Kill zone In military tactics , the kill zone , also known as killing zone , is an area entirely covered by defensive fire , an element of ambush within which an approaching enemy force is trapped and destroyed . The objective of the defensive force is to quickly kill or capture all enemy soldiers inside the kill zone . The trapped soldiers may respond by counterattack ing . The term is used in a similar but non - lethal fashion in paintball and airsoft tactics . Practice . Ambush . The kill zone is an element of point ambush in which a military unit targets a single area with defensive fire such as mines , demolitions and guns . The kill zone may be bordered by obstacles , traps or indirect fire ( artillery or mortars ) to keep the enemy from escaping . In an area ambush , related multiple kill zones will be covered by multiple defensive units . The weapons of the kill zone are not fired until the majority of the enemy unit is within the kill zone , ideally all of the targeted unit . Defensive fire is initiated by the defensive unit leader who orders the most devastating weapons to be engaged , followed immediately by other weapons . The initial attack may be remote - controlled charges such as Claymore mines or other explosives . The ambushed unit may be prevented from advancing or retreating by explosions at the front and rear of their column . Machine gun and small arms fire may be augmented by indirect fire . Ideally , the action is completed so quickly that the enemy force has no time to report the engagement . A successful ambush may result in a patrol in the kill zone being destroyed in seconds . The ambush of a kill zone carries high risk in that forces not in the zone may maneuver around the flanks of the attackers , limiting their escape . Nearby forces may also come to the assistance of those caught in the attack . For this reason , a well - executed attack may be over in under a minute and rarely extends beyond a few minutes . Response . A military unit that finds itself suddenly under fire in an enemy kill zone must immediately take action against the ambushers . Such action may include soldiers assuming a prone position to minimize themselves as targets . Prone soldiers will return fire toward the ambushers . Other responses may include the targeted soldiers immediately assaulting suspected defensive positions . Soldiers outside of the kill zone may direct suppressive fire at the ambushers in support of the assault , and they may advance upon the flanks of the ambushers . Vehicles in the kill zone will likely attempt to leave it , while vehicle gunners fire toward the ambushers . Disabled vehicles may create cover for ambushed soldiers . Soldiers able to leave their disabled vehicles are expected to join the assault against the ambushers . Site selection . The kill zone should isolate and trap the enemy . The selection of a likely kill zone involves evaluating the terrain and making up for any inadequacies . First and foremost , the kill zone must be where the enemy is expected to travel , or where the enemy can be attracted with " bait " . If the potential kill zone terrain restricts vehicle movement to one vehicle width at a time , then a suddenly disabled vehicle will help to isolate the enemy . Terrain that keeps the enemy from moving out of the kill zone is useful for isolation , otherwise the ambushers will wish to place obstacles or munitions at the borders of the selected area . Especially important is separation between the enemy and the ambushing units , to prevent a counterattack . Avoidance . Military units on the move are vulnerable to ambush . To avoid the kill zone , a patrol may " fan out " and travel with elements spread out left and right , rather than staying solely on a road or track . Soldiers who take point must keep an eye out for signs of a kill zone , such as disturbed ground , obstacles and restrictive terrain . Night vision and thermal imaging equipment may help to discover hidden weapons , or enemy soldiers under cover . Paintball . The term " kill zone " is used in paintball tactics to designate an area that is heavily defended by enemy paintball players . Advancing players may know the location of the potential kill zone but be uncertain whether it is well - defended . Responses vary to being caught in a paintball kill zone . If the kill zone is too large and the enemy forces relatively far away , the ambushed players often retreat to cover . If the kill zone is small , the ambushed players are likely to charge forward and assault the defensive players . Fellow players who are not caught in the kill zone are likely to attack the flanks of the defensive players .