[OT] Re: DMD 1.005 release

[Walter Bright]

Sean Kelly wrote:
> Walter Bright wrote:
>> The worst thing about a muzzle-loader in combat was you had to *stand 
>> up* to reload it. Can you imagine the guts it takes to do that, when 
>> your every nerve screams at you to push your face in the dirt?
> 
> It wasn't an issue until people got sick of standing in two lines facing 
> one another :-)  I wonder how quickly the shift to guerilla tactics 
> changed the development of firearm technology.  After discovering they 
> had a chance to actually survive a battle, I can't imagine soldiers were 
> terribly keen on giving up their cover every ten seconds or so.

I think the firearm technology drove the tactics. The two line approach 
worked only because guns were inaccurate and very slow loading, the idea 
was you could reach the enemy lines before they could get off more than 
one or two shots.

With the advent of longer range, more accurate rifles, this turned into 
a slaughter. Breech loading repeaters finished it off.