Rob Lovett (rob_lovett@hotmail.com)
Mon, 06 Dec 1999 21:28:12 GMT
Yes, the poor English suffered the same but at the hands of the Scots.
The Scots would rush the pooor red coats accepting the fact that a few would
get shot and be in amongst them with their tages and broadswords before they
could reload.
This led one enterprising English General to train his troops in the arts of
hand to hand combat using their guns and bayonets effectively - the Scots
soon learned that this was no longer a favourable tactic to employ and the
tide turned against them.
Rob
>The booklet's tone was basically that contrary to first impressions by
>'modern' U.S. soldiers, the officer with the sword is not a quaint but
>pointless anachronism, these men could slash a G.I. open from crown to
>crotch with a single cut, and has a significant edge over a man with a
>rifle
>and bayonet (this assumes that you dont have time to load another clip in
>close combat), watch out for these guys, if you see one leading a bayonet
>charge, shoot him FIRST!
>
>The source (a Japanese American) also mentioned the existance of Japanese
>Sword Companies during the Manchuria campaigns, and their effectivness
>against hastily trained Chinese rifle companies. It seems the standard
>tactic was to move forward, taking every advantage of the cover, to say 100
>yards, being shot at all the while, then charge straight in and engage hand
>to hand.
>
>Apparently the Chinese troops (especially the green recruits) would, often
>as not, simply break and run at the sight of an entire company of sword
>wielding maniacs. Remember, these poor buggers were using bolt action
>rifles
>of questionable quality, with 5 round clips, you fire a couple of rounds as
>the swordsmen advance, then all of a sudden they are running at you, you
>drop 1 or two with the last 3 rounds in the clip, and face a BIG dilemma,
>do
>you spend the 10 seconds it will take them to reach you a)trying to reload
>b)trying to fix your bayonet, or c)dropping the rifle and running like
>hell.
>
>Has anyone else heard anything about this and what do you think?
>
>
>
> Ulrich von Bek, gentleman adventurer.
>
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