* Bases/Filling Stations
By: iSoaker.com
Bases are typically designated or set up when playing larger-scale water fight games. The water fight base is essentially a defended filling station. The type of base built should reflect the base's strategic importance. Large, more permanent-type bases should be built around Level 4 or Level 5 Filling Stations (See below for Filling Station definitions). Smaller, temporary bases and even mobile bases can be built around Level 1 or Level 2 Filling Stations. This page will look into the different aspects of good base building and give some useful tips about what to consider and what to avoid.
Filling Station Descriptions:
The following is a simple grading system for different Filling Stations. Though this does not need to be adopted by everyone, it makes explaining the rest of this page simpler.
Level 1 Stations have the most limited supply and methods of filling. SC-capable weapons would not be able to use their quick-fill and the SC-Power Pak could not be recharged (unless a portable Q.F.D.-type unit is available). However, being made of solely water bottles, this is also the most mobile filling station. If possible (and depending on the size of the water war), many small bases can be set-up with Level 1 stations in them since they are quick and easy to make. Of course, like the water weapons, once the water bottles are empty, the station is out as well.
Level 2 Stations have more water available to them than Level 1 stations, but are also unable to power-charge SC-capable weaponry. These station types do have a "quick-fill " option for smaller weapons which can be simply plunged into the cooler (if enough water is available) and filled quickly. However, like Level 1 stations, once the water supply in the station is exhausted, the station is left high and dry.
Level 3 Stations have an "unlimited " water supply, but do have a limited recharging rate and are still unable to recharge SC-capable weapons via the quick-fill method. Unlike Level 1 and Level 2 stations, Level 3 stations are fixed in position simply due to the water source. The main problem is that using small faucets or drinking fountains do not produce a lot of water at once. It can take a few minutes just to fill one larger water weapon. The best option is that the one who is guarding the filling station should also ensure that many large water bottles are kept near and filled. When allies return to recharge, the water bottles will allow more to fill-up at the same time without having to wait for the water to come from the faucet/drinking fountain. While the rest of the team is on various missions, bottles should be refilled.
Level 4 Stations have an "unlimited " water supply as well as good recharging rate and can opt for recharging SC-capable weapons via the quick-fill method. Filled water bottles, however, are still recommended to have since they will allow more people to recharge at the same time. The problem with only having one hose available is that a choice must be made whether or not to use the quick-fill stand for SC-capable weapons (this is no longer a problem if the new QFDs are used). It takes time to switch between the SC-filling stand and a normal hose-nozzle. If possible, a Y-adapter should be purchased along with a short hose to allow both quick-filling as well as regular hose filling to be used simulaneously. As an aside, the hose, of course, can also be used as a water blaster for station defense.
Level 5 Stations are the "ultimate " filling stations. Two or mose hoses allow SC-power charging to be used without worrying about sacrificing a hose. Multiple hoses also allows a variety of station defense measures to be used (i.e. sprinkler traps, hose-armed patrols, etc.) Using Y-adapters as described in Level 4 Stations further maximizes the usefulness of these stations. Of course, having filled water bottles available would still allow for more allies to recharge at once but this is not as needed since lots of water can be quickly brought forth from multiple hoses
Bases
Small bases and/or mobile bases can be built around any type of filling station. Mobile bases can only truly be built around Level 1 and Level 2 stations (for obvious reasons). Depending on the number of enemies present, a small base may be enough to use when guarding Level 4 or Level 5 filling stations. However, it is typically recommended that a larger base be built around larger filling stations.
- Level 1: Basic Station - Comprised solely of filled water bottles.
- Level 2: Low Grade Station - Comprised of filled water bottles as well as a large water container (i.e. cooler)
- Level 3: Mid-Level Station - Comprised of filled water bottles but also has a limited-rate water source (i.e. small faucet, drinking fountain, etc.)
- Level 4: High-Level Station - Comprised of filled water bottles and has a working hose available
- Level 5: Top-Level Station - Has 2 or more working hoses available as well as filled water bottles
For mobile bases, the key is to have light, quick to set-up defenses. One of the easiest and lightest defense materials available to most for base building is plastic garbage-bag-covered corrugated cardboard. The cardboard supplies the strength and rigidity while the garbage bags minimize water damage on the cardboard. The nice thing is that these structures can be built quickly, cheaply, and moved if need be. When designing a mobile base, one way to help the cardboard stand when in base-mode is to attach a collapsible T-joint also made of cardboard to the back of main deflection barrier. More complex barrier designs will incorporate transparent sections in the barrier to allow one to see beyond the wall while still being protected as well as blaster ports to allow one to fire without much fear of return fire. As can be surmised from the general description above, good bases take advanced planning and building. However, the effort used in building and designing a good base will prove invaluable during opposition confrontations.
Updated: 20040501 | Posted: 19990613
::Submitted Information
Base Defence By: Tony B. | Posted: 20010606
Tired of having your refilling station/base overrun while you are busy filling up? Try this device & put a real damper on the other guys.
Pay a visit to your local sprinkler supply shop. What you are looking for is 2" diameter PVC. Buy about an 8-12 foot length. Get a plug for one end and an adapter for the other that will allow you to hook it up to the end of a normal garden hose. Pick up a "Y" hose adapter with valves while you're at it. Take the PVC and mark a straight line down one side (be sure not to "spiral" around the thing). Drill 1/8 inch holes along this line about 6-10 inches apart (measure twice; build once). The number and size of the holes should be depends on how much pressure you have to work with. Don't get carried away or all you will get is a pathetic trickle. You can use smaller holes and drill more of them or vice-versa. Paint it black, brown, or camo, or Kawasaki green if you want being sure not to paint over the holes or hose threads.
Hook it up to a supply hose, positioning the "Y" adapter where you can reach it easily. Hook your normal QFD (on a short piece of hose) to the other outlet of the adapter and use it normally. Position the PVC on the ground, holes facing outwards from your refill station and angled upward about 45 degrees.
If (when) the bad guys get too close, open the valve on the adapter. This will result in a number of streams of water (roughly equivalent to X3 nozzles depending on the size of holes you drilled) firing outwards, giving you a chance to grab a loaded blaster and call for backup. If you drilled straight, no one can get close without getting really wet. With enough pressure, it will outrange most hand held soakers, providing a good stand-off barrier.
This is a good force multiplier for a short-handed refill base and works best if there are limited avenues of approach to the base. The initial ambush will be a nasty surprise; subsequent uses will not be as effective (fixed defenses never are) unless you relocate the device to cover a different approach. Of course, several could be set up on a 4-way manifold, effectively surrounding the base, but that's a bit much, even for me... did I say that? WHAT WAS I THINKIN'????
:: Post-Battle Observations By: Tony B. | Posted: 20010604
After all the insanity died down, I finally got a chance to talk to some of the people who participated in the 2001 Fl. Renaissance Festival water war (See the article under the "world/war journal" section).
In speaking to the people who manned (and womanned) the refill station, an interesting factoid was revealed to me. In preparation for the battle, about 50 plastic bottles (Gatorade, 2L soda,gallon milk jugs, etc.) were filled to provide fast refills (and avoid crowding). In addition, two 68 qt. coolers were filled with ice and water (I never claimed to be nice).
It turns out that virtually no one used the plastic bottles to refill as they were "too slow". The preferred method was to simply submerse the soakers in the large coolers. The refill crew wound up using almost all of the bottles to keep the coolers topped off. Go figure.
I was also told that we never even came close to running out of water. The two QFD's on the "Y-adapter" hose worked out well, speeding up the process there. Even though there were two QFD's, only one person was allowed to refill at a time as the station was at the end of 150' of hose. Using both simultaneously caused the (already low) pressure to drop and full refills would take too long. The optimum setup was to have one person refill at position #1, with the next person in line standing by at the #2 QFD. Once full, the person at #1 would disconnect, call "CLEAR" and the person at #2 would immediately begin filling. Another person would then wait at #1. This worked faster than you would think and the refill crew kept things civil. As a result, most of our troops were on the field soaking instead of waiting to refill.
Next year we will increase the number of coolers and possibly add a pressurized tank to supply multiple QFD's (if this comes to fruition, I will supply details). Less bottles to fill is ok by me.
Fortifications (By: Field Marshall Turumbar | Posted: 20030424)
Suggested materials: Depending on the time you have to set up a fortification can be anything from a shield wall to a piece of wood to a pile of sticks. An easy to establish fortification is a tarp. It can easily be fit into someone’s backpack and can, in wooded areas, be draped over a tree either making a barrier from frontal assault or if you go inside, limit the areas where the enemy can attack. Be warned, however, that going inside a tarp is virtually assured suicide since you’re a sitting duck.
Prefabrication: If you are on an offensive campaign, it is often best to establish supply dumps and fortifications to give you a place to retreat to to avoid pursuit and to give you a point to rally your men for a counter strike. A fortification doesn’t have to be as well prepared as a shield. It can be simply cardboard, old boards or plywood, styrofoam, sheets of metal, logs, or anything like that. When establishing a fortification from two large sheets of styrofoam, a small board, and the detached sliding door from an aluminum shed, my cousin and I took from thirty seconds to a minute setting it up. However, when we lined the materials up in an order we knew worked and set them at the base of the tree, we found that by pushing the preassembled materials right up into a line, we cut down our time to five seconds on our first try. By taking the time to establish these you make sure that a retreat does not become a rout.
