Good tactical info for reenactors

[mayo]

I took this off of another site, but it applies to all reenactors. It's good food for thought:

TRIGGER HAPPINESS: Even though the rules state that “in-range” is 100 yards, we know the true range of engagement is closer to 30 yards. Waiting until we see “the whites of their eyes” needs to be remembered AND waiting for your group leaders cue. This means using better cover and having more patience, shooting too early just scatters the enemy & encourages them to dig-in or flank us.

RABBIT HUNTING: The temptation to “go off” and pursue someone alone may be fun, but hardly realistic and it weakens the unit. Moving as a coordinated group is what military training means and separating yourself from the group is the last thing a smart soldier wants to do. Stay with your group and maintain communication with your leaders.

WHITE NOISE: Talking when the battle has a lull or while your “dead” is obviously a bad idea, but it still happens. Listening for enemy movement is essential, but near impossible when a pack of your comrades are having a ”tea party” behind you. Be quiet, living or dead, all day.

THE LIVING DEAD: This is when we get "killed", drop “out of character” & ignore the fact that there is still a battle going on. This includes talking, but also means disclosing your comrades by leading the enemy back to your position. Discreetly drop in behind your lines, follow closely but remain inconspicuous, be like a ghost, not a zombie.

TO THE DEATH?: Trying to hold a position against overwhelming odds is against the law of survival; fall back, stick and move, regroup a short distance back. "He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day".

BUNCHING UP: Nothing says "throw a grenade my way" like gathering in a group instead of maintaining your distances.

[davep]

B-I-N-G-O

Like I've said without real weapons and real bullets, we can't use real "fire-n-manuver" tactics. That range one is a biggie. You really have to wait, until they are like the "article" says, "30 yards".

The other one, is fighting to the last man, another stupid thing. That is why we should established a break-off point; when we drop to 3 or less live guys, we "all" drop back to a new safe point and regroup and reestablish our direction.

And finally the Death March, like a trail of ants, is a dead ringer for where the rest of your guys are. We should go back to a fall back position, but walk back in some fashion as not to telegraph what we are doing and where we are going.

Bottomline our tactics have to use what we have, or better not use, what don't have.

[mayo]

Aug 28, 2010 19:15:21 GMT -5 davep said:

The other one, is fighting to the last man, another stupid thing. That is why we should established a break-off point; when we drop to 3 or less live guys, we "all" drop back to a new safe point and regroup and reestablish our direction.

Every situation is different which is why there is no set number like two or three guys left. The things to think of are these:

What are your orders?
What is the goal of the mission?
Can we complete our objectives if we fight to the last man?


**When setting up and ambush, always have several fall back positions in mind as the enemy is fluid and may take the ground you planned to fall back to.

[davep]

Fighting to the last man, is fine if everyone is taken out in fairly quick order, and everyone knows where to go to regroup. But lets face it a 12 man squad which is down to 2 or 3 guys, needs to reqroup. If they know re-enforcements are coming in 2 or 3 minutes, sure stay a wait/die. But when there is no known re-enforcements coming, IMHO it's time to move back and reqroup and fight another day, or in our case another 15 minutes later.

Often that regrouping spot is [1] to close to the existing action, [2] random based on who dies first, second and third as they start to bunch up and [3] not known. Also it becomes a revolving door, 2 or 3 guys die wait the 10 minutes, and throughout that time, guys are coming in and going out of the death zone, so you never get full strength unless everyone is dead all about the same time.

I've seen the German do something a little bit different, they take a "fake hit" i.e. remove their helmets and move back to a better position, put their helmets back on and start fighting again.

If you're holding a position, fighting to the last man works, but when on offense you want to maintain some level of a "fighting force".

[mayo]

Exactly. If we are attacking, there is seldom a need to fight to the last man unless our attack is a diversion for another larger attack executed on a different enemy flank. You should only fight to the last man if:

1. You have orders to do so
2. You are cut off and your choice is surrender or die
3. You are part of a diversionary attack and you have orders to do so

When your numbers are depleted to the point of not being able to be combat effective, then fall back.

***also please keep the loud talking when dead or alive down to a minimum. It gives away our positions, and is distracting to those who are still engaged.***

[sniper63]

Great food for thought. It makes sense.