My P.R.H.

[JuchTurtles]

The sprinkler is very interesting. I am surprized you get 41 feet out of it. And, like you said in the booby trap thread, it makes a great trap or surprize attack. Think of what happens if you used a larger hose! Hide way away somewhere, wait, and soak your enemies!

[martianshark]

However, the longer the hose, the bigger the tank you will need.

[JuchTurtles]

Yes, that's true, but still, a good prospect. I you could figure that out, then it would be dominating!

[martianshark]

What would be dominating?

[JuchTurtles]

In a war, I think the trap in general is dominant, because you set it up in a dense forest area and wait for an opponent. The longer hose you could also be farther away, and out of range of some guns. That's what I meant.

[martianshark]

That would be good... maybe I could just get a bigger bottle.

[cantab]

Traps are only going to work in fairly large-scale, slow paced wars. You need to be able to set it up without being seen or attacked. In the fast-paced, close battles I'm used to there just isn't the time or space. Also you have the problem of whether someone will go within range. In most areas there's a strong chance the enemy just won't go near it.

In a relatively free area (wide roads, fields, forest), you'll likely thus have to lure the enemy. A team member apparently in difficulty (out of ammo, or only having a weak gun, or even merely alone) might do the trick, as might an abandoned weapon or ammo cache, but after a few times the enemy will be wary. Though you could then turn that to your advantage by bluffing traps when there are none.

The other option is to force the enemy into a trap. But you'll need superior force to do that, and if you have superior force anyway, do you really need the trap?

If there are chokepoints, things are different. In urban areas, alleyways and narrower roads. In rural areas, bridges over streams are the most reliable option, though there could be others. Basically, the enemy can't go through without being in range of the trao. But again, there are drawbacks. Once the use of traps is widely known, the enemy will be cautious in such areas, and may find ways to disarm the trap. (Simply using a long stick or thrown rock to knock it over should disable it.)

Traps have to be compared against the most obvious alternative - an ambush. Ambushes should be quicker to set up and change location. Traps have the advantage of not exposing team members as much, and if triggering is automated, it doesn't take a team member away from active combat. Also a trap could be hidden in places a person could not.

[JuchTurtles]

This trap couldn't be disabled - it's operated by a person. It would be useful for a few times, and if you're out of range, then there's nothing oppenents could do, but run - or suicide charge. I also would have another weapon just in case they dodge it and charge at you.

I was talking about a large to medium sized battlefield with forest area.

[martianshark]

Even if it wasn't operated by a person, they couldn't just throw a rock at it to disable it. It's spiked into the ground.