Gamers have all experienced this before — you’re trying to get from Point A to Point B when, suddenly, you’re gunned down by a player who’s been hiding, motionless, for minutes, just waiting for you to run by. It doesn’t matter if it’s a sniper in an open field or some jerk hiding around the corner with a shotgun — it pisses you off and, of course, it’s never your fault.
The practice of posting up in a spot and waiting for players to enter your field of view is called ‘camping,’ and if you’ve played an online shooter, this tactic has definitely boiled your blood. Probably because we all, on some level, recognize an undeniable truth: there’s nothing technically wrong with the strategy.
If you’ve just come off a losing round of CS:GO, this is probably the point in the article where you ragequit and go back to scrolling through Facebook, but if you’ve served, then you know ‘camping’ is a legitimate strategy — one that’s used in every area of military tactics, both defensive and offensive.
Next time, before you yell at that camper, consider these real-life examples:
(U.S. Marine Corps)
Snipers
If you know anything about being a sniper, then you’ll know exactly why this is at the top of the list. Snipers are the kings of real-life camping. Their entire job revolves around sitting in a spot, waiting to clap someone on the other side of the “map.”
(U.S. Marine Corps)
Ambushes
A successful ambush leverages the element of surprise against your enemy. It’s when you and your entire squad hide in some bushes and wait for enemies to roll down a road so you can punch their time card.
If an enemy squad hears you approaching in PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, they’re going to hit the deck and wait until you come into view. It’s fair play and you getting upset about it won’t diminish its usefulness.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michael Petersheim)
Holding security
Whether you’re in a city, in a desert, or in a jungle, if you’re kneeling down waiting for enemies, then you’re definitely camping. You’d be stupid not to keep an eye out for the enemy in real life — so why’s it a sin in gaming?
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Carson Gramley)
Sitting in a defense
Defensive postures are mostly meant for resting after a large-scale attack, but while you’re sitting in your fighting hole, you’re watching for enemies.
This is, essentially, 300+ people camping together in real-life.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Scanlan)
On post
The entire purpose of being on post is, no matter where you’re at, to watch for enemies and forcefully remove their soul from their body should they come around. Sometimes, you’ll wait for hours and nothing happens but, either way, camping is used to maintain security in large perimeters.
So, next time someone says they “hate campers,” remind them that it’s not only fair — but tactically sound.