Depending on who you play with, airsoft can be a lot of fun, involving running around in the woods and shooting bbs at your friends. Many teams go into a match with no strategy at all. If you and your teammates work on tactics together, you already have an advantage over many other teams.
Here are nine advanced airsoft strategies for games in the woods:
- Utilize flagging and trigger discipline.
- Win the corner.
- Use suppressive fire.
- Stay on the move.
- Establish good team leadership.
- Assign concrete roles.
- Be sure you have the right equipment.
- Know what to expect in a woodland environment.
- Exercise sound defensive tactics.
I will discuss some advanced tactics for games in the woods to help you gain the upper hand on your opponents. Some of these items might not seem very advanced but read on to determine why I consider them advanced strategies.
1. Utilize Flagging and Trigger Discipline
You should always treat your airsoft gun as though it were a firearm that shoots bullets. Many people feel it’s not as important because a bb doesn’t damage as much as a real bullet, but it can cause real and permanent damage.
Flagging and trigger discipline are things that both experienced and inexperienced players need to remember.
In airsoft terms, the definition of flagging is to cover a target that you do not wish to shoot with the gun’s muzzle. It may not seem like a big deal until someone gets shot in the foot or hand unintentionally. You want to be sure to avoid any casualties due to friendly fire.
Trigger discipline is another thing to remember. You must be sure to keep your finger off the trigger unless you are preparing to take a shot.
These are safety tips that you need to remember no matter what environment in which you’re playing airsoft. Accidents can happen anywhere.
2. Win the Corner
After taking shots, keep your head out from behind whatever cover you are using. It will most likely be a tree, stump, or even a dense brush pile in the woods. Keep your gun raised when behind a corner. Most airsoft players keep to a beat of about three seconds without even knowing this.
Remember the three-second rule and use that knowledge to your advantage. When you and an opponent are firing at each other, don’t take cover. Stay ready for that next shot and take it when they peek back out from behind cover.
3. Use Suppressive Fire
Suppressive fire is a tactic that involves shooting in the direction of an opponent to flush them out. You may not have them in your sights but know where they are taking cover. Shooting at them in this way can cause them to feel the need to move to a safer location.
You can check out LoneWombatAirsoft’s video explaining this and some other airsoft tactics, tips and tricks:
4. Stay on the Move
It’s essential to continue to progress throughout the field; this helps prevent getting pinned by enemy fire. Plus, a moving target is harder to hit, particularly if that target isn’t moving in a straight line but in a zigzag pattern. Try to win the corner before moving, though.
5. Establish Good Team Leadership
Two forms of leadership are advisable. These would usually be the positions of squad leader and fireteam leader.
The squad leader is the overall leader of the team and should be the person or one of the persons with the most experience. He gives orders to the fire team leader, as well as the other people in the squad. The fireteam leader takes orders from the squad leader directly. He also leads his unit by providing quick-acting tactical maneuvers on the field, such as flanking, covering fire, or clearing a structure.
6. Assign Concrete Roles
Assigning roles is essential as it brings a much more organized method of using your team to its utmost effectiveness. Here are the positions you’ll want to fill:
- Rifleman. A rifleman is the one who acts and executes any order carried out by the fireteam leader or the squad leader. It’s essential to be aware of both the enemy team and their movements and listen for any orders given by their leadership.
- Grenadier. Grenadiers are tasked with carrying extra firepower. Sometimes this could be in the form of a BB grenade or even just extra ammunition. But whatever the case may be, the grenadier is responsible for the additional firepower when needed.
- Medic. The medic is a specialized role due to the rules of the game. In the instance the game rules permit a medic, this role is crucial to your team’s success. The medic must be attentive to the state of their team, making sure to treat other players as needed.
7. Be Sure You Have the Right Equipment
It’s essential to have the right equipment, preferably more suited for the environment where you intend to play. However, for the woodland setting, camouflage is best to help conceal yourself from the opponent.
- Tactical Helmet. A helmet will protect you from taking any shots to the head. Not only will it save you as a player, if the helmet has a camouflage pattern on it to match the environment, it will also act as a means to hide from the opponent.
- Tactical Vest. A tactical vest will provide protection and act as a means of storage for your equipment on the field. A vest will hold extra magazines and any equipment you may need on the playing field. A vest will also have the option of coming in a camouflage pattern.
- Boots. Playing in a woodland environment, you’ll need a pair of boots. The shoes will protect your feet and give you the capabilities to walk or run through the woods without causing any hurt to your feet.
- Gloves. Gloves may not seem like a vital gear piece, but wearing them is advisable to protect your hands. It will also help better grip your equipment, as your hands may get sweaty, leaving room for mishaps.
8. Know What To Expect in a Woodland Environment
Knowing what to expect from your environment before going into it is also essential. Here are the things to know before heading out to play in the woods:
Navigation
Movement and line of fire may prove to be complicated.
You’ll have to navigate through and between obstacles such as trees, bushes, large boulders, and other natural barriers. Because of the confusing nature of the environment, being attentive to your surroundings is advisable. Not paying attention could leave you exposed.
Remaining aware will prevent you from being caught in an ambush. However, proper navigation could also lead to opportunities to flank or ambush your opponent as well.
Firing Lanes
Due to the nature of the woodland environment, it often can be difficult to fire in the woods. However, to use the woods in your favor, it’s crucial to find and point out the firing lanes.
Firing lanes are gaps between the trees; these work both ways. In one way, you could take proper cover behind a tree and fire into the firing line at the opponent. You could also take fire, so it’s essential to be attentive and maintain good cover.
Cover
You’ll find there are plenty of bodies in the woods. However, your choice of cover could save you from getting hit. You need to find a prominent enough position or a selection of strategic positions to protect both you and your teammates. Remember to be creative; use bushes, trees, stumps, or brush as cover.
Coordination
As the woods could be confusing, it’s crucial to coordinate your movements and range of fire with your team. Staying coordinated will prevent getting separated or ambushed by an opposing team. It’ll also improve teamwork and effectiveness.
Stealth
The environment provides a plethora of natural camouflage. Use any bushes, trees, or even the ground to hide and surprise the enemy or protect your positions. However, stealth also goes hand in hand with proper cover and coordination.
As a good teammate, you’ll want to mask any noise or movement from yourself and advise the same for your teammates. Staying hidden will aid in keeping your location hidden from the enemy.
9. Exercise Sound Defensive Tactics
In a defensive situation, you’ll be taking fire from the enemy. It’s essential to think ahead and plan out what the next move is. Where are the opponents coming from? How many are there? What kind of equipment do they have? Can you use your surroundings to your advantage? If so, how?
These are all questions you need to ask yourself, especially taking a defensive position on the playing field.
Ambush
An ambush is holding a position and waiting for the opponent to fall in place exactly where you want them, often leading one to open fire to catch the opponent by surprise. This tactic is beneficial as the opponent has no way of knowing where you are as soon as the conflict starts.
The better your cover and use of camouflage, the harder it will be to spot you. This tactic is beneficial for taking out an overwhelming amount of opponents and will only work better with elements of teamwork and coordination.
Smoke Grenade
Use the entire arsenal of your equipment to fit your situation. You’ll want to make wide use of certain items such as smoke grenades and other equipment to provide additional cover in the field.
A well-placed smoke grenade could give your team just enough extra cover for you to disappear through it without a chase. You could follow the grenade up with a staged ambush. Proper use of a smoke grenade could also provide cover for your team to escape if it were to come under fire. It is a highly versatile tool that has a handful of benefits.
Sound
While moving, you may generate more sound than you think. Be sure to stay mindful of your volume and the volume of the nearby teammates. If you prove quieter than the opponent, you may be able to get the jump on them or determine their location based on the location of the sound.
Non-verbal communication is an excellent way of coordinating with your teammates while maintaining silence; properly masking any noise from the opponent.
Patrols
Patrols are a type of movement that allows you to move throughout the field without rushing to the opponent or wherever the fighting is. It is a more secure and cautious way of action. In a patrol, you’ll be able to cover your flanks, which will not only help prevent being ambushed but also provide opportunities if an opponent were to come into the field of view. It would be best if you did not patrol by yourself.
However, a good patrol is a team effort. A good patrol will allow excellent maneuverability based on the needs of the team and the situation. Your squad or fire team leader will guide the lead element.
Communication will be a crucial element to the patrol’s success, so it’s essential to be attentive to orders you may receive from your squad or fire team leaders. Patrols can be at any speed, allowing the team to be highly flexible in its movements.
Patrol Formation
The many different formations go hand in hand with the field and what the situation requires. Know the position of those in front and behind you. Having them in your sight is crucial as they could issue hand signals or other forms of non-verbal communication.
There is minimal coverage towards the front and rear in a column formation, but the team can cover almost every flank. You are allowing your team to watch every angle and need to put down suppressive fire if needed. However, in a line formation, the team would patrol, each team member covering a flank in a line.
With the group spread out this way but everyone in sight of one another, the opponent will have a more challenging time pulling off a surprise attack such as an ambush or an attempt to flank you from behind. It leaves plenty of space between the teammates to maneuver and act according to any conflict scenario, but not too far apart where the team cannot communicate. In a situation, your team finds themselves with limited visibility or restricted by the terrain.
The scenario may call for a wedge formation. When the plan is confusing or unclear, your lead element could call for this formation. A wedge formation will resemble a hook if looked at from above. Teammates will move behind and to the right of one another.
However, a wedge formation gives the team the control advantage and can secure the front and back flanks if under fire. However, the team may need to switch to a column in a more restrictive terrain or open up in an environment that calls for it.