An introduction to "Peeling" - not oranges!

[maxvelocity]

What is "peeling"? It is a tactical movement technique to allow fire and movement while in contact with the enemy. It can be used to break contact with the enemy.

At a basic level, this simple but highly effective technique is mainly used to move to the flank; elements or individuals are in line facing the enemy threat and will “peel out” to either the left or right. This is a good technique for moving along a linear feature, such as a road or ditch, while producing maximum suppressive fire. With the peel, when the formation needs to move right, individuals or elements will move from the left side, behind the formation, and peel back in on the right. The opposite for moving left. As each individual passes the next man, who will be providing suppressive fire, he shouts something along the lines of “move” or “last man”, or kicks his foot etc., in order to ensure that the next man knows to move. The technique is a flow of constant fire and movement. It can also be used, for example, as a way of moving to a flank out of an area of open ground to cover, when contacted by an enemy to the front.

[ShotgunBlast]

[scrubber3]

Nice post! Thanks for sharing as it brings back some welcome techniques I've filed in the "not to be used whilst a civilian" section of my brain. The seals in the center peel maneuver look like they're having way too much fun.

[maxvelocity]

CONTACT FRONT! An example of the drills that you can do for a contact front would be for the front team to return fire, with the two rearmost riflemen of that front team stepping out to the sides to allow them to fire: effectively “getting on line”. These two pairs would fight back utilizing fire and movement. The rear team would take up security positions and then begin to move back, utilizing bounding over-watch, to secure a rally point. Alternatively, the tunnel method ("center peel") can be used. With this method all the patrol members step to the left or right accordingly to create a file, or tunnel formation. This will only allow the front two riflemen to engage but it is useful for withdrawing along linear features or where fire is coming in from the front but also to the front and flanks on both sides. The front people will return fire and then in sequence they will turn and run through the center of the tunnel, peeling back in at the other end. This allows the next front people to fire and the process will continue with the tunnel turning itself inside out all the way to a suitable rally point. It is effectively a peeling technique with two lines.

[Reverenddel]

The one way to practice this, and NOT get hurt, but LEARN from it?

Paint ball guns...

Telling you... for training, no better thing... You get hit in the back of the head, and you give each person a different color? You know whose ass to kick!