Water War Scenario 3: Under Cover

[isoaker]

You and seven other friends have gotten together for some games of Capture-The-Flag (CTF) using one-hit-kills (OHK) rules. Basically, the goal of each short game is to either eliminate the other team and/or capture the opposing team's flag and bring it safely back to base. Anyone who is hit with a fist-sized splotch of water is out and, if they were carrying a flag at the time, the flag would be dropped where the player was soaked, but could not be picked up and brought back to the original base until the start of a new game (of course, if another opposing player came along to try to bring the flag back to their base, they could). Games were also set to a total time span of 1 hour each so that a few games could be played over the course of the afternoon. Each team is comprised of four players, each armed with blasters roughly classed between Super Soaker XP310/Max-D6000 to Water Warrior Blazer/ Super Soaker CPS1000/CPS1200 in power and performance.

The flags are located in known places at each team's base. The bases, themselves, are comprised of two members' backyards, roughly 500' apart. The houses are separated by a park with a central playground, bushes, etc. which could be crossed in a few spots with minimal chance of being spotted (i.e. there are a few known paths that offer a good amount of cover for passing through the park). However, as these routes are known to both teams, there is also a good chance that one may end up encountering an opponent also attempting to use one of these routes.

For the first game, you and your team decided to split up a bit; one would remain near to the base to guard the flag, two would start working their way slowly towards the enemy base, while you, being the fastest runner of the group, were recruited to move more quickly ahead to scout out what the opposing team is up to.

After crossing about 2/3rds of the park quickly, yet quietly, you catch funny motion on a nearby path. About 50' from your location, you manage to make out three of your opponents making their way towards your team's base. You are fairly sure you have not been seen or heard, yet, but are still about 10' out of range, not to mention not having a clear shot without giving up your own cover. Based on your knowledge of the terrain, you figure your opponents will end up encountering your two other teammates if they continue down that path. You also figure that your teammates are about 300' back from your position. However, you still have not ascertained where the fourth player is, though you currently guess that he is on guard duty at their base.

What would you do? Would you circle back to meet up with your teammates? Would you attempt to snipe your opponents? Would you follow the group to help surround them once they encounter the rest of your team? Would you continue towards the opposing team's base? Or would you do something else altogether? What would YOU do?

---------------------------------------------

As always, there is no absolute right answer to these scenarios. Results depend on so many factors including how well you perform, what your opponents end up doing, and, of course, to some luck, too. However, sharing alternative ideas and tactics can prove invaluable for dealing with similar real life situations when the time comes. It always good to have multiple options from which to choose.

Soak on!

[Adrian]

Depends on a variety of factors. Are we talking about cover or concealment here - decently thick trees that will stop water, or bushes that merely hide you from view? With cover, I'm going to get as close as I can and take them out. If it's concealment, I'm going to slink up as close as I can, and hope I can hit them all in one big swipe.

Besides terrain, it depends on my teammates. If they're 300 feet away from encountering my brother, I'll ignore them or offer them a towel. If they're 300 feet away from Ann (you might remember her from WW5) I'm going to make more of an effort to help out.

Adrian

[HBWW]

A typo I should note; "Max-D1000" instead of "Max-D 6000".

This is where the radio comes in place, but since they're not around, I'd continue on the assault as planned. Given I move fast enough to storm through the base (them having only have one guard), I should be able to get the flag and run back. Since it was never specified that both flags had to be at one team's base, I could allow the enemy to take the flag if they did, then, given the fact that I'm supposedly fast, score before the enemy even gets to the middle of the field with our team's flag, thus ending the game. Ambushing the group of 3 by myself is too risky in this situation and running back to the group could waste time. (I assume they're in the open, but even if not, they're still tightly packed and one could turn around and unload a shot on me once I get 1 or 2 kills)

However... I could still run back to the group of 2, tell them to stay out of sight, and set up a quick ambush in the vegetation. Given we can eliminate the 3 without loosing more than 1 or 2 of our own, we can then regroup, move out and attack the enemy base. If the guard leaves to go off alone to get our flag, he'll only encounter an ambush when coming back. If he stays where he is, he'll also get ambushed by the 3 or 4 of us.

[isoaker]

A typo I should note; "Max-D1000" instead of "Max-D 6000".

What? You've never used the Max-D1000?! Thanks for pointing that out; now fixed!

[XP270]

I'd probably go to thier base. And see what I could do from there.