D.E.E
Platoon Presentation
Welcome D.E.E. Members, Being here is just one of the many roads we will take together, as a team a group and as friends.
We are the best of the best from DosX and we ALL started at the bottom and worked up to the top, as you all can aswell.
In order to become part of the best, you have to BE the best, This is the next level, so therefor you have to have a learning curve, take responsibility and be a major team player. This "Elite" section of the clan is for the players who WANT to be the BEST and will learn "Military style Tactics, Movement and Speed" therefor you MUST have a microphone to even apply we WILL not accept anyone without a mic Period. When D.E.E. is fully operational, you will have a "Buddy" assigned to your specific detail, and you WILL learn eachother online threw every aspect and such should be treated as so.
Command lines will be given so that you can get used to "Hearing" them I.E. "On Me" "Watch your six" "Highs and Lows"
id also like to express how much spotting is a must and constant communication between everyone is a must, this clan will make it extremly far, but first we need to cover the basics, so please be patient, and understanding as not all will make the cut, and yes even those who Have already made this cut, can be cut out including myself.
YOU must be active atleast once a day, and when other members from "DosX, and Do2x" are on i expect you to invite them to your squad and get used to playing as a team.
Respect your fellow soldier, leader, and Respected Squad Leader.
If you are not active for more then 5 days "Workings days Mon-Fri" without notification u will be instantly discharged and can re-appeal to the 3 of us but is a 3-1 desicion always, but it can go either way, just because we dont or do like you doesnt mean we will cut you.
This is the Few, The Proud...
The Elite.
"Im Tj-Kd and I Approve this message"
Websites to check Daily,
http://blogs.battlefield.com/ :
http://www.enterbf3.com/ :
http://symthic.com/?s=bf3 :
Description of Do2x: This is the Elite of DosX, if you are here you have made the cut so congrats.
Requirments for Elite: Microphone, Communication on and off the field.
Members:
PSN////Name////Location////Area////Timezone////
xTj-Kdx//Travis//America//South Carolina//Eastern
Thejonboy2012//Jon//America//Illinois//Central
sX-mE//Kevin//Canada//Ontario//Eastern
I_AM_Shift//Anthony//America//Florida//Pacific
Soldiers Absence:
Psn////Name////Status////
Cannabliss_aka//Jason//Dishcharged
/////Strats/////Tacts/////Read/////
Squad Tactics
Squad movement. During house-to-house, detailed clearing attacks, squads must minimize exposure in the streets. The streets, especially in Bf3, can become a deathtrap if a squad is engaged. The squad should run from house to house in a stack with all elements (security, assault, and support) in their appropriate positions. In the street, the stack should be slightly staggered like a tight tactical column. The Marines should have some dispersion, and the pace of the running should not be so fast that the Marines are uncontrolled and not maintaining all-around security. As soon as the point man/one man reaches the courtyard breach the stack should close the gaps of dispersion and swiftly move to accomplish their tasks.
All danger areas while on the move must be covered. Security must be three-dimensional and all-around. Each Marine in the stack looks to the Marines to his front, assesses danger areas that are not covered, and then covers one of them. If every Marine does this, then all danger areas will be covered.
Top-down versus bottom-up assaults. An infantry squad can assault structures using two different methods. Traditionally, the top-down assault is taught as being the most ideal method for clearing a structure. Realistically, this may not be the best option for the infantry squad. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of both topdown and bottom-up assault methods.
Top-down advantages are:
* Surprising the enemy by moving from the top down may throw the enemy off balance. The enemy's defenses may not be prepared for a top-down assault, and the squad could overwhelm the enemy rapidly.
* The squad has more momentum when moving down the ladder wells.
* If the squad knows that the enemy is inside, the roof can be breached in order that grenades and explosives can be dropped in.
* The enemy's egress routes are greatly reduced because the squad can isolate the house by holding security on the back alleys and the front of the house from the roof.
Top-down disadvantages are:
* Once the squad makes entry and contact is made, pulling out of the structure is extremely difficult. This limits the options for the squad leader on how to engage the enemy. The structure must be flooded with Marines, and Marines have to go over the top of casualties in order to kill the enemy. Momentum must not be lost. Marines have been left behind in houses because the momentum was lost.
* If the squad decides to break contact, they are moving opposite their momentum and more casualties will result.
* Marine squads may not have enough Marines to effectively flood the structure.
* If casualties are taken they are nearly impossible to pull up the ladder well with all of their gear and a limp body. This is another reason why the structure must be flooded.
* The casualties will not receive immediate first aid because the entire squad must be committed to neutralization of the threat. The swiftness of medical attention may mean the difference between life and death.
Bottom-up advantages are:
* The squad leader has many options when contact is made. The structure does not have to be flooded.
* Momentum can be maintained in assaulting or breaking contact, and the squad leader can switch rapidly from one to the other.
* The structure can be cleared with fewer Marines because the clearing is more controlled and smooth, whereas a top-down assault is always in high gear.
* Casualties can be pulled out faster and easier simply because gravity is working for the squad.
Bottom-up disadvantages are:
* The squad is moving into the enemy's defenses. It is easy for the enemy to hold the second deck and ladder well.
* The squad is slow moving up the ladder well making it harder to maintain momentum.
* The enemy has the ability to escape by using its preplanned routes.
Overall, there should not be a standard assault method. Rather, the squad leader should understand the advantages and disadvantages of each method, assess each structure quickly, make a decision on which method to employ, and then take actions that maximize its advantages while minimizing its disadvantages.
Gaining footholds. Footholds are extremely important. By establishing footholds the squad establishes strongpoints during the assault that can be used for consolidation, coordination, base of fire positions, rally points, and casualty collection points. The squad must move from one foothold to another, never stopping until each foothold is attained.
The succession of footholds that the squad establishes will be different when assaulting from either the top down or the bottom up. The following footholds should be seized in this order when assaulting from the top down:
* All rooftops.
* The inside top deck.
* Each individual lower level to the bottom deck.
* The courtyard.
The footholds seized when assaulting from the bottom up are in the reverse order. They are:
* The front courtyard.
* The first two seating rooms.
* The central hallway.
* Each successive upper deck with its respective rooftop.
* Uppermost rooftop.
At each individual foothold the squad can consolidate and coordinate further clearing of the structure. If contact is made, the footholds can be used to establish a base of fire in order to assault or break contact. When breaking contact, footholds are used as rally points in order for the squad and fire team leaders to get accountability of all of their Marines. The squad will bound back through each foothold. A foothold can also be used as a casualty collection point.
Structure clearing. During the assault on a structure there are three different tactics that the squad can use for entry into the structure. The three types of entry are dynamic, stealth, and subdued. The dynamic entry is violently aggressive from start to finish. The commands are verbal and yelled. The squads lead by fire, placing one or two rounds in every door that is closed or window that is blacked out. Fragmentation grenades are used. At night, surefire flashlights are employed in order to clear. The movement of the squad is swift and overwhelming for the enemy inside.
The stealth entry is exactly the opposite of the dynamic entry. The squad breaches quietly, moves slowly, speaks only in whispers, and listens for any movement within the house. There is extreme emphasis placed on initiative-based tactics (IBT). During night clearing, AN/PEQ-2s (Night vision scope) are used instead of surefire flashlights. The stealth entry confuses the enemy on exactly where the squad is in clearing the house and allows the squad to maintain the element of surprise.
Subdued entry is a combination of the two previous types. The squad moves quietly until they encounter a room. Upon entry into the room, Marines are violently aggressive. After the room is cleared, the Marines switch back to the stealth method of entry. This type of entry allows the squad leader to control the rate of clearing while maintaining some element of surprise.
It is important to note that squad leaders must vary the type of entry. The squad must constantly mask its movement through every form of deception that may confuse the enemy inside the building or room. It is up to the entire squad to use its imagination and vary entry tactics and techniques as much as possible. The objective is to keep the enemy off balance and not allow him to get into the squad's rhythm.
Breaching.
There were three types of breaching used in BF3-mechanical, ballistic, and explosive. Mechanical breaching of the exterior walls of the courtyard or gate was mostly done by assault amphibious vehicles (AAVs), tanks, or HMMWVs. were used to breach both the metal and wooden doors of the house, but this was not-and is not-the preferred method for breaching. they require the breacher to stand in front of the door being breached. Standing in front of the door allows the enemy to engage the breacher through the door.
Ballistic breaching was used mostly on exposed padlocks. Both M16A4s and shotguns were used. The M16A4s were employed because there was not enough shotgun ammunition for the number of locks that had to be breached. They were fairly effective on first round breaching of padlocks if the round was placed near the center. The M203 was also used. Squads would breach doors of houses that were 50 to 100 meters in front of their positions with the M203. It worked extremely well on the exterior metal doors.
The last type of breaching employed was explosive. A multitude of charges were used in order to breach walls, gates, exterior doors, and interior doors. Some of these will be discussed later in this evaluation.
An important principle that was learned in breaching is that the Marine making entry is never the breacher. The breacher should always fall in the back of the stack and never go in first. Marines have died because they followed their own breach.
Speed is the most significant factor in all types of breaching. If one method of breaching is not working, then the breacher must quickly transition to a different type. Standing in front of a door and beating it for 10 minutes is unacceptable. The breacher must be able to employ the different methods. The squad leader must ensure that the breacher has the necessary equipment and explosives for each type. Every time the squad is stalled because of a breach, it is placed in a vulnerable position. Breaching swiftly and effectively is necessary in order for the squad to maintain momentum.
Movement of the squad within the structure.
Within the structure, the squad should move from one foothold to another. The initial foothold is established by the security element. The security element rolls onto the rooftop or courtyard and clears every room on the outside. The assault element proceeds directly to an entry point to prepare for the breach. The support element falls in trace and makes the breach.
After the breach is made the assault element makes entry and clears the entire top deck. If bottom-up assault is used then the squad clears the first two sitting rooms simultaneously by splitting the stack. The support element will assist the assault element by peeling off to clear rooms or breach any doors. Security will be left at the rooftop or courtyard foothold in order to isolate the structure and secure the squad's egress route. Only two Marines can maintain security. The rest of the security element will fall in the stack. After the initial foothold in the structure is gained, the stack will consolidate and then advance and clear to the next foothold. The succession will continue until the entire structure is cleared.
At all times the squad will move by using IBT and adhere to its principles, which will be addressed later. No Marine should make an uncovered move. The squad should move at a pace that is swift but controlled, exercising "tactical patience."
Actions upon enemy contact.
The squad leader's options for actions upon enemy contact vary according to where the squad is in its clearing, and whether any casualties have been taken. In any contact, the squad and squad leader have two priorities -- eliminate the immediate threat and pull out any casualties. Unfortunately, more often than not, the two priorities are connected.
If contact is made in the courtyard or rooftop, the squad should break contact, isolate the house or block, and call in supporting arms (tanks, AAVs, etc.). There is no reason to place Marines in the building until it is thoroughly prepped. If contact is made in the house, then the squad leader must quickly evaluate the situation and decide the best course of action. Generally, the squad leader has the following three options:
* Break contact. Breaking contact is more of an option during the bottom-up assault because of the difficulties in changing the momentum during the top-down assault. If casualties are taken, or the enemy resistance is strong, then this may be the best action for the squad leader to take. Upon breaking contact the squad will bound from one foothold to another. At each foothold, accountability of all Marines should occur, ensuring that no Marine is left behind. When leaving the house, the squad can place a satchel charge or another explosive device in order to bring down the house or burn the enemy out.
* Flood the house. Squad leaders may choose to flood the house with Marines if a casualty is taken during the top-down assault or if the enemy threat is not significant. Casualties cannot be dragged up the stairs quickly; therefore, Marines must neutralize or suppress the threat in order to extract the casualties.
* Hold the last foothold and clear by fire. Footholds are strongpoints from which the squad can fight. At the foothold, Marines can return fire, throw grenades, and use explosive devices to neutralize the enemy. After the enemy has been damaged, the squad can move in and clear the house. If the rooftop is the foothold the squad is holding, then the roof could be breached by a directional charge. Grenades or incendiary devices can be thrown into the structure flushing out the enemy.
Casualties must never be left behind! The squad leader must ensure that every Marine moves with a buddy. Each buddy is responsible for pulling the other out of the fight if he goes down. The squad leader and fire team leaders must have accountability for all of their Marines at all times. There is no excuse for Marines being left behind in a building while the squad pulls out.
Organization of the Squad
Some squad leaders in the battalion split their squads in two and assigned different sectors to the two different parts. They did this to move faster through the houses because they were tasked with clearing lanes that may have contained 50 or 60 houses. Although this tactic worked, and the squads moved faster through their assigned sectors, it is not the best employment of their squads. The following reasons are given on why splitting the squad is not advisable:
* If the squad contains 12 Marines and is split in half, that leaves 2 teams of 6 Marines. Clearing a structure with six Marines, even if the house is small, is extremely risky. If a buddy team of two Marines got hit and went down there would not be enough Marines to provide covering fire while pulling the casualties out. Critical seconds would be wasted waiting for the other team of the squad to come in the house and support the extraction of the casualties. The chances of wounded Marines being left behind would be increased exponentially.
* If contact is made by both teams simultaneously, then the squad could be cut down in a piecemeal fashion within a matter of seconds before other squads could even move to reinforce.
When the squad leader organizes his squad he must always think about enemy contact. Squads must not be split in order to increase the speed of clearing. Commanders should not put stress on the squad leaders to clear at a speed that would force the squad leaders to make that decision. Tactical patience must be exercised at every level.
The squad should be organized by using the traditional three elements of assault, support, and security. The number of Marines contained within each element will vary according to the squad's number of Marines, the skills and abilities that each individual Marine possesses, and the weapons systems that each Marine employs (M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW), M203, and advanced combat optical gunsight scoped M16A4s).
The assault element must contain no SAWs if that is possible. A SAW gunner must never clear rooms. The assault element should contain the most Marines because every room must be cleared with two Marines. The support element will supplement the assault by falling in the stack and peeling off to clear rooms.
The support section should include any engineers or assaultmen attached to the squad. A SAW gunner should be included in this section in order to provide massive firepower in the house if contact is made. The corpsman is also located in the support section because he can use his shotgun to breach as well as provide quick medical attention to casualties. The support section will fall in the stack behind the assault element to assist in any way.
Security should contain the other remaining SAWs in the squad. The security element is responsible for clearing and securing the courtyard or rooftop foothold prior to the assault element moving to the entry point. When assault and support make entry into the structure, two Marines are left behind to isolate the house (rooftop) and secure the squad's entry point. The rest of the Marines will fall in the stack behind the support section. The security Marines will hold security on all danger areas (mostly the stairs) when the assault and support sections are clearing each foothold.
Squad leaders must appoint each fire team leader as an element leader. There are no longer fire teams, only assault, support, and security sections. Each element leader will maintain accountability for his section. It is easier for the squad to maintain this organization until the attack is completed, and then the traditional four-Marine fire team can be reinstated. The squad leader should emphasize unity of command and succession of command should the squad leader become a casualty.
Squad Communications
Intersquad communications between the Marines in the stack is both verbal and visual. Simple, clear, and universal language should be used. In other words, use words and phrases that are standardized so every Marine understands the other-words and phrases such as "hold right, clear left" and "frag out."
The point man/one man should describe to the stack what he is seeing. He verbally paints the picture for the stack behind. Marines in the stack should be listening not talking. Talking should be kept to a minimum.
After Clearing/Continuing Actions
After the structure has been cleared, the squad must immediately conduct a detailed search of the house for weapons. The search must be quick, but thorough, leaving nothing untouched. (Or lay ammo and med packs to whole team can resupply and heal before moving out"
Another continuing action is to render the interior and exterior doors unable to close. This action helps if the structure needs to be cleared again later. Marines will use their creativity to think of ingenious ways to accomplish this task.
Mission or Time Has Priority
In detailed clearing attacks, time should never be the priority. Marines should never be rushed because they can become sloppy and are forced to create shortcuts in order to accomplish the mission under the time constraints. This statement does not mean that the squads shouldn't be pushed. It means that a realistic timeline for the attack should be made-a timeline that takes into account the overwhelming task of clearing multiple blocks of houses that may contain platoon-sized elements of insurgents.
Individual Techniques and Tactics
Training. Training is continuous, whether in a combat zone or not. The responsibility of the squad leader is to ensure that his squad is combat ready. The individual Marines in his squad must be continuously trained. Marines will rapidly lose proficiency in skills if they do not continually practice.
Training does not have to be physical; it can be verbal. The most effective training in a combat environment is for the squad leader to sit down with his squad and talk. The squad should run through combat scenarios and have individual Marines tell the squad what their jobs are and how they will accomplish them. Communications, through universal language, can be practiced simply by always using it, even when walking to chow.
All Marines must exercise initiative during combat. Squad leaders must design training techniques in order to stress initiative. Marines must be able to look around, assess what their squads or partners are doing, feed off it, and act in order to support them. IBT is paramount.
Constructive criticism should be encouraged. Every Marine debriefs each other, telling good and bad observations. The squad leader should also be critiqued by his Marines. The criticism is not meant to undermine the squad leader's authority. It is to allow the squad leader to instruct the Marines on why he chose to run the squad the way he did. Young Marines will gain knowledge about squad tactics that they may never have figured out if the squad leader did not tell them. It will prepare them for leadership billets. It will also give them confidence in their squad leader because they will trust him and his knowledge.
Techniques.
Techniques that individual Marines need to be taught and practice are the following:
* Pie off all danger areas. Before entry into a room, as many danger areas as possible should be pied off leaving only one or two corners that need to be cleared. Don't blindly rush into a room, especially if the door is open.
* Use the buddy system. Two Marines always peel off the stack, never one.
* Pick up uncovered danger areas, including when opening doors to furniture large enough to fit a man inside.
* Clear obstacles, such as furniture.
* Prep rooms with grenades.
* If the room is too small for two Marines, or not enough Marines are clearing the house to hold security on all of the danger areas, the number two man turns around and covers the rear of the Marine clearing the room.
* Move stealthily through a structure even with broken glass on the ground.
* Make a stealth entry with night vision and AN/PEQ-2s. (Night vision scope)
* Make breaching charges and place them on the locking points of different types of doors.
These are just some of the techniques that need to be practiced and passed on to younger Marines.
Tactics. IBT should be taught. There are four rules of IBT. They are:
* Cover all immediate danger areas.
* Eliminate all threats.
* Protect your buddy.
* There are no mistakes. Every Marine feeds off each other and picks up the slack for the other. Go with it.
Every Marine needs to understand and memorize the rules governing IBT. These rules should not only apply to MOUT but to all small unit infantry engagements. Rule number four must be particularly emphasized to the squad. There are no mistakes when clearing a structure in combat, only actions that result in situations-situations that Marines must adapt to, improvise, and overcome in a matter of seconds.
Supporting Arms
Mortars and artillery proved effective by forcing the enemy to stay in the houses and fight the Marines in the street.
Demolitions
The majority of explosives used during the fight will not be mentioned here. The few that will be explained have the common theme of being obscure and may be forgotten if they are not written down.
The following is a list of explosives, a description, and their uses:
* "Eight ball."
(C4) explosives used for breaching both interior and exterior doors-effective and doesn't use a lot of C4.
All Marines should be familiar with explosives and proper placement of the charge for breaching.
Randomness of Tactics and Techniques
The infantry squad must have a toolbox of tactics and techniques. The squad should not fall into a pattern where they become predictable. Being predictable allows the enemy to prepare and modify his tactics in order to exploit the squad's weaknesses. The squad must be trained well enough to flow through or combine each tactic and technique fairly easily. Marines must use their imaginations to think of ways to vary their actions. The enemy must be kept off balance by constantly changing squad tactics at random. For instance, vary the method of entry into the structure, lead by fire then don't, assault top down then bottom up, don't use the same entry point every time, throw a fragmentation grenade on the middle roof then assault bottom up. Avoid patterning by all means.
In combat, Marine leaders are required to stand up and take charge. Unfortunately, sometimes there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. The "chief syndrome" will create mass confusion on the battlefield. Being a good combat leader sometimes means stepping back and allowing the Marines to do their jobs. Platoon commanders must allow squad leaders to lead their squads, squad leaders must allow element leaders to lead their elements, and element leaders must allow their Marines to take initiative.
Semper Fidelis.
We are the best of the best from DosX and we ALL started at the bottom and worked up to the top, as you all can aswell.
In order to become part of the best, you have to BE the best, This is the next level, so therefor you have to have a learning curve, take responsibility and be a major team player. This "Elite" section of the clan is for the players who WANT to be the BEST and will learn "Military style Tactics, Movement and Speed" therefor you MUST have a microphone to even apply we WILL not accept anyone without a mic Period. When D.E.E. is fully operational, you will have a "Buddy" assigned to your specific detail, and you WILL learn eachother online threw every aspect and such should be treated as so.
Command lines will be given so that you can get used to "Hearing" them I.E. "On Me" "Watch your six" "Highs and Lows"
id also like to express how much spotting is a must and constant communication between everyone is a must, this clan will make it extremly far, but first we need to cover the basics, so please be patient, and understanding as not all will make the cut, and yes even those who Have already made this cut, can be cut out including myself.
YOU must be active atleast once a day, and when other members from "DosX, and Do2x" are on i expect you to invite them to your squad and get used to playing as a team.
Respect your fellow soldier, leader, and Respected Squad Leader.
If you are not active for more then 5 days "Workings days Mon-Fri" without notification u will be instantly discharged and can re-appeal to the 3 of us but is a 3-1 desicion always, but it can go either way, just because we dont or do like you doesnt mean we will cut you.
This is the Few, The Proud...
The Elite.
"Im Tj-Kd and I Approve this message"
Websites to check Daily,
http://blogs.battlefield.com/ :
http://www.enterbf3.com/ :
http://symthic.com/?s=bf3 :
Description of Do2x: This is the Elite of DosX, if you are here you have made the cut so congrats.
Requirments for Elite: Microphone, Communication on and off the field.
Members:
PSN////Name////Location////Area////Timezone////
xTj-Kdx//Travis//America//South Carolina//Eastern
Thejonboy2012//Jon//America//Illinois//Central
sX-mE//Kevin//Canada//Ontario//Eastern
I_AM_Shift//Anthony//America//Florida//Pacific
Soldiers Absence:
Psn////Name////Status////
Cannabliss_aka//Jason//Dishcharged
/////Strats/////Tacts/////Read/////
Squad Tactics
Squad movement. During house-to-house, detailed clearing attacks, squads must minimize exposure in the streets. The streets, especially in Bf3, can become a deathtrap if a squad is engaged. The squad should run from house to house in a stack with all elements (security, assault, and support) in their appropriate positions. In the street, the stack should be slightly staggered like a tight tactical column. The Marines should have some dispersion, and the pace of the running should not be so fast that the Marines are uncontrolled and not maintaining all-around security. As soon as the point man/one man reaches the courtyard breach the stack should close the gaps of dispersion and swiftly move to accomplish their tasks.
All danger areas while on the move must be covered. Security must be three-dimensional and all-around. Each Marine in the stack looks to the Marines to his front, assesses danger areas that are not covered, and then covers one of them. If every Marine does this, then all danger areas will be covered.
Top-down versus bottom-up assaults. An infantry squad can assault structures using two different methods. Traditionally, the top-down assault is taught as being the most ideal method for clearing a structure. Realistically, this may not be the best option for the infantry squad. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of both topdown and bottom-up assault methods.
Top-down advantages are:
* Surprising the enemy by moving from the top down may throw the enemy off balance. The enemy's defenses may not be prepared for a top-down assault, and the squad could overwhelm the enemy rapidly.
* The squad has more momentum when moving down the ladder wells.
* If the squad knows that the enemy is inside, the roof can be breached in order that grenades and explosives can be dropped in.
* The enemy's egress routes are greatly reduced because the squad can isolate the house by holding security on the back alleys and the front of the house from the roof.
Top-down disadvantages are:
* Once the squad makes entry and contact is made, pulling out of the structure is extremely difficult. This limits the options for the squad leader on how to engage the enemy. The structure must be flooded with Marines, and Marines have to go over the top of casualties in order to kill the enemy. Momentum must not be lost. Marines have been left behind in houses because the momentum was lost.
* If the squad decides to break contact, they are moving opposite their momentum and more casualties will result.
* Marine squads may not have enough Marines to effectively flood the structure.
* If casualties are taken they are nearly impossible to pull up the ladder well with all of their gear and a limp body. This is another reason why the structure must be flooded.
* The casualties will not receive immediate first aid because the entire squad must be committed to neutralization of the threat. The swiftness of medical attention may mean the difference between life and death.
Bottom-up advantages are:
* The squad leader has many options when contact is made. The structure does not have to be flooded.
* Momentum can be maintained in assaulting or breaking contact, and the squad leader can switch rapidly from one to the other.
* The structure can be cleared with fewer Marines because the clearing is more controlled and smooth, whereas a top-down assault is always in high gear.
* Casualties can be pulled out faster and easier simply because gravity is working for the squad.
Bottom-up disadvantages are:
* The squad is moving into the enemy's defenses. It is easy for the enemy to hold the second deck and ladder well.
* The squad is slow moving up the ladder well making it harder to maintain momentum.
* The enemy has the ability to escape by using its preplanned routes.
Overall, there should not be a standard assault method. Rather, the squad leader should understand the advantages and disadvantages of each method, assess each structure quickly, make a decision on which method to employ, and then take actions that maximize its advantages while minimizing its disadvantages.
Gaining footholds. Footholds are extremely important. By establishing footholds the squad establishes strongpoints during the assault that can be used for consolidation, coordination, base of fire positions, rally points, and casualty collection points. The squad must move from one foothold to another, never stopping until each foothold is attained.
The succession of footholds that the squad establishes will be different when assaulting from either the top down or the bottom up. The following footholds should be seized in this order when assaulting from the top down:
* All rooftops.
* The inside top deck.
* Each individual lower level to the bottom deck.
* The courtyard.
The footholds seized when assaulting from the bottom up are in the reverse order. They are:
* The front courtyard.
* The first two seating rooms.
* The central hallway.
* Each successive upper deck with its respective rooftop.
* Uppermost rooftop.
At each individual foothold the squad can consolidate and coordinate further clearing of the structure. If contact is made, the footholds can be used to establish a base of fire in order to assault or break contact. When breaking contact, footholds are used as rally points in order for the squad and fire team leaders to get accountability of all of their Marines. The squad will bound back through each foothold. A foothold can also be used as a casualty collection point.
Structure clearing. During the assault on a structure there are three different tactics that the squad can use for entry into the structure. The three types of entry are dynamic, stealth, and subdued. The dynamic entry is violently aggressive from start to finish. The commands are verbal and yelled. The squads lead by fire, placing one or two rounds in every door that is closed or window that is blacked out. Fragmentation grenades are used. At night, surefire flashlights are employed in order to clear. The movement of the squad is swift and overwhelming for the enemy inside.
The stealth entry is exactly the opposite of the dynamic entry. The squad breaches quietly, moves slowly, speaks only in whispers, and listens for any movement within the house. There is extreme emphasis placed on initiative-based tactics (IBT). During night clearing, AN/PEQ-2s (Night vision scope) are used instead of surefire flashlights. The stealth entry confuses the enemy on exactly where the squad is in clearing the house and allows the squad to maintain the element of surprise.
Subdued entry is a combination of the two previous types. The squad moves quietly until they encounter a room. Upon entry into the room, Marines are violently aggressive. After the room is cleared, the Marines switch back to the stealth method of entry. This type of entry allows the squad leader to control the rate of clearing while maintaining some element of surprise.
It is important to note that squad leaders must vary the type of entry. The squad must constantly mask its movement through every form of deception that may confuse the enemy inside the building or room. It is up to the entire squad to use its imagination and vary entry tactics and techniques as much as possible. The objective is to keep the enemy off balance and not allow him to get into the squad's rhythm.
Breaching.
There were three types of breaching used in BF3-mechanical, ballistic, and explosive. Mechanical breaching of the exterior walls of the courtyard or gate was mostly done by assault amphibious vehicles (AAVs), tanks, or HMMWVs. were used to breach both the metal and wooden doors of the house, but this was not-and is not-the preferred method for breaching. they require the breacher to stand in front of the door being breached. Standing in front of the door allows the enemy to engage the breacher through the door.
Ballistic breaching was used mostly on exposed padlocks. Both M16A4s and shotguns were used. The M16A4s were employed because there was not enough shotgun ammunition for the number of locks that had to be breached. They were fairly effective on first round breaching of padlocks if the round was placed near the center. The M203 was also used. Squads would breach doors of houses that were 50 to 100 meters in front of their positions with the M203. It worked extremely well on the exterior metal doors.
The last type of breaching employed was explosive. A multitude of charges were used in order to breach walls, gates, exterior doors, and interior doors. Some of these will be discussed later in this evaluation.
An important principle that was learned in breaching is that the Marine making entry is never the breacher. The breacher should always fall in the back of the stack and never go in first. Marines have died because they followed their own breach.
Speed is the most significant factor in all types of breaching. If one method of breaching is not working, then the breacher must quickly transition to a different type. Standing in front of a door and beating it for 10 minutes is unacceptable. The breacher must be able to employ the different methods. The squad leader must ensure that the breacher has the necessary equipment and explosives for each type. Every time the squad is stalled because of a breach, it is placed in a vulnerable position. Breaching swiftly and effectively is necessary in order for the squad to maintain momentum.
Movement of the squad within the structure.
Within the structure, the squad should move from one foothold to another. The initial foothold is established by the security element. The security element rolls onto the rooftop or courtyard and clears every room on the outside. The assault element proceeds directly to an entry point to prepare for the breach. The support element falls in trace and makes the breach.
After the breach is made the assault element makes entry and clears the entire top deck. If bottom-up assault is used then the squad clears the first two sitting rooms simultaneously by splitting the stack. The support element will assist the assault element by peeling off to clear rooms or breach any doors. Security will be left at the rooftop or courtyard foothold in order to isolate the structure and secure the squad's egress route. Only two Marines can maintain security. The rest of the security element will fall in the stack. After the initial foothold in the structure is gained, the stack will consolidate and then advance and clear to the next foothold. The succession will continue until the entire structure is cleared.
At all times the squad will move by using IBT and adhere to its principles, which will be addressed later. No Marine should make an uncovered move. The squad should move at a pace that is swift but controlled, exercising "tactical patience."
Actions upon enemy contact.
The squad leader's options for actions upon enemy contact vary according to where the squad is in its clearing, and whether any casualties have been taken. In any contact, the squad and squad leader have two priorities -- eliminate the immediate threat and pull out any casualties. Unfortunately, more often than not, the two priorities are connected.
If contact is made in the courtyard or rooftop, the squad should break contact, isolate the house or block, and call in supporting arms (tanks, AAVs, etc.). There is no reason to place Marines in the building until it is thoroughly prepped. If contact is made in the house, then the squad leader must quickly evaluate the situation and decide the best course of action. Generally, the squad leader has the following three options:
* Break contact. Breaking contact is more of an option during the bottom-up assault because of the difficulties in changing the momentum during the top-down assault. If casualties are taken, or the enemy resistance is strong, then this may be the best action for the squad leader to take. Upon breaking contact the squad will bound from one foothold to another. At each foothold, accountability of all Marines should occur, ensuring that no Marine is left behind. When leaving the house, the squad can place a satchel charge or another explosive device in order to bring down the house or burn the enemy out.
* Flood the house. Squad leaders may choose to flood the house with Marines if a casualty is taken during the top-down assault or if the enemy threat is not significant. Casualties cannot be dragged up the stairs quickly; therefore, Marines must neutralize or suppress the threat in order to extract the casualties.
* Hold the last foothold and clear by fire. Footholds are strongpoints from which the squad can fight. At the foothold, Marines can return fire, throw grenades, and use explosive devices to neutralize the enemy. After the enemy has been damaged, the squad can move in and clear the house. If the rooftop is the foothold the squad is holding, then the roof could be breached by a directional charge. Grenades or incendiary devices can be thrown into the structure flushing out the enemy.
Casualties must never be left behind! The squad leader must ensure that every Marine moves with a buddy. Each buddy is responsible for pulling the other out of the fight if he goes down. The squad leader and fire team leaders must have accountability for all of their Marines at all times. There is no excuse for Marines being left behind in a building while the squad pulls out.
Organization of the Squad
Some squad leaders in the battalion split their squads in two and assigned different sectors to the two different parts. They did this to move faster through the houses because they were tasked with clearing lanes that may have contained 50 or 60 houses. Although this tactic worked, and the squads moved faster through their assigned sectors, it is not the best employment of their squads. The following reasons are given on why splitting the squad is not advisable:
* If the squad contains 12 Marines and is split in half, that leaves 2 teams of 6 Marines. Clearing a structure with six Marines, even if the house is small, is extremely risky. If a buddy team of two Marines got hit and went down there would not be enough Marines to provide covering fire while pulling the casualties out. Critical seconds would be wasted waiting for the other team of the squad to come in the house and support the extraction of the casualties. The chances of wounded Marines being left behind would be increased exponentially.
* If contact is made by both teams simultaneously, then the squad could be cut down in a piecemeal fashion within a matter of seconds before other squads could even move to reinforce.
When the squad leader organizes his squad he must always think about enemy contact. Squads must not be split in order to increase the speed of clearing. Commanders should not put stress on the squad leaders to clear at a speed that would force the squad leaders to make that decision. Tactical patience must be exercised at every level.
The squad should be organized by using the traditional three elements of assault, support, and security. The number of Marines contained within each element will vary according to the squad's number of Marines, the skills and abilities that each individual Marine possesses, and the weapons systems that each Marine employs (M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW), M203, and advanced combat optical gunsight scoped M16A4s).
The assault element must contain no SAWs if that is possible. A SAW gunner must never clear rooms. The assault element should contain the most Marines because every room must be cleared with two Marines. The support element will supplement the assault by falling in the stack and peeling off to clear rooms.
The support section should include any engineers or assaultmen attached to the squad. A SAW gunner should be included in this section in order to provide massive firepower in the house if contact is made. The corpsman is also located in the support section because he can use his shotgun to breach as well as provide quick medical attention to casualties. The support section will fall in the stack behind the assault element to assist in any way.
Security should contain the other remaining SAWs in the squad. The security element is responsible for clearing and securing the courtyard or rooftop foothold prior to the assault element moving to the entry point. When assault and support make entry into the structure, two Marines are left behind to isolate the house (rooftop) and secure the squad's entry point. The rest of the Marines will fall in the stack behind the support section. The security Marines will hold security on all danger areas (mostly the stairs) when the assault and support sections are clearing each foothold.
Squad leaders must appoint each fire team leader as an element leader. There are no longer fire teams, only assault, support, and security sections. Each element leader will maintain accountability for his section. It is easier for the squad to maintain this organization until the attack is completed, and then the traditional four-Marine fire team can be reinstated. The squad leader should emphasize unity of command and succession of command should the squad leader become a casualty.
Squad Communications
Intersquad communications between the Marines in the stack is both verbal and visual. Simple, clear, and universal language should be used. In other words, use words and phrases that are standardized so every Marine understands the other-words and phrases such as "hold right, clear left" and "frag out."
The point man/one man should describe to the stack what he is seeing. He verbally paints the picture for the stack behind. Marines in the stack should be listening not talking. Talking should be kept to a minimum.
After Clearing/Continuing Actions
After the structure has been cleared, the squad must immediately conduct a detailed search of the house for weapons. The search must be quick, but thorough, leaving nothing untouched. (Or lay ammo and med packs to whole team can resupply and heal before moving out"
Another continuing action is to render the interior and exterior doors unable to close. This action helps if the structure needs to be cleared again later. Marines will use their creativity to think of ingenious ways to accomplish this task.
Mission or Time Has Priority
In detailed clearing attacks, time should never be the priority. Marines should never be rushed because they can become sloppy and are forced to create shortcuts in order to accomplish the mission under the time constraints. This statement does not mean that the squads shouldn't be pushed. It means that a realistic timeline for the attack should be made-a timeline that takes into account the overwhelming task of clearing multiple blocks of houses that may contain platoon-sized elements of insurgents.
Individual Techniques and Tactics
Training. Training is continuous, whether in a combat zone or not. The responsibility of the squad leader is to ensure that his squad is combat ready. The individual Marines in his squad must be continuously trained. Marines will rapidly lose proficiency in skills if they do not continually practice.
Training does not have to be physical; it can be verbal. The most effective training in a combat environment is for the squad leader to sit down with his squad and talk. The squad should run through combat scenarios and have individual Marines tell the squad what their jobs are and how they will accomplish them. Communications, through universal language, can be practiced simply by always using it, even when walking to chow.
All Marines must exercise initiative during combat. Squad leaders must design training techniques in order to stress initiative. Marines must be able to look around, assess what their squads or partners are doing, feed off it, and act in order to support them. IBT is paramount.
Constructive criticism should be encouraged. Every Marine debriefs each other, telling good and bad observations. The squad leader should also be critiqued by his Marines. The criticism is not meant to undermine the squad leader's authority. It is to allow the squad leader to instruct the Marines on why he chose to run the squad the way he did. Young Marines will gain knowledge about squad tactics that they may never have figured out if the squad leader did not tell them. It will prepare them for leadership billets. It will also give them confidence in their squad leader because they will trust him and his knowledge.
Techniques.
Techniques that individual Marines need to be taught and practice are the following:
* Pie off all danger areas. Before entry into a room, as many danger areas as possible should be pied off leaving only one or two corners that need to be cleared. Don't blindly rush into a room, especially if the door is open.
* Use the buddy system. Two Marines always peel off the stack, never one.
* Pick up uncovered danger areas, including when opening doors to furniture large enough to fit a man inside.
* Clear obstacles, such as furniture.
* Prep rooms with grenades.
* If the room is too small for two Marines, or not enough Marines are clearing the house to hold security on all of the danger areas, the number two man turns around and covers the rear of the Marine clearing the room.
* Move stealthily through a structure even with broken glass on the ground.
* Make a stealth entry with night vision and AN/PEQ-2s. (Night vision scope)
* Make breaching charges and place them on the locking points of different types of doors.
These are just some of the techniques that need to be practiced and passed on to younger Marines.
Tactics. IBT should be taught. There are four rules of IBT. They are:
* Cover all immediate danger areas.
* Eliminate all threats.
* Protect your buddy.
* There are no mistakes. Every Marine feeds off each other and picks up the slack for the other. Go with it.
Every Marine needs to understand and memorize the rules governing IBT. These rules should not only apply to MOUT but to all small unit infantry engagements. Rule number four must be particularly emphasized to the squad. There are no mistakes when clearing a structure in combat, only actions that result in situations-situations that Marines must adapt to, improvise, and overcome in a matter of seconds.
Supporting Arms
Mortars and artillery proved effective by forcing the enemy to stay in the houses and fight the Marines in the street.
Demolitions
The majority of explosives used during the fight will not be mentioned here. The few that will be explained have the common theme of being obscure and may be forgotten if they are not written down.
The following is a list of explosives, a description, and their uses:
* "Eight ball."
(C4) explosives used for breaching both interior and exterior doors-effective and doesn't use a lot of C4.
All Marines should be familiar with explosives and proper placement of the charge for breaching.
Randomness of Tactics and Techniques
The infantry squad must have a toolbox of tactics and techniques. The squad should not fall into a pattern where they become predictable. Being predictable allows the enemy to prepare and modify his tactics in order to exploit the squad's weaknesses. The squad must be trained well enough to flow through or combine each tactic and technique fairly easily. Marines must use their imaginations to think of ways to vary their actions. The enemy must be kept off balance by constantly changing squad tactics at random. For instance, vary the method of entry into the structure, lead by fire then don't, assault top down then bottom up, don't use the same entry point every time, throw a fragmentation grenade on the middle roof then assault bottom up. Avoid patterning by all means.
In combat, Marine leaders are required to stand up and take charge. Unfortunately, sometimes there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. The "chief syndrome" will create mass confusion on the battlefield. Being a good combat leader sometimes means stepping back and allowing the Marines to do their jobs. Platoon commanders must allow squad leaders to lead their squads, squad leaders must allow element leaders to lead their elements, and element leaders must allow their Marines to take initiative.
Semper Fidelis.
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