Favourite Historical Weapon?

[Taviscratch 453]

Big Bertha. Hands down.

 

An impenetrable bunker, you say? 

 

830Kg, 45cm of explodey goodness.

Shells measured in centimetres, not little sissy mills.

 

It's a manly man's grenade launcher. 

...Then there are weapons for those who have penises

Most definitely the Archer Tank Destroyer... didn't see much action, unfortunately. Not many were manufactured either.

I do like the Archer but more because of its silly design. They put the gun on backwards!

[Koukatsu 5,898]

Historical? Sipahi Saber. Most recently used digitally in Dying Light. By far one of my favorites in there, as well as in reality.

 

Fictional? Gwum Gi's Chareyok, Jack the Ripper, from "God of High School". If put to better use, a massacre with this ability would be a beautiful dance of death.

 

Modern? Nothing fancy here. Just a good old Anti Material Rifle. *swoon*

[yeet 2,026]

Swords. Always swords. The best swords are video game swords, like Rebellion n shit.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,064]

Definitely the StG-44 from WW2. The rifle that would change war. The father of all Assault Rifles. AK has nothing on this German beauty.

[CT-1138 3,179]

The m1911 pistol:

 

And the Big Bertha gun:

[Magpie 620]

It's a tie between a Khopesh and a Halberd. The Halberd was the much more commonly used weapon and more effective in wars, but the Khopesh is awesome. Perfect merge of a sword and axe.

 

Khopesh. 

 

Halberd 

[IcyHaze 593]

I'm shocked that nobody has mentioned one of the most devestating weapons of all time:

 

The Longbow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many people overlook this weapons as a simple bow. This is not the case.

 

The English Longbow has a massive, successful history, which I advise you all to read about if you're interested.

It is believed to have first been used by the Welsh in the 1100's during the invasion of Wales. The Welsh bowman exacted a heavy toll on the invaders, and were soon incorporated into the army. Men needed special training to be able to draw the string back to its full length, and often peasants were taken in and trained. Depsite being of low birth, the upper class were under orders to treat them well due to the deadly effectiveness of the weapons they used.

 

A fully drawn arrow could penetrate armour, and bowmen were supremely accurate (think Robin Hood)

 

The draw weight for one of these was somewhere between 90lbs and 150lbs - few sources agree on this. That's between 6 and 10 stone - just being held in your fingers!

 

Isaac Asimov once referred to it in an essay as the most successful secret weapon of all time - despite the fact it wasn't a secret.

 

WIthout going into details, Longbowmen basically turned the entire outcome of skirmishes and battles between the English and French during the hundred years war, with cases such as 100 longbowmen fending off an attack of 400 infantry and cavalry - with less than ten casualties.

Apparently the French once managed to create a faction of Longbowmen, but they were not well trained and treated as inferior. When they were used in battle, the mounted knights, believing them to be a waste of time, simply rode out over the formation, trampling and killing the majority. Because of this, they lost the battle, as the riders were picked off by the elite English Longbowmen.

 

They are supremely vague examples, but they show the effectiveness of the longbow. It wasn't until cannon was used in battle that the longbow became inferior, as the squads could be easily decimated.

Edited March 5, 2015 by IcyHaze

[Handsome Changeling 1,851]

For a Historical Melee weapon I would say probably a Medieval Scimitar Sword, it's design looks flawless, the backwards curved style just adds to the look of this glorious weapon.

 

For more ranged weapon it would need to probably be a Hand Cannon/Iantaka Cannon, I mean a traditional Hand Cannon and not a high calibur pistol like a Desert Eagle. I mean coooome on, a Portable Cannon could not be more overkill.

 

Edited March 6, 2015 by Handsome Changeling

[MLPwn3 7]

Lol My favorite weapons is a Hemp corded sling and stone, i make these irl and sell them locally. I averagely sling a stone 38 meters per second which is amazing and is considered more lethal then a bow.   

[Steel Accord 6,658]

I love how everyone is like oh they're so elegant and cool looking and I'm just sitting here thinking about their actual use, killing. Why do we glorify weapons when they are literally made to kill people?

 

 

Appreciating a weapon, the skill it takes to craft it and the skill it takes to use it, is not the same thing as glorifying killing. Does my study of swordplay martial arts make me more likely to commit murder than anyone else?

 

Swords all the way hands down no contest. They are so badass and come in so many unique shapes, sizes and designs. Nothing else even comes close.

 

Doesn't the fact that two of those examples are from fictional properties kind of kill the point of "historical" weapons? You're right in that swords come in different varieties, those varieties also have names beyond "sword."

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 

In terms of actual goals?

 

Bo, spear, dao, and Tiger Hook swords. By Celestia I will learn how to use these!

 

The bo and spear for similar reasons. Both are reach weapons but also weapons that require a great deal of skill to use effectively at all ranges. My skill with them would be a reflection of how good I am becoming with my arts, especially in the realms of reflexes and acrobatics.

 

The dao and Tiger Hooks also for reasons similar to one another as well as the previous two. Skill in their use reflects my own growing aptitude. However the dao and hook swords are quite different from one another in function as opposed to a staff and spear. The former has sharper and more snapping moves associated with it's use while the ladder requires more circular movements and lighter stepping.

 

In terms of historical weapons I have less interest in learning how to use and just think are cool though. The Hoplon shield. Thing could take a musket bullet and is actually surprisingly maneuverable for it's weight.

 

Basically any attempt to combine early flintlock firearms with contemporary swords. Sucked as a sword and even worse as a ranged weapon? Oh Hell yeah, but at least they tried at making something this cool, practical!

 

(For some reason, the site won't let me post any images so sorry for the lack of them.)

Edited March 7, 2015 by Steel Accord

[The Shadow Stallion 127]

Give me a Viking Sword or Bastard sword any day (Shields included wooo!). If we're speaking of my melee preferences. (I'd even take a Spartan sword/shield combo), but Viking Sword and Bastard Swords are my first two choices. They give off the feeling of power and utter brutality. They are practical and are weapons of war and slaughter. They simply state "Back off, or you'll have to pick your rolling head up off the floor." I'd also take War Axes and such because they just ooze with brutality.

 

Gun-wise though, I'd stick my AK-47 or M-16/AR-15. Assault rifles, so you can spray the field without worrying about ammo (That much lol) You have enough bullets to waste if you're inaccurate, but if you got a Deadeye shot like me, every bullet is a kill. Following those two are the pump-action shotgun, 50. Caliber Sniper Rifle (-drools- If I ever get my hands on this baby), Flamethrowers, and to top it off, I will stand with the standard .45 magnum.

[ThatOneComrade 1,091]

DEAD BODIES

I was watching the History Channel the other day, and they showed a Turkish dude launching his dead soldiers from a catapult and into the enemy city. Since the soldiers had died of disease it was, according t the episode, the first ever instance of biological warfare. Needless to say, the disease spread inside the walls (mice were, of course, a huge help) and the Turkish guy won.

 

I know it's really messed up of me to find this awesome, but I do. History is so cool.

[Petrus 696]

For me it would be the Gatling Gun 

 

 

And Big Bertha (Dicke Bertha) 

Hell YEAH! Gatling guns are awesome, but aside from guns I like the Haladie's 

 

 

 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,282]

Did somepony say Gatling Gun?

[Krampus 197]

Did somepony say Gatling Gun?

 

 

NOW IS COWARD KILLING TIME!

[cuteycindyhoney 13,282]

NOW IS COWARD KILLING TIME!

Is it wrong that my head canon (see what I did there?) suspects Twilight is enjoying this? And to keep the thread going, here's another favorite weapon of mine, a future historic weapon I give you...

"Metal Storm"!

[capnlatenight 30]

I love blades and swords but the samurai blade is one that stands out and has been proven to be one of

the best weapons man has made: grace and sharp!

 

 

No, it hasn't been. There is no "best weapon" because it's all personal preference. 

[Poetic Stone 1,040]

I love swords of all kinds they are the best weapons in my mind, and my favorite is the katana.

[King Sejong 858]

   The Short Magazine Lee Enfield, this bolt action rifle was the weapon of choice to the British and Commonwealth soldier, it has the smoothest bolt action handling, enabling it to fire twenty rounds a minute, although it was possible to fire more, and with it's ten round magazine, it was nearly equal to the American M1 Garand. I also like the German Mauser, whether it was the Gewehr 98 or Karabiner 98k, these bolt action rifles revolutionised warfare, from shooting on prone position, to using a pointed, full metal jacket bullet, and the ease of manufacture made it the rifle of export, even the American Springfield is a copy of the Mauser, I have I learned to fire both rifles when I was fifteen, so I know from experience these are great rifles, anyone can learn to fire the Mauser or Lee Enfield, despite the kick from the high powered calibre, you can feel the power of these bolt action rifles, they were prolific rifle too, the German Mauser and British Lee Enfield, were the quintessential rifles of their time, before the AK-47, they were the rifle of citizen and soldier alike. 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,282]

I love swords of all kinds they are the best weapons in my mind, and my favorite is the katana.

hanwei-paul-chen-bushido-folded-katana-1.jpg

I once read that long ago in Japan, once a sword-smith created a Katana, he would then test it on a condemned prisoner. That way, buyers could purchase a blooded blade.

Edited March 22, 2015 by cuteycindyhoney

[Poetic Stone 1,040]

I once read that long ago in Japan, once a sword-smith created a Katana, he would then test it on a condemned prisoner. That way, buyers could purchase a blooded blade.

Yes I read the same thing.

[Lordav 3,426]

Although it was nevver actually used in warfare, the french Guycot Chain Rifle is a work of art in my opinion.

 

Although designed in the late 1800s... it held 80 bullets! Compare that to rifles used in WWI which carried a mere 16. And all this due to the ingenious chain mechanism used by its inventor (name unknowned)

 

I mean the nation that would've adopted this weapon as their main rifle wouldve dominated land warfare for decades. The reason why it was not used was the fear that an enemy bullet hitting the ammo chain would cause all of them to explode which would've had terrible consequences for its owner. It could've change the entire course of millitary hisotry.

 

In my opinion... it is a masterpiece <3