ALARMS: Alarms can be used to give advanced warning if one's base if under seige yet they must be avoided when attacking the enemy. The true water warrior must know when and where to use them and how to avoid and disarm them.

Set-Up: Setting them up is a simple task to do, but tricky to do it properly. The best alarms are those using light beams that, when broken, activate a siren. Of course, these are rather expensive and not the sort of thing that most people would use for a water war. The other, simpler type is the trip-wire alarm. (See Alarms/Booby-Traps) Black thread or thin fishing line should be used to the trip-wire. These type of alarms should be set up in areas where the enemy may approach from. The wire should be suspended above the ground about 3"-6" unless one is setting up an step-wire alarm which would place the line only about 1" above the ground. One end of the string should be fixed while the other is attached of a suspended bell or personal alarm. When the string is pulled or stepped on, the bell/alarm should sound off and should be loud enough to be heard at least 50' away to be of use.

The length of the trip-wire should span a width of at least 3'. Too short and it will can be easily missed. Too long and the alarm may not activate properly.

The supporting sticks and alarm device should be hidden from plain view by being behind trees, under loose leaves, behind rocks, etc. From the suspected route of approach, the alarm should be virtually invisible except for the string which should be very difficult to see unless they are intentionally looking for it. The string, due to its function, always has the chance of being discovered, but more than likely overlooked by those not expecting it there.

As an aside, all team members should be made aware of the different alarm positions to prevent any accidental triggering by one's own group.

Finding/Disarming: Setting up alarms around one's base's perimeter is great, but one must also be able to find, identify and disarm any alarms which may be between one's position and the enemy base.

The lower one is to the ground, the more likely one will see a string strung across a pathway. Staying low also helps keep one out of sight. Any routes leading to the enemy base (or beyond explored friendly regions) should be suspected of having alarms. Each step should be taken with caution, looking for that nearly invisible line crossing one's path.

If an alarm is located, the string should be traced to determine what form of alarm is being used. Most of these alarms can be easily disarmed by cutting the wire while holding both sides and gently lowering either end to prevent any bells/personal alarms from going off.

WATER MINES: Water mines are great for using to protect one's base, but can even be used offensively. Of course, one must also be wary of enemy water mines when travelling in unknown or enemy territory. The basic water mine is simply a disguised water balloon. These types are not always effective at getting even one's foot wet, but can be annoying. The more advanced type is based on soft plastic squeeze-bottles and pose a serious threat to one's dryness. (See Alarms/Booby-Traps)

Set-Up: The best position for water mines when used for protecting one's base is at entrances. Mines also work best is they are arranged in clusters. If the enemy troop misses stepping on one, they are likely to hit the one next to it. The main problem with clustered mines is properly disguising them into the terrain. If leaves can be used to cover them, they should be arranged such that the ground does not look disturbed. Leaves should not be used if they are the only leaves in the vicinity. Most people get suspicious when all-of-a-sudden there is a cluster of leaves in the path. Burying water mines under a thin layer of dirt is often much more effective. The difficulty here is digging holes large enough to fit the water mines, yet covering them with just a touch of dirt to hide them and ensuring that the dirt looks natural and not tampered with. Burying water mines takes time and practice to do it well. Do not bury water mines under too much dirt or they will not fire properly when stepped on. The dirt cover the mines should not be packed tightly.

If time allows it, water mines can be used offensively to surround enemy encampments. This, however, is usually not feasible without being caught. Water mines can also be used in making an automatic trap. Water mines can be set-up in a secluded area in advance, then the mine-layer can go antagonize the enemy and have them pursue him into the trap area, avoiding stepping on his own mines. If done properly, the enemy troops will enter the trap zone and activate the water mines, giving them an unexpected soaking they will not forget.

The easiest way to carry water mines around is by taping the holes shut until they are placed, at which time the tape should be removed.

Finding/Disarming: Unlike trip-wire alarms, watermines can be much trickier to locate. Well-hidden mines can guard a path yet be indistinguishable from the un-mined terrain. Metal detectors are of no use since water mines are typically made of plastic. The best way of finding mines without stepping on them is to use a long stick to test the ground before stepping forward. Any leaves or earth covering a water mine should be loose for them to work properly. As such, a stick can be used to test for loosened soil or to sweep away debris which may be covering a water mine.

If found, the simplest way to disarm it is to unbury it and empty the contents. It is usually NOT a good idea to use water mines' water for refilling one's weaponry since dirt may have entered the mines when they were hidden. If an enemy does manage to discover one tampering with the water mines, one can always use the water mines discovered as a close range weapon, squeezing the mine and aiming the holes at the enemy unit effectively using their own trap against them.

It is not a good idea to simply try and jam up the water mine's water holes with objects since accidentally stepping on the mine may result in firing out the plugs at a rather high velocity at one's face. Emptying the discovered water mines is a much safer and guaranteed method of deactivation.