Chapter 1: Introduction to CQB
The most feared situation for any military or Special Forces unit is a Close Quarters Battle(CQB). The reason is because there are campers, snipers, and many other hazards that await them in an enclosed facility. It takes a well trained and practiced team to execute a successful Counter Terrorist(CT) Operation. Some of the most well known military units known for CT Ops are Delta, SEAL Team Six(now DevGroup), Special Air Service, and lately Marine Force Recon. All of these units train harder than any other unit in existence. The reason is obvious, the engage in CT Ops, they need to know how to operate and be successful.
No CQB Op is the same, they do however have common characteristics. Usually there are campers, or a person who chooses a place to hide out and wait for you to engage them. Early Warning Systems(EWS) are also common. The major threats are always the same however. If you are approaching a building or facility which has hostile enemy personnel(Tangos) inside, unless you are very stealthy, you almost have to expect to take fire. Snipers are also a common threat in a CQB situation. All of these threats can be remedied however, with the correct tactics.
The hardest obstacle to overcome is stealth. Most of the time, the tangos will know your entry point and will base their defensive formation to defend against that entry point. Which brings up the next formidable obstacle. They have some idea where you are or will be, you only know their general vicinity. That gives the tangos a great advantage over you. You must consider this before formulating a plan of action.
The mentality you want to have when facing a CQB is to operate swift, silent, and "deadly." Swift and efficient movement, combined with a level head and stealth is the best offense against a hazardous situation. If you are a commander of a team, you must remember that. Make sure that your team operates under those conditions.
Chapter 2: Basic Reconnaissance
Basic Reconnaissance The first thing that a CT unit needs to do before they jump into the shooting and looting is to even the odds. The tangos know that you're out there but you don't know much about them. For those of you aren't familiar with Reconnaissance, it is going "behind enemy lines" to gain information about your enemy. Reconnaissance is a non-violent operation where a shot is fired only if necessary. This proves very useful in a CT situation because if you know where your enemy is, you can exterminate them with much greater ease.
The SEALs were the very first to preach and publicize this attitude, but 2 is always better than one. From the first phase of BUD/s(Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training), SEALs are assigned a swim buddy. From that point on anything you do is accompanied by your swim buddy. Reconnaissance should be done in the same manner. So to make a long story short, the first thing you should do when Reconnoitering an area of Operations(AOP) is to divide the team up into smaller teams of two. This is smart because if all goes to hell and a fire fight breaks out two people stand a better chance than one.
The next thing to do is to set up a rally point. The rally point is a point in the AOP where the entire team will regroup after reconnaissance. This point needs to be a strategic position in a number of ways. The Rally Point needs to be concealed from enemy view, it's not a huddle in football, they will shoot you. The Rally Point also has to be a defensive stronghold. If, unfortunately, all goes to hell, the team needs to be together. The team returns to the rally point at that time and defends itself.
Reconnaissance is the most stealthy part of an entire CT Op. You cannot be detected! The idea is to gain intelligence on the enemy without them detecting you. Movement should be concealed and slow. I'm sure you've seen it mimicked in the movies. Try not to run unless necessary because a fast moving object attracts the eye before a slow moving object does. Running also makes a lot more noise than walking. The enemy will most likely hear you before they see you. This is where Reconnaissance communication is important. A chapter is devoted later on to communication during assault because recon communication is different. You must have a set of hand signals. Don't get nervous, you only need a few. The important ones are enemy sighted, sniper, danger zone, and a good sniper position. The hand signals should be simple, not elaborate, and very easy to remember. I'm sure you can come up with some logical hand signals. There are a number of things you are looking for when reconnoitering an AOP. These things include but are not limited to good sniper position for your team, enemy personnel, tango snipers, danger areas(Open areas that attract gunfire), good cover and concealment, possible entry points, and enemy escape routes. Once you have found these things, you must record them. The second member of the Recon Team needs to carry a approximately 3 by 5" spiral notebook and a pencil(mechanical). Map the area that you have reconnoitered and either write down what you found and where or mark the map with symbols. This is up to the team, there is no real rule for reconnaissance unless you are in the military.
Movement is probably the most difficult part of reconnaissance. You must move undetected and still get good intelligence. The two man teams need to move as one. This is accomplished by appointing a point man early on. The point man is the front man in the formation who basically decides where and when to go. The point man needs to be competent and stealthy. Basically, the way movement works is that the point man decides a path to take and leads his team member along that path. Just remember, that you never split up. Move as a team always.
After you have completed the recon of the AOP, return to the rally point. The Officer in Charge(OIC) collects the information and sets up a plan. This should be the only time that talking is permitted on a Recon Op. They conveying of accurate information and intelligence is crucial, don't screw it up!
The most important things to remember about reconnaissance is you don't fire a shot. It needs to be practiced and the art needs to be perfected. Only the most skilled military units participate in reconnaissance operations in the real world, so you can imagine the difficulty. Follow the above and you should be fine. So far it's worked for my team.
Chapter 3: Communication
Communication is vital for a team's success. There are a number of forms of communication used by today's special Forces units. The very first and still favorite in some cases are hand signals. Hand signals are completely quiet and they are effective. The other common method of communication is through tactical radios(TacRadio). Even though a good radio is expensive, if you're a serious team, you will want to shell out the money. NOTE: Some tournaments do not allow radio communication. Refer to the rules in your area before purchasing!! TacRadios offer more flexibility than hand signals and can be more effective. If you do purchase radios, spend the money to get a decent one because if your team relies on TacRadio comm. Units and they go down, you're screwed.
Depending on if you have military experience or how serious your team is, you may have pre-Assigned positions in the team. Common military positions include the Point Man, OIC, Corpsman(medical Officer), Assaulters, Grenadiers, and Rear security. These positions will be referred to for the rest of this document. The acting position of a team member is a good reference for radio communication. While some teams choose to use names, our team quickly chose the position naming reference over names. WE found names to be cumbersome while positions worked out quite nicely.
Whether you use TacRadios or hand signals, communication should be short and to the point. You don't want to get caught waiting around in an open area because your comm. Isn't effective enough. That's begging for an ambush to happen. Simple code words are an asset to radio communication. Hand signals are for more developed and serious team and need to be developed by the team itself. Teams are most familiar with signals that they come up with on their own. The same goes with code words.
Communication Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) are best developed by the teams themselves. The information above is only there to help you formulate your own ideas. No matter what form of communication you choose, the same principles apply. Restrict communication to only necessary comments that directly affect the mission. For TacRadios, make sure that the ones you choose have a hands-option. Holding your weapon and concentrating on the task at hand can be complicated enough.
Chapter 4: Shooting
Shooting is a fundamental skill that won't be covered in detail in this manual. Shooting is a vital part of any Op. After all, you have to shoot the tangos to take them down don't you? Shooting in a CQB situation is actually quite different from that of any other Op. The reason is because in CQB the action is fast. Shooting in CQB is based upon initial volume of fire and instinct. Reaction time is very important in CQB.
There are a number of fundamentals that help and apply to CQB though. The first is that you never look away from your gun. Keep your weapon in front of you at all times. The only exception belongs to the Point Man who may need to use his sidearm(if available). Don't look anywhere that your weapon is not pointed. Believe it or not, it's much easier to depress the trigger than to look, have to swing your weapon to your target, and then depress the trigger. If you head moves, your weapon goes with it. This is even more true with a sidearm.
The next fundamental skill is a readiness stance. Keep your weapon in front of you a slightly on a low angle when moving in a "clear" area. The reason is because if you're not in a clear area, you actually present less of a target. Movement like that is also important because you are more relaxed. When in CQB, tenseness is a bad thing. Tenseness causes premature firing of the weapon and a lot of missed targets because of poor aiming. You do not however want to move in this manner when you know that you're near tangos. If you're moving through a danger area, keep the weapon in a firing position with a relaxed grip. If you're too tense, you may have a tendency to jerk the weapon when firing which could throw your aim off. By the way, missing is a bad thing!
The third and equally important aspect to combat shooting in CQB is reloading. Yes, there is a SOP for reloading. The most efficient reloading technique is used by the U.S. Airborne Rangers. The first thing to do if you need to reload is to check for cover. If there is cover move to it. Once behind cover, drop to a knee and if necessary, draw your sidearm to within easy reach in case of an emergency. Replace magazines quickly and engage in the firefight again.
The last and most important aspect of CQB shooting is fields of fire. Each team member needs to have a pre-assigned field of fire. A team member's field of fire is the area that the team member is going to concentrate on when moving unless moving through an open area at which you engage targets of opportunity. The point man has the front of the team covered with the help of the OIC. The OIC covers the near flanks of the point man. The next man in the line which is usually a corpsman covers the left and right of the team. The Assaulters cover targets of opportunity. The rear security team member(last man in formation), covers the rear of the team. This is an important position because the most common guerilla tactic is to engage a larger force from behind. Another important thing to remember is if you fire in your field of fire, let your team know who is firing by calling out "contact!" If you "drop" the tango, let the team know by saying, not yelling, "tango Down."
The above needs rehearsal and should be trained again and again. My team focuses on target shooting under controlled circumstances working on a "reflex or Instinct shot." Basically, we set up a target, mimic clearing an area, and engage the target of reflexes. That involves bringing the weapon up for the ready position and firing until the target is hit.
Chapter 5: Cover and Concealment
Most of this chapter involves being in a heavy firefight. In a CQB situation you mostly only use cover temporarily when entering a room that has not been cleared yet. In a firefight however, good cover could mean the difference between your team losing or winning. Concealment applies to every aspect of CQB. You want to take down the tangos swiftly and stealthy. At least that's what our team attempts to do.
Good cover is usually very hard to find in CQB. The most common and effective is a door/window opening. They provide full cover of the body and allow for quick movement. When using a door or window opening for cover, keep your weapon ready to fire at all times. Stand close to the opening but not to the point where you are exposed to fire. To fire from that position, lean at the hips to expose the smallest target to the enemy and engage either targets of opportunity or in your field of fire depending on the situation.
Concealing yourself is very important in CQB. The most important time for concealment is during the entry of the building or facility. Make your approach silent and not obvious. Good concealment is usually found with corners and foliage. Depending on the design of the target building, these options may not be present. If that situation comes up, stealthy movement is really the only solution.
The best way to conceal yourself is with good clothing and camouflage selection. Don't choose to wear black "ninja suits" for a day time Op. Face paint camouflage is also a good addition. Make sure that every part of your body is covered in some manner including your hands and face. If you've chosen good camouflage, you should be able to use most objects as concealment. One important thing to add is if you really don't want to be noticed, don't stare at your enemy. If you're in your car sometime and you're at a red light, stare at the person next to you and they will most likely look back. That's the human man's sixth sense. Focus on your target for short periods of time and then return to watching your target. Five seconds usually works good for us.
Smart Movement is a vital part of success for a CQB Op. Movement in CQB is swift and silent. There should always be a purpose for movement. Never move unnecessarily because it just puts your team in danger. When moving be sure to stay low and present as little of target as possible to the enemy. Running is usually a last resort. Quick and silent movements are preferred to running which is more noticeable and makes more noise. Of course if your team is compromised(discovered), running is required because you need to get some cover to engage and neutralize the tangos.
Covering areas is a crucial aspect of movement. If you approach an open hallway, staircase, intersection or some form of open area, your team's movement needs to be covered. Hall Ways and intersections are the most commonly encountered obstacles. When moving across a "T shaped" hallway, the point man approaches the area and peeks around the corner. If a tango is there, the scout should neutralize the threat. If not, the scout should drop to a knee and cover the corner he just cleared. The next man in line should cross the open hallway and leave enough room for the rest of the team on the other side. Once across the other side, the OIC(second man in formation) is responsible for covering directly ahead of the way he just came. Once the point man gives the word, the next man crosses. He then aids the point man in covering the open area. The team crosses the open area one by one until the point man comes across and assumes the position of point and the "patrol" continues.
Clearing and covering corners is another important aspect of movement. If you approach a corner, the point man should tell the rest of the team they've reached a corner. The point man then "slices the Pie" on the corner. Slicing the pie involves maximizing the team members view while limiting the reaction time of the tango. Slicing the pie involves making a 90 degree movement around the corner. In other words, the point man takes a step back from the corner turns his body so his point of view is looking directly past the edge of the corner. He then side steps turning his body slightly as he moves to maximize his field of vision.
When encountering opposite corners as in the "T Shaped" hallway, you need to separate the team. The OIC and one other team member goes to the opposite corner as the point man. On a three count, the Point man and the OIC slice the pie at the same time which prevents the chance of a rear ambush. The man coupled with the OIC covers the OIC's movements remaining approximately three steps behind the OIC incase the OIC goes down. After both corners are clear, the OIC or point man decides which way to proceed and the team regroups and begins the "patrol" again.
Clearing rooms can be very difficult. If you approach a room with an open door the team needs to set up on both sides of the opening. When moving across the opening, do not be detected. If you are, you're screwed. The point man should give warning to the team when he first sees the doorway and the team should act appropriately. When the team splits up, an assaulter should accompany the OIC to the opposite side of the door opening as the point man. On the OIC's order, the Point man swings in through the doorway making a 90 degree turn to his nearest side. For example, if the point man is on the left side of the doorway, he'll enter and turn left. Right after the point man enters, the OIC follows and turns to the opposite side of the point man. Be sure to make those turns 90 degrees because room corners are a favorite for tango campers. After the OIC, the next man on the point man's side enters and follows the same path as the point man but makes approximately a 60 degree turn focusing more on the center of the room. The next man on the OIC's side enters in the same fashion but follows the OIC's path instead of the point man. This continues until the entire team is in the room and the room is deemed clear by the OIC. Example of entry: Point man goes left, OIC goes right, Corpsman left, 1st Assaulter right, 2nd Assaulter left, Rear Security, right.
A closed door is handled differently however. If a closed door is encountered, the point man and OIC line up on the opposite sides as before. The OIC moves first and positions himself on about a 45 degree angle opposite the door swing. In other words, if the door opens and swings left, the OIC will be on the right side of the doorway. The OIC then kneels and has his weapon trained(aimed) directly ahead into the open space laying beyond the door. The OIC must leave enough room for the door to open! The point man opens the door on the OIC's order. At about .5 seconds after the door is opened, the point man makes his normal entry procedure as above and the operation continues as normal with exceptions to the OIC and the 2nd Assaulter. Instead of the OIC clearing the room, the next man in the line, in the case above, the 1st Assaulter clears in the OIC's place. Everything goes accordingly except for the 2nd Assaulter who positions himself next to the OIC and covers the team's rear. Once the room is clear, the OIC and 2nd Assaulter move in with the rest of the team and the "patrol" continues.
An important point to remember is when clearing a room, do not engage targets of opportunity. Engage targets that lie in your path only. If you turn to shoot the tango, you'll hit your own man before you hit the enemy. Strict fields of fire are required in order for this method of room clearing to be efficient.
Chapter 7: Using Snipers
Using snipers is fairly complicated in CQB. Snipers need to have a position that provides both cover and concealment. A sniper must be very stealthy. I'm not going to cover sniper tactics in this manual, if you need some good sniper tactics, go to this site:
www.snipercountry.com This manual will cover this use of snipers in a close quarters Battle.
A sniper's purpose in CQB is to cover the movement of the assault and recon teams and take out difficult targets that the OIC deems puts the Assault team in danger. TacRadios are required if you're going to snipe. A sniper must have excellent determination and concentration. The Sniper may be the most experienced and trained member of the team. Be prepared, being a sniper is hard.
A sniper in CQB is responsible for locating targets on the exterior of the building and for taking out threats to the assault team. The sniper needs to have a radio with direct contact to the OIC. He also must have a scope and in some cases Night Vision Goggles(NGVs) or an NVG scope on his rifle depending on if the Op takes place during day light or night.
If a sniper makes contact with a tango, he needs to report this to the OIC before he acts unless the Tango poses direct threat to the Sniper. When reporting the Tango to the OIC, the Sniper must have a location, approximate range, and difficulty rating of the shot. The OIC then decides whether the Sniper takes a shot or if the assault team deals with the threat. The only other time the Sniper has the option to shoot without OIC authorization is if the Assault team is in direct danger and there is no other option. A sniper is a last resort and serves for intelligence purposes more than anything else.
If you're going to use a sniper, he must be a crack shot. A sniper must practice shooting and become very accustomed to his weapon. I would recommend practicing firing from a number of positions because no one sniper position is the same as the next. You never know when you'll need to be prone or be in the sitting position. Once again, I would recommend the site
www.snipercountry.comChapter 8: Conclusion
Hopefully this manual has expanded your knowledge on CQB and will help your team to succeed. A lot of the information in this manual comes from real military tactics from units such as the Airborne Rangers, Navy SEALs, Marine Force Reconnaissance Companies, Army Delta, and the British Special Air Service(SAS). My team practices these tactics and so far we've had some great successes. Out of all the combat situations out there, CQB seems to be the most difficult. Hopefully this manual will make it less difficult and reduce the time it takes for you to develop your own SOPs and tactics.
Good luck and Happy hunting!
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