Infantry Basic TrainingInfantry basic training predominately revolves around the strategies and tactics utilized by a modern infantry soldier. The basis centers around conventional weaponry, rifles, and other small firearms, and how best to exploit their advantages in standard situations. Regardless of the territory, scenario, or environment, the basics are generally wise to follow or understand, and the ability to adapt to a scenario is paramount to success.
Guerrilla warfare, urban warfare, jungle warfare, all requires intelligence and flexibility in order to be able to adapt and overcome, however the general core basics can help in any situation.
Another important thing to consider is your enemies tactics, not just your own. How they will operate, what their strategy is, to predict how they'll respond.
Weapons TrainingBasic
weapons training is more or less just how weapons work in general. The weapons utilized by the military center around semi-automatic and automatic self loading rifles, utilizing
detachable box magazines or being
belt fed, but
manually operated weapons or
handguns may also be utilized.
Semi-automatic or automatic self loading weapons utilize the previous recoil of the round to load the next round in. The recoil of the weapon moves back the bolt, opening the breech, allowing a round to enter. Usually, a round is pushed into the chamber by a spring, or a mechanism attaching itself to a belt on a cartridge. When fired, the round is chambered, pushed into the bolt, and then has the firing pin strike the primer, detonating the nitrocellulose or smokeless powder, the expanding gases captured by the barrel and forcing the bullet down the barrel, until it exits the weapon. The more gases that are captured, the more powerful the round is. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; as a result, the weapons produces some backwards recoil as a result of the energy that is produced by the gunpowder that propels the bullet forward. Some of this recoil can be utilized to cycle the bolt, which moves back into place by a spring. As a result, the recoil of the previous round loads in the next round; additionally, this requires the first round to be manually loaded, or to "c**k" the weapon, to begin with. After the first round is loaded in, the weapon will cycle as normal.
Squad TrainingIn general the
infantry structure works in threes, similiar to the marines; 3 people per fireteam, plus one leader, makes 4, 3 fireteams per squad, plus a leader makes 13 (3 x 4 +1), three squads per platoon makes 40, three platoons per company etc. going on until the ranks are filled.
These are generally called riflemen units, as these squads are comprised of infantry foot soldiers. The average squad has a marksmen and a medic attached, raising the individual fire team count up to 5, or possibly keeping it at four with three extraneous units. Each platoon has an integrated sniper team, usually 2 individuals, although they can operate in groups up to 6. Each unit can also call upon mortar and artillery unit, which are generally tasked but not attached to the platoons and companies, as they can operate independently if necessary. It is also possible to attach a heavy weapons battery to a platoon or squad, if necessary, which generally consists of a mortar team or heavy machine gun.
3 teams allows for geometric squad attacks; it is possible to surround the enemy, ambush them, provide strange ambushes such as L ambushes, or simple provide a unique attack strategy. In all cases, much more complex capabilities are afforded to the squad by utilizing three points of attack, rather than two, providing a 3 dimensional approach to combat strategies, instead of 2.
The general strategy is leapfrog; one team fires, while the other advances under covering fire to a more ideal position, getting closer to the enemy or the objective, allowing the units to retreat or advance with cover provided predominately from weapons. When there is no natural cover, such as rocks, trees, large mounds or hills, or buildings, then firearms themselves provide the cover by making an area not very easily traversed by covering it in bullets, a virtual wall of bullets or fire. The objective is to always seek cover, some method of hiding or a material that can take your fire, whether it be natural cover or any other form.
This strategy only requires two fireteams, present in a typical army squad. However, in a marine like squad, three fireteams allow for more complex maneuvers; the third fire team can be integrated, allowing for more complex advancement or more accurate firepower, or to move around and
flank the enemy. It is always best to indirectly attack the enemy, as they usually can only attack from one side, and only see in one direction. By taking advantage of blind spots or making them have to defend themselves from multiple sides, you weaken their capacity to fight back and ultimately make victory significantly easier. It is always best to find and exploit an advantage, even if success is almost guaranteed, to limit as much damage to yourself as possible.
Close Quarters CombatClose quarters combat can be somewhat more tricky, from room clearing to relative close ranges. Like all combat, speed is the major concern; kill or be killed. Violence of action determines who successfully engages the enemy first, and therefore avoids being eliminated themselves, and achieves their objective. In close quarters this is all the more important as it is easier to see and hit your enemy when they are more apparent. Speed is key, in close quarters combat.
Inevitably, if one side does not immediately win, things will come to a stand still. With such close quarters, it is easy to reveal yourself or have your enemy reveal yourself, with a slight change in angle giving away their position, a situation known as the
parallax effect. A few degrees to the left or right can reveal your position, or your enemies position, and this is especially magnified at close ranges; hearing, smelling, and even detecting sonic vibrations or electromagnetic radiation, all at close ranges become significantly more apparent, allowing for multiple forms of targeting your opponent. Basic instinct, feeling your opponent is there, or staring at you, can also give away their position, making close quarters all the more dangerous as you must constantly be aware of your surrounding; it is always easy to be overwhelmed, cornered, or surrounded in close quarters, making it especially dangerous and easy for an enemy to exploit a variety of advantages.
One potential way to regain momentum in close quarters is with indirect fire. Whether with an explosive or by utilizing flashbangs, area of effect weapons fired or utilized in the general direction of the enemy can disorient them and allow you to immediately come in and engage the enemy. If the element of surprise is lost, these weapons, especially in close quarters, can allow for a few seconds worth of incapacitation, and then allow you to rapidly engage your opponent. Given that most units will be hiding, indirect fire allows you to hide yourself, whether behind cover or visually, while still engaging the enemy.
Depending on the size of the building you're in or the close quarters area, and manner of your approach, multiple tactics may be utilized. In general, it always best to remember speed, cover, and indirect fire, to incapacitate and move on the enemy as fast as possible.
Different rolesThe primary roles are Riflemen, Team lead, Grenadier, and Squad Support. These units make up the bulk of the roles found in the standard squad. Specialists, Marksmen, Medics, and Snipers are also incorporated into a standard unit, and make up positions as well. Riflemen typically use rifles and provide accurate fire; Grenadiers use grenades, typically grenade launchers or similiar weapons, to provide area of effect explosive weaponry; Squad assault or support units utilize machine guns, to lay down suppressive fire, and make the enemy keep their heads down, as well as provide a high volume of fire; and team leads generally do all of this, direct units, or provide additional firepower. Marksmen are attached to a squad and operate within it, extending the range and firepower of an ordinary squad; a heavy machine gunner does the same, albeit with somewhat less accuracy and more firepower. A sniper on the other hand, is attached to a platoon, and may operate independently from a squad. As a result the difference between a sniper and a marksmen is rather great although their job is similiar.
