Classes Available / AirSim Equipment / + Squad Tactics?

Classes Available:

The following classes have space available:

HEAT 1 Combat Tactics – 18-21 August.
Close Quarter Battle Course (CQBC) – 9-11 September (1 space available).
Defensive Concealed Handgun (DCH) – 24-25 September.
HEAT 1 Combat Tactics – 20-23 October.
Night Operations 4-6 November (2 spaces available).
HEAT 1 Combat Tactics 1-4 December.

As previously posted, we will focus on a different way of scheduling classes for 2023. This does not stop open enrollment and does not only cater to alumni. It basically works like this:

If you have a private group for training, you can contact me and discuss a class either mobile, or at the VTC Romney. We can discuss dates and make it happen.
Utilizing the forum: The forum is a resource that students should join anyway, there is a depth of knowledge and guidance on the forum, including the sticky posts.
The way we use the forum for scheduling classes is:
- You guys get together and decide you would like a class to run.
- You get a group together and approach me to schedule dates for it.
- If the class is not full with your group, I can put it on the calendar and make it open enrollment to fill remaining spaces.
- This allows individuals or newbies to book onto classes that are published as open enrollment.
The usual class prerequisites apply:
- HEAT 1 > HEAT 2 > Night Operations.
- The following classes do not have prerequisites:
  - Close Quarter Battle.
  - Squad Tactics.
  - Defensive Concealed Handgun.

The point of all this is that I won’t schedule classes unless know there is specific interest. Once I am approached by a small group, we can schedule it and make it open enrollment to fill the remaining spaces. The general rule is we need 3 months notice to let people plan and book onto open enrollment classes.

MVT FORUM

AirSim Equipment:

We have made a change to the requirements for AirSim equipment. We used to insist on Gas Blowback (GBB) rifles with 6 magazines. The GBB rifles are very good for training because they operate just like an AR15 i.e. the bolt locks to the rear on an empty magazine etc. However, there is an element of unreliability and the magazines are expensive, because they are designed to take the green gas which operates the rifle. A lot of breakages and magazine issues particularly on my rental rifles. The tendency for the magazines to ‘gas off’ and lose all propane when loading onto the rifle is annoying.

We are now allowing 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. These are not so good a replica of a real 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 at Squad tactics, 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 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.

I have taken down the KWA AirSim page in the MVT Store. We had huge problems with supply chain during COVID (built in Taiwan). Please just purchase electric AirSim from whichever vendor suits.

Squad Tactics:

We had a great Squad Tactics class a couple of weekends ago, the only one scheduled for 2022. I am interested in seeing another class run later this year. I won’t simply put one on the schedule, but will see if we have enough students on the forum who are prepared to organize and approach me with dates later in the year. Given that we need time to plan this and for people to get time off, later in the year may also mean in colder weather. Hence another reason for using electric AirSim.

The Squad Tactics class is a different animal from what you may see in the military for a leadership class. This is because in the military, people attending a leadership class similar to squad tactics will already be a trained infantryman with plenty of time in service. When we run a squad tactics class, it is more akin to a ‘pickup team’ with a wide spread of knowledge and experience. Thus, some students are not volunteering to fill (the limited number) of squad leader spots, but are focusing on working as a rifleman, some may step up to team leader if they feel confident, which means we are training students at multiple levels on the class. We agreed at the class AAR to adjust the schedule to allow for more time training and learning the skills required for the class.

Thus, going forward the class will move the introduction mission, briefed and led by cadre, from Thursday PM to Friday AM. This will give us more time on Thursday to focus on the 5 paragraph Op Order, and delivery of same, plus the afternoon to do specific training rehearsals on a rehearsal area set up for the purpose.

One of the main focuses of the various attacks / raids that are conducted as part of Squad Tactics is the sequencing of a 3-element squad through the assault cycle. This is often conducted against a set of fighting positions which are set up to be mutually supporting and defended in depth. The various enemy positions are mostly set up like this, with the exception of the CQB attack and various different scenarios that are included. The rehearsal area will now be set up in the woods in a similar way, and also used for training on the Thursday afternoon. We will focus on individual and team skills that are applicable to the class, but also offer crash training in some of the TTPs that are trained on other MVT classes, but aimed at the various skill levels that show for Squad Tactics. For example:

Assault and break contact drills.
Sequencing attack on fighting positions / ‘bunkers’.
Use of ‘point of fire’ rather than a simple team assault on a fighting position.
Suppression and angles of fire on mutually supporting positions.
Coordination of a 3-element squad in the attack (we prefer minimum of 13 on squad tactics, to allow 3 teams of 4, plus squad leader).
The 3-element squad is a principle that multiplies to larger elements, from 3 teams to 3 squads etc.

Squad Tactics Class