What are your favorite dumb/weird war weapons and why?

[Pax Nerdvana]

In other words, the rule of cool failed.

Don’t worry, we will build a recoilless rifle for every light infantry unit that can shoot 15 rounds per minute. Logic and physics are silly rules.

Yes. Throw them out the window.

Ah yes. The rifle that fired extremely slow projectiles for about ten feet, which then accelerated to ridiculous speeds.

Cool gun. Cool concept. Bad execution.

It's a concept that at least deserves revisiting imo. I'm planning on buying one and the ammo eventually.

It should be revisited. Make it guided with faster acceleration.

[Novus America]

Don’t worry, we will build a recoilless rifle for every light infantry unit that can shoot 15 rounds per minute. Logic and physics are silly rules.

Yes. Throw them out the window.

It's a concept that at least deserves revisiting imo. I'm planning on buying one and the ammo eventually.

It should be revisited. Make it guided with faster acceleration.

And how exactly would such rounds be made remotely affordable?
Plus they are still useless at close range. Where most fighting actually happens.

[Orange-Transvaal]

Mostly tractor tanks for them being random in contrast to real ones.

[-Ocelot-]

High-frequency blades in the Metal Gear universe: https://metalgear.fandom.com/wiki/High-frequency_blade

A high-frequency blade was a sword reinforced by a powerful alternating current and resonating at extremely high vibration frequencies. This oscillation weakened the molecular bonds of anything it cuts, thereby increasing its cutting ability. Striking, cutting, and thrusting attacks were performed with the blade, with the sharpened edge and point used for lethal attacks, and the blunt edge used as a clubbing weapon. Proficient users were also able to wield the blade with such accuracy and speed that they were able to deflect bullets, such as Raiden. Many blades were modeled after traditional Japanese katana

Impractical but lovely nonetheless. A cyborg in the metal gear universe would be better off using a weapon to eliminate enemies from afar, just like regular soldiers do in real life.

[Budoflaggen]

In our nation we have found the wooden spatula to be the best weapon.
Why?

Because not only can you slap the offender down into submission, you can then scoop them up and fling them into oblivion.
If said spatula breaks due to a particularly resistful offender, we simply carve another from the nearest tree.

Wholesale enquires welcome.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Also I have a huge love for caseless ammo and weapons that use them. I actually have, like, 8,000 rounds of caseless in a box and a bunch of design ideas for a semi auto rifle that I need to start working on eventually.

It's the way of the future and anyone who tells you otherwise is a loser.

[The New California Republic]

The MiG-27M, with the GSh-6-30А.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-27
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gryazev-Shipunov_GSh-6-30

On the Mikoyan MiG-27 the GSh-6-30 had to be mounted obliquely to absorb recoil. The gun was noted for its high (often uncomfortable) vibration and extreme noise. The airframe vibration led to fatigue cracks in fuel tanks, numerous radio and avionics failures, the necessity of using runways with floodlights for night flights (as the landing lights would often be destroyed), tearing or jamming of the forward landing gear doors (leading to at least three crash landings), cracking of the reflector gunsight, an accidental jettisoning of the cockpit canopy and at least one case of the instrument panel falling off in flight. The weapons also dealt extensive collateral damage, as the sheer numbers of fragments from detonating shells was sufficient to damage aircraft flying within a 200-meter radius from the impact center, including the aircraft firing.

I honestly think that in this case that there was some corruption afoot when they didn't terminate its development when the problems became apparent. There has definitely been some strange happenings here, as usually the Soviets placed great emphasis on weapons not having detrimental effects on the serviceability of aircraft. I think someone had a close friend or family member in the design bureau that pulled strings on this one.

[Sicaris]

Also I have a huge love for caseless ammo and weapons that use them. I actually have, like, 8,000 rounds of caseless in a box and a bunch of design ideas for a semi auto rifle that I need to start working on eventually.

It's the way of the future and anyone who tells you otherwise is a loser.

K R A U T S P A C E M A G I C

[Washington Resistance Army]

Also I have a huge love for caseless ammo and weapons that use them. I actually have, like, 8,000 rounds of caseless in a box and a bunch of design ideas for a semi auto rifle that I need to start working on eventually.

It's the way of the future and anyone who tells you otherwise is a loser.

K R A U T S P A C E M A G I C

If the Cold War hadn't ended I'm certain HK would have eventually ironed out the cook off issue and the G11 would have entered service. What a great timeline that would have been ;_;

[Crookfur]

It's not a bad idea its just that MBA turned out to be terrible at actually producing things in general let alone to the tolerances that would have made the gyrojet rounds workable.

The mig-27m is a true legend in the world of too much gun.

It actually was a pretty bad idea for several reasons.
The rocket leaves the barrel at its lowest velocity. It gets faster further away.
Making it useless at close range. But the lack of accuracy in unguided rockets made it useless at long range.

The rockets are also large, expensive, and going to be inaccurate, because you are not going to put a guidance system on them.

It offered no real benefit over conventional rounds, and many disadvantages.
It was not the low quality of manufacturing that sunk it.
It was the very concept is unworkable.

Just because the projectile doesn't leave the barrel at its maximum velocity doesn't mean that it leaves the barrel at a less than lethal velocity or make it useless. It is perfectly possible to design the motor so that it does leave the barrel at the maximum desired velocity and then maintains said velocity for a considerable length of time, making it equally effective across its entire usable range.
Why are rockets inherently less accurate? if the projectile is spun at the correct rate to stabilise it and isn't losing velocity then it is going to be at least as accurate as an equally well made bullet.

basically you are taking the issues with MBA's implementation and extrapolating it to the entire idea.

it is far from impossible to make accurate unguided rockets, Hydra and CRV-7 have dispersion rates pretty similar to automatic cannon.

The rockets also don't have to be large, although the pay offs get better the bigger you go, gyrojets down to less than 7mm in calibre were tried.

Its a wierd concept to get your head around but its not really dumb in any sense.

[Pax Nerdvana]

Yes. Throw them out the window.
It should be revisited. Make it guided with faster acceleration.

And how exactly would such rounds be made remotely affordable?
Plus they are still useless at close range. Where most fighting actually happens.

I know, but it's a still a cool idea.

[Novus America]

It actually was a pretty bad idea for several reasons.
The rocket leaves the barrel at its lowest velocity. It gets faster further away.
Making it useless at close range. But the lack of accuracy in unguided rockets made it useless at long range.

The rockets are also large, expensive, and going to be inaccurate, because you are not going to put a guidance system on them.

It offered no real benefit over conventional rounds, and many disadvantages.
It was not the low quality of manufacturing that sunk it.
It was the very concept is unworkable.

Just because the projectile doesn't leave the barrel at its maximum velocity doesn't mean that it leaves the barrel at a less than lethal velocity or make it useless. It is perfectly possible to design the motor so that it does leave the barrel at the maximum desired velocity and then maintains said velocity for a considerable length of time, making it equally effective across its entire usable range.
Why are rockets inherently less accurate? if the projectile is spun at the correct rate to stabilise it and isn't losing velocity then it is going to be at least as accurate as an equally well made bullet.

basically you are taking the issues with MBA's implementation and extrapolating it to the entire idea.

it is far from impossible to make accurate unguided rockets, Hydra and CRV-7 have dispersion rates pretty similar to automatic cannon.

The rockets also don't have to be large, although the pay offs get better the bigger you go, gyrojets down to less than 7mm in calibre were tried.

Its a wierd concept to get your head around but its not really dumb in any sense.

Making a rocket with perfectly equal acceleration across the entire range is hypothetically possible, but the cost outrageous. There would have to be a very complex, possibly multistage design.

Also it is not clear the short length of the barrel would allow enough time to accelerate to a useful speed.

Even if the rocket is the same weight spinning at the same rate, it is going to have issues with because the weight will change. And unless the rock burn is absolutely perfect, even small issues with burn will create uneven lateral forces. A bullet’s weight and weight distribution is not constantly changing. An once it leaves the barrel there are no external forces placed on it by the propellant.

Which is the problem. You would have to make rounds built to such a high degree of tolerance that they would be expensive and delicate (sealing them is also an issue) that they would be unaffordable to even offer similar performances to a conventional gun.

So you get something costing way more, for little real benefit.

[The Galactic Liberal Democracy]

I know, but it's a still a cool idea.

Heavy machine guns are proven to work though.

[Juristonia]

Bat bombs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_bomb

[The New California Republic]

I know, but it's a still a cool idea.

Heavy machine guns are proven to work though.

Just not if you try to put the wrong one into the wrong aircraft.

[The Galactic Liberal Democracy]

Just not if you try to put the wrong one into the wrong aircraft.

Implying I would put them on an aircraft. Aircraft are weak and fragile. They are mosquitoes while armored vehicles are for men.

[The New California Republic]

Just not if you try to put the wrong one into the wrong aircraft.

Implying I would put them on an aircraft. Aircraft are weak and fragile. They are mosquitoes while armored vehicles are for men.

Try saying that to a B-52 as it is raining down death.

[The Galactic Liberal Democracy]

Try saying that to a B-52 as it is raining down death.

Air fortress vs literal fortress

[Memelandia Major]

Bob semple tank

[Sicaris]

Bob semple tank

Honestly, it wasn’t that bad of an idea, even for how much it is memed.

[Czech-Bohemia]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puckle_gun

Puckle demonstrated two configurations of the basic design: one, intended for use against Christian enemies, fired conventional round bullets, while the second, designed to be used against the Muslim Turks, fired square bullets. The square bullets were considered to be more damaging. They would, according to the patent, "convince the Turks of the benefits of Christian civilization". The weapon was also reported as able to fire shot, with each discharge containing sixteen musket balls.

T'is my favourite weapon of all time because it's just a massive fucking meme.

[Sicaris]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puckle_gun

Puckle demonstrated two configurations of the basic design: one, intended for use against Christian enemies, fired conventional round bullets, while the second, designed to be used against the Muslim Turks, fired square bullets. The square bullets were considered to be more damaging. They would, according to the patent, "convince the Turks of the benefits of Christian civilization". The weapon was also reported as able to fire shot, with each discharge containing sixteen musket balls.

T'is my favourite weapon of all time because it's just a massive fucking meme.

it’s Time for another Crusade

[The Galactic Liberal Democracy]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puckle_gun

Puckle demonstrated two configurations of the basic design: one, intended for use against Christian enemies, fired conventional round bullets, while the second, designed to be used against the Muslim Turks, fired square bullets. The square bullets were considered to be more damaging. They would, according to the patent, "convince the Turks of the benefits of Christian civilization". The weapon was also reported as able to fire shot, with each discharge containing sixteen musket balls.

T'is my favourite weapon of all time because it's just a massive fucking meme.

Treat them worse to prove that you’re better. Logic.

[The New California Republic]

Try saying that to a B-52 as it is raining down death.

Air fortress vs literal fortress

It depends on the capabilities of each I guess.

[Pax Nerdvana]

Just not if you try to put the wrong one into the wrong aircraft.

Implying I would put them on an aircraft. Aircraft are weak and fragile. They are mosquitoes while armored vehicles are for men.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II says hello.