Date: August 24th & 25th 2001
Location: Haymarket, VA
Attendance: 9 people (4 vs 5)
Type of Battle: Team 1 hk
If you are unaware of the setting, this battle is when my brother and I drove 5 hours to go to the 2nd Dominator War in Haymarket Virginia, home of the Water Militia and GNG’s Commander Dave (XN)
It was 5 AM when my dad woke me up. I got off my top bunk slowly but ready for the day. All the supplies had been packed the night before. I got a lemon poppy seed muffin, and sat down in a chair to eat. Afterwards I went outside into the dark, and got my PVC cement and put it in the car. Then went back in got my wallet and sat down to read a book. Five minutes later we were ready to leave. We got in the car and went on a historic journy…haha.
About 1 and a half hours down the road we reached Emporia Virginia. We stopped off, and my dad got some coffee as he asked for directions to the local Wal-Mart. After we got there I went in and bought a $9 waterproof Kodak camera to take some pictures of the war with. Then we headed back to Interstate 95 to go to some of the historical sites that my dad wanted to see on the way up there.
Around 12 PM that day we got to Haymarket Virginia, with Rush Limba on the radio. I was all pumped up, and almost bouncing in my front seat of our silver 1997 Dodge Caravan, to the sound of “Turn up the volume, turn up the volume” (intro to the Rush Limba show”. That was it, we went down Shelter Lane to the Campground that we would stay at. It was a long road, and seemed like a prime battlefield with corn fields here and there, scattered hardwood tree groves, and the occasional small pond. Only this was not the battle ground. Later on down the road (maybe a minute) we checked into the campground, and got a site.
After setting up the campsite and changing into my camos we headed off to Collin’s house (at about 3:30PM). We had ridden by it earlier before getting the site just to see where it was. Collin was hooking up the hose, and no one else was there, so we rode on down the road. We decided the next time to come down from the other direction of Logmill Road. They were doing construction on the road, and paving it so we were slowed down. Then we pulled in to Collin’s drive way. I got out of the car with my XP 150 and hat. Commander Dave of the Water Militia (aka Army of Northern Virginia) was right behind the gate. We greeted each other with “Hey” or something like that. Commander Dave introduced me to Collin. Then we got our equipment out of the car and set it down under a large oak tree. I was greeted by the few Water Militia members there at the moment and we set everything up. Later on more people came. Collin tried to get a hold of two other people. Mark said he would be there later on some time, and Greg said he’d get there at about 10 PM.
With everyone there Commander Dave offered some of the soldiers unfamiliar with the terrain an overview. So, Hellbringer and I, and a Water Militia member named Ben followed him around the terrain. The first thing was a small dip or valley that was a small horse pasture maybe 300 yards long and 100 yards wide. The Water Machine gun was set up on a hose nearby…sadly this weapon was never used in the battle itself. There was a small forest line on the barbed wire fence at the top of the hill. It took us a while to find away around it since it was of three layers, and particularly high. Beyond the small long line of trees was a huge field in front and to the left of us. To the right was another line of trees that went down into a ditch and to Logmill drive. We went across into the field and headed North East (strait and a little to the left). It took us about 5 minutes to get to the middle of the field, which was a small valley in its self. In front of us, and up the hill were a few holes dug by machines, we don’t know why. They were about 4-5 feet deep and showed red clay beneath the field. We took a water break at one of the trenches. After that we headed strait to the end of the field, at the edge of the forest. We headed into the forest, constantly having to move spider webs aside. After a while we took a water break. Dave decided it was time for a picture, so he set up his camera timed on a tree nearby and got off a shot. I also took a picture. After about 20 more minutes tramping through the woods we headed back, talking about soakers, Aquatica, etc. We were a little lost, but got back all right. Then we got equipped, and ready to battle. I put black duct tape on my white shoes. They were my dad’s old shoes which I had used in Vermin War IV. Other people were also putting black duct tape on stuff, I added it to the CPS 1000 I brought, and my XP 150.
Then Dave had to go to get something and would be back in 30 minutes. After he got back we decided teams needed to be made. Collin made a suggestion, and we agreed. It would be Red Scorpion, Commander Dave, and Ben vs. the rest. We 1 CPS 1200, 1 WWF Stone Cold, and 2 XP 150s. The enemy team had 3 CPS 1200s, a XP 270, and a CPS 3200. I let one of the enemy use Colossus’ soft pack to put the 3200 backpack in. Then we headed out, Dave and I with 150s, shedding our heavier CPS 1000 and 2500 for mobility sake. I had put on camo face paint like almost everyone else, using black to make a face mask type cover of paint on my face.
Day 1, Battle #1
The path we would take was first under the wire fence on the edge of Collin’s yard, then we went down in a small pasture. Then over the fence, via the same rout as we had done while scouting the land. The enemy then started out to follow. We did double time march, and headed towards the woods. We had to go over the first huge field, and we traveled along the side, but not directly to it. It took us about 10 minutes to reach the woods, by then we almost lost them. Dave and I set up what we were going to do. Our plan was to loose them, or ambush them. If, we lost them, then we would go back to base get the CPS 2000, and hopefully Mark would be there. From then on it was no speaking, and we set up our group. I was point man, Dave was squad leader, Ben was gunner, and Hellbringer was rear guard. I darted ahead, scouting out the land and finding a route for us, we never took a direct route. We went North-east through the woods zigzagging along for a while, and avoiding paths and strait routes that the enemy may follow. Suddenly I dropped down, with the sound of the enemy near by. Dave turned around to ask what happened. I signaled pointing to my ear, then behind me. Then he pointed to himself, then two fingers to his eyes and pointed in that direction. Then after a while he gave clearance signal, and we got up slowly and moved on in a crouching walk through the underbrush of the oak woods. Then we stopped near a path, to ambush the enemy, but they didn’t take the bait, and maneuvered around the other way.
We reached a creek, going downhill, and two Virginia White Tailed deer ran off through the woods. This was new type of terrain for us (Hellbringer and I), I was used to the slightly rolling densely foliated, and thickly overgrown wet terrain of the triangle area; compared to the slightly open heavily rolling oak forests of northern Virginia. There were less places to snipe, but one could move faster, and had more room between neighborhoods than the densely packed Raleigh-Clayton area I was used to. We headed North-west along the creek for a while, then headed back up the high, but not very long hill that led from the rocky brook in a southern route. There was more underbrush here, and we frequently had to stop from the enemy lurking around. It started to grow dark, then I saw the enemy. We all fell down into the leaves, invisible to the enemy as they passed by, masked by the growing dark. Then we split up into two small squads. Dave and my brother, and Ben and I. We stayed about 30 feet from each other, yet kept in touch and in the same direction. Then, we headed back North-west along the ridge paralleling the creek by about 100 yards. It had grown really dark, and we got back into our former positions.
Suddenly the hill sloped steeply downward, and we had to be very cautious, a slip could hurt us, our weapons and equipment, or attract the enemy who must be lingering near in the dark. I slipped a little, but regained my balance, and we headed downhill. The foliage was much thicker on the extremely steep decline. Then it dropped off completely on several rock ledges close to a huge creek or small river. So, we trotted on going North East side by the creek. Then we found a ford not much further down. It was covered with huge downed trees on our side of the creek. I went along first, holding my balance, and we made it to the ford which was covered by small rocks. Then we made it across it was pitch dark. We decided to check our plans. We where slightly to far east and west of the house, but we were out of hostile territory and could easily swing around, and hit them from behind…if we could find them in the pitch black. By now it was around 9:50 PM. We crossed over the creek, and I resumed my point man position. I checked ahead, and then came back reporting what I saw. We crossed past a small swampy area to the edge of a field along the wooded tree line. We got low to cross the field making sure we weren’t spotted. Suddenly, we all dropped down. Way in front of us in the middle of the field was something moving. The dense fog enshrouded us so that there were only dark gray sillouets against the light gray outline mist, and the black night sky. I crawled over to Dave, and we made plans. The enemy had not spotted us we thought, so we decided to encircle them. Crawling around the moist field in the fog was very erie. We spotted them once again, and got ready to attack, but then the figures vanished, guns and all. We were left in the middle of a field, the fog clearing looking across. Where were they?
We checked our guns, and headed off through the field. At the end was a tree line, of cedars or something I could not tell in the dark. Dave went through the trees and what seemed to be up a short steep hill scouting it out. He came back shortly, and told us. It was just a steep incline, probably leading to a road or something. So stupidly we headed back through the field, and got lost at the edge. We came through the field again, and headed back onto what seemed like a path through the woods. Dave got out his flashlight, and attached it to his hat. We headed off through the dark for a while until we came to a huge field. By then Ben was a little worried, and we decided the main thing was to get back. The field kept getting higher and higher, and was very wet. We marched across it, getting wetter by the minute from the dew. I started up a song… “Follow the yellow brick road!” Ok, so that really didn’t work all that well. We were completely lost, and stopped. “Wait, there is Bull Run Mountain, see the towers?” Ben said. “Yeah.” answered Dave, “That is Bull Run Mountain.” “So that means we are heading North-West?” asked Ben. “I guess so.” said Dave. “We need to be heading west to get back to the house. Come on.” Dave led the way and we went up over the hill following the fence, every now and then looking back making sure my brother was still there.”
Later on into the night we came to a path through the woods and decided to take it and get out of the field. We followed it, and there seemed to be a light in the distance. We were going up a hill when we noticed a house in front of us. “Oh, no! Go back” whispered Dave. I led the way down the other direction of the path. We came to a large outbuilding, that we made out to be a huge horse stable with many horses in it. Just then the door to the house opened, and out stepped a man with something in his hands onto the back deck. Oh no I thought. We headed behind the horse stalls. When he had gone in we went downhill in the opposite direction we had come from, and into a clearing. We had to jump a fence, and there were horses nearby. Running through the low cut grass felt allot better than the woods or high grass we had been in. “Freedom!” I whispered. There was one last fence, made of wood and I cleared it. We came out across a small stream, and to a large driveway. By this time it was well after curfew, and we’d be in trouble if we were caught. We walked along the gravel driveway in the moonlight. A house up on a hill to our right shown, its visage bearing ominously down upon us as if saying “Get out, your not wanted here!”. “Where are we? I don’t understand!” said Dave. “Maybe it’s Shelter Lane?” I replied. “Maybe, but Collin and I walked the whole road before, and there isn’t anything like this coming off of Shelter.” he said. “I don’t know, its weird.” said Ben. “Maybe we are further down Logmill?” “I don’t think so.” said Dave. Hellbringer looked back silently, as if looking to the past for answers. “Who knows, all we can do is go forward.” I said. “Shh from here on out no more talking than needed.” said Dave. The area around us had closed in, we were begining to travel by shadow, and houses were much more frequent. Flowering pear trees and dogwoods lined the road, we stayed in the ditches afraid to be seen and get in trouble. In front of the entrance to the subdivision was a column of mail boxes. Suddenly Dave whispered “Halt!”. Beside one of the mail boxes was an alarm system. We carefully went underneath, just to make sure it wasn’t one of those fancy laser activated ones. We then made it out to the main road, the driveway had formed a road along with a few other driveways. According to the sign it was Chatterbrook subdivision. The main road was of yet unknown. We headed on to the right, unaware that we were going east instead of the south-westerly route which would have taken us home. We turned around after a while, seeing we weren’t headed anywhere. After we passed the subdivision again it appeared we were heading down hill. This didn’t seem right so we went up the road to the east again.
“What will we tell Aquatica?” I asked. “Hehe, I dunno.” replied Dave. “What about… it was a reconasaince mission?” I replied. We all laughed, and trudged onward into the moonlight, chafing from our wet clothes. After a while we began talking about waterguns, and other things. I was shooting my XP 150 here and there writing grafiti on the road with water. Further down I saw another road. “Thank God… its another road!” I blurted out, and ran down the road about 300 yards to where the next subdivision came out. After I got there I went back, but before I could a car came along. I dived behind the subdivision sign, and was barely missed. Then I proceeded again. The same thing happened, and I was so close to being spotted. I was able to meet them again. “It says Sanders Lane.” I said. “Sanders Lane, Sanders Lane, I don’t know a Sanders Lane!” said Dave. “Oh man this isn’t good.” said Ben.
Afteranother long walk we decided we had to do something. Cars came by and we stuck out our thumbs, there were houses with lights on, but we didn’t do anything. After the longest time we came near a house. Somebody was working on a car in the side yard. We prepared to go and talk to him. However; before we could he went inside. Then we saw a few girls up in one room, and the TV was on, somebody was also on the computer. We took off our hats, masks, etc. and whiped off our face paint. Then we headed towards the house with my brother in front. Then Hellbringer rang the door bell. After a while a girl came out. “Hey, we were in a watergun fight and we got lost, can you tell us where we are?” asked Dave. “Yeah, your on Sanders Lane, 15 is that way (pointing down the road east). Back to the right is Bull run, down the road.” she said. Then we got to use their phone to call Collin’s house, and thanked them. Aparently we were all homeschooled. They at first thought we were a gang going to “…bust our mail box!” After a while we got a picture, and Collin’s mom came and picked us up. We thanked them, and departed. Aparently Ben knew someone they knew who was a gymnast like they were, doing the weird sport of horse gymnastics. It seemed like everyone in the “Markets of Hay”-(as so poeticly put by Jake) had, or was obsessed with horses and things to do with them. We got back and everyone asked where we had been… they were reclining outside and eating junk food like it was Woodstock 2. Then I said my temporary goodbyes, and went to the campgrounds for the night, badly chafing from all the action.
Day 2, Battle #1
We awoke the next day and got everything ready. When we pulled in everyone was ready for the next fight. The teams were the same, with the exception of Ben had to go and we now got the second in command of the Water Militia, Greg who had arived that night with his Monster X. We got to defend again. Greg filled his Monster X via charging, and we got ready. We set off about 5 minutes later and kept towards the trees on the top of the platau above the road. Then we headed strait towards the tree line about 1000 meters at least to the left of us. The field dipped, and we passed over a few trenches. Then we got to the small thin line of trees between the two fields. We piled brush and limbs in front of the fence. There were big ceder trees around so I decided to climb one… equiped with a CPS 2000 mk2. and a camera. Greg and Hellbringerwent to the right of us down the line of trees and Dave watched the back field. By now I was high up in the tree about 50 feet or so. The enemy had now formed and it was about 10 minutes later. They got ready for a charge. Then David on the other team pulled out two Storm 750s from his holsters and ran berserk at us from their line about 120 feet away. The enemy was laughing, and we soon were also as he turned around and ran back also laughing. Then they really began to fight. One squad went around through an opening towards the back while they sent Brandon as a Sniper through the woods on my left side, and Jake as a scout to my left. My range from the high tree was very good, and increased about 25%. Jake went to my left and with his 270 was crouching going through the trees. I took aim and fired. The shot fell short a few feet as he was about 75 away. Then he got to the back where Dave and the others were fighting off the enemy. I found a new target… their sniper Brandon was creeping up behind our team through the woods. I fired, but just beofre I did he spotted me and got behind a huge tree. Then he looked through his scope at me and returned fire from his 1200. The shot was dead on, but I was to high up, and the shot missed my feet in decline from about 5 feet. We had a fire… er water fight for about 2 minutes there. Dave lead an attack to try to counter their attack on our rear. He thought he had shot someone, but instead hadn’t, and under the weight of the 2500 was shot by a 1200. Then Greg charged in and dodged a shot from the 3200 and took out Jake with his Monster X. Then he turned around, but too late. He had gotted shot square in the chest by the 3200. Hellbringer then got behind a tree at the enemy closing in. Dave couldn’t believe he was shot and then picked up a Splashzooka and soaked a few enemy soldeirs, but it didn’t count as he was dead. Hellbringer then fired at an enemy grunt armed with dual 750s and a CPS 1200. The guy dodged and counter fired with his 1200. Then instead he picked a 750 from a holster and fired hitting Hellbringer in the shoulder. However; this was not a direct hit, and with a pistol you must hit twice to score a kill. By this time I had hit Brandon in the head (on accident) with the 2000. That didn’t count, but he faultered and I blasted him square in the chest leaving a mud puddle behind. Hellbringer then turned around the tree and attack their center hitting David, the grunt with the 1200 and 2 750s for a score for our team. Before he could dodge a blast from the 3200 sent him soaked to the ground out and tagged. It was just the big artillery now. The CPS 3200 VS the CPS 2000!
Everyone was looking up into the tree where I was. Some people were laughing and others were requesting binculers. The guy with the CPS 3200 had problems sighting me until they pointed me out. He didn’t want to go in. So I picked up my camera from my pocket and said, “Come closer, I can’t shooot you from there! I want a good picture!” (I didn’t get one as the branches were in the way). Then Battle ensued and he turned to 10x blasting at my foot. I ducked behind the massive tree, trying extremely hard to keep my balance on my knees and fire back at the same time. I almost hit him this time. Then I got a head shot that didn’t count. He had a few shots that fell short. Then he went out to the field to pump. Everyone was yelling at me to get down, but I didn’t as I was so high with a 2000 and a camera it take a long time. When he came back we shot again, no luck! I was beggining to worry. The 3200 had about 1/2 tank left and I had about 30 oz. I pumped the remaining water into my firing chamber and took aim, at first pretending to be almost out. Then looking squarely down the gun I fired. Kablaaaaaaaaamm shwooooosh! Hit! GOAL!! GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!!!! VICTORY! That was it, one more battle to go. It took me about 5 minutes to get down.
Day 2, Battle #2
Greg used my binoculers and we spotted the enemy. Two were near a deep trench hiding in the middle of the field. Then we lowered ourselves into a crowching run, and headed towards the highest grass in the middle of the field. We ran fast through the thick yet stubby grass of the field. It was a tough 250 yarder or so, but we made it none to late and rolled down into cover behind the tall grass, our sides heaving. I had battled since 1993, and this seemed alot like the fields in Viper’s backyard; but multiplied in size and without pine thickets. Here in Northern Virginia there were not all that many pine thickets. Then we decided Greg would stay and we would run towards the opening in the tree thicket between the two fields that we had used ealier as a base. We rushed towards the two people in the trench at first (CPS 3200 and 1200), they flinched and got ready, but then we diverted back towards the opening and they could not pursue us. I was pointman again, and made the first trip around the edge of the woods. We would yell if we wanted Jake to attack, or get him to come to us. I ran to some high grass behind enemy lines and ducked down and rolled over. Then Dave, then Hellbringer did likewise. I went up the hill on the field behind the tree line and looked to see enemy movement. There was none, and we ran into the woods in front of us. We scouted out the area cautiously, but didn’t see anything. It was a marshy area, but recently dry. Then ew headed to the hilly area in the woods, and checked at the edge. Still none. We walked some more and almost tripped over a fishing wire trap. carefully we derigged it. At that time Jake ran into trouble… literally. He took out the 3200 user at the top of the hill, but then Jake blasted him from a self made bunker behind the trench with his water cannon. We then went to the edge and walked along it. Someone shouted “Olly Olly Octanfree.” However; we couldn’t find them. Then I saw Brandon with the 1200 and we jumped into the woods and set up a defencive position. He ran and told the rest. After about 20 minutes nobody showed. We carefully planned. Then we took the different sides of the hill going up in the field and charged a trench. “Clear.” “Clear.” “Clear.” Came the replies. Nobody was there. We went back to the base. They had forfieted, and someone had to go home.
Overall this was an awesome war, one of the best. I want to thank Collin and XN for it personally; er… here. Anyway, this was the great. Now I can’t wait for DW3 or V5. Sadly, we left behind Viper who could have came *#%$)#%*)%#. We got a little confused though.
Hydrowar 