As we revive our GITV Blog, All of us here want to make sure that we bring up information that’s important to airsofters of all calibers. Whether it’s covering new guns, new gear, or the more esoteric things like picking the right guns and gear, we want to make sure we’re always giving you information that you need. To that end, we’re covering some airsofter basics that everyone should know in this new series: Airsoft Basics. We’re by no means hardened military special forces acronym agency hard-chargers, but we’ve played airsoft a time or two, and want to share our experiences with all of you.

Today’s topic is kind of a double-header, because you need to master both of these to effectively maneuver about the airsoft field. Bounding and Cover fire go hand in hand and provide the basic back bone you need to build upon further tactics. This tactic can be applied with as few as two people but can easily be expanded to larger scales, as the principles are fairly universal.

Step one is easy, you need to pin down the people shooting at you, so that your teammates can safely maneuver without being hit. How you do this is dependant on what capabilities your gear affords you, but the principle is simple. Put rounds on target.

Whether you use a saw or a rifle (remember, bursts work just as well as a full stream of fire, and saves ammo) keep the enemy pinned down. If they can’t shoot, your buddies are in a much better situation to move, which brings us to step two.Step two is the bounding aspect of this equation. Bounding is a more complex endeavor than covering fire, but we’ll break it down for you.

Break up your group of plastic slingers into smaller groups. You’ll need at least two, but you can break it down further if necessary, or if you want to occupy multiple pieces of cover as you move. One group will stay put, and provide overwatch, or some sort of covering fire (if you are already engaged) while the other group moves position. This doesn’t have to be forward, either. You can maneuver to the side, make a retreat, or even try to flank your opponent using this essential tactic. Once your group is done moving, you’ll swap roles and repeat.

Now that you’ve got a handle on how it works, let’s talk about where and when you’d want to make use of your new skill. If you’re moving through a new area with your squad, and you’re unsure if enemy players are around, bounding is a good way to avoid risking your entire fireteam getting laid out by an enemy SAW and may even help you take out a greedy opponent while he tries to take down your friends. Alternatively, you may find yourself engaged and feeling pinned down by enemy fire. You can adapt bounding to an active shoot out during a game as well. While one group suppresses, you should always have buddies moving trying to out flank your targets. Once they are in place, you can once again, switch roles, and keep your opponents on their toes. The key to winning shoot outs in airsoft is to shoot your opponent and not get shot yourself. If you split your opponents attention, now your chances of being shot have been effectively halved.

This breakdown should hopefully allow you to keep the pressure on your opponents, and keep your buddies safe from enemy fire. We’re by no means expert tacticians or highly trained operators, but these are some basic tips that have helped all of us here at GI succeed during a game, and should help you lead your team to victory as well!

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