AOSC Forum Archive

I feel like night tactics deserve their own section. Mine are mainly inexpensive tricks to make life easier after dark.

If you find yourself holding a perimeter after dark, you may want an early warning device to let you know if you have a perimeter breech.
To make one, you take a light stick (not red or blue because those colors are used for dead rags), crack it, leave in in the wrapper, and attach the wrapper to some fixed point (tree,large rock, etc.)
Next, take some string or fishing line and tie one end to the light stick and the other end to another fixed point. When someone trips the string, the light stick is pulled free, alerting guards of a potential threat.

If you shine a flashlight at someone it is difficult for them to see what's behind the light. Turn the light on, point in the direction you think you will receive contact from, set it on the ground, and step behind the light and off to the side to wait. Remember though that the light will only give you concealment, not cover from incoming fire. If you can, hide behind a tree or something.

If someone tries to use a smoke screen against you, you can shine a laser into the smoke and detect anyone moving in the smoke by watching the laser beam. If it hits something inside the smoke, you can tell.

Nice Jester, but you forgot one thing that I consider very important. Sound. Being quite and listening, the terrain will tell you what is out there. A practice of silence does 2 things. 1 it helps conceal your position,and 2 it let's you hear leaves rustle and twigs crack from people walking on them.

I didn't forget anything. I was hoping other people would add their own stuff, as you have done.

Try and take a stand-to when it gets dark. Give your eyes time to adjust to the changing light. Take notice of the natural noises of the night so you can identify the abnormal noises.

Stay low. The sky is generally lighter than the rest of the world, so you can pick out the silhouette of a person moving against the lighter backdrop.

Stay in the darker parts of shadows whenever possible. If you have to cross a field, stay to the outskirts, where you may find tree concealment. If you have to cross in the middle, stay as low as possible so you keep a lower profile.

Lying on the ground in even a slight defile makes you almost invisible as long as you are still. If you do it right, you can literally lay on the side of the road, wait for people to walk past you, and shoot them all in the back before they know what is going on. I have literally been stepped on (and tripped over) doing this during night games. Sound and movement are what gives people away.

Bright flashlights are awesome, but they partially blind the user too. At Op 24-2, team WAR hit my guys with their strobe lights. We dropped flat on the ground in the middle of a trail, and no one saw us until we advanced.

I would like to add that keep a look out for odd lights. Like little red dots moving around and things like that. It could be someone with night vision goggles. I know at the SC vs GA game there were GA players using night vision and there goggles had little red or some other color light on them that made them noticeable.

Wow, you have some good eyes sir. I believe hotspur is referring to the tiny IR LED's on the NV units. The light can't be seen with naked eyes, but the LED itself glows dim red. Those turn off though.

You can also spot Ir light with some digital cameras.

Here are somethings you can do about sound.

Leave your tac vest/PC at camp. Put one midcap in your gun, or jungle clip mids. Also, put tape on swiveling sling mounts, ESPECIALLY cow bell AK rear mounts. I'll think of more later.

Orrr not do that and walk slowly and soundly with meaning in every step, so that you know where your about to step and how to deafen that. Idk how you do, but i wrap the sling on my steady arm so that the rifle will be rigid, which cuts the noise of those mounts?

I don't like wrapping a sling around myself too much, it gets in the way for me.

AnthonyRey999 wrote:I don't like wrapping a sling around myself too much, it gets in the way for me.

Then why not just leave the sling off?

I leave everything at camp except for a pistol and a spare mag, and maybe a frag or two. That is, when I am going out to cause problems. If I am going to hold a fortified location with other players in a conspicuous manner, I just bring what I normally would.

Cheap slings do that, yes. Get something like a nice Emdom Gunslinger and you never go back.

jrleonard wrote:

AnthonyRey999 wrote:I don't like wrapping a sling around myself too much, it gets in the way for me.

Then why not just leave the sling off?

Steevo, when I finally get my hands on an AK, I'm going to get an authentic sling for it. To me everything else looks wrong on it.

As far as the vest/pc goes, you can wear it and be quiet, but theres a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure everything is secure. if nothing can move/rattle then you should be fine. Also, avoid velcro. It is loud, especially when trying to be silent. My preference/suggestion would be to get pouches with the bungee straps instead of velcro flaps.

As for mags, mid caps are definitely better when you need stealth. coupled with the fact that in sc there is no auto at night, the chances of you needing more than 600-800 rounds are slim (figuring 6-8 100rd mids).

Also, I'm sure it's been said already, but let me mention giving your eyes time to adjust. Especially if you've been flashed/strobed, giving your eyes time to adjust may save you from an ambush or missing something important. Also, if you move slowly, it gives your eyes a chance to not only adjust to the shadows as they change around you, but also a chance to catch people/traps lying in wait nearby.