In this section I am going to attempt to explain a method that my team has used extensively for the past couple of years in order to ensure a safe, secure, dry base, and happy soldiers.
The base is the center point for your strategic military operations. It is very easy to have a nice quick, and fun battle in a soakfest style of battle, with frenzied combat and require no base. For a long duration game with clear cut teams, and well laid out rules, a well constrcuted base is essential. That is why I am going to run through 3 different bases that can be used, and that will supply varying amounts of protection.
Base 1
The lightest of all the base contruction types, base 1 can repel pretty much anything the oppsing team can throw at it short of the running over and pulling it apart, which should definently be against the rules, in your fight.
Materials: 6, 8, or 10 plastic lawn chairs depending on the size of the base you want. 1 or 2 tarps, a couple pieces of plywood. Make sure the plywood is not shorter than 6 feet, and no taller than 5 feet.
Arrange the arm chairs into two groups of 3 4 or 5, and arrange them facing each other in to parrel lines, witht he seats facing in. Leave about 3 or 4 feet between the lines. Second, lean your peices of plywood aagainst the outer sides of the lawn chairs. This will help to provide a water tight seal against any fire, and will provide stability against heavier weapons such as WBLs. If you feel the need, you can stretch a tarp across the top. This will provide you with a roof and a cover against any waterballoons, but makes it impossible, to stand up and fire from the protection of your base. My teams personal preference is to leave half un roofed, and other half roofed. We will fire from the un roofed section, and then take cover in the roofed section if we see the threat of Water balloons.
Base 2
The medium base, the Base 2 takes longer to construct, provides about the same cover as base 1, but is more stable, more larger, and more intimidating. A good idea for base 2 is to construct it in between the 2 sides of base1 converting base 1 into a sort of series of trenches.
Materials: 4 pieces of plywood. (about 6 feet feet long and 6 feet tall.), 6 long and thick stakes (about a foot long and no more than an inch thick.) about 15 or 20 long nails. A roll of duct tape. A tarp.
Nail two stakes to the side (but at the bottom) of each peice of plywood. Have about 6 or 7 inches protruding from the bottom. Make sure they are securally fastened, and are spaced equally. Nail the three pieces of plywood together to form 3 walls at right angles. Makes sure the stakes on all three walls are pointing down.Plant the walls into the ground, using the stakes as support. If neccessary, bury a portion of the actual walls into the ground to provide stability. Yu should be able to give the walls a slight push without them moving. You know have three walls but without a roof. You guessed what the other pywood was for. Plop the other one on top. You don't have to nail it, but you can securely fasten it with some duct tape. You know have a 3walled house with a roof, but with no door. Spread the tarp so that it covers the open side but is about 1 foot off of the ground. Duct tape it to the roof, and your base is done. You can now spray paint it, modify it, cut windows, and implant other homelike features into the inside. Or you could do what I reccommend and make it a level 3 base.
Base 3
For the ultimate in permanent water warfare residence, the Base 3 is it. It will not move easily so beware where you construct it. It will not budge once constructed and can deflect virtually any water warfare weapon.
Materials: 1 level 2 base. 6 plastic flower pots (at least six or seven inches deep, all the same size), water, 2 or 3 bags of cement. 3 more tarps.
In the level 3 base, we are going to fill the pots with wet cement, stick a stake from the level 2 base in each one, dige a hole fore each flower pot, and plant the thing in the ground permanently. With a concrete, semi-foundation, the level 3 base is virtually indestructible from any water weapons, and will be much, much, much more stable. You can now cover all the sides with tarps to prevent any water weakening the walls.
The level three base is the perfect base, especially with trenches and alarms surrounding it.
Okay you have built your base. You are one third of the way to developing the perfect center of operations for your team. Now you have to set your defensive perimeter.
Setting the Defensive Perimeter
The defensive perimeter is not nearly as complicated as it sounds. You are merely setting an array of booby traps, and alarms, that will warrn you in advance of an approaching force.There are many great sites out there that can explain the array of booby traps and alarms better than I can, so I will point you in their direction. However, it is always good to know the basics. Setting a fence around your perimeter, will help to slow down any opposing force, trip wires attached to bells, will be a great asset during stage covert operation at night, and planting a guard in a tree or some other hidden location will give you clear warning well before hand. Once you have a stable defensive perimeter ddeveloped, it is time for an optional step towards creating your perfect base.
Developing Shifts for Your Soldiers
During long battles, it is is vital for your soldiers to be at thier peak pereformance, and for thier morale to be at its best. i know from personal experince that sitting for hours guarding a base can extremely boring, and stressful. Your mind needs the adrenaline rush of fast moving combat to bring it to it's peak performance. Assigning set positions for your squad is always a good idea because it helps to organize the battle. However it might be a good idea to assign shifts for your men. Let me explain. Assign a couple of men top guard the base as you and the rest of the force is out in the thick of things. When your assigned shift is over, go back to the base and switch your men that have been fighting the longest with the men guarding the base. this will help your men to experience all roles of th esoldier, and it will drastically improve morale. Simple and basic shifts for your soldiers always work best, but developing more complicated ones can be interesting and can ultimately produce a better effect. Which ever way you do it, setting shifts is a good idea and will have other people regarding you as a more capable commander.
EDIT: premature post
Wow, very nice article there. Can we use it on the site?
Our team typically uses a half-swamped camper, shed, or an observation tower as an HQ.
The RM has a HQ called Haven, but all it is for is storage. We probably won't be going there too often durring our wars with WB.
While it won't see much action during the Waterbridge war, it might become an important position during the Regional War. I bet that some of the more aggressive warriors at the battle would attack the positions in that area like Haven and High Point by attempting to climb up the front. We need to use that area in the regional war for the great height advantage. You also have a great view of the other bank from up there, and the other team can be watched if they are nearby.