How to be a pointman/scout?

[Wombat Six]

i was a point man for the longest time until i got my m4.

All of 1 year

fixed that for you

Oh, a whole year.

i was a point man for the longest time until i got my m4.

1:a shotgun is useful for being a pointman
2:you better have balls, cause for all you know around that corner is a guy with a minigun
3:DONT ASK DONT TELL

Your advice is not useful.

A shotgun is useless for the point team. If you're at the point where you're in shotgun range, your team is doing it wrong.

Same thing with the minigun.

And WTF?

the minigun was just a thing to say, ull never know whats around that corner

Your advice is still not useful.

[Grunt]

Becuase everyone has the Money to blow a thousand dollars for an airsoft minigun. unless your killbucket that is, but he makes his own.

But the point is, if someone has a minigun at a skirm or a big event you gonna know it, because people are gonna be Ooohing and Ahhing over it before the game.

[shakespeare]

Don't ask, Don't tell?

Since when is the military's policy on homosexual service members applicable to an airsoft pointman? ...My head is spinning.

Anyway, I don't see the point of using a shotgun in the woods. They lack the advantages of my carbine. Same with the sniper rifle. It would be nice for scouting, but using one as pointman seems rather unwieldy and ineffective for returning fire. I have binoculars for long range looking and a DM I can call up.

So basically, my job as I understand it, is to be a regular rifleman, but keep my eyes wide open and spot enemies.

Thanks everyone!

[ogrejager]

...and another thread devolves until school starts.

You're all missing the most important skill--in airsoft--to be able to react to movement and duck quickly. Then, while whimpering and tucked behind whatever cover you found, your squad eliminates the threat.

[Wombat Six]

...and another thread devolves until school starts.

You're all missing the most important skill--in airsoft--to be able to react to movement and duck quickly. Then, while whimpering and tucked behind whatever cover you found, your squad eliminates the threat.

You forgot the part where you start VOX'ing the team's radio channel about how you need support by the tree.

[ogrejager]

Naw. That's the SL's job. The point dude is either hit or cowering by the point the radio call gets out.

[Eyes On]

All of 1 year

fixed that for you

A whole YEAR!? WOW! That's intense! I stand corrected, feel free to share your vast knowledge base with us. Can I take lessons from you? And if so, how much would you charge?

[warbagsbani36]

i agree that shotgun is one of the best pointman rifle, either a urban cqb or jungle terrain. base on my experience in playing with in 8yrs.. my reason is 1st you must follow the ROE as a pointman. 2nd your main function is to carry the team safely. that means you dont need to engaged until you got engage, most pointman engage at 5-10 foot..

[Nark]

Being a pointman is going to differ whether you're in the field outdoors or doing CQB.

I don't think being a scout is the same as being a pointman. IIRC being a scout involves heading out before the main group and reporting back information about OPFOR troops positions & movements, areas of interest etc. Being a pointman is a squad level duty and when I was pointman I was leading a patrol and making sure we didn't get ambushed.

In the field.
1) Be very aware of your surroundings, if you have a feeling, stop the squad and take a sec to look around. They are following you. Don't let them rush you.
2) Land Nav is very important. Know what direction you're going and what direction you need to go.
3)

Equipment: Map, radio, compass, AEG with a little more range (not necessary but might be nice to take out a single OPFOR before they see you),

CQB)
1) Have balls, you'll be going into a room full of OPFOR, possibly, and all guns are pointing at you until the rest of your team enters. You need to commit to entering fast and hard and moving out of the way so the rest of your team can follow you in. Nothing sucks more than a 1 man who gets stuck in the door and prevents any further movement because they took the first cover they found.
2) Have quick reflexes and be decisive. Choose a corner to go to and go fast.
3) You don't necessarily need a shotgun. Get an 8" M4 that has a very fast trigger. Shotguns are cool and all but you can't borrow a mag from your teammate when you run out of shells. Reloading an M4 mag is much faster than reloading shells.
4) Practice this with experienced instructors. They will know how to push you and what to teach you.
5) Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. Don't start out trying to run through a CQB drill. Start slow, make sure you have your breaching and pieing technique down. Make sure your team is well synced in the same style. If you have an instructor they will be versed in one method or another.

Anglo-Israeli vs US.
Anglo-Israeli- slowly pie the room up to the threshhold of the door and then rush in.
US- Rushes in, relies on speed and violence of action.
It's difficult to explain in text but an instructor can/will demonstrate. I would recommend learning one and sticking with it.
(Don't worry, pointman in CQB cycles so you're never stuck in the pointman/1 man for very long)

If you have any PM me. All of my experience is from airsoft.

This is all I can come with right now, I might add some more later as it comes to me.

[ClownBaby]

Dude, Necro

But I'll agree with what you said except for only learning one style of entry, you want to learn as many ways as possible, because what's going on in the room is what dictates how to enter.

[Attack37]

Ok... I can tell you my experience as the lead element in an Infantry company (3 years exp). Mission of the pointman is to get the unit to a designated location without the enemy knowing, or to find the enemy before they find you.

1) Land navigation; this is critical because you are choosing the best path, identifying possible ambush areas, and working with the PL to determine the best method of movement.
2) Slow is smooth, smooth is fast; take your time. If you can spot the enemy before they spot you, you have the advantage. If you do spot them, relay back to your PL, let them make the choice of what to do....don't feel bad about backing up a little to develop your plan without being noticed.
3) Use hand and arm signals as much as possible. Voices carry better than people think.
4) Weapons; anything is good. I would suggest something that can suppress the enemy quickly. You don't need a M249 yourself, but have one close to you.

As far as being a scout....that mission is different. A scout's primary mission is to gather intel. The hide in a good location and report troop movement, positons, troop strength, and avenues of approach.

Scouts will use all of the above skills to get into their "hide". Once there, they will set up OP's (observation points) nearby.

1) If they are discovered, they break contact. Most scout sections travel light, so they are not equipped to engage an enemy for any period of time.
2) They only engage the enemy as part of a deliberate attack, after they have sent up their information to higher HQ. Once they engage, they are useless on the battle field until they can get resituated. That is tough to do once the enemy knows what area you are operating in.

Ok....that's my 2 cents.