The identification problem (how to know they're Taliban before they open fire?) and the shadowing problem (patrols being shadowed by unarmed scouts once they leave their base) also play into the ambush problem.


I personally wouldn't worry very much about the ambush problem as long as they're poor shots, though. It's pretty much movement to contact, and the contact is very weak by European standards. A competent enemy would have crushed many platoons and companies by now.

Patrols should always do their job in packs; two or three patrol squads or platoons with some spacing (like 1 km). That enables a lot of manoeuvre even after one team got fixed. It also complicates the OPFOR's intelligence job.