Fundamentals of Fighting

The fundamentals of fighting are movement, communication, using cover when possible, shooting as necessary, and most importantly, thinking. Above all fighting is a mental process, and if you’re not thinking then you’re reacting, which means you’re constantly behind in the fight.

We move to go to cover, create distance between the threat and us, to create a clear angle of attack on the threat, or to just be a moving target rather than a stationary one. I would say that movement, especially at the start of most fights, is the most important tactic you will apply. Moving may create the time and distance you need to draw your weapon. Moving your family to safety could be more important than getting to your weapon.

We communicate with the threat, our friends, family, or armed partners. We command the threat(s) to “Leave my house now!” They may comply, which is much better than having to fight. We have to get our friends or family to safety, which means you may need to really yell. With armed partners we need to communicate to co-ordinate tactics, maximizing the potential of having teammates.

When it’s available, use cover. Getting something that provides you with protection against the threat(s) weapon creates time, and more time allows you to choose from a wider variety of responses. Stand out in the open and let someone shoot you and it won’t matter what type of cool gear you’ve got because you probably won’t get a chance to use it.

Shoot as needed, shoot accurately, and keep your weapon running. In a fight we’re talking combat accuracy, and there’s a world of difference between shooting tiny groups on cardboard and engaging a threat. Plus you have to know where to place your shots to stop the threat, and while they’re moving, you’re moving, and in the dark. And if you can’t clear a malfunction – in the dark while moving, communicating, and using cover – your accuracy won’t mean much anyway.

Finally, your ultimate tactic, weapon, and asset, is your brain. Thinking is the key to winning a fight, no matter what the circumstances or environment. When faced with a threat you have very little time to figure out what’s about to happen and what you’re going to do to stop it from actually occurring. You won’t get to do a walkthrough of the area, noting where the threats are located and how many rounds it takes to “neutralize” them. Nobody’s going to explain the next “evolution” of the fight. It won’t matter how experienced you are at “driving” your weapon. Things are about to get ugly in a hurry, and lives depend on how you react, initially, and how you act after that.

When you consider the fundamentals of fighting individually they’re not that difficult. Assembling them into an effective package that provides you with victory can be a problem, but nothing that can’t be overcome with training, practice, and thinking.