Super Soaker Central

• Waterbridge vs Ridgewood Militia @ Goffle Park
• Game Family: OHS
• Game Type: Standard OHS
• Score: 1 - 1
• Strength: 3v4, later 3v3
• Length: 3 Hour Day
• Class: Ranked Inter-Team War
• MVP [RM side]:
• Rob [scored what ended up as our only kill, 5 saves]

Players [Ridgewood Militia]:

• Rob: CPS 2500
• Logan: CPS 2500
• Zach: WW Orca

Players [Waterbridge]:

• Nick: XP 310
• Matt T: CPS 2100
• Matt N: Flash Flood ?
• Jeff: Flash Flood ?

Today's tie put a blemish in the RM record, but we do remain undefeated. Waterbridge's strategy was to stop us from breaking 100 in total points [we were 6 away]. Because of this, they did something rarely seen by Waterbridge - refuse the offered Initiative and refuse the offered offensive. This war was like no other since the 2nd Battle of Ridgewood all the way back in 2004.

The Early Action:

The RM went into the park first. We had 3 to the enemy 4. This usually calls for the Outnumbered Defense, so we prepared for that. We filled, then took up a neutral position in the middle of the East Bank ridge. Our position was situated so that we were invisible from the main path. If the enemy attacked, we could easily set up a Swinging Pendulum Defense, Swinging V, or other form of angled line to deal with the numbers disparity. However, Waterbridge did not travel in our direction. We were waiting for a possible reinforcement, however, Dan did not show up after over 20 minutes of waiting, so we decided to move.

We spotted four people at the Upper Dam and almost ambushed them. They weren't combatants! They did tip us off to an enemy crossing, so we crossed the dam and reached the Heights. From our position, we could see across the open lot toward High Point. Today, High Point actually had a high point - a huge mulch mound towering near the corner. Waterbridge had dug in on that mound. Nearby was another huge mound, which was unoccupied.

At Haven, half way to High Point and still out of view, we made a decision on the next move. We'd run through the mulch mounds in the open lot [there are like 20 of them, see other battle report] and to the gap at Corning, where the Heights terminate at the railroad cut.

Waterbridge spotted us from their lofty position as soon as we started this action. However, once at our destination, they did nothing. We split up to approach High Point's new high point. Waterbridge defended with two on the ground and two on the mound. We could safely attack as long as two remained up high and out of the fight.

However, Nick came down and started a flanking motion on the left by running around the closest regular mound. This forced us to withdraw through the Corning gap and down the back path. Waterbridge pursued, but slowly, reluctant to leave the open lot. When they advanced, we split and prepared for a fight. Waterbridge didn't give battle. We advanced a few trees and they retreated back to Corning.

Since we didn't exactly want to attack a powerful defensive position head on with the weaker numbers, we withdrew further down the back path. I wanted Waterbridge to attack us on Goffle Island, which is actually an island in the middle of the brook. When we arrived there, we discovered that someone had built a new fort, a well-made one at that, in the center. At this position, we waited. Waterbridge could be seen in the distance, considering if they wanted to attack a powerful defensive position that nullified their superior numbers. No. They once again withdrew to Corning and the Heights.

The Middle Action:

This was an interesting situation - no one wanted the Initiative. Neither team wanted to attack in a bad area, so there was no offense. There has never been a 0 - 0 tie in the history of Ridgewood water warfare, and the RM decided that there would not be one today. We took up the initiative against our own advantage and returned to the back path, starting an offensive campaign that would last the entire rest of the battle. Afraid to assault the Corning gap, I came around as far left as possible, but that was not necessary. Waterbridge was sitting on the High Point mound as if nothing had happened. After clearing Corning, we stood there and tried to come up with a plan.

Nothing like this has happened since the 2nd Battle of Ridgewood in 2004 when we sat on Reed Hill, stubbornly refusing to attack. Jeff had to leave early, so at least the numbers were back to an even 3v3. Zach approached in the right along the Heights ridge, while Logan and I took up a position on the 2nd big mound opposite the High Point mound. Neither side could range the other, but I had brought a bag of water balloons and filled a couple from the end of the 2500. The one I threw landed close, the one Logan threw popped in the air.

As I bent down to fill another one, Nick and Matt N went for Zach, who was more exposed than originally. He was expecting my support, which wasn't present because I was filling the balloon. Had he known that I was filling it, he would have drawn back. Anyway, that was one big save that I blew, though it wasn't all my fault. Nick and Matt N got Zach in their Killing Rush. Zach didn't hit either of them in the exchange, as he had the Orca on the wrong nozzle. 0 - 1.

At that point, I was on the ground and giving chase to Nick, who fled with both Matts. Matt T actually ran down High Point and into the brook, effectively taking him out of the fight. With 2v2 numbers, Logan and I chased Nick and Matt N, who were moving through the regular mounds. Coordination was impossible. When Zach respawned, he was able to give chase, but we couldn't establish a pincer. Waterbridge reformed on the High Point mound.

This time, we weren't going to be stupid. Our triangular attack on the mound was more careful - we could support each other. This was a dangerous time for Waterbridge, as they began to run low on water. I danced for Nick, wasting half of his XP 310 tank in the process. We came mighty close to kills, but there wasn't enough splatter damage. A more aggressive press on all three might have worked better. Anyway, Waterbridge eventually had to get out or die. Supressing fire allowed Matt N to escape. Matt T and Nick escaped by rushing Zach.

The Late Action:

By now we were worried. Waterbridge had a lead for once, so they might go and hide. The Goffle Park is massive when your fielded team consists of 3 people. After refilling at the Upper Dam, we made a big strategy switch. Both the Outnumbered Defense and normal offense had failed. I switched us to the Outnumbered Offense, which is the most potent of outnumbered Strategic Tactics. Our number one concern was finding the enemy and engaging with nothing to lose. The key to the Outnumbered Offense is the score - not 0 - 1 but 0 - 4. Everyone needed to make a kill to even out the life they had already "lost". This way, we raised the psychological stakes.

A fast sweep down the path revealed nothing. The enemy could have been anywhere! I feared that they might have gone to hide in the treehouse, so we made our way in that general direction. At the base of the ridge, there was no sign of enemies. Going up that ridge would waste too much time - if we went and found an empty treehouse, we'd barely have any time left. With half and hour, a mistake would have cost the war.

However, we did not make the mistake, nor did we have to choose a place to search. I did something unusual. I could sense enemy voices, too faint to determine whether they were real or imagined, but I could hear them. I put my arm out, two fingers in the air, and tried to feel the enemy presence. They were crossing the brook right over there! Sweetness! A determined rush caught Waterbridge off-guard. While they did make it back across the brook, we had man-to-man coverage across an obstacle. That's historically a very good situation for us.

When Matt T moved to the right, possibly for a flank option, I mirrored him, trusting that Zach and Logan could command themselves and deal with Nick and Matt N. Matt T walked quite a distance, but my 10x tap shots kept him busy. A battle yell by Nick and sounds of commotion upstream did not cause either of us to move. I did move when Nick and Matt N were seen running, Zach having forded and rolling up their left flank. A confused fight broke out, in which I forded and made a Killing Rush on Matt T. We were both hit in the exchange. I called for a time out, for Matt T was contesting the kill. It was determined that he died, but I was actually still alive, for there wasn't much water on my shirt at all. My head was soaked, but the shirt easily dry enough for no kill! Another dispute ended with no kills, since the water involved in them had long dried and nothing could be proven. 1 - 1.

Both teams now went to refill away from each other. The RM walked back up to the dam to refill, while Waterbridge continued down the bank. Back in the woods, the RM came to the base of the entrance path, caught sight of Nick, and prepared for a last minute fight with 10 minutes left. However, Nick vanished, so we moved up a bit more. Nick came back in sight with seconds left, but time expired before we could get close. Matt N and Matt T actually appeared in our rear, which would have been a problem if time had not expired.

So the war ended up as a 1 - 1 tie, which is almost as bad as a loss for the RM, considering that we've won 14/20, tied 4/20, and lost 2/20 of the total ranked wars.