Community Summer War

[marauder]

Baseball fields are horrible places for a water war, but the rest of it sounds good. Will need to watch the wilderness though, which I myself have seldom dealt with and never had wars in. If the playground is large enough, it may work too, but playgrounds constrict mobility very seriously and usually lack any decently solid cover. (Though you can bring in some tarps or something to fix that.)

Yes... you will need to watch the wilderness... for me. That's by far my preferred environment. Thanks for the suggestion Seal, it sounds good. Soakernerd, ask your parents if you'd be able to make it there. We want everyone possible to be able to make it.

[SEAL]

How about I take a few pictures of the park for you guys? I want to go there sometime to check out the woods, and I can easily bring a camera. I'm afraid that the playground is pretty small, and wouldn't be a very good place to fight. I suspect that we'd be doing most of our fighting in the woods. The only problem is, it's pretty far away from the bathrooms, which are our only refill stations (Although I think there is a stream in the woods.). The dumping place is closer, but it I don't think a large number of people would fit there. It would be better for duels.

[martianshark]

You could probably find the park on Google Maps.

[soakernerd]

I probably can't make it then, unless I am already in the area (which I probably won't be).

[marauder]

Seal/Soakernerd, could you make it to Hawthorne/Vallhala New York? There are several parks on the Kensico Reservoir there.

[HBWW]

If we war in the woods, I'm going to have to bring a large cooler or borrow someone's. We need to have the necessary equipment to stash water for such locations to be viable.

[marauder]

If we war in the woods, I'm going to have to bring a large cooler or borrow someone's. We need to have the necessary equipment to stash water for such locations to be viable.

That works. In the Vermin Wars we would always just fill up at someones house and then walk into the woods. 1/4 mile isn't that far, it's like once around a hs track. Then again, distance into the woods, and distance to bases aren't always that close.

[DX]

I also vastly prefer untouched wilderness, the more rugged the better. Size is not an issue, but if it's smaller than a mile long, it's going to feel cramped when fighting with more than 8 people. For sourcing, just find a permanent stream that flows through much of the venue. Even in the relatively large Goffle forests, one was never more than a 3 minute jog away from a reliable and fast refill. The issue I take with man-made sources like fountains and sinks is that they restrict speed - in a flowing waterway, your whole team can refill at the same time and the speed is only restricted by the size of your reservoir opening. Such places also carry defensive advantages, not to mention ambush opportunities, away from civilians. Police could be called if you burst into a bathroom with water guns while people are tying to use the place, but out in the middle of nowhere, water warriors are the only users.

Though, I am pretty cool with whatever people want to do. I just have a 20something slant to water wars, that fast-flowing and intense style that M4 shares a lot of - I'll hide in a thornbush or chase you across a river in pursuit of a hit. Open fields, playgrounds, static refilling stations...not really into that.

[marauder]

Speaking of fighting in the woods, I have a story about the first time anyone met up from the online community (correct me if anyone else has).

Around 8 years ago now (wow) my dad drove my brother and I to northern VA for xneverfacedefeatx's 2nd Dominator War. It was a 2 day war. Fighting began late in the afternoon on the first day. We were so intent on outflanking the enemy that we ended up way out in the middle of nowhere, lost in the woods. Picture 6 guys doing military style bounding over watch until not only have they lost track of the enemy, but they've lost track of where they're at. After it had gotten dark we ended up on a huge horse farm. When we made it out of the horse farm we were in a wealthy neighborhood where the houses were more like estates, with security gates and everything. You cannot imagine how suspicious we looked, fully camoed out, facepaint, blacked out guns, and squad manuevers.

Anyway, we made it to a more normal neighborhood, where we whiped off our camo and tried to make ourselves look as unthreatening is possible. Then we had my brother Kirk knock on someone's door because he was the youngest (11, I was 14, and everyone else was 16-18) and looked the least threatening. The lady that came to the door was, apparently, a homeschool mother (and a lot of us were homeschooled) and she had ~4 daughters there, so we actually ended up flirting with them (and some of the guys were picking up digits) until someone's dad came to pick us up.

That was possibly the weirdest occurrence I have ever had in a watergun fight. We thought we were so hardcore that we ended up outflanking ourselves. Don't get so caught up in what you are doing that you miss the bigger picture. I guess we were pretty hardcore though, 'cuz we won the battles on the next day . I'm sure you can find the actual war story on SSC's Hydrowar archive.

[HBWW]

The most experience I have with the woods is two airsoft games over one area that's quite small; tiny by DX's standards and there were well over 10 people per game. (With airsoft guns that have about 100ft of accurate range.) There was a mini-city in the center of the playing area which consisted of several small (up to 10 sq ft) buildings and that occupied almost 1/3rd of the total field. The rest were woods and on one side the terrain rises up on a hill where bunkers, small trenches, and sandbags are placed. I'd guess the length of the field to be no more than 1/3 to half of a mile. I never moved a whole lot in that game until later in the afternoon where half of our team left and we were getting spawn raped. From then, I've laid prone and camped by a trail at one time and went all the way near the enemy team's spawn point alone on the other. It was fairly interesting, but not very movement demanding.

Personally, I'd be up for a war in the woods, but one mile in length for even 16 people seems excessive from what I've played especially given how little range water guns have. Of course, I'm not very fit either but hopefully by then I'll be able to handle it. As for the friends coming along, I'd guess most of them should be able to handle it, but they haven't bothered with a water gun before. (I'll hold a skirmish for them before the road trip hits so they can figure out all the basics.)

Some other gripes with the woods environment; solid cover is extremely sparse; the whole game is based on movement, camouflaging, and staying hidden. I myself would have to dig up around to find the woodland I have, and none of my friends have any camo from what I know of. While I detest open fields just as much, I'd like to fight in an area with a mix of solid cover from here to there. For hit rules, we could go with M4's quarter-sized solid hit, anywhere on a target (not limited to a T-shirt). Elimination, CTF, whatever we play can be decided later; I have a ton of games to test and mess around with.

Edit: We have some who contend that piston pumpers/triggerless are in fact, useful blasters. Soakernerd and Martianshark, you guys are free to bring your best piston pumpers and slug it out against a Flash Flood, Orca, or Max-D 6k.

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Edit: Attached is a map of the parks we could potentially visit in our road trip. "We are here" marks home for us, and the rest is as listed:

Cedar Point
King's Island
Carowinds
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
King's Dominion
Six Flags America
Six Flags Great Adventure
Dorney Park
Hershey Park

We may have to drop Carowinds and maybe King's Island as they both add a lot of driving time. Also, the more southwest we can have the water war from NYC, the better. NYC doesn't seem to be a good location for many people.

As mentioned earlier, those who want to tag along and follow us on our trip to other parks may do so. If we go to Carowinds for example, M4 could meet up with us there. We can also likely meet-up and war with anyone along the trip.

We are currently unsure where we'll go; if we'll start our trip in the south or to the east.

Edit: Carowinds (Charlotte) and King's Island (Cincinnati) are off the list. We will be visiting the other parks, including, perhaps, Cedar Point. Apparently, everyone's best with north of NYC for the water warring location, so that's probably where we'll go. (For me, it's not quite on our route, but it's not bad either.)

[Black Six]

Rather than reply in the other topic where you guys were bugging me I figured I should keep everything here.

I'm not really much of a water-warrior these days, I mainly hang around the site because this was the first Internet community I ever joined and I'm a rank sentimentalist. If you guys were hosting a battle not too far I might be persuaded to come. I'd have to go visit my parents at some point and see if I can dig up my old Soakers (assuming they didn't throw them away ).

So don't make any plans based on me, I'll keep an eye on what you all are doing and see if any of it fits in with what I can do.

[marauder]

Rather than reply in the other topic where you guys were bugging me I figured I should keep everything here.

I'm not really much of a water-warrior these days, I mainly hang around the site because this was the first Internet community I ever joined and I'm a rank sentimentalist. If you guys were hosting a battle not too far I might be persuaded to come. I'd have to go visit my parents at some point and see if I can dig up my old Soakers (assuming they didn't throw them away ).

So don't make any plans based on me, I'll keep an eye on what you all are doing and see if any of it fits in with what I can do.

If need a ride and a gun I got you covered. I'm going through MD anyway.

[HBWW]

I posted a Doodle calendar on this. Input your availability and preferred location on it. http://www.doodle.com/t8w3i87fhktaqya5

As I edited earlier, Carowinds and King's Island are off the plan now; we will not be going there. It seems that having the war close to NYC is the best in order to get the most people in; please confirm this.

If we can agree permanently on the NYC location, we can begin working out dates, which the Doodle will be helpful for. After that, we can plan out other meetings; i.e. if anyone wants to meet my group up in one or more of the parks that we'll be visiting. We'll need to get this sorted out before June or July (not sure) for me as we're renting an RV and need to get all sorts of things sorted out.

After all that trip planning, we can decide on a pinpoint location, and negotiate fun stuff like games, playing field, rules, teams, water weaponry, and that sort of thing. No doubt there will be disagreement to how to war with so many different team backgrounds coming together, but we have plenty of time to sort that out and we probably can't even think about this until after a month or two or whenever we sort out the basics.

[scottthewaterwarrior]

It also helped my family, since both my mom and dad worked, I was able to drive my siblings around, buy groceries for my parents, etc.

My parents actually want me to get my license so I can do all that stuff. The only reasons I don't have it yet and only have my learners is because I need to take the mandatory drivers ed class and I keep forgetting to log my driving practice in my log book. I will probably have it by this summer but I'm not sure I will be ready to drive all the way to New York by myself until next year. I have driven there once but with my dad in the shotgun seat directing me.

Edit: As for the calendar, I'm a little hesitant to put actual dates on it. My family plans kind of last minute so any vacation plans have not been made yet and will be made only a week or two in advance. I noticed a lot of people were saying the begining of August. I have a yearly LEGO convention to go to August 4th - 7th so I can not make it those dates! Of coarse that assumes I can make it at all which depends on where it is and if my dad is willing to take me. If I can come any weekend other then the dates described is fine, I can make the rest of my plans around it.

[Black Six]

I noticed a lot of people were saying the begining of August. I have a yearly LEGO convention to go to August 4th - 7th so I can not make it those dates!

Wait, you got to BrickFair? Me too! I will totally be there this year, as I have every year in the past.

[marauder]

I noticed a lot of people were saying the begining of August. I have a yearly LEGO convention to go to August 4th - 7th so I can not make it those dates!

Wait, you got to BrickFair? Me too! I will totally be there this year, as I have every year in the past.

Former community member Mafo0 used to go every year too. That's pretty crazy.

It looks as if a lot of members might be able to make it. This is good. Tell your friends.

[wetmonkey442]

I live very near DX and am free most weekends during the summer. Let's choose a spot where we can get a barbecue/grill going as well!

[marauder]

I live very near DX and am free most weekends during the summer. Let's choose a spot where we can get a barbecue/grill going as well!

That's a very good idea. Add the dates you are free to our calender! http://www.doodle.com/t8w3i87fhktaqya5

I love the avatar btw. It reminds me of Spring Break this year, I went to South America and spent 2 days in the Amazon rain forest.

[zeda.beta]

I might be able to go as we have relatives in NYC so that could be an excuse for my parents to let us drive all the way up there.

Probably nobody else will be able to go with me, unless I am able to get some other people together for a road trip.

[SEAL]

Seal/Soakernerd, could you make it to Hawthorne/Vallhala New York? There are several parks on the Kensico Reservoir there.

Heh, I was in that area 2 days ago. I could probably make it, but I'm sure any parks in that area would be pretty busy (Especially on weekends.), unlike the place I found, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

I will be available through almost all of summer, up until September. I'm not going to add anything to the calender because I don't know exactly when I will be free and when I won't.