RE: [DL][OT-ish] Interesting Thought: World without Gunpowder

[Brom Clancy <spleen23@webtrolls.com>]

---- deadlands@gamerz.net wrote:
> > 
> > >Earlier today, a friend and I were discussing 
history, and I brought up the
> > >notion of a world where gunpowder was never 
discovered/simply didn't
> > work/etc.

> Besides, with no black powder in the 1200s, no 
gunpowder/dynamite/TNT/etc. in the 19th century, 
where would methane/air/whatever technology be in the 
19th century? Feasible applications (read 
that, "weapons") wouldn't appear overnight, most 
likely, so Mankind would have to start 
somewhere/when. And in that time, people would use 
and improve upon what they already had: swords, bows, 
pointy things in general.
> 
> So, with that minor (and yet, not-so-minor) 
correction, let's try this again... :)
> 
> Derek
> -- 

Just some thoughts:

Pikes and high powered crossbows would have killed 
off armored calery even without guns, but maybe a 
little slower.
Fortification would have stayed like old castles 
rather then earth embankment for a while longer.

I think that lacking gunpowder, steam powered weapons 
would have taken the place of battleships, artillery 
and tanks, with steam enginns being developed along 
side or in place of gas powered vehicals, something 
that almost happened real world.
The Navies of this would be close to real world steam 
driven ironclades, while the armies would use 
lumbering steam driven tanks with rapid fire steam 
powered machine guns and slow but powerfull steam 
cannons. Since steam cannons probally lack power at 
range and steam engins are too heavy for heavier then 
air craft, blimps would be both the transports and 
the only armed crafts, gas powered planes would be 
limited to a pilot and a crossbow armed gunner.

Steam powered weapons would have been ineffective as 
man portable versions, so blades would stay cutting 
edge tech, half armor like the conquisidors wore 
would stay in fashion, a helmet and breastplate to 
protect the vitals while allowing the arms and legs 
free moment, Thick rapiers (I think they called them 
Estocs) with triangular shaped blades would be the 
perfured sword since they could punch through even 
plate armor. Pressurized air guns could not punch 
through armor until later developments, so they would 
not be used much on battlefield, but for self defence 
they could easily take the place of a pistol.