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About Tactical Hand Signals
Tactical hand signals are important when it comes to communicating with your team and squad while playing airsoft. These nonverbal gestures are important when the enemy is too close to use words for fear of being overheard or when absolute silence is necessary during stealthy operations to achieve the element of surprise. Hand gestures and signals help you communicate exactly what is going on along with thoughts, team movements, descriptors, and complete ideas.
The Squad Leader
The team commander or squad leader is usually the person who gives these hand signals. Usually, this person is the "point man" or airsoft player in the front of the front of the team. This makes it easy for all of the following airsoft players to see and follow the tactical hand signals while navigating across the airsoft field. If the point man gets hit or needs to go respawn, another player needs to setup and take his place to continue leading the team.
About The Hand Signal SWAT Operator
Did you know these hand signal infographics featuring the SWAT operator below were originally featured in the GO GO GO, magazine volume I which was originally a Chinese airsoft publication? They were translated from the Chinese language to English by students from the University of Calgary airsoft club in the early 2000s.
General Tactical Hand Signals
Adult / Tall
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is an adult airsoft player or someone taller up ahead or nearby.
Ammo
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate a need for ammo and that your airsoft gun magazine is empty with no ammo.
Around
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate a need to go around an object, wall, or building on the airsoft field.
Automatic Weapon
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is an automatic airsoft gun in play.
Breacher / Entry Man
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate who is the "breacher" or first man into the room in when entering a doorway to clear a building or room.
Child / Short
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is an younger airsoft player or someone shorter up ahead or nearby.
Commander
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate an opposing player of high rank or commander target.
Cover
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate you need cover and for your teammates to cover you with suppressive fire while you move across an area.
Disregard
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to reset your team and have them disregard your last command or hand signal.
Dog
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is a dog on the airsoft playing field.
Door
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate a door in a wall or building your team can use or an opposing player in a door.
Down
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to tell your team or squad to get down and create a lower profile to avoid being seen.
Enter
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to let your team know you plan to enter a doorway or building and to show which way you plan to move.
Female
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to describe there is a female airsoft player up ahead or nearby.
Gas / Smoke
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is a gas or smoke canister up ahead or nearby on the airsoft field.
Go
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to tell your team or squad to "Go Go Go!" and move through a specific airsoft field area.
Hear / Listen
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate you hear something or to tell your squad to listen for sounds on the airsoft field.
Hostage
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is an airsoft hostage being held captive ahead who may need rescuing.
Hurry / Double Time
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to tell your airsoft team or squad to hurry and "double time".
Male
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to describe there is a male airsoft player up ahead or nearby on the airsoft field.
Me / Self
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to show you are referring to yourself before issuing another hand signal. Use "you" before giving someone else a different command.
Message
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to show you received the last hand signal message clearly and that you understand the hand gesture command.
Pistol
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate an airsoft player up ahead or nearby is using an airsoft gun pistol for a weapon.
Rifle
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate an airsoft player up ahead or nearby is using an airsoft gun rifle or AEG weapon.
Silence / Quiet
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to tell your team or squad to be quiet and maintain minimum noise on the airsoft field.
Shotgun
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate an airsoft player is using an shotgun nearby or up ahead. This shotgun hand signal is equivalent a to making a pumping motion with your hand.
Sniper
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is an airsoft sniper in the area or an airsoft player using an airsoft sniper rifle nearby.
Stop / Halt
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to tell your team or squad to stop moving immediately. This hand gesture is best used when you have spotted the opposing team or want your team to halt so you can tell them something.
Suspect / Enemy
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is a suspect or enemy nearby or up ahead. This hand signal is similar to making a handcuff loop on your wrist and is useful when dealing with role players.
There
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate a specific spot to your squad to airsoft team by pointing directly to the spot or thing you want them to look at or notice.
Unable
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to show you are unable to do something in response to another hand signal a teammate gives you.
Vehicle
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is a vehicle nearby that opposing players may be using for cover or transportation.
Watch
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate where to watch to look for the opposing airsoft team as you near their positions.
Window
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to indicate there is a window to use or there is an opposing player in a window.
You / Other Person
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal when you are trying to get attention of another airsoft player on your team or squad mate before giving them another hand signal command.
Tactical Squad Movement Hand Signals
Wedge Movement
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to have your squad form a wedge movement formation.
Wedge Movement Formation
Hand Signal Result: This movement pattern is the result of the wedge movement where your team moves into a pattern with a point man and team members on the flanks. The last two players can also maintain rear security behind the team as everyone else moves forward.
Line Movement
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to have your squad form a line movement formation.
Line Movement Formation
Hand Signal Result: This movement pattern is the result of the line movement where your team is in a line with each airsoft player watching in front of them with ready weapons.
Single File Movement
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to have your squad form a single file movement formation.
Single File Movement Formation
Hand Signal Result: This movement pattern is the result of the single file movement where your team is in a file or "stack" moving forward. Each airsoft player can look ahead and to the sides or alternate left - right - left - right for zones of responsibility.
Column Movement
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to have your airsoft squad or team move in a column movement formation.
Column Movement Formation (Double File)
Hand Signal Result: This movement pattern is the result of the column movement or double file where your team is in two man column moving forward. Each airsoft player can look ahead and to the side they are on for zones of watching responsibility.
Rally Movement
Use When: Use this tactical hand signal to have your squad rally around you to setup a defensive perimeter or to share critical information.
Rally Perimeter Movement Formation
Hand Signal Result: This movement pattern is the result of the rally perimeter movement formation where you team rallies up and forms a diamond. Each airsoft player faced out and have a zone of responsibility to watch. Airsoft guns are at the ready in this formation.
Hand Signals and Hand Gestures
Hand Signals and Hand Gestures
Who Actually Uses Hand Signals?
Hand signals are a very common form of communication. Many military units, special operations units, security forces, SWAT teams, police departments, and transportation services use hand signals when communicating is vitally important. Hand gestures can clearly communicate the points across when few other methods would work well or be very effective. Here are a few examples of these groups and how they use their hands to talk to each other.
USMC Hand Signals
The United States Marine Corps (USMC) uses military hand signals a lot during their training for communication during situations like limited visibility areas, low light circumstances, and offensive combat operations. Their instructions on hand signals are found in their training manuals like the Field Medical Service Technical (FMST) docs on patrolling, Combat Formations and Signal guides, and other military hand signal training manuals like the HSS-MCCS-2012b. Similar to some of the hand motions and signals above, USMC hand signals and other hand gestures come in handy when you need to communicate and get others attention. You can usually track down a training manual copy to learn these military hand signals by searching the specific manual number.
- USMC Hand Signal Training Manual: HSS-MCCS-2012b
U.S. Army Hand Signals
The U.S. Army also uses military hand signals and teaches them during basic training and in other advanced tactic courses and Army Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training schools. Many of the Army hand signals and military hand gestures they use are found in the Training Circular (TC) 3-21.60. This is the Army's guide to "Visual Signals" which is around 94 pages long on all of the major hand signals the Army uses. It includes many more in-depth hand signals than we can talk about there. Soldiers need to understand this document to be effective in combat operations and communicate with other Army troops visually. The Army hand signals in TC 3-21.60 were originally released in 1997 as part of Field Manual (FM) 21-60. They were since updated and include hand and hand signals for dismounted operations, ground vehicles, aircraft, and other specialty hand gestures.
- U.S. Army Hand Signal Training Manual: TC 3-21.60 (FM 21-60)
Police and SWAT Hand Signals
Police departments and SWAT teams use hand signals to communicate when they need to be silent and tactical and to not let the bad guys know are coming. SWAT hand signals are very similar to the ones we discussed above so SWAT teams can communicate exactly what is happening, where the SWAT officers are going, and what they plan to do. Tactical units and police departments usually set their own policy when it comes defining the specific hand signals and these usually are not available to the public online. However, SWAT hand signals are often similar to military hand signals reviewing the other hand signal manuals like the TC 3-21.60.
Biking & Driving Hand Signals
Bikers and drivers also use hand gestures. Driving hand signals can be used while on road ways to let other drivers know you are turning right, left, slowing, or stopping. These hand signals are much less complicated than the tactical and military hand signals presented above. For a driving left hand signal, stick your left hand straight out to the side. The alternative is to bring your right arm up to a ninety degree angle. For a right hand turn hand signal, do the opposite with your right arm out or left arm up at ninety degrees. The stopping or slowing hand gesture is given by turning your arm down toward the ground at ninety degrees. Anyone on the road driving, biking, or using a vehicle without turn signals can use these hand signals to show where they are going while using nonverbal communication.
Airsoft Hand Signal FAQs
The point man usually gives the tactical hand signals when the squad is moving. This is because all of the airsoft players following behind point man is in front, encounters things first, and the rest of the squad can see his hands very easily to follow the directions. When the squad is stopped, the squad leader can give everyone directions using hand signals. Also, other team members can use hand signals to callout different things they see.
Hand signals are important during airsoft games because they allow your airsoft team to move silently around the field while still communicating ideas about the situation, game, and other players. This is important to achieve the element of surprise as well as stealthily infiltrate enemy territory while being unheard by opposing players.
Hand signals should be very simple to follow. This is because they are used to communicate nonverbally. Airsoft players must be able to use hand signals, hand gestures, and other types of nonverbal communication to clearly communicate what is happening and what players need to do. The hand signals listed here demonstrate how simple and easy to follow they should be.
Yes, you and your team can make up whatever hand signals work for the game or situation. Be sure to talk about what they mean ahead of time so everyone is on the same page and knows what specific hand gestures and motions mean. Not talking about the new hand signals ahead of time or trying to use them to communicate with other players you don't know can create confusion.
Yes, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) does use hand signals. USMC hand signals are covered in their operation and training manuals like the HSS-MCCS-2012b as well as covered in USMC Recruit Training during the thirteen week program.
Yes, the U.S. Army uses military hand signals a lot. They are part of the U.S. Army hand signal and visual communication manual in TC 3-21.60 (FM 21-60). This nonverbal communication manual is over 94 pages long and covers many standard military hand signals.
Yes, SWAT Teams use hand signals similar to the military. These tactical SWAT hand signals are found in the police department's policies and procedures which are often based off of the military's nonverbal communication standards.
A hand signal is a clearly defined motion made by the hand which specifically means one thing or idea. It is similar to a rough form of sign language where words are not needed to understand or communicate the idea. Only the hand signal is needed to communicate. It is a bigger hand motion than a hand gesture and helps to communicate the idea to other people in a nonverbal manner.
A hand gesture is different than a hand signal. A hand gesture is usually a hand motion made by someone who is talking to make a greater impact or point while they are talking about it. This is different than a hand signal because words are used while making the gesture while hand signals are used silently.
Sign language like American Sign Language or ASL is a form of signaling with your hands. Ideas are communicated similarly to hand signals in a nonverbal manner to people who cannot hear or are hard of hearing. Signing and sign language are different from hand signals because they follow a vocabulary of handshapes which communicate the ideas which is defined by an organization. Most hand signals are just what people commonly agree them to be for the ideas they represent.
