Previously in this series, we have examined the two-way radios that that are available for you to use, the frequencies available, and elementary voice procedure.

In this, the final installment of the series, we shall examine the practical use of radios in Airsoft skirmishing, to pass normally visual field signals, and fire control orders. This will, unfortunately, include some fieldcraft and orders examples!

What is a Field Signal?

Briefly, a field signal is a visual gesture, made by one or two hand and/or arm movements designed to be quiet, and pass tactical information to those in sight of you (See my article elsewhere on this site for more information on this topic).

OK, what about Fire Control Orders?

Fire Control Orders are instructions, directed at the colleagues of the person giving the order, to open fire in a specified manner, at a specified target, at a specified time.

OK, so how do we use these over the radio?

Firstly, you need to know the 'clock ray' method of indicating direction.

The clock ray method of giving directions is based, unsurprisingly, on the face of an analogue clock. The point of origin is always "12 o'clock", and directions are given relative to this.

For instance "eleven o'clock", "Four o'clock", and so on.

Giving a field signal over a radio is simple, if you think about it. Where you would normally point, you give a clock position. Where you would normally signal distances, you say the distance.

For instance:

"One, this is Five, obstacle, water, twelve o'clock, fifty metres, over".
"One, this is five, from your position, four o'clock, enemy troops, four, flanking, thirty metres, over"

As you can see from the second example, the direction you give does not neccessarily have to be from your own position. If you can see the person you're talking to, then you can give clock ray directions relative to that person as well, always remembering that the front, or facing direction, of all people is known as 12 o'clock.

OK, now for Fire Control Orders over the radio?

First, you need to know how a fire control order is defined and formatted, as it's not just a case of "Over there! Let him have it!".

Fire Control Order: A Fire control order is an order, giving instructions as to which Group is to fire, the Range to the target, an indication of where the target is, and the type of fire to be used. Normally, it concludes with the command "Fire", but this command can be delayed, should the situation require it.

To remember how to compose and issue a fire control order to your team, it is helpful to remember the Mnemonic "GRIT". This stands for: Group, Range, Indication, and Type.

Example:

Group:	Number One Section
Range:	One Hundred (metres)
Indication:	One o'clock, sniper in the first floor farmhouse window
Type:	Rapid Fire

Types of fire.

Deliberate Fire

Careful, aimed shots each time.

Rapid

Single shot, but very quick fire.

Rapid Fire

Short three-to five round automatic burst fire.

Bursts

Automatic, or more commonly called Rock 'n' roll!

The delayed fire control order

Let's say that the team leader has spotted someone from the other side trying to flank your position. He wants to make sure you get a good chance at 'killing' the guy, so issues a delayed fire control order:

Example:

Group:	Number One Section
Range:	Fifty (metres)
Indication:	Two o'clock, troops flanking right, gap in the hedge.
Type:	When enemy appears, rapid fire or When enemy appears - Rapid

NOTE : that there are two options with a delayed fire control order. You can either hang on the command "Fire", or issue the command, and trust your team to hold fire until they see the target. In the latter choice, he didn't give the word "fire" for a good reason. He's waiting until he sees movement at the gap in the hedge, whereupon he'll yell "FIRE!", and the team should unleash such a hailstorm of 6mm plastic, that the enemy gets hit at LEAST once!

Individual Fire Control Orders...

Now, suppose the team leader knows the enemy is out there, but doesn't know exactly where. Fine. He'll issue an 'individual' fire control order. This is a fire control order that devolves the initiative for opening fire to the individual team member, rather than the team commander.

Example:

Group:	Number One Section
Range:	Fifty (metres)
Indication:	Enemy troops to your front, in the undergrowth.
Type:	Bursts, Watch and shoot, watch and shoot.

OK so far?

Excellent. A Fire control order, as it's a vocal, not a visual, command, can either be shouted, or be sent over radio, both as effectively as the other.

So, in summary, you can send virtually any kind of message over the radio, but you need to THINK about what, and how, you're sending, before pressing that PTT button.

I hope that this short series has been of assistance to you, and that your Airsoft games become a lot more tactical and enjoyable due to this (I can hope, can't I?!).

Enjoy yourselves, and remember: It's Only A Game!

Go back to part 3 in this series...

About the author...

Roger Stenning is a former Territorial Army Corporal, who served seven and a half years with the T. A. Royal Military Police. A major part of his training, like other territorial Army soldiers, involved the tactical uses of radios and field signals in general. For more information about the Territorial Army, please see http://www.army.mod.uk/ta. He has also been a licensed Radio Amateur, call sign G1LIW, since 1985. Amateur radio is the hobby of two-way radio communications. For more information about the hobby, please go to the Radio Society of Great Britain.

COPYRIGHT NOTE: "BattleTalk^©" is the word phrase, invented by the author, for the method of disguising unencrypted tactical communications. Licensing agreements for the use of this phrase can be made. Contact the Author through the Publisher.

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