Engaging multiple targets

[Mike1956]

Seems most people look at this as a 'stand and deliver' exercise.

Move, Move, Move!

If you GOTX, there is a good chance to get at least one BG between you and the others as a sort of cover/concealment. Then you can worry about 1 at a time.

Again, it all depends on positioning. But it does upset the OODA loop.

It works well in FOF drills*.



*(Yeah,Yeah, I know - few really see the value of FOF training or have the time/resources...)

+1 on everything you said. Airsoft, while sometimes a bit painful, is very instructive.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[tcox4freedom]

Good thread tacman!

I'm in the camp everybody gets one (or two); starting with the closest & biggest threats first. One thing about "groups" or "gangs" is there are usually only a few TRUE aggressors that will start it off. If you can understand who the first ones to attack will be (and take them down) you can give yourself a better than average chance of success.

Criminal gangs are mostly made up of a few "Alpha" leaders, find & stop them and the rest of the pack becomes disoriented. This will give you a better chance to escape or more effectively engage.

-

[oldnfat]

Rule #1, don't draw against a drawn gun(s). To stay alive if you must face 3 BGs, shoot and scoot. Hope your training is better than theirs. Shoot first and shoot fast and shoot straight.

[OldVet]

Granted it's been almost 20 years, but when I was doing my pistol qualifying in the Air Force, the directions were "two shots to the chest, move to the next target".

Now I know why my target had so many extra holes!

[tacman605]

Multiple threats! No thanks, I'd rather not

Eric. Nobody wants to brother but remember you do not set the tone or the situation the bad guys do you simply react to what they do.

[Mike1956]

Multiple threats! No thanks, I'd rather not

Eric. Nobody wants to brother but remember you do not set the tone or the situation the bad guys do you simply react to what they do.

Which is why there is no one answer to your original question.

[ericb327]

Multiple threats! No thanks, I'd rather not

Eric. Nobody wants to brother but remember you do not set the tone or the situation the bad guys do you simply react to what they do.

I know, that was my failed attempt at humor/sarcasm. I would agree that everybody gets one then go back for seconds. Although one may have to deal with immediate threats as the situation unfolds.

I remember while training in aikido students would always have a " what if I did this" in the middle of a technique with a senior student. They were always surprised when they ended up on their backs.

My point! There are always "what ifs" and an infinite number of ways to counter them. The more scenarios you train for the better equipped you are.

If anyone knows the famous Bruce Lee quote.

Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. (Bruce Lee)

[Harryball]

Without getting into absolutes on the subject, everyone of the BGs would get some lead flying into them. Thats if they continue the fight my way. If I shoot the first one, and the others run off, they get a pass for the day. There are a lot of variables with this kind of scenario. Very good to think on, very good to train on.....

[tacman605]

Absolutely Mike everyone to their own. Each situation would be different.

[marcclarke]

Run away as fast as you can. (Seriously.) Standing there and engaging multiple assailants is a profoundly suicidal tactic.

[Mike1956]

Run away as fast as you can. (Seriously.) Standing there an engaging multiple assailants is a profoundly suicidal tactic.

Bearing in mind that it is quite possible to not know about the second assailant until his rounds start hitting.

[thephanatik]

A little variation of what ScottM said, I would get off the X, but in an attempt to line them up so I can shoot all of them with one shot from a Walther P38 like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I don't have a P38 though, so now I guess I need to go shopping again, dang.

While that was half a joke, I don't see there being very many scenarios where you aren't ventilated taking on 3 gunmen. Assuming they came at you standing shoulder to shoulder, getting to their side so they have to turn and are stacked would give you a better chance to engage one at a time as they have to move out of each other's way.

[Badey]

For me, it depends on if/how each of them are armed. Ideally, I would engage the closest armed BG, first, and engage each armed BG in order of closeness, however, Clint Eastwood may have had it right in "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly," when he is 1 v 4, and wins, because he engages the guy with the crazy eyes first....

[Brad426]

For me, it depends on if/how each of them are armed. Ideally, I would engage the closest armed BG, first, and engage each armed BG in order of closeness, however, Clint Eastwood may have had it right in "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly," when he is 1 v 4, and wins, because he engages the guy with the crazy eyes first....

Wasn't that "The Outlaw Josey Wales"?

[tricolordad]

Do we get swords?