Move, Moving, Set
The Move, Moving, Set is a communication system used for teams moving and performing covering fire. It is a way for each part to know what the other is doing. This works well in fire teams where each element is a buddy team. When a buddy team suppresses, both players suppress. When a buddy team moves, both players move.

Step One:
Although the Move, Moving, Set system can be used anytime, it is most often used during assaults. First, you need to identify an enemy and engage.

Step Two:
The team that wants to move yells out the movement cue, which is “MOVING”. It is equivalent to saying “I AM MOVING”.

Step Three:
The other team acknowledges the first teams cue by saying “MOVE” after they have set themselves up to assist the moving team. It is equivalent to saying “I CONFIRM AND YOU MAY MOVE”

Step Four:
The team that confirmed the move now provides covering fire. During this time, the moving team gets up and moves while the enemy is suppressed. The moving team only moves AFTER they have received confirmation from the suppressing team. If they did not, the other team may not be able to assist or did not hear the initial cue for the movement and no covering fire will be happening.

Step Five:
The suppressing team continues to provide covering fire until the moving team has yelled “SET”. This cue is equivalent to saying “I HAVE FINISHED MOVING AND HAVE SET UP”.

Step Six:
The steps continue, with the suppressing team becoming the moving team and the initial moving team now becoming the suppressing team.

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Covering Retreat
The covering retreat is a way for a team to move and still maintain security and fighting members on the rear of the force. It also slows down enemies from catching up to the team and taking advantage of the situation.

Step One:
The order to move or retreat is given and the team prepares to move.

Step Two:
One team provides covering fire or overwatch in the rear direction while another team moves.

Step Three:
The roles are reversed; the covering team becomes the moving team and moves while the initial moving team becomes the covering/overwatch team and maintains security.

Step Four:
This repeats quickly to ensure fast movement. It is also used in conjunction with Move, Moving, Set quite often.

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Ambush
If correctly executed, an ambush can deal an amazing amount of damage and inflict numerous casualties on an enemy force. The problem is that many times a direct ambush will not be available due to time, terrain, or movement restraints. Most often a hasty ambush (one prepared in less than a few seconds) is what is used in airsoft. A hasty ambush follows the same principles of the ambush but is usually under less than favorable circumstances. Security is important (usually a single buddy team) during an ambush because of how vulnerable an ambush is to a flanking maneuver, usually because the ambushing element is often dug in and prone.

Step One:
The basic principle of the ambush is that the team establishes a kill zone and sets up a security team. A kill zone is an area where the enemy should be during the ambush, which will maximize the damage done to the enemy. Team members are encouraged to set additional magazines on the ground next to them for fast and easy reloading.

Step Two:
Maintaining noise and movement discipline is critical during an ambush. A single enemy spotting someone can ruin the entire ambush. Teammates should be disciplined to NOT fire on the enemy when they have a clear shot but to wait until they are in a more favorable position to maximize damage.

Step Three:
Team continues to wait until the enemy is in the most favorable position for the ambush. The ambush team is only allowed to fire on the enemy if and only if the enemy is about the become aware of the ambush, retreat, or retaliate. A failed ambush where the entire enemy team got away because someone was spotted is far worse than a failed ambush that was sprung at the wrong time that only inflicted slight casualties.

Step Four:
Either the team leader or a support gunner usually springs the ambush… sometimes it is best to put the team leader right next to a support gunner. This is favorable for two reasons. The first is that the leader decides when to spring the ambush. The second is that the SAW gunner springs the ambush when he thinks he can inflict the maximum damage possible from his position.

Step Five:
Once the ambush is sprung, every member of the ambush unloads an overwhelming amount of fire on the enemy. Even members that do not have clear line of sight on enemies should be firing as well. The only part of the team that does not fire is the security team. If an excessive amount of fire is poured onto the enemy, it will maximize the damage inflicted and the shock and confusion experienced by the enemy.

Step Six:
After the ambush has inflicted casualties, a small team is sent around as a flank to clear the kill zone. Under the covering fire of the ambush, they may be able to inflict further casualties while the enemy is confused or trying to regroup. The flanking team should flank FROM the direction the enemy was GOING, not from the direction the enemy came from. This is to reduce the chance of being flanked by the surviving members of the ambush and any enemies that may be coming from the same direction as the initial enemy group. The clearing team is only sent if the ambush is fairly successful and should not be sent if the enemy team sustained minimal casualties.

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Casualty Extract
Casualty extraction is a very important part of any tactical maneuvers in airsoft. If you can keep people alive and fighting you greatly add to the chances of completing a mission. It is a common misconception that a force with a medic will be far superior to a force without one. What is required to make this true is that the medic and players around him know how to handle effective and efficient casualty extraction. A medic should NEVER venture out into unsafe territory to get a wounded player without support.

Step One:
Engage the enemy. A medic should never be entrenched in the front line unless necessary. They are better off filling a support or security role in order to make sure they can break off and go where they are needed.

Step Two:
Once a casualty is inflicted on a teammate, training should take over about what to do next. The medic DOES NOT move towards the wounded unless necessary.

Step Three:
The remaining buddy should drag his wounded partner back towards the medic and away from the fields of enemy fire. He should only do this is abandoning the front line will not endanger the rest of the team.

Step Four:
Once the wounded has been dragged back a safe distance, the remaining buddy sets him on the ground and returns to the front line to continue engaging.

Step Five:
The medic then tends to the fallen player in relative safety. Once the player has been healed, they return to their buddy team’s last position.

There are two more advanced forms of casualty extraction.

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Counterflank
Counter flanking is more advanced and is used as a defensive maneuver. If you were tasked with defending, it would be wise to designate a counter flanking team. This team is usually a sniping, light fighting, or fast moving buddy team. During defense, if an enemy is assaulting your position head on and sends out a flanking team to your left, you would then send out your counter flanking team to engage and flank the enemies flanking team.

Step One:
Enemy engages with your main force.

Step Two:
The enemy tries to send a flanking team to take advantage of your position.

Step Three:
Dispatch counter-flanking team from your main force to flank the enemy flanking team.

Step Four:
Counter-flanking team focuses solely on the flanking enemy team. If the enemy flanking team is destroyed, the counter-flanking team returns to the main group.

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Danger Zone
A danger zone is an area that caution must be used during movement across it. For example, a bridge, river, open field, or large road can all be considered danger zones. They are also selected because of the high casualty rate an enemy ambush set up in that area would inflict on allied forces. Specific care should be taken when moving through a danger zone. One of the most important parts of crossing a danger zone is to never send a medic or other vital person bounding across the danger zone to clear. If an enemy is lying in wait and kills the bounding team, it will be much harder to continue on if the medic is wounded and isolated.

Step One:
The moving team identifies the danger zone and lets the rest of the team know before they enter or cross it.

Step Two:
Most of the team then sets up overwatch and security. It is important to maintain security so that the team is not flanked while separated. The overwatch is critical in assisting the bounding team.

Step Three:
A small buddy team bounds across the danger zone. This is done quickly and only after the overwatch teams are in place. A medic NEVER bounds and clears a danger zone!

Step Four:
The bounding team, once across, clears an area large enough that the remaining team can move into. Possible enemy positions should be cleared so that the team is safe when they move/

Step Five:
The bounding team now establishes a defense and provides overwatch while the rest of the team moves across the danger zone. The bounding team usually moves a little bit away from the area the team is moving into in order to provide adequate defense.

Step Six:
Once the danger zone is crossed, the team continues its movement it had before reaching the danger zone.

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