Bases Part 1 : Woods and Forests.

When building a base in a wood or a forest, the key elements are camouflage and a strong base. This guide will give advice on choosing a site, building the base and then camouflaging it, the three most important things to consider when building a base in a wood or a forest.

Step 1 : Choosing a site.

In a forest or wood, you have trees to build your base around. This is the obvious place to put a base. However here are a few additional things to look for : -

A tree that has collapsed on another – This is fairly common in a dense wood or forest, and the triangle support it forms is a great foundation for a solid base.

A tree with draping branches (e.g. a Weeping Willow) – This provides great natural camouflage, within the wall of branches is a large open space. Also Weeping Willows are usually found near water.

A tree near a stream or river – An obvious advantage.

If you can’t find any of these, don’t worry, a largish tree provides a great foundation.

Step 2 : Construction

In woods and forests there are lots of dead branches for construction. Use your central tree as a foundation, and then build a perimeter wall around it using branches. When constructing a base, you should always remember the following : -

To leave enough space inside the base for your whole team – as a rough guideline, leave about a square meter (square yard) per member of your team.

Clear the leaves and plants from the inside of your base – No-one likes kneeling down on wet leaves or stinging nettles!

Don’t leave sharp edges – although you may think that having sharpened stakes around your base is cool, the idea isn’t to kill someone so please be sensible.

Step 3 : Camouflage

Simple really, just camouflage your base using natural materials (no camo netting!), don’t over do it, a pile of leaves is very easy to spot.

Only one main thing to remember – use materials from your immediate surroundings, you would be surprised at the amount of people that make this fundamental mistake.

Additional Tactics

Build a second false base near you own and camouflage it really badly, your enemy will charge the false base and then you will be able to soak them!

EDIT: soon to come - Bases part deux, Urban and open ground and bases part three, traps and base defense.

I liked it. It was quick and to the point. Expect to see it up in like a week or two. Unless Dux has time to put it up now.

Nice, another war related article! [We don't have enough] My only suggestion is to include standard system measurements along with metric when mentioning any mesurements. The large majority of people viewing Soaker Media are from the US and even I have no clue how large one square meter is:

Also, and this goes for everyone, when you mention prices for guns, pvc, etc in an article PLEASE don't forget to include the equivilent in US dollars! Most Americans are not very good at converting [like myself] and some people don't know how. I may read through the current articles and insert American equivilents where there aren't any.

I edited in a square yard in brackets. I thought you used metric as well over the Atlantic. I can do imperial though so I have no problems.

Converting the prices in those cases may not even be appropriate or correct, since prices can vary greatly between countries.

It dosen't have to be completely or currently accurate, just a little paranthesis
something £ [something $]. That's all. It could even be an estimate. Just trying not to confuse visitors who may not know what £30 is, and may not even know what £ stands for.

If someone doesn't know what £ stands for, then I would be very concerned. The site is in English, so I would expect them to know that. Anyway, it's on the keyboard!

If you're talking gun prices, then having a dollar price wouldn't work. Although it's about two dollars to the pound, it actually works out as the same price in dollars. £30 = $30 for a soaker.

I don't think having prices converted is necessary. If someone is comitted enough they'll find a way to convert it themselves.

I just think it would be awkward to have other currency in articles on an American-based site. I might just make a conversion page so we won't have to worry about this issue.