The Most Influential Weapons of History

[Beerbaron]

atomic bomb
cannon
musket
ion cannon, oh wait thats command and conquer

Would you class these as weapons:

T-34 tank
King Tiger
spitfire
submarine
battleship

 

[Tefal]

The M1911 revolutionised automatic pistol design.

one thing i found interesting was that near the end of ww2 the Americans had developed some nerly fully stamped steel automatic pistols that where very promising and where easier mass produced for less cost but then the war ended and the development stopped and no one ever bothered moving away from machined hand guns.

Handguns would be very different today if stamped parts had become dominant.

Although how sexy is the Auto Mag 280

 

[BunnyKillBot]

A wounded soldier takes two soldiers out of action dragging him to safety. A dead soldier is an obstacle not to trip over on the field of battle.

 

[Thesaff]

The 7.62 killed more people the 5.56 injures more, more injured soldiers saps any armies resources were as dead soldiers dont to such an extent. I believe iirc one of the reasons why NATO forces changed to this calibre.

 

[EvilDreams]

The 7.62 killed more people the 5.56 injures more, more injured soldiers saps any armies resources were as dead soldiers dont to such an extent. I believe iirc one of the reasons why NATO forces changed to this calibre.

Along with the 7.62 going right through its target, wasting most of its energy.

 

[Cosimo]

Keyboard Fu, one of the deadliest of arts.

The GD army is fully trained in thier use.

 

[Castiel]

The 7.62 killed more people the 5.56 injures more, more injured soldiers saps any armies resources were as dead soldiers dont to such an extent. I believe iirc one of the reasons why NATO forces changed to this calibre.

Well, I used 7.62 in my L96. It is pointless using 5.56 if you need to use twice as many rounds to put the target down especially at distances exceeding 250m. NATO didn't change to the 5.56 either, they are both NATO standard rifle calibres.

For a sniper, the 5.56 is not a good choice. All rounds have trade offs I agree, and I don't feel that the difference warrants it's inclusion in influential weapons.

 

[kwerk]

Definitely the AK47. They're everywhere.

 

[kwerk]

It's an urban legend that its supposed to wound people. 5.56 bullets fragment because they go so fast.

 

[Tefal]

5.56 bullets fragment because they go so fast.

You sure? cause i thought all the conventions we'd signed up to stated that bullets should not fragment nor deform significantly in the body.

 

[Judgeneo]

Persuasive language - inspiring millions to give their lives for causes they know little about
The rock and stick, allowing humans to evolve
The bow and arrow
Gunpowder
Nuclear bomb
AK-47

after that I get stuck, possibly flight and the internet?

 

[Cosimo]

Definitely the AK47. They're everywhere.

They've certainly shot enough people.

 

[Castiel]

Ideology.

The most dangerous and the most persuasive weapon of them all.

 

[6thElement]

the sword has been used longer than any other weapon in history. guns on the other hand a mere blink of the eye.

So swords have been around longer than rocks...k.

 

[Tefal]

Ideology.

The most dangerous and the most persuasive weapon of them all.

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

- Voltaire.

 

[Cosimo]

Ideology.

The most dangerous and the most persuasive weapon of them all.

Without a doubt.

 

[Cosimo]

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

- Voltaire.

Those who can make you believe in the truth can also do the same.

 

[Tefal]

the sword has been used longer than any other weapon in history.

Well that's just not true.

swords have only been about for around 6% of human history.

guns on the other hand a mere blink of the eye.

and guns and their tactics have seen/caused more changes in warfare than words have.

 

[Thesaff]

Well, I used 7.62 in my L96. It is pointless using 5.56 if you need to use twice as many rounds to put the target down.

For a sniper, the 5.56 is not a good choice. All rounds have trade offs, and I don't feel that the difference warrants it's inclusion in influential weapons.

5.56 is a NATO standard, before that there were different standards across the forces, ammunition standardisation has been one of the key influences on modern warfare, you only have to look at the American civil war for the benefits of this. The 5.56 was also chosen because of its injuring capabilities, changing in some way what the weapon is designed for.

 

[Haiku]

Katana have made plenty of impact on japanese history. maybe not world history though, Although it was down to training, armour AND the katana. regardless it was part of what shaped japan in the Ashikaga period

The katana is undoubtedly the most iconic of Japanese weapons but it wasn't necessarily the ubiquitous weapon that many assume it to have been. Most warriors, particularly those of a rank lower than samurai, were equipped with a spear. Many samurai also adopted a spear in battle, while the earliest samurai were traditionally mounted archers.