The Airsoft Support Weapon

[Martin.]

We've all seen them on the field, the outrageously large support weapon manned by someone who doesn't know how to use it. I can hear all the Marksmen out there crying "It's a SAW all you have to do is spray and pray!" and to an extent they are right; there are times when all a SAW needs to do is create a 45 degree fan of plastic. But employing a squad weapon takes situational awareness and an understanding of the "gravity" of the playing field.

Gravity in a game of Airsoft is typically the central location on the field which the whole battle revolves around. Usually this will be a prominent feature that has tactical importance and can alter the game depending on how it's utilized.

The squad weapon in itself can become a gravitational force by transforming in to the focus of a firefight. This comes natural to the SAW since it draws a lot of attention, but the trick is to use that attention and turn it in to momentum.

Traditionally machine guns provide a heavy volume of controlled and accurate fire that's beyond the capability of individual weapons. Unfortunately in Airsoft this isn't always the case with the use of box mags on standard AEG's. So be sure to have rules in place to give the SAW the advantage it deserves (e.g. no box mags on rifles / higher FPS for SAW's).

Defensive Positions:

Military SOP typically dictates that a range card is made every time you stop at a position no matter the duration, but realistically we all know this doesn't happen in Airsoft. So the best thing to do is make a mental range card to understand your sector of fire.

The first thing to do is understand what your Primary Direction of Fire (PDF) is. This could be simply facing a direction and everything within your periphery is your sector. The best way to slice up your PDF is to pick several target reference points (TRP) and make those your left and right limits. So the left limit of your sector could be a prominent tree, the right a pile of tires, and in the center would be an object that would align with your PDF (note my illustration - had to test the wacom tablet). Depending on the size of your team you may also have to take up a supplementary position which covers a separate sector. This second position is usually an alternate path that you could be attacked from.

full article posted here

[Darius137]

Nice!

Yes. There need to be more Automatic Riflemen out there.

Also, we need a full fire team of M240B Machine Gunners. MajMason, myself and Pharoah6. We need one more...

[Martin.]

Nice!

Yes. There need to be more Automatic Riflemen out there.

Also, we need a full fire team of M240B Machine Gunners. MajMason, myself and Pharoah6. We need one more...

agreed, it's such a fun position to play. runnin' and gunnin' is where it's at

[VogonFord]

I've got an M60 now, so I can stop using assault rifles like LMGs and running through magazines like a gamer through a can of Pringles. Support weapons are where it's at.

[league 4]

Makes me want to get the wiring in my MK46's box mag fixed sooner....

[Reyna]

We played a game at Rogue River Ranch Airsoft about a year ago, I was in charge of a platoon size element with the objective of holding a small town, four or five buildings. My best friend of 11 years was my SAW gunner, he had an Echo1 SAW para, it was the best we could muster as far as support weapons went but it would get the job done.

By the end of the day, he hated me.

We recieved a lot of probes in the first hour, two hours, but soon after they started seriously attacking us with committed elements and snipers, had they attacked from all sides, it would've been a perfect attack. Having been a SAW gunner myself in real life, I dragged his butt all over that turf. Everytime I saw that we had a serious threat on one side, I litterally grabbed him by the collar and re-deployed him to the specified location. I selected his cover, told him how best to utilize it and gave him vague left and right limits with an ROE for range.


Using these tactics and the guys I had on hand, we held the town from 1000 to Noon and from 1300 to 1500 without ever losing it completely. We lost a few buildings here and there, but my guys kept going back in and taking them.

In my opinion, this was all due to the SAW. It provided excellent covering fire when maneuvering, and good surpression and grazing fire. As long as we kept it fed, it kept heads down.

[Pharaoh 7]

I don't know how it is in other MOS's but in my MP platoon, the last time I went over, we had 3 to 4 teams per squad and each team had an M249. Right before we left they swapped out one per squad for a 240B. That would be an insane amount of firepower to muster on an airsoft field.

[Steve]

Very well written, Ben.

[KA-BAR]

awsome write up brother.

if Bill youngblood is the sniper king...then you sir...


you are a support weapon queen...LOL


j/k

[PC]

Well stated man! The SAW needs to be used to its highest capability, not as some n00b's play thing. And yes, I absolutely agree that rules must be in order for the use of the SAW

[ogrejager]

I've only ever seen a SAW used once effectively by an airsofter. That really made an impression.

[KA-BAR]

by far the best gunner i ever witnessed was pittsmen.

[Patrick750]

Wow nice. This should be stickied. I really like how games only let a certain amount of SAW gunners per team.

[Switchback]

Wow nice. This should be stickied. I really like how games only let a certain amount of SAW gunners per team.

Agreed.
I also think that (for "MILSIM" games) SAW gunners should be limited in capacity; I played a realcap game where everyone have ~30 round magazines, weighted packs, and high caps in the M249's (we had 2).

To stop using my M249 like a rifleman's rifle, I have been studying the Eight Principles of Machine Gun Employment for the past few weeks. Anybody else think this is a good direction to go towards?

Great article, Sir.

[league 4]

I also think that (for "MILSIM" games) SAW gunners should be limited in capacity; I played a realcap game where everyone have ~30 round magazines, weighted packs, and high caps in the M249's (we had 2).

Then that means that everyone with non CA/replica M249's can't use theirs...