Cover and Concealment
Understanding the difference between cover and concealment is one of the most basic yet critical aspects of survivability. In combat scenarios, these two elements are often confused or misused. Learning how to identify and apply them properly can dramatically increase your effectiveness and survivability.
Cover keeps you alive. Concealment keeps you unseen.
What Is Cover?
Cover is any object or terrain feature that offers physical protection from enemy fire.
Typical examples include:
- Concrete walls
- Sandbags
- Terrain elevations
- Armored vehicles
- Large rocks or hardened structures
Cover should always be:
- Solid — it can absorb or deflect bullets
- Sustainable — it allows you to remain effective while under fire
- Tactically viable — you can shoot from it or maneuver from it
Some game engines may not have full ballistic simulation. Treat obvious solid objects (e.g. walls, trees, vehicles) as cover even if they don’t stop bullets in-game — unless the mission confirms otherwise.
What Is Concealment?
Concealment hides your position but does not stop bullets. It’s visual obstruction — not physical protection.
Examples include:
- Bushes or foliage
- Shadows and low light
- Smoke grenades
- Fog or darkness
- Windows or thin fabric
Use concealment when:
- Moving between pieces of cover
- Avoiding detection during stealth movement
- Distracting or confusing the enemy’s perception
Concealment does not protect you from fire. It only reduces your visibility. Assume incoming rounds can penetrate concealment unless proven otherwise.
Fighting From Cover
When using cover:
- Minimize your exposure — only expose when actively engaging or scanning
- Avoid predictable positions — vary your peek angles and timing
- Keep moving — never assume one piece of cover will be safe indefinitely
- Watch flanks and bounce angles — grenades and indirect fire can defeat static cover
Use cover to control the tempo of a firefight, not to hide from it.
Not all games support leaning, blind fire, or bipod deployment. Adjust your fighting posture to what’s mechanically available in your platform.
Using Concealment
When concealment is your only option:
- Move quickly and low
- Combine with terrain masking when possible
- Avoid shooting from concealment unless you’re repositioned — muzzle flashes can give you away
- Concealment is temporary — it buys you seconds, not safety
When you’re not protected, stay unpredictable.
Smoke Usage
Smoke is a concealment tool — not cover. Use it to:
- Obscure enemy lines of sight
- Break contact or retreat safely
- Cross open areas when cover isn’t available
- Signal or mask movement
Tips for Effective Use:
- Deploy smoke in front of the enemy’s line of sight — not directly on your position
- Use terrain and smoke together when possible
- Communicate smoke usage:
"Popping white smoke east, moving!"
Colored smoke can also be used for signaling, marking LZs, or bounding routes. Note: Smoke when used incorrectly can expose your position to the enemy. Use it wisely and in coordination with your team.
By understanding the difference between cover and concealment—and knowing when to use each—you gain control over your survivability. Never confuse being unseen with being safe.
Common Mistakes
- Using smoke when not necessary, which can expose your position to the enemy.
- Treating concealment as if it were effective cover.
- Staying stationary behind weak or temporary cover.
- Moving without first identifying the next piece of cover.
- Failing to use smoke when natural concealment is unavailable.
- Overexposing body parts while fighting from cover.
Quick Reference
| Situation | Use Cover or Concealment? |
|---|---|
| Under direct fire | Cover |
| Moving between positions unseen | Concealment |
| Retreating or breaking contact | Smoke (Concealment) |
| Observing enemy unnoticed | Concealment, ideally near cover |
| Preparing to engage from defense | Cover with concealment if possible |