America's Army/Bottleneck Operation

The Bottleneck Operation
The Bottleneck Operation is defined in one of Tom Clancy's fiction novels. Op-Center: State of Siege relates the story of how terrorists take over the United Nations building. The terrorists are beaten in the end when the fictional US organization known as Op-Center dispatches two war veterans armed with M9 Berretas to launch a Bottleneck Operation. Though the Bottleneck never took place in the story, it is described in detail: "The Bottleneck Operation is a classic maneuver that was first used, as far as anyone can determine, by a small ragtag army of Russian peasants...battling heavily armed and armoured Teutonic invaders in the twelfth century. The only way they could conceivably defeat the larger, better-equipped force was by squeezing them onto a frozen lake, where the ice cracked beneath their armour. Virtually all the enemy soldiers drowned...Done well, under cover of night or geography, the bottleneck made it possible for a small force to overcome a much larger one."

As there are no frozen lakes in AA for OPFOR to fall into, the Bottleneck Op will have to be accomplished the new-fashioned way: with guns.(Though not necessarily with Berretas) The following strategy is ideal for low-personnel offensives - even two soldiers can use this strategy and win.

Establishing the Bottleneck
For a Bottleneck to take place, you need a team of at least two poeple including yourself, an area where there is cover on at least two sides of the enemy force, weapons, ammunition, a brain, and most importantly, teamwork. When you find this special spot where you are sure the enemy is going to walk by and there is sufficient cover(trees, vehicles, buildings) on both sides, split the team into two and send the first group into hiding. They do not need to see the enemy - the second group will be the one doing that. The second group of soldiers now either go for the enemy with the first group in tow, or they sit in an area where they can see where they enemy is probably going to pass by. The latter is recommended.

Opening Shots
When the second group spots the enemy, they should stay still and wait for them to move into range of the first group(which is in hiding). When enemy is in range of the first group(make sure the first group doesn't peek out or anything) the first group should jump out or their corner and open fire on OPFOR. The first group should try and flank the enemy; the first group's main objective here is to cut off the enemy's escape route while keeping the enemy between them and the second group.

Down the Bottle
The second group now advances in a tight formation. As long as the enemy is between both groups and the escape routes are covered, one or both groups will now move in on OPFOR, picking off enemies when they can. The enemy cannot attack, and cannot flee, because if they turn one way, someone will stab them in the back. Their only option now is to fire at both of your groups. The first group will target enemies aiming at the second group, and likewise, the second group will give special attention to the ones firing on the first. Both sections of your unit will most probably hammer them. Take care not to shoot across to the friendly units on the other side of the enemy. As long as both of your forces stay on opposite sides of the enemy, you do not let up your attack, no one escapes, and no one surprises you from behind, Opposing Forces...are in very hot water. Feel free to turn up the heat.

Bottlenecks can be achieved at a split seconds notice. Popping up behind enemies while they are preoccupied with your friend way over there is a good impromptu bottleneck, as long as your 'friend' doesn't start retreating.

Lastly, never use a bottleneck when the enemy is all over the place. They'll counter-bottleneck YOU.

Weapons
Heavy Weapons, such as SAWs and grenade launchers coupled with precision weapons such as sniper rifles work well in a Bottleneck Op.

Counters

 * Press aggressively towards or eliminate one group. The bottleneck will be broken.
 * Look for an excape route and use it. Bottleneck will then be broken.
 * Play dead. Retreat to cover; spread out as much as you can in the small space you have. Don't return fire. Let them come to you, then launch a surprise counter-attack.
 * If you have troops outside the bottleneck, call them in to establish a counter-bottleneck by attacking one of the opposing groups of enemies in tandem with your outside force. Rush one opposing force, smash it, and smash the other one with your combined forces.

The "Real" Bottleneck
Please note that this is not a bottleneck operation, but rather a cross- fire maneuver, mostly used during WWI and II. A bottleneck would rather consist of throwing a grenade at enemies in close quarters. This grenade is not intended to kill, but rather force the enemies to run out through a narrow exit or doorway, thus the "bottleneck". The enemies can eiasily be taken out since they are running, and a SAW can use uninterrupted fire towards the bottleneck and still score kills, due to the panic of the situation.

Counters
Well, countering a bottleneck is impossible, since if the enemy has performed it, you're doomed. You could try to take out the guys shooting at you, but it will be VERY hard- everyone's panicking and you're trying to find where they're hiding and... Well, you need to prevent bottlenecks to avoid them.