Re: RE: [DL] Swords

["Daniel Gwyn" <dgwyn@colba.net>]

Hi,
    While the use of swords and lances carried on into the early phases of
WWII, when Polish Lancers charged German Panzers with what has been
described as "predictable results," they were in essence romantic
anachronisms.  While a sword is handy in a melee, it weighs a lot for a
campaign.  Even a romantic calvaryman like Custer left his sword behind on
his last.
    Furthermore, in "real war" situations, snipers would pick off officers
carrying such visible symbols of rank.  Indeed, some officers began carrying
long-arms in order to appear like "one of the grunts."
    Bayonet charges were usually psychological affairs rather than actually
hand to hand combat.  Either the defenders would panic and break very
quickly, or the charge would end up like Pickett's at Gettysburg.  They were
usually quite costly to the attacker even if they won.
    While I have never heard a reliable account of the British bayonet
charges in the Falklands, I must point out several things.  First, the
British were using long semi-automatic rifles which weren't close-quarters
firearms by any means.  Bayonets were the best way of making the rifles into
such weapons.  Second and more importantly, the British troops sent to
re-take the islands were drawn from the best infantry regiments available,
all of them professionals, whereas the Argentinians seem to have sent mostly
conscripts, some whom didn't even know how to clean their rifles.  In an
even fight, professionals will win the day.  One sometimes suspects the
Brits could have been using Lee-Enfields and still won!  ;-)
    All this to say that swords probably went out as serious weapon during
the early years of the Civil War.  I would venture that given the prolonged
nature of the conflict in Deadlands, swords are little more the parade
ground symbols of rank.
    Remember, a smart officer doesn't get his command into a melee, and the
wars are great at eliminating dumb officers.  Darwinian selection at work.
             Daniel Gwyn