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Battle Report 20060611

Written by DX
Last updated on 2006-06-11


Today's war was a 5v4, 7-0 Shutout of Waterbridge at Waterbridge. Somewhat close at first, we ended up running away with the battle for our first shutout so far this season. This battle was a true tactical showdown, with a 0-0 score until an hour and a half into the war.

Ridgewood Militia:

Duxburian: CPS 2500
Nibordude: CPS 2500
Cliff: Flash Flood
John: Flash Flood/Overload
Court: CPS 1100

Waterbridge:

Belisaurius: Thunderbird
Guderian: CPS 2100
Hannibal: Flash Flood
Ben: XP 310

The Early Developments

The Militia started at the usual starting place on the Spring St Bridge. Waterbridge had "hidden" itself further down the path behind a big tree. We decided to show some early aggression and came down to attack. Easily driving them up to the bluff, we then climbed the bluff and forced them to retreat again. Waterbridge is good at running away [*please excuse me, I have a cold*] so we lost track of them. Walking very cautiously through the reeds, we came to the base of Ivy Hill, a good place to observe the bank.

Waterbridge set off an ambush from hidden positions on Ivy Hill, which would have worked to great effect, except that it was launched way too early. We had enough distance between us that we were out of range and quickly preformed a textbook right oblique. The swiftness of the oblique allowed us to gain possession of the hill in a record 30 seconds. Waterbridge fled to the Sacred Grove, a mass of reeds densly clustered. Rather than attack that, we waited on Ivy Hill. Belisaurius's backpack yielded drinks, so we stopped to toast to Waterbridge for the third straight battle! They snuck out of the Sacred Grove and to our left. Rather than follow, we left Ivy Hill and plunged through the Sacred Grove. That was the safest way back to the path, for only an idiot would attack such a position. We crossed the Grove St Bridge and made our way to Echopont on the East bank. Ambush time.

The Middle Developments

I took up a post on the left side of the reeds, with the rest of the team on the right around Echopont. Nothing. So we moved further down and took up new positions. Waterbridge, all 4 accounted for, finally emerged in the direction of the Grove St Bridge. You bet they were nervous. It was tense waiting for them to get closer. But they didn't come all the way. Some civilians [two women walking their dogs] tipped them off about our ambush. So they entered Echopont in a hurry and took up defensive positions in the ditch. We regrouped to assault the reeds. Waterbridge fled and forded. The militia does not like fording, so we stayed on the East Bank, within sight of Waterbridge on the edge of the West. Ben didn't ford, so we stayed on the lookout for him.

This was kind of a natural cooling off period. Waterbridge disappeared while Cliff and John forded and Nibordude, Court, and I crossed the Grove St Bridge to pincer. Of course there was no action when we got there. Cliff and John were actually coming down from Ivy Hill when I spotted something orange behind them that wasn't them. However, noise was heard from within the Sacred Grove, so the team fanned out to cover it instead. We found nothing, then saw Waterbridge running away. I knew they had been near Ivy hill! So we gave chase and lost them. Resting on the Bluff, we focused on noise coming from all the way across the brook. However, after about 15 minutes, there was still nothing solid on their location and the score was still 0-0! One and a half hours of 0-0 may be the record.

I am ADD-like when fighting water wars. My vision gets sharp, my reaction time goes from .24 to .09, and I constantly look around. That comes in handy in times like this. Bored at the bluff, the whole team was still staring across the brook. I happened to look to the left randomly and spotted Waterbridge coming up on our oblique left flank. They had no idea we were there. I silently alerted the team and we mounted a charge right into them. About 50 ft away, Guderian looked up with surprise. The battle cry rose from our ranks as we ploughed into where they had been standing, chatting in their own world. Now they had forgotten TV or movies or whatever and were sprinting down the bluff. Belisaurius tripped and rolled over thrice as Cliff and I unloaded ~11x and 10x shots into his back. 1-0. Parley sorted out two other claims that the commanders turned down.

At the gravel bar, both teams refilled and Waterbridge walked off down the path toward the bluff. Rather than follow them, we turned the other way. Across the Spring St Bridge and to the East Bank. We walked all the way down to the Grove St Bridge, which is a mile away at the opposite end. Waterbridge was engaged in the reeds, with a kill for us. 2-0. They forded back to the West Bank. However, Ben had not forded. He was out in the open and Cliff ran him down for half a mile. Ben took cover behind a telephone poll, so I ran up to pincer him. Seeing this, he made a run for it and Cliff "flash flooded" him in the reeds. 3-0.

The Late Developments

Waterbridge regrouped at the Grove St Bridge. Rather than attack where they wanted us to, we moved. Back beyond Echopont, we found this position we had never used before. A stone retaining wall on somewhat high ground gives way to low reeds. To the rear, a thick grove of reeds, to the center, open space with trees. From here we spotted Waterbridge on the other bank. There is a gravel bar in the middle of the brook, so when they saw us, they crossed to it. A firefight broke out, but the enemy could not gain our bank. Belisaurius came around further down the brook to try a one-man flank. Bad idea. Nibordude and Cliff went to engage him. Court, John and I held off Guderian, Hannibal, and Ben. My 2500 kept Guderian from getting any wise ideas. However, they gained momentum when Belisaurius nearly managed to break through. I retreated to find a way out when Guderian and Hannibal managed to gain the bank. Ben was hit. 4-0.

I came back out of the reeds to find Guderian and Hannibal unwelcome visitors in the center of our position. So I yelled out "I'm gonna flank them" and moved around toward the bank-side. That got Guderian and Hannibal to call it quits. Belisaurius was hit. 5-0. Someone else from Waterbridge was hit out of my sight. 6-0. We were running away with the battle again, and all but Belisaurius had been driven back down to the graval bar. With 15 minutes left, they gave up and started soaking each other. But Belisaurius was still in our rear. So we ran out to attack and hit him. 1v5 is no match. 7-0. With 10 minutes left, we headed to the Spring St Bridge. At 5 minutes left, Waterbridge came up the path, but with no intention of attacking. Even if they wiped us out, they would still be down 2! So we shut them out 7-0. A complete victory, though still hard-fought.


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