OiSkout's Insurgent Tactics

OiSkout · Post by **OiSkout** » 2007-07-22 00:03

The following strategy and tactics are heavily based around the idea ambush. Much of it relies on communication as well as more sniper-based qualities, such as stalking, hiding, movement, and recon(at least the BF2 version due to camo and distance issues).

The big three necessities needed here are:
-Communication(although only two people with mics are needed. The rest must listen and understand)
-Teamwork
-Fire discipline
The first two are most common to success , but fire discipline is not necessary, except for this.

Insurgent Hunter Team(ambush element):
Kit layouts obviously depend on game type, map, and what exactly is one trying to ambush. However, there is only one true necessity, the civilian. The civilian player MUST have a microphone. This player must also not be shy on relaying information. The civilian is in my personal opinion, the best possible spotter in the game. Unless you like using the insurgent kits, always pick up enemy kits when possible.

Recognize that fighting in a pitch battle or head-on is suicide, though necessary in defense as well as enabling ambushes and flanking. Thus, not every squad in the game may be the Hunter team. The good news is, there will always be the line troops in public games. Using Desert Storm as an example, while the USMC does have a range advantage, the sandstorm impairs them, especially the dunes and hills. Utilize this to your advantage to flanking as well as setting up traps. Terrain is your only friend.

General Civilian Use
As stated earlier, I personally believe the civilian is the best possible spotter in the game, even if the civilian cannot attain kills. A spotter theoretically should not be shooting anyway. The only harm that can come to a civilian is being knifed, and that problem will be discussed later. Through death from any other fashion, the opposing team is losing very valuable tickets.

In movement of a squad, it is imperative to send the civilian ahead of your own troops for recon. Your civ can instantly communicate(thats what the mic is for!) any situation changes. If your squad has proper location and is quick enough, you can even set up an instant ambush instead of jumping straight into a fight. In any case, a civilian on point enables you to direct your fire immediately as well. It is also likely the civilian will be shot, and thus, the enemy will lose tickets, even if they flawlessly wipe out your squad.

The Draw/Bait
There will always be those people who are going to knife the insurgents because, well, if you followed these tactics and continuously killed the opponent with the spotter, they are going to want to remove the civilian and they can't remove it by killing him. Essentially, it is drawing the enemy into your ambush(or baiting). It is applicable in both gamemodes.

Thus you set up an ambush spot, be it in a valley, hidden in the brush, or at the top of a hill. You send your civilian out, and hide your team and yourself. In this, you have your civvie lure the enemy, preferably PAST the ambush point(so you shoot into their backs, works best with some sort of flora). It is possible to have the enemy run right over you, but it is not suggested. In the case of elevation differences, have the civilian run parallel to how your troops are set up. In most cases, this requires your troops to not peek over the hill and rely on the civilian and/or SL to spring the trap. The last possible approach is having the enemy run straight into the jaws of the trap(face to face). This is useful in elevation difference as well, namely if your troops are on the farside of a hill or within a valley. Note that utilizing a valley for ambush is quite dangerous, yet unexpected.

Assault and Secure Ambush
This gamemode presents the easiest ambush set ups as there are obvious avenues of approach for the enemy. Theoretically, the insurgent team is at a massive disadvantage with inferior gear. In the Insurgency gamemode, the enemy has a lot more to do than simply overrun you, and this is why AAS is harder for the Insurgents.

Set up "camp" from a right-to-obtuse angle from your camp to the flag. However, make sure you're not too close to the base. You want to set up in a location where the enemy is slightly out of max viewing distance of the base and is most likely to be sprinting. You can imagine this as a firebase. In this type of ambush, you mainly will utilize your civilian as a spotter. It is not necessary for him to "hide." He can stand around as well as run around. Even if the enemy sees your camp, the enemy must take caution before firing to ensure it is in fact an insurgent. Otherwise they take the ticket penalty. However, if you're civilian is sticking close to the team, you must change locations once in a while. You can also bait the enemy into another ambush.

The key to ambush in AAS is to stalk your opponent's movement. But make sure you know who/what you are stalking. If you have the balls, you can stalk their main elements(which usually compose of 2 squads) or their own flanking elements(usually one squad). If the main element is trekking through the western valley, then it is very likely the flanking element is traveling on the eastern mountain range. Playing smart, you would set up in the eastern mountain range and bait the flanking element. Upon it's completion, depending on the situation, always travel towards where the enemy is coming from and do a quick check for rally points. If this brings nothing up, it would be very wise to then move around the rear of the main element. This essentially is another rally point check. From here there are two options. You can wait for the next wave, or if the main element has not advanced much, you can assault them.

If you survive even past that(although it doesn't really matter if you do or don't) and you have been sticking to assaulting what appears to be the same element, the enemy will be wary of your ambush at that location. The best thing you can do is set up in a location that watches over your previous one. Also note that your opponent is trying the same thing. You can try to be one step ahead by picking a location which watches your previous one and a potential one, or simply set up an ambush in the potential one.
more soon to come

Insurgency Mode
This game mode is going to be harder for setting up ambushes, but it also puts a lot more stress on the enemy. The reason for the harder ambushes is there is no true likely avenue of approach, only many potential ones. In this game type it is also very popular for enemy troops to perch at a high location with their superior zoom and pick you off.

The draw/bait is the easiest to pull off and works very efficiently in this. However, setting up an ambush in an urban environment requires a lot of trust from the civilian. This is due to the nature of hiding.

A second version of the bait requires one or two players to utilize the ambusher kit as well as at least one with an RPG. Essentially, the ambushers lay down a few mines in on urban roads. Preferably two parallel roads or a "busy" intersection. The enemy must either disable it with an engineer, travel all the way around, or take the loss. Fire discipline is very important, here as your team must wait till the engineer reaches the mine before opening fire to minimize any chance of cover the engineer has. The RPG gunner must also not shoot the vehicle until the same point in time(unless it is a jeep).

Also possible is to have a civilian grappling hook onto a building and stand or hide on it(on a street with no intersection). A few buildings over, towards the enemy's approach, hide the RPG gunner and possibly other members of your team. They may also be spread about. It is VITAL that the civilian does not remove the grappling hook. Utilize another insurgent on the roof to watch for any climbing infantry. If and when the APC approaches, the civilian can scramble down and attract the attention of the APC. If they are "smart" someone will scramble out and attempt to knife the civilian instead of running the civilian over. And thats when one can launch the ambush. The RPG gunner should be in position to get a rear shot on the APC.

more to come soon

Things to note:
-You're the SL, stay near the rear. There is no RP for you, but your team can utilize you as the RP. Also note the quicker insurgent spawn.
-Learn the lay of the land. You are the insurgent, and it is your "home." This is what enables you to ambush.
-Change locations occasionally. In repeated failed assaults of a location, the enemy is going to change directions of attack or bring more firepower. Neither are going to benefit you. However, if you have your troops positioned properly, they will literally run right past and around you. While you will have lots of targets and actions, you will take on attacks from multiple positions(eg - the hill directly to the west of the destroyed tank doodad to the west of the Canyon fence).
-FIRE DISCIPLINE. Don't shoot when you can barely see them, let the enemy get slightly closer so you have a better chance, or let them run past and turn their back to you.

Well there's a quick write up so far, with time I will change the wording around so it looks more professional and the sort. I have more ideas, though now I just need time and more application in the field, especially with the insurgency game mode. Pub games usually just end up wiping out civilians or don't know what they're supposed to do and it's gg.

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-07-22 00:40

Theres another temporary tactic, untill vBF2 nubs get smarter.
We won Helmand by having our team spawning as civilians, grappling on roofs and getting shot by the dumb GB, and at one point had 400 vs 100 tickets.

best used when you have an Insurgent hiding in between them, so while the go knife or concentrate on civis, you shoot them up

ArmedDrunk&Angry · Post by **ArmedDrunk&Angry** » 2007-07-22 01:12

That happened to me, we as the Brits were losing 200 to 40 or something like that.
But then we got some firebases up and held onto a few flags for a while and the score evened out and then we pushed up and won 20 -1 or so .
Commander assets add tickets over time so they make a huge difference against the insurgents to backstop against point loss from civi's.

Eddiereyes909 · Post by **Eddiereyes909** » 2007-07-22 01:20

ArmedDrunk&Angry wrote:That happened to me, we as the Brits were losing 200 to 40 or something like that.
But then we got some firebases up and held onto a few flags for a while and the score evened out and then we pushed up and won 20 -1 or so .
Commander assets add tickets over time so they make a huge difference against the insurgents to backstop against point loss from civi's.

Yep i was in that map, every one on that map killed at least 1 civi.

And then There was the bunny hoper....sigh

Expendable Grunt · Post by **Expendable Grunt** » 2007-07-22 02:43

Here is a tactic for all insurgent team members: LAY DOWN AND SHUT UP.

Seriously. Insurgents are out-ranged so easily. And they're supposed to be. The best tactic is to lay in ambush and wait for the enemy to be so close that they cannot possibly A) Be missed B) Get to cover soon enough to fire back. Do not engage IFV's in the open. Do not start a firefight that results in the enemy shooting back. FInd a place with your squad, lay down, shut up, and wait for the enemy to be on your doorstep before giving them EVERYTHING.

ArmedDrunk&Angry · Post by **ArmedDrunk&Angry** » 2007-07-22 02:55

I second that, you have the Nike boys to stand up and spot for you.

El_Vikingo · Post by **El_Vikingo** » 2007-07-22 02:59

So running towards the enemy in defensive positions with an APC, using only an ironsights is a bad idea?

o_0?

ArmedDrunk&Angry · Post by **ArmedDrunk&Angry** » 2007-07-22 03:01

Well it's OK as long you scream while you do it.
Seriously though, sometimes it does help to distract him and allow a squadmate to sneak up and C4 him.

Hx.Clavdivs · Post by **Hx.Clavdivs** » 2007-07-22 05:33

1 Clavdivs going as civilian. 6 British boys running after her with very sharp knives. I did not feel very useful. Cept for the entertainment value of remaking a Benny Hill moment.

Then again, playing one map 16 of the 32 hostiles where civilan and they gave a new meaning to "Stonewall Jackson". Somewhat annoyed.

El_Vikingo · Post by **El_Vikingo** » 2007-07-22 05:46

I was so pissed off once, that I typed "FVCK OFF!" after being knived for Jaywalking.

Alex6714 · Post by **Alex6714** » 2007-07-22 09:03

I remember playing helmand as a civilian. Great fun leading the brits into traps, and I got shot over 10 times, mostly by the same person with a SAW I think. He would just look at me, then shoot, even when one brit was already trying to knife me and I was typing in the chat about how they were killing civilians.

Getting on the roof is a good tactic too, I once spotted around 9 enemy infantry in one spot heading for our flag.

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-07-22 11:32

We were playing Helmand yesterday and the dumb GB builds a bunker next to Whiskey and a commander truck and while civilians distract the GB, some Insurgents go inside the bunker and spawn rape anyone who spawns there, then someone from GB says on global chat "OMG kick them for spawn raping"
and we told them "well, think about where you put your bunkers", that shut them up

We blew it up later anyways

Seriously, I wonder why negative score kick didnt start, some people had scores waaaay under 0 for shooting civilians

beef_beef · Post by **beef_beef** » 2007-07-22 17:53

on desert storm the USMC had around 15 tickets and the insurgents over 800 when i joined a serever recently.

Expendable Grunt · Post by **Expendable Grunt** » 2007-07-22 19:03

It's hard for US on that map; the civi's can just stand behind that gate when it blows. The sand storm does not help either.

TY2D2 · Post by **TY2D2** » 2007-07-23 11:41

I guess a good tactic for a bad tactic (taking on GB in the open) would be have one guy in your squad be civilian. And when you run into GB at close/med range he can just run out in the open and throw rocks at em, then when they are distracted, you kill them.

Thats one thing that always gets me, I try to kill insurgents and a civilian always ends up getting me distracted because I don't want to kill him... I end up running away from a guy throwing rocks at me. Haha.

*mumbles* I hate civilians >:/

OiSkout · Post by **OiSkout** » 2007-07-23 19:45

Ok, I updated it a bit.

TY2D2 wrote:I guess a good tactic for a bad tactic (taking on GB in the open) would be have one guy in your squad be civilian. And when you run into GB at close/med range he can just run out in the open and throw rocks at em, then when they are distracted, you kill them.

Thats one thing that always gets me, I try to kill insurgents and a civilian always ends up getting me distracted because I don't want to kill him... I end up running away from a guy throwing rocks at me. Haha.

*mumbles* I hate civilians >:/

Haha, now imagine you're runnin after a civilian to knife him in Hemland and you both run over one of the dunes/ridges. And there in your face is a bunch of AKs.

Dark_Wolf · Post by **Dark_Wolf** » 2007-07-27 15:26

Ideally civilian should be high up where it's tough or near impossible for them to be knifed. Though of course having them on the front line is just as useful. I think a wall of civilians in front of infantry should do the trick

I would have though there would a limit on the number of civilians though similar to limited kits.