How much damage could you do in ancient times with a modern weapon?

[Brighteye]

Frankly I doubt it.

But then again I have no idea of what you know, or how much though you've out into this.

Probably best not to answer this, and go off topic.

(Sets off, contemplating strting a thread about "Useful skills of your present day person for making a living in the Roman era.")

I did say any battle from history, and I meant to clarify that as Napoleonic or before.

I would love to put you to the test.

It wouldn't be that hard. 30Kg of ammunition is 2,000 rounds. I wouldn't want a machine gun: just a semi-automatic. And then I'd just wander up to the battle and shoot 2,000 men from the side I wanted to lose. That's enough to sway almost any battle. There may have been some where it wouldn't be enough, but if we add in morale and running away, as well as the opposing side, I think I could change the result of any one battle in history.
Maybe 2,000 rounds is too little and I should have 3,000. That's 45kg, which is still light enough for one man, although getting heavy.

The 'savages' always turned out to be a damn sight too 'modern' and clever to fall for stuff like that.

Just join one side and make it win. Don't set yourselves up as another side.

 

[Derbus]

Some pretty funny ideas being thrown around here which is cool though some people seem to be trying to hard to prove a point that can't be proven.


While this isn't a weapon, it would still cause mass carnage.... I'd bring back a MONSTER TRUCK!! Wouldn't even need to mount guns on it, just drive around runnin everyone over.


hahah, ok but seriously I'm suprised not many people have brought up or commented about Brighteye's rifle idea. While the body count wont be as high as an automatic weapon or some kind of explosive. A sniper running around in ancient times picking off key targets without being detected would be far more devestating.

 

[Traitorfish]

While this isn't a weapon, it would still cause mass carnage.... I'd bring back a MONSTER TRUCK!! Wouldn't even need to mount guns on it, just drive around runnin everyone over.

"I say, Ramatootses, what is that peculiar creature coming towards us?"
"I'm not sure, Tootmopsis, but it looks some sort of giant red hippo on log rollers..."
"A giant red hippo? Are you serious? Really, Ramatootses, you have the most ridiculous imagina-"
SPLAT

Good times.

(And yes, I live under the delusion that all Egyptian names include "toot" at some point".)

 

[Lotus49]

Alright, what about sea power...? Again keeping numbers to a minimum (say, we only have one small modern vessel), how much damage could we do to an ancient empire in a war?

Our humble weapon shall be... the frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG-48)

Spoiler :

Let's say we're fighting a Mediterranean power, such as Greece, Rome, Carthage or Egypt for example. We could pretty much establish total maritime superiority, and setup an impenetrable blockade! Eventually they would have to yield to our demands (at which point, we send in 'the negotiator', our crack shot w/ the light machinegun) to sue for peace.

I think our objective should be... to capture the entire island of Sicily (heck throw in Malta as well) from the Roman Empire at it's peak. Man we'd be a thorn in their side, and there's nothing they could do about it... all with just one ship! "Mare Nostrum" they call it. Bah. We could fix that. Put a nice rebel island right in the heart of their sphere of influence. Right at their... foot (so to speak).

We'd be unstoppable, don't you think? Their whole fleet could attack, and we'd just waste 'em. We would then control all sea lanes, and therefore the vast, VAST majority of trade.

Yeah I think this would be better than the machinegun alone...

 

[scherbchen]

would a light-sabre be considered cheating? -.-

 

[Lotus49]

would a light-sabre be considered cheating? -.-

C'mon man, I was being serious.