Ideal Water Warfare - ^

[isoaker]

Not sure this topic has ever really been covered like this before. We've had talk of blasters, tactics, environments, etc., but never really looked at the whole picture at once.

Now, there is definitely no such thing as the all-encompassing 'ideal water warfare' setting that'll please everyone. However, perhaps, as a group, we can push out some ideas on things we'd like to see in general when having battles.

For me, I pretty much engage in two different scales of water fights: small ones involving less than 5 people typically using smaller soakers (unless it's really hot) or large ones involving 20+ people in giant FFA settings where anything that dispenses water is used (from soakers to buckets to entire water coolers being poured if someone isn't paying enough attention).

In both cases, I find myself seeking out blasters that have an effective shooting range of about 25'-30'. That means the blaster must shoot a little farther since I don't just want to be hitting people's toes. Ideally, I'd like to be able to use a larger effective range on the order of 35'-40' (max range would work out to about 60'), but see no point (and a danger, too) of having soakers shoot too far. Water is heavy and any soaker that can release enough energy to push a good amount of water farther has an even greater chance of being misused. Safety aside, longer ranges, IMO, should be left to thrown water balloons Streams should be potent, but not so fast as to be non-dodgable unless at point-blank range (~less than 3') and, as fun as it is, soaking someone completely in one hit really reduces the lifespan of a game.

The best water fights I've participated in involved soakers of even effective size (i.e. either all small soakers like the XP220 and XP240, larger such as XP150s and XP310s, or small to mid-CPS-class soakers). Water fights involving the heavy cannons just ended too quickly since after a couple of hits, everyone was dripping and adding on more water didn't change much. This doesn't mean I don't like the cannons, but I do find to have longer and more enjoyable games when using evenly match smaller soakers.

For terrain, I prefer grass with some trees to grass and shrubs. I avoid asphalt and concrete since those types can really hurt to fall on or do more damage if one drops a soaker. I've yet to have a fight in a heavily wooded area. It seems like it'd be a load of fun, but few people I know would be into that sort of thing.

I can probably babble on, but am curious on what others have to say.

Post on!

[Adrian]

My usual fighting environment is suburban, with a lot of the fighting taking place either on side yards (probably because they're the best bottlenecks you can normally get in the city) or on pavement. I prefer to fight in the woods, or in not-normal conditions (my best idea ever was small nightly fights at the local playground). The suburbs give the heavy hitters a bit more of an advantage.

The average scale of the fights I participate in is rather small. 3-7 people, 4 usually.

My prefered weapons are low end CPSs, at most CPS 2(k)???s. I really like using my 2700, and the 2000 and 2500, when I get a chance to use them, are a dream. Heavier soakers don't interest me too much. I'm a little too small to use an X, XL, or 3200 effectively, though I've used them before. My Pirahna's my most used weapon and will likely retain that ranking this year. The size, power, range are all there. Heavy weapons (including my beloved 2k??? series are best left for occasional fights on really hot days, or for wars.

My prefered tactic is a pincer movement and/or hit-and-run. Most of the times, my pincer movement can be broken through, because it's 2v2, and the other 2 has heavier weaponry. I really like running and gunning, people say I'm built for running, and I kind of agree with them. Staying and duking it out with an XL isn't my idea of fun, when I can stop, shoot, and outrun them. That said, I really, REALLY enjoy CQC in an environment conducive to commando fighting, like a playground or forest, though the best battleground would be something like one floor of a building devoted to nothing but cubicles. :p The Pirahna's short enough that it's perfect for this style of fighting.

Adrian

[isoaker]

the best battleground would be something like one floor of a building devoted to nothing but cubicles

Liability insurance aside, that would be an awesome battle ground for a water fight. Large factory-floor split into a rough maze of cubicles that can be seen over slightly when standing, but can be hidden if crouching.

[cooldood31]

For optimal weapon size, isoaker, I think you mostly hit the nail on the head, one thing I like different is too have a single cannon on each team. Optimal terrain would have to be a non-pine forest, with a range of terrain from rocky hills and outcrops, to grassy clearings, to swamp, but mostly straight out forest. As to amount of people playing: 3 on 3 (my preffered size) up to 5 on 5 would be good. I think it's all a matter of opinion tough.