Squad member positions:
1. Team Leader
2. Riflemen
3. Grenadier
4. Support
5. Sniper/ Designated Marksman
6. Demolitions
7. Scout
8. Medic
- The roles of each member differ, and some changes to the roles may be made in a team to best suit airsoft. For example, a sniper may be changed to a designated marksman, while a rifleman may be changed to a Designated Marksman. In reality, team leaders may also be grenadiers, but never take up the role of support. Here's a brief explanation of each role.
1. Team Leader:
- The team leader's role is to lead the squad in combat tactics and make executive decisions for the other members. He relays the information he gets from his scouts, and makes combat decisions to help with the success of the mission. The team leader's role is important to the fireteam, and consequentially, he is never the point man. The theory behind this is that he will not be the first one to engage, or be engaged, thus a lesser chance of getting hit.
2. Rifleman:
- The rifleman's main role is essentially to act as the variable in a flanking procedure and to engage targets. The rifleman in a real fireteam generally does not have the most kills. Riflemen may act as a pointman, and often serve the purpose of engaging hostile enemies if the support weapon is unavailable, unnecessary or previously engaged. Riflemen carry carbines or rifles capable of engaging targets with decent accuracy. There is usually several riflemen per squad as apposed to other assignments.
3. Grenadier:
- A grenadier is essentially the same role as a rifleman, except for an additional grenade launcher attached to his rifle, or a seperate launcher type weapon. His role may be to engage armor targets, larger groups of hostiles, or structures. In an airsoft team, due to the function of airsoft grenades, a grenadier may be replaced with a designated marksman or another rifleman. Grenadiers generally carry a weapon similar to a rifleman's with the exception of the grenade launcher.
4. Support:
- A support gunner is responsible for a majority of the kills on a fireteam. In a real combat fireteam, support gunners pull in 70 percent of the kills. Support gunners lay down suppressive fire, start flanking procedures, and engage hostiles. A support gunner carries a support weapon capable of sustained fire and decent accuracy. The role of the weapon is not to eliminate single targets, but instead to lay down a spread of fire to keep hostiles behind cover or unable to engage.
5. Designated Marksman:
- While not part of a standard fireteam, a Designated marksman may take the place of a rifleman or grenadier in an airsoft fireteam if needed. Designated Marksmen are essentially riflemen with a marksman rifle capable of engaging targets at long range. This is useful when engaging targets at longer range or pinned by targets with farther reach. Usually only one sniper/ designated markman per squad. Full length rifles such as an AEG sniper rifle setup or an full length m16 is the usual choice of a dedicated marksman.
6. Demolitions
Demolitions main expertise is explosives. Although this is airsoft and the explosives are not real, simulated munitions are used. Demomen are tasked with planting airsoft explosives in and at the set time laid out by the squad leader. He or she is to monitor the explosives until they are set off. Once set off they retreat from the area. Demomen usually carry small armiments such as a m4, scorpion, or any other short barreled rifle. This is to limit the cumberence of carrying the explosive devices and his rifle. Usually there is only one demolitions expert per squad, although a rifleman is usually assigned with him to assist and back him up while planting a device.
7. Scout
A scout is tasked with scouting the area for enemy forces and relaying any important information back to the squad leader. A scout is not to be confused with a sniper as both jobs are simular in ways. A scout usually heads towards the main enemy force to observe their actions and movement directions. Scouts usually carry light weaponry so they can move fast. Scouts do not use gear that would slow them down. An m4 or smaller type weapon is usually the choice of a scout, but some scouts do use a shortened version of a sniper rifle. Usually only one scout per squad.
8. Medic
Medics probably have the most work to do in an airsoft game. They are tasked with reviving fallen comrads or escorting them to safety. Medics have to be quick thinkers and fast movers. Medics never stray away from the main body of the squad. Medics usually carry nothing bigger then an m4 or a short ak type weapon. There is only one medic per squad. There job is short and to the point so no use going into greater detail.
9. Specialty position - Sniper
A lot of people are confused as to what a snipers main role is. A snipers main role is not to take out targets left and right. A snipers main role is esentially the role of a scout deep in enemy territory. They relay important information back to the squad leader and observe what the main target of the objective is doing. A snipers secondary job is to take out high priority targets. A sniper should never take out targets in groups as this is suicide for him or her. Once a snipers position is compromised, a sniper is dead unless he can escape. An escape plan is also something a sniper should always think of as he moves deeper into enemy territory. A sniper should be just as effective going on the field with just a pistol as he is with his rifle. A spotter usually assists a sniper in a wartime situation, but in airsoft one is not nessessary. This position is usually for those with a lot of patience and not concerned with getting a high amount of kills in a game.
- The squad setup relayed in this thread are based off of a how our team is designed, but the descriptions are generally based on airsoft tactics. There are multiple variations of the squad, including the inclusion of more riflemen, two support gunners, a sniper team, etc. All the variations will not be listed, but squad leaders should feel free to mix and match.
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General CJ
Team Commander