What is CQB?

The definition of CQB can vary depending on who you ask. Most people assume it is only when you are engaged in combat within a confined space, this being incorrect. CQB stands for Close Quarters Battle. CQB is predominantly for small teams of soldiers going into specific tasks. These soldiers use three main qualities to their advantage: speed, surprise and violence. You must achieve surprise over the enemy, typically by a rapid, unexpected, dynamic entry (or by the use of stealth) and possibly supported by distraction devices or pyrotechnics. You must quickly and speedily take the opportunity granted by your surprise advantage to maximize your effect on the enemy. You must do so in a way that achieves complete domination over the enemy, both physically and mentally, to minimize friendly casualties and maximize the effect on your enemy.

The U.S. Army defines CQB as "Sustained combative tactics, techniques, and procedures employed by small, highly trained special operations forces using special purpose weapons, munitions, and demolitions to recover specified personnel, equipment, or material. " This is important, because the Army distinguishes CQB from MOUT, meaning Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain, the general term for city fighting.

Clearing a Room

Picture it this way. Imagine you're outside a door. You, and the other three men in the stack with you, are preparing to make entry. You know what's coming. The people on the other side of that door don't. There may be one of them, there may be six. You have no idea, and you have to be ready to respond to whatever happens, instantly, or you and the other three men in the stack could potentially take a hit. It's dark, it may be smoky, depending on what else is going on. You may be looking through night vision, seeing everything in a green haze, punctuated only by beams of infrared lasers slicing through the air like scalpels. The command to breach is given. The breacher forces the door open with a shotgun to the hinges; or maybe he batters it down with a sledgehammer; or literally detonates explosives and blows it’s hinges off. Perhaps someone throws a flashbang in, causing the room to erupt in literally blinding light and intense thunderclaps that stun you like a physical blow to the body. You push your way into the now smoky room, the first man in the stack, leading with your own body into the unknown. You key the weapon light activation switch on your carbine, flooding the room in a bright glow that highlights the swirling haze; or maybe you're still wearing night vision and instead you trigger the IR floodlight, "illuminating" the room, only for you.

Now, people may think, what does this have to do with airsoft? Well, if you think about the tactics involved in this style of warfare, we can simulate it ourselves within our games, more so for the milsimmers amongst us. These sorts of tactics are readily available to learn pretty much anywhere. Okay, not to the same standards, but still enough for an airsofter to take advantage of and when you go shooting with your friends next time you can use these tactics for clearing rooms to make you a more efficient player. Now, I have wasted enough of your time, why not go buy some stuff from Anvil Tactical Airsoft? Then, get yourselves ready and next time you see an Anvil member on the field, light us up before we get you.

Happy Hunting all

Callsign: Valhalla