Three principles to think about when engaging in close quarter battle:
Battles that occur in close quarters, such as within a room or hallway, must be planned and executed with care. Use room clearing techniques when the tactical situation calls for “room to room clearing” with enemy combatants and non-combatants. Units must train, practice, and rehearse the techniques until each team member operates smoothly. Each operator must understand the principles of room clearing, such as surprise, speed, and controlled violence of action.
Surprise
Surprise is the key to a successful assault in close quarters. The entry team clearing the room must achieve the element of surprise, if only for seconds, by deceiving, distracting, or startling the enemy. Sometimes stun grenades are used to achieve the surprise. Surprise is when your entry is not compromised.
Speed
Speed provides a measure of security to the entry team and allows the operators to use the first few vital seconds of surprise to their maximum advantage. Speed is moving only as fast as you can shoot accurately. .
Violence of Action
Violence of action eliminates or neutralizes the enemy while giving the least chance of inflicting friendly casualties. Violence of action is not limited to the application of firepower only. It involves an operator’s mind-set of complete domination. Each of the principles concerning precision room clearing has a synergistic relationship to the others. If you don’t combine speed and surprise you can’t have violence of action.