TANKER TIPS
by Nate Mcsweeney
The
military calls it mechanized. You call it riding around in
some kick $@% vehicle last weekend when you played paintball.
I love the fact that paintball
has evolved into what it is today. My father introduced me to paintball
in 1989. The Sheridan pump pistol was all they rented. And those with the
Bushmasters ruled. But what I wanted even then was to go to a game where
a hundred or more would do scenarios. So here we are today and we even
have people who bring mock military machinery
to use in these hundred to even thousands of people scenario games.
DEPLOYMENT FROM A VEHICLE
INTO HOSTILE TERRITORY
How to deploy from a vehicle
while under fire or even just deploying into Indian country.
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1. Watch your body parts while
entering and exiting the vehicle. It's very easy to have a body part slammed,
pinched, and banged around while entering and exiting under hostile circumstances.
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2. Prior positioning (and training
is the key for this so train) get together and say "ok when we get out
you will go here and you will go here etc. ."
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3. You must cover every angle
and keep low. The gunner for the vehicle will be going to town on the enemy
if you are in a hot zone. Have 360 degrees covered. That means out of all
the men you have, adding everyone's position and field of fire they will
equal up to having every angle covered.
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4. Get 10-20 meters away from
the vehicle the minute you exit. The vehicles draw fire and you are in
the path of those rounds. Plus, if the vehicle detonates it can take you
and your men out.
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5. Once you have drawn your
weapon; exited the vehicle and taken your assigned position, you will now
go prone (laying down position). This gives the enemy less of a target.
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6. Your team leader will decide
to either Charlie Mike (Continue Mission), OR scramble back
onto the vehicles and get out of dodge going cyclic on the weapons.
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7. Deploy smoke to block their
view if you must move from the area on foot. A good I.A.Drill
is best for moving from the hostile area on foot.
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8. Engage targets and move when
told by team leader. You can deploy ordinance if you are within range.
Your team will not get up until killed or told to move.
MOVING WITH ARMORED VEHICLES
In today's battles victory
is not won by man or machine alone. The tank cannot survive without soldiers
protecting it. In today's military tank platoons are accompanied by mechanized
ground pounders. If a tank is ambushed by many targets then the mech comes
in to help out. I DON'T SEE THIS IN PAINTBALL! I can't tell you how many
times I'm off the road watching the enemy tank go down all by itself into
no mans land. Where is the support? A tank commander should talk to his
general and have no less than 3 men assigned to just follow the tank around.
It is too too easy in paintball to take out tanks. So here are some tips
for ground pounders who run with the tank.
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1. Stay 10 feet away from the
tank! It's the Rules! (at most fields) You wouldn't stand right beside
a tank in the real world anyway. They rotate on a dime and you will loose
a leg or even worse all of you.
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2. If the tank engages
a target make sure you have your flanks secured. Expect a flank attack
on the opposite the tank is engaging.
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3. Engage what the tank is targeting
as well if you have the right ammo for the job. It will save ammo for one
of you. And that other could save you later on.
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4. Let the tank take point but
don't be so far back you can't see his front view as well.
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5. If the tank is hit the least
you can do is avenge his death. It will also clear the way for the next
tank if there is one.
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6. Use what they have against
them. If you have enough anti tank guys; assign them to the mechanized
group. Let them fire right back at those who are hiding in bunkers and
bases attacking the tank. DO NOT SHOOT AT INDIVIDUALS WITH A LAUNCHER!
Do I need to repeat it?
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7. In most cases if a tank is
hit it just has to drive back to its insertion point. Wait for it till
it comes back if you are assigned to it. You can set up an ambush and kill
many just waiting for it to come back. Plus, gather info and help out a
unit till it gets back. If that unit pushes on, after helping it stay and
wait for the tank.
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8. Once reunited follow step
1-6.
TIPS FOR TANKERS
I have never ridden in a
tank(on it, yes) so I don't know a lot but I will tell you what I know
from having a tanker father who also went Airborne and Mp. So these are
not SOP for military but what I would do if I was riding around in a coffin.
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1. Make foot soldiers follow
me .Not just ride around in it.
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2. Make a cannon to fire nerf
footballs. I can't tell you how many alleged tanks I have seen which do
not have a cannon, but instead have port holes and double paint ball guns.
You can make a launcher if you take the time and want to spend about 100.00
bucks. I mean you took the time to make a vehicle into a paintball toy,
why not go all the way.
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3. Do not use plexiglass for
your windows. You will not be able to see after your first go around on
the battlefield. Use netting! ITS ONLY PAINT,.IT WILL WASH OFF OF YOU!
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4. Assign someone to retrieve
your rockets. Even if they are eliminated trying to get it, I can't imagine
someone telling them they couldn't get it AS long as they didn't run back
up to the tank to let them use it again.
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5. Destroy everything!
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6. Wait for another tank to
help assist on hitting a well defended target. Even if the enemy anti-tank
team gets one tank, the other has a chance of spotting and hitting the
target.
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7. Be safe driving out there.
Nate out