The Specialization of Sidearms

Topics about water war tactics, water war planning, and past water war stories.
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DX
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The Specialization of Sidearms

Post by DX » Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:51 pm

This is one chapter of the future Tactical Theory and the Art of Fighting Water Wars. I just had to write this particular chapter early, since I'm getting really annoyed at the sidearm=small gun misconception.

Chapter X? The Specialization of Sidearms:

In this chapter, you will learn how Tactical Theory defines a sidearm and how to use them effectively.

Sidearm: Any water gun that is used as a secondary weapon, regardless of size, weight, power stats, etc.

Yes, this means that a sidearm does not have to be a pistol! In fact, sidearms can be HUGE. It's not about the gun itself, it is how you use said gun. There are several different types of sidearms, each with different uses:

The Auxiliary Sidearm: This is the small, light gun people tend to think a sidearm has to be. Usually a small air pressure or small CPS gun. Auxiliary sidearms are used to augment your ability to dish out water and/or cover low water/pressure in your primary gun. They most often do not have range or output equal or greater than your primary gun. Auxiliary sidearms are best used in dense terrain, semi-open terrain, or other medium-close quarters fighting.

The Dual Wielded Sidearm: Dual Wielding is nothing more than using a secondary gun that is the exact same type as your primary gun. AKA, a pair of CPS 2500s, a pair of XP 310s, etc. Dual Wielded guns can be any two of the same kind, covering any gun class. They are used tactically for greatly increasing the time you hold a certain advantage. Two guns with very high range will give you a greater advantage than one. Situations such as that. Dual Wielding is often not used tactically. In those situations, it is used for show, when people feel like showing off what they think looks cool. Substance pwns style in every tactical water fight [an absolute statement that actually is true], so only dual wield for a good reason.

The Stat-Balancing Sidearm: This includes guns used to balance out a weakness or add to an advantage in stats. If your primary gun has great range, but bad output, you can add a sidearm with high output, for example. This is great for negating weak stats, adding versatility, and increasing individual fluidity for certain tactics. This type of sidearm can be any class weapon, as long as it has the stats you are missing. This also works well for modded guns. Nota Bene: This is not a perfect substitute for having one gun with high range and high output, or other combinations. One gun with both is almost always better than two with one each. The best stat-balancing sidearm is one that has the same level of stats as your primary. AKA, a dual wield, or a similar gun, such as a CPS 1500 sidearm with a CPS 2500 primary.

The Special-Use Sidearm: The most unique and most powerful of all sidearms is the Special-Use gun. A Special-Use is often too impractical to use as a primary, but contains too great power to pass up on using. So you strap it to your back or [hold it if it's small enough], and take it along. Special-Use sidearms often require bike pumps or air compressors, therefore, they can only be used sparingly in the right situations. However, said guns can be deadly effective in the right situations, such as using a riot blasting water cannon while springing an ambush. These weapons are usually homemades, water cannons, and other Tech-related soakers. These are the most effective of all sidearms, but are also the most limited in terms of how often they can be used and for what. Special-Use sidearms can be effective in any terrain, but odds are that it will either be really dense [for ambushing] or really open [for overwhelming power].

The Power Sidearm: Rarely will you ever see a sidearm with more power than a primary gun. However, it is an option. If you see this, for example, a CPS 21K sidearm with a CPS 2100 primary, watch out! There's deception involved. Be alert for modded guns which look like stock soakers, and for CPS homemades used alongside air pressure homemades. Some users can be particularly crafty with their sidearm vs primary stats, and will trick you into thinking that their sidearm is nothing to be afraid of. A weak primary gun being used by a normally power-hungry user is a sign of attempted deception! These rare sidearms are seen most often in direct engagements in open or semi-open terrain, usually semi-open.

So there are five different types of sidearms, all with advantages, disadvantages, and different situations for use. So I hope you come away with the knowledge that a sidearm can be any-sized gun, given that it is used for a sidearm function. Knowledge really is power.

In the next chapter, you will learn something that I haven't decided what yet since I haven't decided the order of chapters yet. :rolleyes:

[Pictures not available yet, those come last, after all the writing is done]
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Silence
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Post by Silence » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:53 am

Excellent article, once again--this is like the "official" response to recent threads such as "Sidearm Training." I've never really thought about special-use sidearms in such a sense, but it makes perfectly good sense. That said, it is more common to see the special-use weapons as primary weapons and a standard soaker as a sidearm--but everything just seems far better this way.

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Post by joannaardway » Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:36 pm

I would say that Dual-wielding doesn't have to be done with two matching soakers. A dual wielding soaker is ideally well balanced (like my modded 27K)
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DX
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Post by DX » Sat Jul 08, 2006 8:45 pm

Due to games such as Halo, people think dual wielding is done with two of the same guns. I can't change how people think, so I'm leaving that one alone.
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Post by joannaardway » Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:57 am

In Halo 2, you can pick up any two "one-handed" guns and use them - I could have an SMG in one hand and a pistol in the other.

I have no objection to Dual wielding to double the relative output and chamber capacity of a certain soaker type, but surely dual wielding to min-max advantages should be considered.
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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Post by Silence » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:17 pm

Actually, Halo 2 might be a good example of dual-wielding--the best players generally use weapons that balance each other out. I know next to nothing about the game, and I always forget to fire my secondary weapon, but I know that the Covenant weapon affects their shield and that the human weapon affects their health. Similarly, one could come up with a complementary soaker dual-wield...

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