Whats your favourite (3) innovation in the history of warfare?

[Rudolph Farber]

Thought it would be interesting to hear of everyone else's favourite innovation in the history of warfare... This could be a tactic, a weapon, a doctrine or anything else you can reasearch or tell us about... Dont just make a list, tell us why but only one per period or war...


I'll go first. Here goes...


Napoleonic Era - The Ring Bayonet.

The ring Bayonet revolutionised the line infantry's melee capability and allowed them to be able to fix bayonets, fire, reload, fire and charge or recieve a charge and then fire later in the battle... Previously plug bayonets took time and effort to remove making a bayonet a one way ticket to become a non ranged unit.

Did you know, under the Geneava Convention, All Bayonets must be "sterile" and not sharp along thier edge... This was to pervent evisceration ("letter box belly") and infected wounds...


World War 1 - The tank.

Tank crews in WW1 were Pioneers of armoured vehicles, the engine was in the crew compartment of the first tanks. Carbon monoxide poisoning was common amongst the first tank crews and tank crews often had to spend days recovering in a field hospital from the effects. The MKI "male" and "female" are the most famous tanks of WW1... Although the whippet light tank was actually the most succesfull.

One tank in particular stands out. "Music Box", which broke through german lines, destroyed an artillery battery, an infantry battalion camp and a transport column whilst roaming for nine hours before becoming immobilised. The germans eventually got close enough to pierce the fuel tanks, stored on top of the tank and set her alight. The crew bailed out and one was shot dead before the crew were taken prisoner.


WW2 - Hawker Hurricane

Predecessor to the Spitfire, a "wood and canvass" plane, although the fusilage was made of steel tube the wings were made of wood, the whole structure was covered in canvass and doped to make it "wind proof" and to stiffen the fabric. This ment the German Explosive cannon rounds would often pass straight threw the Hurricane without detonating. The canvass and timber structures of the hurricane where ofen far easier and faster to repair than the steel clad faster Spitfire. Even if the Hurricanes steel tube fusalage was damaged it was often simpler to repair than the steel paneled Spitfire and could be repaired by RAF ground crews whereas the Spitfire often required specialised equipment...

The Hurricane was deployed in more roles and more theatres than the spitfire, although against the Me 109-E, the Hurricane was essentially an an inferior fighter although it had a tighter turning circle... The Hurricane got its fair share of kills!

Scrap metal was collected in Britian in during WW2 to make more Spitfires. This is why you willl see Iron railings on victorian walls cut to thier stumps, although most of these metals were collected on a morale basis beceause most of these metals were too low a quality for areonautical metals!

However the Spitfire was an excellant plane designed by a geniunus:
"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls. ”

— R. J. Mitchell, to test pilot Jeffrey Quill during prototype trials... R. J. Mitchell Died from cancer before his Superior fighter reached its winner status!

[Michael Josef Schwendau]

For my three I purpose the following:

1. The cartridge.
Giving the infantry man a all weather weapon system. No longer dependent on many factors. This innovation changed the balance of power during the Franco-Prussian war.

2. The Mauser action.
Giving the infantry once again a rate of fire that was accurate as well as long range. Unfortunately as weapons became automatic and semi-automatic there was a shying away from accuracy for volume of fire.

3. The radio.
Thank you Marconi!

Wireless communication gave field officers rapid means of communication and information. The radio truly changed the face of war from moments of brief pauses to continual contact and conflict.

[Willhelm Strassel]

Maxim Machingun
the granddad of all modern machinguns

T-34
first succesfull tank to use sloped armor (earlier BT series had to small guns and armor). used by the soviets during world war 2 it was introduced in 1940. during its carrer it was upgraded with a bigger gun and thicker armor. it was still used in this version t-34/85 by 27 countrys in 1997.


Shock and Awe
military doctrine based on the use of overwhelming power, dominant battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force to paralyze an adversary's perception of the battlefield(Wikipedia jeaj)

[Friedrich Werner]

The Halftrack
Especially the Hanomag Series, giving the infantry the ability to fight alongside armor in what would be entitled mechanized warfare. This has certainly changed the face of battle.

The Howitzer
Giving Artillery the ability to shoot at targets, including other atillery batteries and not be seen had brought the aspect of indirect fire to the battlefield. Germans in WWI are certainly not the first to push for this ability, but they are a great example in the first 2 years of the War.

Dive Bombers
Come on- nothing is greater then seeing a Divebomber tip its wins and fall into a vertical dive. The Germans were just a lot cooler then everyone else when they took it one step further and added that Siren. But in all truth, divebombers played an intricate role in WWII and had a great impact on the need for future bombers to carry guided munitions which could perform the same task.

[Hans Schäfer]

The bow

invented in africa 60000 years ago by some half monkey humans:)
because it revolutionized warfare. since you dint have to go up close and club each other in the head anymore.

Trebuchet

invented by the chinese in the forth century BC, then improved by the byzantium empire in the 6 century
gave a much better range and damage ability of the onager(a roman catapult), so you could keep your troops away from harm

Horses

invented by god ( this theory is only belived by some) in reality it has developed from the tiny horse like being Eohippus, about 55 million years ago. it was about 20cm tall.the horse was first domesticated about 3000BC well horses have changed warfare on so many levls. like it gave humanity mobility never before dreamed of. and it gave us a tactical advantage as you could scout out further before battles and the quickly return to share the news.

[Rudolph Farber]

Marconi! Excellant! An ingenious invention! The fore-farther to all radios, mobile phones, wi-fi and wireless communication! Where would you be with out your mobile or handy? I know where I would be! In peace! Hahah...

[Colton Berg]

Okay here goes nothing

1) Greek Fire (Greeks and Byzantines)

Horrible horrible stuff its like a water gun..only with fire

2) the Scope

makes things that are small...big

3) Full Metal Jacket

Used In the Mg-42 and Kar-98k...pull its just a bad-a Concept

[Rudolph Farber]

Greek fire? Was that the stuff used in Gladiator in the opening scene's against the germanic horde?

Optics? When were optics first used? Artilliary or snipers? and what time periods?

FMJ - Very specific... Which nationality invented the FMJ and why was it more effective?

[Rudolph Farber]

Indeed Werner!

The German APC or Hanomag was of a much better design than the USA. It had a higher side profile which ensured the safty of German Panzer Grenidiers! It was much higher and angled to deflect small arm's fire... Both Veriants out-surpased the British Bren carrier which was designed for lesser effect. The German Hanomag also had a MG34 swinging arm to protect the rear ( not represented in DH.).

Later models included the American M1113, Rusiian BMP varients, and could anyone tell me the current British Models?

[Colton Berg]

1.) no, that was Peat in Clay pots an early form of Molotov Cocktail.

this is early Example of Greek Fire. the fire was able to be "breathed" much like a Modern day Pesticide gun.

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/SINFAXI/gr_fire.jpg

2.) The First record of optics used to enhance accuracy was in the early 17th century. the were first mounted on muskets but due to a muskets inaccuracy it was still a hit or miss affair. the first mass produced Scope was the ZF-41 it was used widely through out Europe and Mainly by the Germans in WWII.

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/SINFAXI/G33_40_7.jpg


3.) the Full metal Jacket was invented in a Swiss Laboratory in 1883. it was not widely used until 1899 when the Geneva convention outlawed Hollow points or other expanding rounds in war. the FMJ is used for its excellent armour piercing capability but it does have some draw backs..because the Bullet does not expand it is likely to pas straight throw the enemy leaving them wounded but no dead unlike a hollow point.

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee9/SINFAXI/8mm_Mauser_stripper_clip_1941_Turki.jpg

[Erwin Kretschmer]

Some people here are discussing the German APC.

Now the Hanomag, that's a factory in Germany and is now producing forklifts and similar industrial vehicles.

Hanomag was the main producer of the Sd.kfz. 251 vehicle, which was also produced by 3 other factories.


-E. Kretschmer

[Friedrich Werner]

Some people here are discussing the German APC.

Now the Hanomag, that's a factory in Germany and is now producing forklifts and similar industrial vehicles.

Hanomag was the main producer of the Sd.kfz. 251 vehicle, which was also produced by 3 other factories.


-E. Kretschmer


That would be me... yes I know they are the producer, but from what i've read the German apcs were often called Hanomags by the soldiers that used them (I can think of two memoirs where I saw this).

However you are obviously correct.

[Erwin Kretschmer]

I thought you'd know. I just wrote it incase anyone else didn't know ;)

About what the called them, yelling out "Sonderkraftfahrzeug zweihundredunteinsuntfumpfsich" everytime, of course that just don't work. And sorry if my spelling's off. As said, Hanomag was the main producer and produced most of them, so it is quite obvious that this was the nickname.. :cool:

[Karl Ritter]

-Communication: telephones, cellphones, radios, satelites,..a whole new way of fighting wars. Information gets passed in the blink of an eye.

-Battleformations: started with= Greek, Romans or Mongols?..forgot. The first step to proffesional soldiers and more tactical flexibility.

-Mobile warfare: On campainglevels this was brought forth by armies of horseriders, and in ww2 by tanks and mechanised troops. Strike deep in the rearlines of your enemy before their command even realises their front has been breached. And wreck the whole thing up from the inside out.

[Wilhelm Stahlschmiedt]

1. The helicopter.

-It quickly allowed for medical evac., insersetion, and extraction like never before. Arguably it has greatly declined the uses of the parachute.


2. The Stg 44/ AK-47

-This was the world's first true assault rifle and was first used by the Wehrmacht. It would later be used by East German Volkspolizei and the AK47 was a practical copy of it, which eventually became the most common firearm of the modern period.


3. Night Vision

- First developed and used in limited prototype quanities by the Wehrmacht. Its design would later influence its predecessors. Night vision has become a piece of equipment for all modern soldiers. Fighting in the night has become ever more effective an useful operation for modern armies.

[Hugo Meyer]

1. Blitzkrieg
i think this is important because it was the first time that the world saw the use on tanks as a means to invade a country.

2. Paratrooper
its important because it allows a country to send troops to place were slandered infantry can get to.

3. Helicopter
it allows a fast way to support troops, you can deploy troops fast and you can move troops that are wounded.

[August Schreiner]

http://i50.tinypic.com/es2t5j.png

Ancient Period - The Chariot

This was one of the first mobile devices used in warfare. An occupant would be placed on a framework that would be moved by two wheels, later spoked wheels, and live animals. The horse accentuated the speed, manueverability, and power of the chariot. Weapons of course, especially missiles could be placed inside the framework. Infantry in many respects could not match the chariot, especially the heavier types used by the Hittites. These heavy chariots would be the center of the force and used as a weapon that could split and shatter troop formations, causing havoc in ranks much like what would come in Blitzkrieg later.

It was also used simply for transportation, prestige in ceremonies and for diplomacy.

It was used by many peoples including the Egyptians, Hittites, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Chinese, the Aryans, who were an Indo-European people that migrated eastward, and invaded the Indian Sub-Continent and others. Although this vehicle is heavily associated with the Near East, it actually began its use with the Sintashta-Petrovka people who lived in the Steppes of Russia.

Modern Period, 1906 Dreadnought/The Battleship

The steel behemoth which was a refinement or continuation of the dreadnought, packed superior firepower through an array of powerful guns. The Yamato class battleship would come to epitomize the battleship in its absolute heaviest form.

Modern Period, Late 19th Century - The Bolt-Action Rifle

This would enhance the rifle in the hands of a regular soldier by many times. With accuracy up to ranges of 1500 meters in combination with a better breech-loading system relying upon spring clips being inserted into the rifle magazine. This would be especially devastating as evidenced in some of the first battles in World War I such as the Battle of Mons.

I would put others such as the falx, human torpedo, mortar or tank if I wasn't limited to three choices and previous posts didn't mention them.

[Pavel Volodnikov]

http://i47.tinypic.com/9lh3kk.jpg

Although this innovation may not have influenced future warfare directly, in terms using fear and brute strength to intimidate and sometimes obliterate the enemy, I would have to say that the armored elephant is one of my favorites.

Not only is it pretty interesting that man tamed and crafted armor specifically for elephants, to have witnessed a war elephant during those times must have been terrifying. And I would have hated to be crushed underneath one.

Another favorite innovation is the trireme.

[Michael Steiner]

1) The Rock - 1st ranged weapon in the history of the world?
2)The Me109 - All Variants
3)The FW190 - All variants

[Wolfgang Manzuk]

Medieval Warfare: The Wheel-lock musket, essentially made armor a moot point.


WW1: The machine gun...... nuff said.


WW2: Combined arms tactics.

[August Schreiner]

1) The Rock - 1st ranged weapon in the history of the world?

The rock was the first projectile through use of the sling. The sling was probably the first weapon in the world to use a projectile if I remember correctly.

[Michael Steiner]

I would think the rock was the 1st projectile by way of the arm. Im sure the sling came later when some realized a sling could shoot a rock farther then being thrown.

[Konrad Volker]

1: Body armor
2: Panzers
3: Gunpowder

[Hadamar Decker]

Greek fire !

[Michael Josef Schwendau]

1. Rock
2. Paper
3. Scissors


Rock beats all!

[Fritz Fleck]

Rock makes paper dirty! xD