Airsoft Tactics: Woodland

The woodland environments present its own set of challenges and advantages.  Knowing how to use the woodlands to defeat your enemy can be an important tool in your airsoft knowledge.  In this post we will examine movement, cover, and firing tactics that you can use in your woodland battles.

Movement is more difficult in a woodland environment than in a field because of trees, bushes, and other obstacles you must work around.   Stealth is also more difficult due to leaves and debris on the forest floor.  If you aren’t careful the woods can become a death trap.  When moving try to move from cover to cover and remember to watch your flanks.  If you are working as a team, spread out with about 10-15 feet in between team members so that the enemy can’t eliminate all of you if you are ambushed.  Constantly observe your surroundings to avoid ambushes.

Cover is plentiful in the woods.  Selecting the right cover is important.  Find a large enough position or positions to protect you and your team mates.  Set up positions so that they can support one another and coordinate defense.  The woods provide excellent camouflage.  Use it to maintain stealth and protect your positions.  If you are on the move,  plan out what cover you will use before you move.

Firing can be difficult in the woodlands, with lots of trees and other obstacles in the way.  In order to use the woods effectively you must locate the firing lanes.  Once you are in position,  find all the gaps and spaces in the trees that will allow you to fire through them.  A good position will protect you from being shot while allowing you to engage the enemy through these firing lanes.  Find the weak points in your position and use the large amounts of natural cover to barricade them.  As you can see in the diagram below,  by effectively using their firing lanes the team can eliminate the enemy at any point; even if two of the team members can’t.

Learn to use the woodlands effectively to make yourself a better airsofter and a more effective team member.