Room Clearing Tactics: Fundamentals of Close-Quarters Combat

Hydra Tactical is here to keep you safe, by providing both the gear and the knowledge to get any job done. Room clearing is an unavoidable part of close quarter battles, and can be the most dangerous part of any operation. Still, room clearing has always been fundamental to urban operations, be it high intensity assaults, precision-clearing operations, or surgical operations.

The fundamental techniques in room clearing have become more central to basic soldier skills than they were in recent decades. The expansion of urban centers makes it more likely that a strategic battle will take place in close quarters city-based combat.

Clearing buildings has been called both Close-Quarters Battle (CQB) and Close-Quarters Combat (CQC) but the truth is that regardless of what you call it, the principles and premises you need to clear a room safely and successfully are pretty much the same regardless of the situation, from the techniques used by elite special operations (like the kind who took down Osama bin Laden) to those of the local neighborhood police drug task force. This is good news for civilian shooters who can acquire effective tactics for indoor defense by adopting the guiding principles of speed, surprise and violence of action.

So, let’s take a look at five fundamentals when it comes to room clearing:

1. Always Bring a Buddy (At least 2 shooters)

 

Room clearing should always be done by at least two shooters. Because there are so many unknowns and way too many dangerous angles to be cleared immediately by one person, two shooters are needed, at a minimum. It’s been said that “Two is one, and one is none.” With at least two shooters, you can maintain 360-degree coverage. And remember team trust is absolute so practice, practice and practice, together.

2. Clear the Point of Entry FAST!

Unless the plan is to breach a wall, the likely place of entry into a potentially hostile room is through the door. The door is referred to as the “fatal funnel.” Anyone expecting an armed intrusion will be focusing attention and firepower towards the place of entry. Getting into and out of the fatal funnel is essential to success so if someone in front of you trips, walk over them.

3. Plan your position, but be flexible

 

If there’s time for a plan and rehearsal hours prior to the execution phase, do it; but remember to be flexible. Once inside, things have a tendency to change based on new information and real or perceived threats. Instead of planning on who goes left or right (criss-cross or button-hook) once inside the door, follow this simple rule of thumb: go the opposite way that the person in front of you went. In a hasty entry, you’ll never have time to plan anyway. Again, go the opposite way through the door that the person in front of you went.

4. Cover Your Bases (Fields of Fire)

Get through the fatal funnel, then clear the near corner. You have to be close on the heels of the guy/gal in front of you or you won’t be able to protect his/her backside as soon as they’re in the building. The key here is to maintain personal responsibility for your area and sectors of fire—the field of vision you can feasibly shoot at accurately. Accordingly, wherever your muzzle goes, that’s where your eyes should be. Think eyes, muzzle, target.

A pair of operators clear a roomIn CQB, speed matters. Get through the door, clear the near corner (or “dig” the corner by walking close to it), walk the walls, and look for the next threat. The greatest threat may be a person, but it’s also any uncleared areas.

 

5. Use Speed to Your Advantage

Finally, as you’re “running” the walls, it’s really walking. If you have to shoot on the move, only move as fast as you can shoot accurately. Don’t be in such a hurry that you’re out of control. You’re there to control the situation. Be smooth. Here’s an old tactical saying to put in your toolbox: “Smooth is fast and fast is smooth.”

Remember, don’t shoot fast, discern fast and then shoot quickly and accurately if you are justified. Keep shooting until the threat stops.

Hydra Tactical is here to help you hone your skills and keep adding to your tactical toolbox. Shop now for some crucial gear in case you find yourself in an urban combat situation.

Sources: "Precision Room Clearing in Urban Operations" By CPT Jose A. Devarona, Mr. Thomas P. Odom, and SFC Robert Ehrlich, JRTC CALL Cell