|
Cool a thread I can relate to. I was in the service and trained on every weapon in the world. So what can I tell you? Not much more than you can get from the Library. It's that whole Classified info shtick.
Projectile weapons...Easy to use, the user is relatively effective after minimal training. Many of the modern submachine guns are basically nothing more than a bullet hose. The AK-47 for one example. The theory behind that being, "If you put anough lead into an area you will eventually get a hit." Its a rugged weapon and takes alot of punishment.
Dispite what the movies show a handgun is not truely effective past 50' for the majority of users. That and the fact that many times it takes multiple hits to affect the target.
Projectile weapons do get deflected by branches, leaves, twigs and brush. The heavier the projectile the less effect smaller obstructions have on the flight of said projectile. This is the case even with modern weapons.
Close Combat or Melee weapons require a good deal more training to be used effectively. They are much more difficult for soldiers to use and are limited by the users ability and training. They are highly useful in tight locations, but as before you have to have good training to use them with any skill and dependability. If you get into a knife fight, you will get cut, even if you are good. That increases the chance that you will be disabled.
The English Longbowmen had an effective range of 100 yards by some accounts. Having watched several shows on the weapons and armor available, that was darned significant. The bowman would hit a heavily armored man with arrowheads made from the same material of which the armor was made. Wrought-Iron breastplates took mutiple hits from wrought-iron arrow heads in the example from one show. While the hits were not lethal they did hurt the armored individual and after several hits slowed them down. The majority of the arrowheads broke off on impact and stayed wedged in the armor. What you then had on was a walking Iron Maiden for all intents.
|