MBT's standing in front when they fire will result in over-pressure injuries which are often fatal
• The crew's visibility when in the vehicle is very limited, they will assume you are on the sides of the road and out of the way
• The most dangerous threat for any vehicle in an urban environment, is the hidden OPFOR AV-man. Infantry should be clearing windows and passages ahead of the vehicle to reduce this threat.
• The second most dangerous is the IED. Infantry should be scouting just ahead, looking for any IEDs that may threaten the vehicle.

• Before dismounting, the call "Dismount" will be given by the crew
• After dismounting the vehicle move away from the vehicle without crossing in front or behind the vehicle, to prevent being run over, or stopping the vehicle from moving as it needs to.

Element leaders ensure their team boards the assigned vehicle, supervise loading, and board last. If acting as navigator, they must communicate to their team that the front passenger seat should be left for them to occupy.

All personnel must follow directions during embarkation. Leaders must take charge; subordinates must listen and comply.

When mounting in a vehicle, announce to the fireteam leader when your are mounted over the radio.

‘{name} up’

This allows fireteam leaders to then notify the squad leader and so on and ensure that everyone who needs to be on board, is on board before the vehicle departs.

When approaching a helicopter, keep in mind the following factors:

• Avoid crossing the door gunner firing arcs
• Avoid getting near the tail rotor, especially the side of the tail that the tail rotor is on
• Avoid approaching and standing directly in front of the helicopter, as this is the direction in which the helicopter will move when taking off
• Be mindful of the clearance between your head and the main rotor, especially on uneven terrain

In practice, this means:

• Approach helicopters that load from the side from the side, preferably slightly from the rear
• Approach helicopters that load from the rear directly from the rear

Above: Infantry moving to a Ghosthawk to mount

When mounting in a vehicle, announce to the fireteam leader when your are mounted over the radio.

‘{name} up’

This allows fireteam leaders to then notify the squad leader and so on and ensure that everyone who needs to be on board, is on board before the vehicle departs.

• Stay off crew intercom, and join cargo if crew was selected by default
• Do not try to interact directly with the crew, regardless of the situation
• Casual conversation is allowed, unless instructed otherwise by the crew/leadership
• Cease casual conversation automatically when in contact or in an emergency

• Before dismounting, the call "Dismount" will be given by the crew
• After dismounting the vehicle move away from the vehicle without crossing in front or behind the vehicle, to prevent being run over, or stopping the vehicle from moving as it needs to.

Landing a parachute at high speed can injure or kill you. To prevent this:

• Reduce forward speed to nearly zero just before landing
• Flare backwards just before touching the ground

In HALO, the chute is deployed at low altitude to minimize the time spent under canopy. 

• Steer towards the target during freefall, as minimal moaneuvering will be possible with the parachute
• Open the parachute around 200m AGL (above ground level)

Both styles of insertion give you some degree of control over your descent. With static line “round chutes” having significantly less. Parafoils give you much greater maneuverability during the descent. While in flight, you’ll be able to turn, accelerate, decelerate, and flare the chute.

This high level of control allows you great flexibility to choose a landing site that works best for you and your team as long as you’re high enough in the air, almost anything you can see can be reached by gliding to it. The Arma 3 parafoil can reach a forward speed of over 50kph, though this brings with it a more rapid descent rate. For maximum glide range, try to stay closer to 15 to 20kph; while you’ll be in the air longer, your total ground distance covered will significantly increase. As you descend, you’ll find that wind will disrupt your flight and push you off course.

This wind drift must be accounted for and monitored, particularly in low-visibility situations such as night drops. Ensure your team is navigating and adjusting the flight path during the descent, else you’re likely to end up a significant distance from where you’d intended.

In HAHO, the chute is deployed at a much higher altitude in order to cover a large distance towards the LZ.The ram-air parachutes allow for substantial ground to be covered during flight, to the point that the plane initiating the drop can be 50+ kilometers from the drop zone when the paratroopers exit the aircraft. 

• Open the parachute on exiting the aircraft
• Join formation with the person designated as guiding element, and descent in formation

When it comes to parachuting into combat zones, there are two basic styles of parachutes used. The first is a round, static-line chute. This allows for minimal control during descent, and the deployment of the chute automatically occurs as you leave the aircraft. The second style, typically used by smaller, more highly-trained units is a ram-air maneuverable parachute that is manually deployed by you after leaving the aircraft.

When leading a parachute jump as jump master:

1. Ensure that parachutes (and altimeters if era-appropriate) are available for every paratrooper to collect
2. Ensure that every paratrooper has backpack on chest and parachute on back before entering the vehicle
3. Ensure that every paratrooper has a unique number from 1 to X designating the order they will leave the plane on command
4. Confirm the LZ to the paratroopers and the recommended altitude to open the parachute (ASL and AGL) for the LZ
5. Explain the process of jumping while on route, to ensure first time jumpers know the process as well
6. Switch the light to red in the vehicle, and ensure the paratroopers are quiet and ready to jump
7. Switch the light to green and call each number in order, instructing paratroopers to jump when they hear their number

Leaders must prioritize their own survival, especially at higher command levels. Reckless behaviour risks the mission and the lives of subordinates. Your strongest weapon is your team—lead from safety to keep them effective.

Leaders of all levels must know the responsibilities of the leader above and below them. This ensures continuity of command in case of casualties and allows for better coordination and assumption of duties when required.

Leaders must keep orders simple and concise. Clear, direct communication reduces confusion, especially in high-stress combat situations. Avoid long, complex instructions. Brevity improves understanding and execution.

Leaders must make timely decisions, even under pressure. A good decision made quickly is better than a perfect one made too late. Decisiveness drives momentum and avoids paralysis in dynamic situations.

Leaders must assign tasks directly to individuals or elements. Vague orders like “someone needs to...” cause confusion. Use names, colour codes, or callsigns to ensure accountability and rapid task execution.

Leaders must avoid micromanaging. Provide clear intent and objectives but leave the execution method to sub-leaders. Tactical flexibility is vital at lower levels and should not be constrained unnecessarily.

Leaders must allow situations to develop before acting. Premature decisions can misallocate forces or compromise positioning. Wait for key indicators and act with informed intent.

Leaders must act independently when needed, in alignment with the commander’s intent. This builds trust across the chain of command and allows rapid adaptation when communications are limited.

Leaders should take notes using pen and paper. This supports recall of mission details such as ROE, timings, objectives, or observations both during execution and for post-mission review and commendations.

A command brief starts with accountability, ensure all element leaders are present. Begin with orientation, followed by a simplified rephrasing of the mission, then provide the Commander's Intent. Pass detailed assignments to each element using verbal SMEAC structure. End with a Q&A and instruct subordinates to brief their elements and report readiness.

Leaders must issue verbal briefings clearly and concisely. Begin by identifying yourself and ensuring your audience is focused. Use precise, unambiguous language. Set clear, measurable goals and communicate your Commander's Intent. Confirm that subordinates understand their orders and allow time for questions or clarification. Whenever practical, deliver orders while physically orienting subordinates to the terrain to ensure shared understanding.

Read the operation order beforehand and take notes. Actively listen, ask clarifying questions, and avoid assumptions. Conduct a "read back" of your understanding to confirm alignment with intent. Stay focused and minimise distractions to ensure full situational awareness.

Platoon and squad leaders must repeat mission details clearly to subordinates. Clarify roles, responsibilities, and expected actions, including contingencies and coordination methods (e.g., coloured smoke for marking). Emphasise ROE, especially around friendly aircraft and enemy vehicles. Allow questions and ensure all understand the plan before mission start.

When leadership casualties occur, others must step up. Every player should understand the roles one level above and below them to ensure leadership continuity when necessary.

Seniority Hierarchy: CoyCo → PltCo → PltSgt → 1SL/2SL/3SL → 1:1/2:1/3:1 FTLs → Most senior member

If your Fireteam Leader is killed or incapacitated, take these steps:

Announce: Declare on comms that you're taking command.

Act: Choose one:

• Continue the previous order
• Request new orders from SL
• Exercise disciplined initiative aligned with the squad intent

If your Squad Leader is killed or incapacitated, take these steps:

• Announce: Notify the squad on the net that you’re taking command.
• Respond: Either:
  • Continue the current mission
  • Go firm to reassess if tactical situation permits
• Report: Notify PltCo. Request CASREPs from teams.
• Assess: Determine combat effectiveness.
• Execute: Continue or adjust plan per PltCo’s intent.

If your Platoon Commander is killed, take these steps:

• Announce: Declare on command net that you’ve taken over.
• Decide: Continue the mission or go firm to assess.
• Delegate: Appoint a new SL to replace your previous role.
• Report: Gather CASREPs/SITREPs from SLs and assess.
• Command: Issue new orders aligned with the original intent.

A unit is combat ineffective if it cannot fulfill its mission or typical tasks. Common causes include:

• Loss of leadership
• Heavy casualties (KIA/WIA)
• Lack of weapons/ammo

Indicators include:

• Lack of movement or cohesion
• Silence or no response to orders
• Absence of return fire
• Numerous KIAs/WIAs
• Unit reduced to a small fraction of its size

If a callsign is not answering you, try to reach them for a total of three times with several seconds passing in between. Each additional time they may add the information that they haven’t received anything, to make other stations aware of it.

If the suspected station is your superior you may assume that they may be incapacitated and/or killed and the next station in the Chain of Command needs to take command in their place.

Example

This example will cover a squad net on channel 250 consisting of Outlaw 1-0, 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3. 1-2 is trying to reach 1-0 without success: 

Trying to contact

1-2: Actual, this is 2.

1-0: (1-0 is not responding so after a couple of seconds 1-2 tries again)

1-2: Actual, this is 2, nothing heard.

1-0: (1-0 is not responding so after a couple of seconds 1-2 tries for the last time)

1-2: Actual, this is 2, nothing heard OUT.

1-0: (1-0 is not responding so 1-1 needs to take command)

 

Succession of command

1-2: 1, this is 2.

1-1: 2 this is 1.

1-2: You need to take command.

1-1: This is 1, taking command..

Leaders must preserve combat power by consolidating forces:

Steps to merge elements:

1. Identify suitable element to merge into.
2. Join the appropriate comms channel.
3. Report status to new leader.
4. Link up with the element if feasible.
5. Merge using ACE interaction or as directed.
6. Prompt, confident action in these moments preserves operational effectiveness.

Leaders must ensure their element executes the operations order effectively while adapting to real-time developments. Leadership involves supervising movement, enforcing tactical discipline, and adjusting plans based on enemy contact or environmental changes.

Identify and track the enemy

• Constantly ask: "Where is the enemy?"
• Use terrain and likely avenues of approach to infer enemy positions. 

Maintain formation and discipline

• Confirm elements are following orders; address deviations promptly.
• Monitor spacing, formation integrity, and mutual support.
• Adjust formations to match terrain and threat levels. 

Avoid gaps and exposed flanks

• Identify and close any gaps between units that could be exploited.
• Maintain overwatch and support relationships between elements. 

Position key assets effectively

• Ensure anti-tank and other special assets are placed forward and ready.
• Confirm recon and point elements are in use where applicable. 

Clarify contact drills and ROE

• Reiterate ROE and reaction-to-contact drills.
• Adapt SOPs to mission-specific threats if necessary.

Confirm operational reality

• Compare the actual situation to the OPORD.
• Adjust plans if discrepancies arise due to faulty intel or unexpected contact.

Assess the tactical picture

• Identify enemy strength, weaponry, and disposition.
• Determine friendly deployment and positioning.

Achieve fire superiority

• Ensure the enemy is suppressed and fixed.
• Position elements for tactical advantage and cover.

Employ and coordinate assets

• Bring special teams and vehicles into action.
• Request artillery, CAS, or indirect fire when available.

Evaluate and adapt tactics

• Determine if the current plan can win the fight.
• Consider flanks, rear approaches, and terrain for alternate tactics.

Exploit enemy weakness

• Identify vulnerable enemy positions or exposed flanks.
• Use fire and manoeuvre, or assaults to gain the upper hand.

Monitor the fight continuously

• Track casualties and effectiveness.
• Disengage if unable to win the engagement.

Establish security immediately

• Secure the area with 360° coverage.
• Clear enemy combatants and occupy strong positions.

Conduct status and ACE reports

• Collect SITREPs and ACE Reports from all elements.
• Determine remaining combat capability.

Address casualties and medical needs

• Confirm medics are treating wounded effectively.
• Avoid clustering around aid stations; establish triage.

Reorganize and redistribute

• Reassign leadership if casualties occurred.
• Merge understrength teams as needed.
• Redistribute key equipment and ammunition.

Prepare for the next objective

• Once stabilized, determine the next phase of the mission.
• Rebrief units if needed and resume movement with discipline.

The Squad Leader manages the squad’s response to contact by gaining fire superiority, reporting upwards, and deciding whether to hold, manoeuvre, or break contact.

Actions

• Achieve fire superiority.
• Confirm fireteams are reacting appropriately.
• Report contact to the Platoon Commander when possible:
• Prioritize squad command over reporting if needed.
• Assess the position:
  • Hold if viable.
  • Manoeuvre fireteams using bounding overwatch if needed.
  • Break contact if untenable.
• Coordinate with adjacent squads and listen for higher orders.
• Monitor flanks and casualty status via Squad Medic.

The Fireteam Leader is responsible for quickly assessing the situation and ensuring their team responds effectively to sudden enemy contact.

Actions

• Order team to move to covered or concealed positions.
• Identify and report the enemy's position to the Squad Leader.
• Begin engaging the enemy.
• Direct team fire as needed.
• Prepare to manoeuvre as ordered by the Squad Leader.

A far ambush occurs when the enemy is over 50 meters away. Immediate fire and coordination enable manoeuvre to neutralize the threat.

Actions

• If in the kill zone:
  • Return fire and move to cover.
  • Target enemy high-volume weapons (e.g., MGs).
  • Deploy smoke to obscure friendlies or enemy line of sight.
• If outside the kill zone:
  • Move via cover to flank and assault.
  • Inform base-of-fire team before initiating assault to avoid friendly fire.

A near ambush occurs when the enemy is within grenade-throwing distance. Immediate aggression is essential to survive and suppress the ambush.

Actions

• If in the kill zone:
  • Return fire immediately.
  • Throw grenades or smoke.
  • Assault enemy position swiftly once cover is created.
• If outside the kill zone:
  • Provide suppressive fire on enemy position.
  • Shift or cease fire when friendlies assault to avoid fratricide.

Breaking contact allows an element to disengage from the enemy while maintaining suppressive fire to avoid becoming decisively engaged.

Steps

1. Leader announces intent to break contact.
2. Assign a base-of-fire element (e.g., buddy-team, fireteam, or larger).
3. Base-of-fire takes hasty cover and suppresses enemy.
4. Other elements bound to the rear under fire protection.
5. Deploy smoke to conceal movement.
6. On signal, base-of-fire element bounds back to new position.
7. Repeat until disengagement is complete.

Convoy ambushes must prevent vehicles from escaping the kill zone and neutralize armoured threats rapidly.

Tactics

• Prioritize disabling the lead, then the rear vehicle.
• Engage soft targets by aiming for tires and drivers.
• Eliminate armored threats immediately—double up AT gunners if possible.
• Stay clear of wreckage due to secondary explosions.
• Use decoy vehicles to bait convoys into halting.

An ambush is a surprise attack from concealment against a moving or halted enemy. Ambushes capitalize on surprise and firepower to destroy or disrupt enemy elements.

Key Elements

• Friendly Positioning: Use concealment and elevation to maximize survivability and lethality.
• Kill Zone: Select open terrain with minimal cover; ensure clear, overlapping fields of fire.
• Initiation of Fire: Initiated by the leader, usually with a verbal warning. Fire must be immediate, heavy, and accurate.

Contingency: If fire is accidentally initiated early, all elements must immediately engage to salvage effectiveness.

Explosive devices can enhance ambush effectiveness by adding shock and confusion, especially against vehicles or in deliberate setups.

Applications

• Satchel charges and claymores are ideal for deliberate or vehicle ambushes.
• Initiating the ambush with explosives increases lethality.
• Not typically suited for hasty ambushes due to setup time.

The linear ambush positions all friendly elements in a single firing line parallel to the enemy's expected path of travel. It is fast to set up and commonly used in hasty situations.

Considerations

• Works well with limited time and mobility.
• A longer line reduces enemy cover options.
• Avoid excessive spacing—ambushed enemies should not be able to breach the line.

Above: Visual representation of a linear ambush

An L-shaped ambush uses two elements forming a right angle, enabling simultaneous frontal and flank fire into the kill zone.

Advantages

• Highly effective due to crossfire.
• Even a single flanking rifleman or marksman significantly increases ambush lethality.
• Can be employed by varied team sizes and roles.

Above: Visual representation of an L-shaped ambush

Snipers are best countered by coordinated team action rather than individual efforts. Flanking and suppression are critical.

Best Practices

• Suppress suspected sniper positions if feasible.
• Flank as a team to neutralize threat.
• Avoid peeking from the same spot repeatedly.
• Use smoke to conceal intended movement route, not current position.

Above: Visual representation of how to utilise smoke in a counter sniper situation

The crack/bang method uses sound delay between bullet crack and muzzle blast to estimate sniper range and direction.

Technique

• Listen for the supersonic "crack" of the round, followed by the "bang" of the rifle.
• Long delay = distant shooter; short delay = closer shooter.
• Use the muzzle blast direction to orient toward the shooter.

Snipers pose a long-range precision threat. Quick movement, cover usage, and coordinated suppression are key to survival.

Actions

• Identify direction of fire and seek hard cover.
• If sniper fire is suspected, call out "Sniper!" to alert others.
• If exposed, move unpredictably and avoid direct paths.
• Relay sniper’s position to friendly elements; use map marking if possible.

Rotary-wing aircraft are the most dangerous CAS threat due to precision and persistence. Prevention through stealth is preferred.

Best Practices

• Avoid detection via low, concealed movement routes.
• If equipped with AA assets, engage helicopters on approach.
• If no AA is present, rely on concealment and avoid engagement unless certain of success.
• Engage low-and-slow helicopters only when confident in a kill.

If spotted by enemy aircraft, quick dispersion and terrain masking reduce casualties from guided or area-effect weapons.

Actions

• Spread out immediately, avoid clustering.
• Move to terrain that limits aircraft attack angles: forests, urban areas, reverse slopes.
• Only engage aircraft with small arms if escape or survival depends on it.

Jets are fast-moving threats that rely on visual detection and powerful area-of-effect weapons. Survivability depends on movement and concealment.

Best Practices

• Move perpendicular to attack run to throw off aim.
• Use reverse slopes to block line of sight and reposition after each pass.
• Avoid exposure, jets struggle to detect infantry at speed.

Indirect fire threats can be neutralized through accurate location, counter-battery efforts, or direct assault.

Countermeasures

• Call for counter-battery or CAS if available.
• Mortar positions can sometimes be attacked directly.
• Use triangulation with separated elements and compass bearings to identify artillery source.
• Expect delayed repeat barrages—stay in cover until confirmed clear.

Artillery and mortars can inflict heavy casualties. Early warning, rapid response, and dispersion are key to survival.

Actions

• Stay alert for distant firing sounds or incoming shells.
• Shout "Incoming!" at the first sign of artillery to warn others.
• If static, spread out and take cover immediately.
• If mobile, follow the element leader’s direction to escape impact area.

Use simple, relative directions when ordering formations.

• Reference direction of movement, not bearings.
• Use “front, left, right, rear” to describe offsets.

Formations guide positioning to support cohesion and control. They are adaptable, not rigid templates.

Principles:

• Use formations as a baseline, not a constraint.
• Leaders must understand strengths and weaknesses of each formation.
• Precision is less important than practicality, adapt to terrain and threat.

Leader roles and positions differ by echelon.

• Squad Leaders “push” fireteams from centre or rear.
• Fireteam Leaders “pull” teams by leading from the front.

Formations can be layered across command levels with Platoons, squads, and fireteams each using different formations. Each leader determines formation appropriate to their level to enables flexibility without micromanagement.

Formation control ensures spacing and cohesion throughout movement.

• Leaders correct deviations using clear, relative directions.
• Control is maintained by the formation’s overall leader.

Leading elements set the pace and direction.

• Guide movement based on orders.
• Prevent outpacing of trail elements.
• Maintain observation forward and to flanks.
• Provide point element if needed.

Keep proper spacing and offset from lead.

• Communicate speed/distance issues.
• Observe sectors based on offset:
  • Left offset = watch left/front
  • Right offset = watch right/front
  • Rear = observe rear
  • Share rear security if no dedicated element

Crossing a danger area is conducted using bounding overwatch principles.

• Cross in small elements to avoid detection and reduce exposure.
• Maintain continuous security throughout the process.
• Movement techniques used are an extension of basic infantry manoeuvre principles.

Danger areas are terrain features that expose friendly forces to heightened risk from enemy fire.

These may include:

• Bridges, streams, open lanes, streets, or other open spaces.
• Often observed or covered by enemy forces, including snipers or machine gunners.

Danger areas must be identified early and treated with deliberate caution.

Step 1: Establish security

• Form a security element to cover the danger area before attempting to cross.
• Use at least half the force to provide overwatch.
• Ensure wide spacing to reduce visibility.
• Security observes flanks, rear, and the danger area itself.

Step 2: Scout the far side

• Send a scout element to cross and clear the far side.
• Typically fireteam-sized.
• Conduct limited penetration to check for threats.
• Provide overwatch for main body during their crossing.

Step 3: Controlled crossing

• Once scouts report clear, remaining elements cross sequentially.
• Cross one element at a time.
• Maintain spacing and speed.
• Do not bunch up or rush the crossing.

Step 4: Consolidate after crossing

• Once all elements are across, regroup and continue the mission.
• Re-establish control and situational awareness.
• Ensure no one is left behind or disoriented.

If taking fire during the crossing, shift to emergency reaction techniques.

• Deploy smoke to obscure movement.
• Use suppression fire to cover crossing elements.
• Maintain aggressive momentum to clear the area quickly.

Suppression uses accurate, sustained fire to force the enemy to take cover and prevent them from effectively returning fire.

• Effective only if the enemy believes exposure will result in death or injury.
• Fixes the enemy in place, enabling manoeuvre by friendly elements.

The base-of-fire provides suppressive fire to support manoeuvre elements.

• Ideally composed of troops with automatic weapons or machineguns.
• Positioned for good observation and fields of fire.
• May include multiple overlapping bases or support from vehicles.

The manoeuvre element flanks or closes with the enemy under cover of the base-of-fire.

• Executes movement to contact, assault, or flank.
• Destroys the enemy using fire & movement tactics.

Fire & manoeuvre is a coordinated action between base-of-fire and manoeuvre elements.

• Base-of-fire suppresses while manoeuvre closes with the enemy.
• Enables safe approach to contact or assault.
• Maximizes automatic and crew-served weapon support.

"Going Firm" is used to halt friendly movement for coordination and reassessment.

• Fireteams take up immediate defensive positions.
• Leaders assess situation, report casualties, and issue new plans.
• Ends with resumed movement or updated orders.

Security ensures 360° awareness and prevents surprise attacks.

• Must be maintained during halts, movement, and contact.
• Includes visual scanning, covering blind spots, and rear/flank observation.

Fire & movement occurs when assaulting within close range of the enemy.

• Used when base-of-fire can no longer provide effective support.
• Involves buddy bounds or individual rushes.
• Usually begins naturally once under effective enemy fire or within grenade range.

Smoke provides on-demand concealment and can be used to:

• Mask friendly movement or positions
• Obscure enemy observation or fire
• Deceive enemy forces
• Signal to friendly units or aircraft

Correct integration of smoke enhances survivability and effectiveness.