Repost on High Ready from SKD Blog

The following is a relatively easy-to-read article from Jeff Gurwitch, a contributing author to the blog at skdtac.com. Informative, technical, all while remaining concise – the complete post gives a good explanation on why US Army SF adopted high ready techniques for CQB (body mechanics): http://blog.skdtac.com/2014/12/27/high-ready-or-not-here-i-come/.

From SKDtac Blog: “U.S. Army photo by Spc. Connor Mendez. Photo courtesy of http://www.defense.gov.”

“When it comes to techniques and methods employed in tactical shooting there are, in many cases, certain developed solutions to very specific tactical problems. Unfortunately, when passing on these techniques to others, sometimes the “why” of something being done a certain way is poorly explained or left out altogether. As a result, all too often you see techniques being taught or employed incorrectly or being adopted as an all-around shooting method instead of as an answer to a specific problem.

One such technique that is very misunderstood within the tactical shooting community is the High Ready method of holding the rifle. What has been lost, or not understood about the High Ready, is that it is an answer to a very specific problem within CQB. Often it’s explained that you’re automatically in the ready position to muzzle strike someone or be able to run faster with the gun (both are true), but these are not the main reasons behind the use of the High Ready.”

I’m no professional doorkicker myself, much less an adept/experienced CQB airsofter in the make-believe BBwarz world that I find myself in, hence why I find this a great answer to the “why” behind high ready, which I never really understood.

GTCE: Be Comfortable (In Your Kit)

More thoughts on how to bump up your kill-death-ratio in Airsoft games; this is my “Guide To (Airsoft) Combat Effectiveness” – part 4.

Don’t wear what doesn’t fit – it’ll only hinder you. Don’t carry an entire armory and then some – it’ll only weigh you down. Do practice movement, shooting, etc. in your gear – either on the field, or off the field. Do position frequently used pouches in places you can easily reach – or train to learn where to reach for mags if you have a static rig. Do position all your pouches in places you can reach on your own – if you can’t reach it, why carry it?

Be comfortable in your kit.

Comfortable boots are a must. Safe eyepro that doesn’t fog is a must. Thread MOLLE properly to allow more secure, lower-profile, flop-free attachment of pouches. Try to minimize the noise caused by your kit – squeaking droplegs or rattling BB’s are a dead giveaway.

-juicy

GTCE: Shoot At What You Can Hit

This is a continuation of Juicy’s guide to (Airsoft) combat effectiveness here in part 3. Today’s one liner for new player self-improvement is as follows:

I see this on a daily basis when I play with first time players; anything that they see they assume that they can hit. Airsoft guns simply don’t shoot as far as a real gun. Don’t shoot at everything you can see. Judge your range to your target, then evaluate whether or not your gun is capable of reaching that far. You can’t always hit what you can see, instead:

Shoot at what you can hit.

For those who have played more than once, you may have already learned there are many factors that may prevent your BB from going to where it should land. Foliage, wind, improper zero and hop up adjustments, shooter’s skill and stability, as well as inconsistencies within your gun and within your ammo – all of these (and more) can change where your BB actually lands as compared to where your sight may be pointing.

-juicy

GTCE: Shoot Back

This is a little segment I’ll be doing for a little while – one liners for new players who are trying to become a better Airsoft player.

Alright, here we go: Juicy’s guide to (Airsoft) combat effectiveness – part 2.

Chances are that if someone is trying to kill you, you should probably be defending yourself. Anyone can pick up a gun and line up the sights on a pop can, but remaining combat effective in those “oh shit”/intense/shit-hits-the-fan moments is an acquired skill that requires training. Hell, even with some practice, I still sometimes forget to do the following when I’m taking fire from all directions:

If you’re being shot at, shoot back.

In order to practice this, I recommend regular Airsoft gameplay, as enemies generally tend to shoot at you while in-game. You can also train under stress if you’re practicing on your own – try timing yourself while still trying to get good hits on a target (I sometimes do this by drawing my sidearm and taking shots on a target small enough to push your skill level as a shooter, but not too small to limit your performance due to your gun’s grouping).

-juicy

GTCE: Don’t Die

This is a little segment I’ll be doing for a little while – one liners for new players who are trying to become a better Airsoft player.

And so, without further ado, I present to you, Juicy’s guide to (Airsoft) combat effectiveness – part 1.

When I had started playing Airsoft for a month or two, I got shot all the time. I didn’t really get any kills, to compound that. I asked the advice of “Tatsu,” a player and tech (he was the first to show me how to open up V2 gearboxes). However, he gave me this cardinal rule that he played by – it made him combat effective.

Don’t die.

If you don’t get killed, you can still shoot. Avoid getting yourself into situations where you are guaranteed to get shot (though it is one heck of an adrenaline rush) – instead, find ways to minimize the risk of someone else getting a gun on you before you can eliminate them. This guideline doesn’t mean that you don’t call your hits – there is never an excuse for that, in the game of Airsoft that relies on a player’s honor to call their own hits. But rather you should master surviving first, and racking up those kills in firefights will surely follow as your skills as a shooter get better.

-juice