The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

usaign · July 11, 2010, 12:53 PM

This was an interesting thread I was reading on here about the outpost in Afghanistan where it looked like soldiers were blindly shooting over the top and the poster questioned the tactics of the soldiers. They wondered why the soldiers were blindly shooting versus carefully aimed shots. So I thought I might answer the question.

If you are in an outpost taking fire and the incoming fire is accurately hitting positions then you can reasonably assume the shooters are less then a half-mile away (probably more like a quarter-mile away) which means they are just a few minutes away from over-running your position. Who knows how many people might hit the wall in just a few minutes armed with AKs...will it be 10? 100? 1000? Will it be an organized force with ladders? Now there are traps placed up along the way such as Claymore mines and a lot of other good stuff, but maybe they might get through the obstacles. Who knows...

Lets say you take the carefully aimed shot theory. Well, if they are accurately hitting positions in the outpost then that means they could probably see you. If you stick your head up to take a shot then your head will probably get hit. Therefore, the only route to go is blindly pointing your rifle above the walls on full automatic and spraying in the hopes it will keep the crowd of Taliban from advancing further. While you are spraying them with suppressive fire, you call in an air strike or artillery strike to really take them out.

This method is not new, but has been practiced for many decades and is common sense tactics. Im not releasing anything you dont or shouldnt know. If you stick your head up to carefully aim then its going to get taken off. If you do nothing then the enemy is going over run your position. So you are left with spraying as many bullets as you can while an air strike takes out the enemy.

Is this type of tactics good for urban America? Well, I cant imagine a scenario, short of a street gang invading your residence, where it could be used in America. However, it makes perfect sense when you are sitting in an outpost in the middle of nowhere and your shots can go off safely into the forest.

July 11, 2010, 12:53 PM	#1
usaign Junior member Join Date: July 11, 2010 Posts: 73	Afghanistan Outpost Scenario This was an interesting thread I was reading on here about the outpost in Afghanistan where it looked like soldiers were blindly shooting over the top and the poster questioned the tactics of the soldiers. They wondered why the soldiers were blindly shooting versus carefully aimed shots. So I thought I might answer the question. If you are in an outpost taking fire and the incoming fire is accurately hitting positions then you can reasonably assume the shooters are less then a half-mile away (probably more like a quarter-mile away) which means they are just a few minutes away from over-running your position. Who knows how many people might hit the wall in just a few minutes armed with AKs...will it be 10? 100? 1000? Will it be an organized force with ladders? Now there are traps placed up along the way such as Claymore mines and a lot of other good stuff, but maybe they might get through the obstacles. Who knows... Lets say you take the carefully aimed shot theory. Well, if they are accurately hitting positions in the outpost then that means they could probably see you. If you stick your head up to take a shot then your head will probably get hit. Therefore, the only route to go is blindly pointing your rifle above the walls on full automatic and spraying in the hopes it will keep the crowd of Taliban from advancing further. While you are spraying them with suppressive fire, you call in an air strike or artillery strike to really take them out. This method is not new, but has been practiced for many decades and is common sense tactics. Im not releasing anything you dont or shouldnt know. If you stick your head up to carefully aim then its going to get taken off. If you do nothing then the enemy is going over run your position. So you are left with spraying as many bullets as you can while an air strike takes out the enemy. Is this type of tactics good for urban America? Well, I cant imagine a scenario, short of a street gang invading your residence, where it could be used in America. However, it makes perfect sense when you are sitting in an outpost in the middle of nowhere and your shots can go off safely into the forest.