Airsoft Guns

CQB stands for "Close Quarters Battle", which means fighting in confined spaces (normally inside of buildings and tight alley ways). CQB environments greatly differ from large open outdoor environments in many ways, which changes the tactics needed to overcome the opposition. In large outdoor environments the opposition can normally be seen before actual contact (firefighting) is made. This means that a slow and methodical approach works much better to capture territory. A CQB environment is very different because walls, doors, and other standing cover can obscure the view of the opposition. When engaging in CQB tactics it is important to retain high situational awareness and treat every room and piece of standing cover as though there is a threat hiding behind it. Another important factor in CQB tactics is speed. By quickly moving from cover to cover and entering rooms with tactical speed, it is much easier to overwhelm the opposition. And the last and most important factor of CQB tactics is trigger control. Trigger control is extremely important for two reasons; the first reason is to ensure that you don’t fire on a teammate which is very common in a high speed/ high stress environment, the second reason is to ensure the safety of your opponents and decrease the possibility of firing under the field/ arena’s minimum engagement distance.

1. Situational Awareness: It is extremely important to keep your eyes and ears acutely focused in a CQB environment. Studying your surroundings helps to determine what the best path forward would be, as well as determining which angles and openings have the highest probability of exposing you to enemy fire. It is also important to know the best way to fall back in order to dodge enemy fire. Studying your surroundings can also help you quickly determine the opposition’s location. Looking for cast shadows or small irregularities in your surroundings will help you track down the opposition much more quickly and effectively. Listening to your surroundings is equally important, because it also might alert you to the enemy’s movement or position. Often times the enemy can give away their position by moving, speaking, or reloading loudly. As with all team activities, communication is very important. Make sure to inform your teammates of anything you have noticed, and call out the enemy’s position once contact is made. However, always do so quietly to avoid giving away your own position.

2. Tactical Speed: Tactical speed does not mean running full speed through the CQB course; it simply means to not provide the opposition with a stationary target. It is important to be constantly moving in a CQB environment, because nothing is easier to hit than a target standing still. Moving forward from cover to cover is the best way to avoid being hit. In situations where moving forward is not an option, look to lateral routes to take which will take you out of the direct line of fire and assist you in flanking the opposition. When entering buildings/ rooms it helps to have a team or at least a partner to help cover all of the lines of fire and to check behind all pieces of cover. When aiming around corners it is extremely important to never expose your whole body. It may be necessary to switch to your less dominant hand to aim around corners to avoid exposing yourself to the opposition. Choosing lightweight and compact tactical gear is very important as it will help you move more freely and quickly. Also, having an airsoft gun that is compact and lightweight will help tremendously in a CQB environment. A CQB Length Airsoft Rifle is much easier to maneuver as well as quickly aim in close quarters.

3. Trigger Control: Trigger control is something that takes practice to master. Most new airsoft players will instinctively fire at someone if they are startled by another player. This lack of trigger control can be detrimental to your team and in some cases can be dangerous. In a CQB environment it is important to always be ready and expect to engage the opposition, however it is equally important to control your impulse to pull the trigger. Practicing good trigger control helps prevent friendly fire, and prevents players from firing at each other at unsafe distances.

By practicing these simple CQB techniques and using airsoft guns and equipment purpose built for CQB, you will definitely be at an advantage in any CQB environment. Check out AirsoftMegastore.com for the latest Airsoft CQB products.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the President and COO of Airsoft Megastore, an online airsoft retailer offering electric and gas powered airsoft guns, as well as airsoft parts, upgrades and accessories. Visit Airsoft Megastore to shop for airsoft AEGs, full metal airsoft rifles or the right airsoft gas gun for players of any experience level.

Labels: airsoft cqb, cqb airsoft, cqb airsoft guns, cqb tactics