top 10 weps that made the 21st cen

[Dragonlord]

Guerilla warfare is the only tactic that can call itself a weapon. (metaphorically speaking)
But if you're going to get all technical, then I'd have to say the atomic bomb.

How do you figure guerilla warfare as a 20th century invention? Those tactics have been around a long time, but certainly in the 19th century: Geronimo's tactics immediately spring to mind, for example.

 

[Stuck in Pi]

My Set:

Nukes
Tanks
Laser-Guided missiles.
Powerful infantry weapons
Stealth

I can see that stealth might not be an exact weapon, but it allows the delivery of weapons much more effeciantly. Also, laser-guided missiles allow for precise death and destruction. Tanks changed warfare. Period. WWII would be so different without tanks. Also, powerful infantry weapons (AK-47, RPGs, heavy explosive...) allow for a versatile platoon in an urban situation.

Nukes are on there because the mere threat of nuclear annihalation has stopped another big war.

 

[BadKharma]

i think that the airbourne and helicopters didnt have a tremendous impact on the way wars are fought. Without full land, sea/air support its a suicide run
helicopters as have saved countless lives but whats truly spectacular about them is there ability to support the ground troops
as for the nuclear bomb, i dont think it had a tremendous impact on the way wars are fought, but it did have an impact on this century.

I have no idea where you get your information on "Vertical Envelopement" ie the progression of airbourne to airmobile warfare. Airborne warfare was used to secure strategic areas in advance of a ground thrust. The last mass drop that I can recall is when the 1'st and 75th Rangers parachuted onto the airport in Grenada to secure it for air landing part of the 82'nd Airbourne Division. However specialized parachuting ie HALO / HOHO are still used and very effective for inserting small specialized tactical teams were stealth is uppermost.
Airmobile however is a huge part of warfare even today. It was originally developed as a modern replacement for the age old and revered cavalry. The ability to both insert and extract troops and equipment anywhere on the battlefield is huge advantage in terms of logistics as well as manueverability.

 

[El Justo]

spoken like a true airborne vet

 

[BadKharma]

spoken like a true airborne vet

"Who are you?" AIRBORNE
"How far?" ALL THE WAY
Actually I agree with the weapons you posted. Both nuclear subs and aircraft carriers really project a nations power and can wipe out a small country by themselves.

 

[pi-r8]

You people are all nuts. If civ 4 teaches us anything, its that history is shaped mostly by whichever country made the most axemen back in 2000 BC.

 

[El Justo]

i'm afraid that civ 4 teaches many of us nothing we use civ3 for that.

 

[carmen510]

Isn't it 20th not 21st?

Whatever, I'll say my pick. (Takes in factors like influence, reliability, etc.)

1. Warplanes
2. Atomic Bomb
3. Tanks
4. Machine guns
5. Bazookas
6. Grenades
7. Assault rifles, mainly AK47 and its copies.
8. Submachine guns
9. Artillery


Worst weapon: M16A1

 

[Darth_Pugwash]

carmen: Technically grenades have been around in one form or another for hundreds of years. So has 'artillery' for that matter though I assume you mean modern long range guns not ye olde cannons.

Single most important weapon of the twentieth century can only be the atomic bomb. Don't know about a top ten but planes, tanks and machine guns must be high up the list.

 

[dosed150]

How do you figure guerilla warfare as a 20th century invention? Those tactics have been around a long time, but certainly in the 19th century: Geronimo's tactics immediately spring to mind, for example.

spanish partisans during the peninsular war used guerilla tactics so thats early 19th century

 

[BadKharma]

spanish partisans during the peninsular war used guerilla tactics so thats early 19th century

Yes and actually it dates older than that.
Large-scale guerrilla fighting accompanied the American Revolution, and the development of guerrilla tactics under such partisan leaders as Francis Marion , Andrew Pickens , and Thomas Sumter has been called the great contribution of the American Revolution to the development of warfare. The term guerrilla itself was coined during the Peninsular War (1808-14), when Spanish partisans, under such leaders as Francisco Mina, proved unconquerable even by the armies of Napoleon I . From Spain the use of the term spread to Latin America and then to the United States.

Also you could also say that Rogers Ranger's used guerilla tactics because they practiced a form of irregular warfare against the french in North America.

 

[carmen510]

Horrible Pop Music.

 

[nonconformist]

Horrible Pop Music.

Actually, that is a tactic used, certainly by the US.

I remember there was a case of some dictator holing himself up in his palace, and US troops parking outside and blasting various versions of "I fought the law (and the law won)" until he surrendered.

US troops were also fond of blasting the Clash's "Rock the Casbah" from Humvees in the first gulf war.

 

[mr_lewington]

Isn't it 20th not 21st?

its about the wepons that had the biggest impact on 2day (recent weps of course)

"Who are you?" AIRBORNE
"How far?" ALL THE WAY

"Rangers Lead The Way!"

 

[Italian Celtic]

my personallist
-stealth
-satellites
-CIA
-drones
-APC
-laser-guided bombs
-air carriers

and in the future

-mechs
-space navy
-teleport devices

 

[BadKharma]

its about the wepons that had the biggest impact on 2day (recent weps of course)



"Rangers Lead The Way!"

Are you also a former graduate of Camp Darby?

 

[mr_lewington]

naw, watch black hawk down 20 mins ago

 

[nonconformist]

Ah, yes, Hollywood always trumps veterans as far as military arguments go.

 

[El Justo]

the interruptor gear for WW1 fighter planes

the snorkel for subs

g.u.p.p.y.

 

[mr_lewington]

the idea 2 have pilots in WW1 shoot ea other with pistols and bolt action rifles sweeps the board