The Importance of Light Troops

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Belisaurius
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The Importance of Light Troops

Post by Belisaurius » Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:52 pm

Commanders regularly underestimate the importance of light troops in water wars. With an almost universal tend towards increased power and range at the cost of mobility, a commander can actually harm chances at success. Quick moving, light troops can secure objectives faster and provide necessary backup in any skirmish. In the African battles of World War 2, the Allies originally favored an all-tank method, where there were no infantry or light mechanized untis to support the tanks. They felt that the tanks themselves were enough to win any battle. When faced with the integrated mechanized forces that the German commander Rommel employed, the flaws in the Allied tactic became clear.

Historically, light troops have always played a large role in defeating more heavy enemies. Light troops can react faster to situations than heavy units, and can avoid many of the attacks heavier units typically use to eliminate enemies. In a water war, light troops are esential when combatting enemies with better technology than you.

A light unit can run down fleeing enemies much more easily than a heavier unit. Lightly armed skirmishers can protect the flanks and rear of a maneuver, and can be used to hold a location long enough for heavier units to arrive and be deployed. When crossing rivers or negotiating another such terrain objective, light troops can be used to buy time for heavier units to get to more easily defended positions. they can be deployed in front of a maneuver, to prevent the enemy from determining what the deployment of heavier units is. In guerilla combat, light troops can make quick strikes and then fade into the terrain quickly. By using natural features like dense vegitation to limit an enemy's ability to react and to negate range and power advantages, skirmishers can overcome a heavier unit with little to no effort.

Ignoring the importance of light roops can be fatal to any commander. Whenever you battle, make sure you have soem skirmishers to counter your enemy, and to take important objectives. do as much as possible to negate enemy tech advantages with quick strikes and proper deployment of troops. Light roops can be very effectively deployed as bait for an ambush. They have the freedom of movement not enjoyed by heavier units, and can help prevent an opponent from gaining more ground by providing essential set-up time for the heavier firepower. I firmly suggest you deploy a unit of skirmishers whenever possible!

-Belisaurius

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Juno
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Post by Juno » Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:06 am

Light troops are important,But in a one on one situation,the heavy soldier will usually win.IMHO the best soldier is a medium type soldier,with average mobility but enough firepower to hold his own in a tough situation.
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Spinner
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Post by Spinner » Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:17 am

It's a good article. And I disagree with Juno that a heavier soldier will usually win - if the light one is mobile enough, then an XP 310 could beat a CPS 2500. ;)
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Belisaurius
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Post by Belisaurius » Tue Aug 10, 2004 3:00 pm

I'm not trying to create entirely light troop armies. It's just that if you have an army of heavy troops facing off against one with both heavy and light, the second one will probably win! You need to make armies of combined forces. The mobility of the light soldier has been shown to be SO IMPORTANT when fighting heavy troops in history. It's the same thing in water wars. Skirmishers on the flanks help protect any maneuver from enemy flanking actions, and you can still flank on your own with the very same troops! Think on it.
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DX
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Post by DX » Tue Aug 10, 2004 4:03 pm

I agree with Belisaurius's article, but light troops can still have powerful guns without foresaking mobility. That's why I love the 21000-A very light and compact gun that still delivers heavy firepower and an advantageous range. So my idea of light troops is slightly modified-Very mobile troops that can still hold their own against the enemy. Don't use light guns for this position if you can get stronger ones without sacrificing anything.
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Soakologist
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Post by Soakologist » Wed Aug 11, 2004 12:09 am

Very succinct and informative, Sir. Nice article, and I look forward to reading more like it! :)
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Jadefalcon09
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Post by Jadefalcon09 » Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:01 pm

Its good information. If you know you are facing light troops anyways, Don't bring the extra weight and overkill. Sacrafice the power for speed on the field. I considered this a lot, but eill consider it more in the future.

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Juno
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Post by Juno » Sat Aug 14, 2004 2:08 pm

I'm still sticking to the medium soldier,armed with a CPS 1000,1200,1500,1700,or 2100.
Got a CPS 2000 well you know it makes me feel alright,
Have an XP by my pillow, helps me sleep a little better at night.
There truly is no feeling any greater, than to soak first and ask questions later.
Now I'm, Soaker Happy, Soaker Happy every day.

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Commander_Gaunt
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Post by Commander_Gaunt » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:21 pm

I do the same as juno.
In the African battles of World War 2, the Allies originally favored an all-tank method, where there were no infantry or light mechanized untis to support the tanks. They felt that the tanks themselves were enough to win any battle. When faced with the integrated mechanized forces that the German commander Rommel employed, the flaws in the Allied tactic became clear.
During world war two General Montgomery used infantry right from the start because he knew he would go through Jungle like terrain. Seeing as he was the commander of the African war for the Allies, I think maybe your information was flawed. Where did you get it from.

P.S. I live about 200metres from the barracks Montgomery used to be based at (which unfortunately has been knocked down) however once during a water war in local fields, I found an unexploded Rocket propelled grenade, that would have been fired by one of Montgomerys men during training!
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DX
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Post by DX » Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:19 pm

I'm still sticking to the medium soldier,armed with a CPS 1000,1200,1500,1700,or 2100.
I wouldn't consider all of those medium. For my team, 2100's/21000's are light weapons. We don't use pistols, execpt maybe for last resort weapons. I would consider a 4100 or monster x medium. I think the optimally armed team has "light" and heavy weaponry, while maintaining a high level of specialization.
I will be writing an article on that.
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Jadefalcon09
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Post by Jadefalcon09 » Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:17 pm

Originally posted by Duxburian@Aug 16 2004, 11:19 AM
I'm still sticking to the medium soldier,armed with a CPS 1000,1200,1500,1700,or 2100.


I wouldn't consider all of those medium. For my team, 2100's/21000's are light weapons. We don't use pistols, execpt maybe for last resort weapons. I would consider a 4100 or monster x medium. I think the optimally armed team has "light" and heavy weaponry, while maintaining a high level of specialization.
I will be writing an article on that.
You make very valid points. Light Troops are quick and efficient in battle, and we can't forget that. If you balance out your team with 1-3 HWO, with more Medium soldiers and even more light troops, you have a very well balanced and powerful army. Coordinate your soldiers and tactics efficiently and work as a team. its a win/win situation almost all the time for you if you have an evenly balanced team. However what soaker that is determined as "light" or "heavy" is of coruse with the opinion of the user/commander.

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NiborDude
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Post by NiborDude » Tue Feb 01, 2005 12:01 am

Wow, I remember this article from a long time ago. I wanted to post in it but never got a chance to. Anyway, just to add in my thought, I like the idea of having light troops, but what I've been seeing is the consistency of small guns and no larger weapons. While light troops can be very effective, I can see them being a huge downfall of a team. How do you expect to defend yourself if your twin XP pistols have a max range of about 25 feet? Out of a team of 10 I would only delegate 2 of them to be light troops. They'll be point guard and the guy who watches our butt as we walk through the narrow trails in the battlefields. :P

Edit: Aw, why can't we say [at]rse? :Hey, that's funny.:
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Spinner
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Post by Spinner » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:54 pm

Yeah, all too often many new people at a war have no CPS class weaponry and may think that the XP 310 is a big gun. :Hey, that's funny.: It's getting a balance, like many things in life...one needs enough of each type of unit to maximise victory chances.
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Commander_Gaunt
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Post by Commander_Gaunt » Thu Feb 03, 2005 7:24 pm

Your lucky then, at my last war, someone had a XP backfire and they thought it was so good.

And on the subject, two pistols can be ok, I had 2 XP 240 one battle and still did well, but that's probably because the others couldn't find there own [at]rses with an atlas! But still, I beat a couple of low class CPS guns, but to be fair they couldn't hit a cows [at]rse with a banjo let alone a stream of water, and I am pleased to say I am smaller than a cows [at]rse.
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Mutton
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Post by Mutton » Sun May 29, 2005 10:08 pm

I would have a squad wher 25% of the troops would have heavy weapons.
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