[OT] Re: DMD 1.005 release

[Sean Kelly]

Walter Bright wrote:
> 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.

Huh.  That makes a lot of sense.


Sean