Tactical Classes

Classes specialized in the teaching of combat proven, adapted, legitimate light infantry tactics, techniques and procedures.

AirSim Training

Max Velocity Tactical offers force on force team and leadership training in various forms, utilizing AirSim professional training rifles. Force on Force training is an essential part of the holistic tactical training progression, alongside live fire weapon manipulation and tactical live fire ranges. Together, these aspects make up the progression that builds the totality of the warrior mindset.

AirSim rifles offer excellent range and accuracy when used for both outdoors and CQB training environments. The use of AirSim offers both excellent training results along with significant savings vs. other simunition options, thus making training affordable and realistic.

Students must bring their own AirSim training rifle to any MVT class that requires use of them, such as Squad Tactics, Reconnaissance, Close Quarter Battle and Trench Assault. This has exponential training and cost benefits: after an initial modest investment, the student will posses a high quality training rifle, similar to their live fire rifle, which can not only be used at MVT classes, but also offers an economical way to conduct force on target / force on force training back home, particularly in non-permissive environments, or where the convenience of quiet, and the lack of live fire suitable training areas / backstops, make this a worthwhile option.

MVT allows utilization of gas blowback and electric AirSim rifles, so long as they are a copy of a battle rifle such as an AR15 or AK. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but after several years experience with AirSim rifles, we recommend using an electric rifle for greater reliability, versus the greater manipulation benefits of the gas blow back versions. The electric rifles are thus not such a good replica of a live fire rifle, for example they don’t lock the bolt to the rear and similar, but overall they are more reliable and don’t need green gas.

  • Electric rifles are more reliable even though they are not an exact replica of a live fire rifle.
  • The GBB rifles are a better replica of a live fire rifle.
  • For the purposes of achieving what we need to achieve, the electric AirSim works well.
  • Electric AirSim is not constrained by COLD, and thus can be used at any time of the year. GBB rifles tend to freeze up (green gas = propane) in cold temperatures, particularly when rapid or fully auto fired.
  • Magazines for GBB rifles are expensive (@ $50 per mag) and we need you to have 6 minimum. Electric AirSim mags are cheap.
  • It has been estimated that to get into an electric AirSim rifle with 6 mags would be around $300. 4 days rental of a GBB magazine = $50 per day = $200, plus you get your own rifle at home for any training you wish to do.
  • You need to load the electric AirSim magazines with no more than 40 BB’s to be realistic.

We recommend electric airsoft rifles, which can be purchased for around $200 (a decent rifle such as the Lancer AEG, an M4 clone). We recommend midcap or low-cap magazines for a more realistic ammunition load.

If purchasing an airsoft training rifle is a bridge too far, we do have some legacy gas blowback rifles on site. These can be unreliable but can be borrowed. We have gas blowback magazines and rifles. You would need to supply your own green gas and BB’s.

Here are some examples of economical airsoft rifles that can be purchased from Amazon. I post these because I have these rifles at home and they work well:

Lancer Tactical Gen 2 Airsoft Rifle Kit

Lancer Tactical Airsoft Mid Cap Magazine Set

Examples of the types of training class that employ AirSim training rifles:

  • Force on Force Team Tactics.
  • Close Quarter Battle.
  • Squad Tactics
  • Trench Assault.
  • Combat immersion patrol-scenario special events.
  • Use as an alternative to live fire, allowing the use of live OPFOR (enemy role players):
    • Mobile classes where live fire noise/ backstops are non-permissive.
    • Use in place of, or to augment, live-fire to gain the benefits of moving outside of fixed live fire training areas and employing a live OPFOR.

AirSim Rifle Guidelines

MVT AirSim classes utilize professional training rifles with velocity of approx +/- 400 fps. Students are required to bring their own rifles. Guidelines are:

  • Gas Blow Back (GBB) or electric AirSim (Airsoft).
  • Replicas only of AR15, AK or similar battle rifle. Nothing bizarre.
  • FPS +/- approx 380 – 400 fps.
  • 6 magazines minimum.
  • Magazine limit: 40 BBs.
  • Semi-auto fire only allowed.

Fragmentation Grenades and Smoke Grenades:

For all Airsim classes, simulated fragmentation and smoke grenades will be allowed. Each class may have specific requirements for the use of these grenades in various scenarios and this will be briefed at class. Also, there may be a fire risk with the use of smoke, which may either be temporarily banned, or restricted to a specific non-burnable area.

The Trench Assault class utilizes simulated fragmentation grenades:

  1. For the bulk of the training on Trench Assault (using tons of grenades!) we utilize empty grenade bodies, with cadre blowing an air horn after the required time delay to signify that the grenade has gone off. For this portion of the training, bring suitable grenade bodies that can even be the shells of the CO2 airsim grenades. So long as the grenade body is not to heavy and could potentially injure troops in the trenches by its thrown weight. We will have a number of these on hand if required.
  2. For the squad assault scenarios for the latter part of the training, we will utilize airsoft style bangers. This is a suitable airsoft style grenade that will make a bang or a pop to show that the grenade has exploded. We will not be using any grenades that contain dried peas or BB’s. It is up to students to bring a suitable number of these grenades so that we can run some scenarios using these, rather than the air horns.
  3. It is useful for every student to bring a ‘grenade bag’, usually a slung bag, for carrying the grenades in the trenches.

The MVT forum has posts on this equipment and can be used as a place to discuss ideas, and equipment to bring to class.

 

AirSim Safety Equipment

AirSim BBs travel at +/- 400 fps approx. Eye Protection is Mandatory. Beyond that, most protective measures are voluntary, but recommendations will be given:

Ballistic Eye Protection: You must wear a ballistic goggle or close fitting ballistic eye protection. Appropriate goggles include military issue / approved (APEL) certified to ANSI Z87+ impact protection / military APEL equivalent. Also, appropriate quality ‘thermal’ (double layer) paintball mask/goggle combinations that meet or exceed ANSI Z87+ / ASTM F1776 (the paintball safety standard). You cannot take any risks with your vision, so make sure your eye protection is adequate. ‘Thermal’ double layer goggles also provide a solution to fogging.

Additional protective measures will depend in some part on the expected range of engagements, from longer ranges in open areas to specific CQB training or engagement distances.

Basics / Recommendations:

  • Face covering: gator or wrap. CQB: mesh face mask. Teeth protection is a consideration.
  • Cap / Hat. CQB: helmet, bump or ballistic.
  • Neck wrap / protector.
  • Gloves. CQB: gloves with knuckle protection.
  • Long sleeved pants / shirt.