Slightly too trivial for a Great Debate, so I’ll put it here: Let’s say it’s 1918 and you have the unfortunate task of storming an enemy trench. Given the choice, would you prefer to go in armed with an MP18.1, or a Winchester 1897 Trench Gun?
Also, pick a secondary edged melee weapon, such as a trench knife or entrenching spade.
SPAD XIII. Why storm when you could strafe?
The machine pistol. I am more comfortable with the ‘spray and pray’ technique and I want a shorted weapon.
Edged weapon? A Bayonet of course.
I’m not a arms guy so this is just guessing, but personally I’d go for the MP18. I’d want to be able to quickly and easily be able to force the enemy to get their heads down so they aren’t shooting me as I go over the edge. A lighter, non-pumping gun seems better for that. You can get your second shot off faster and you don’t have to be holding it in both hands so scrambling over the edge while firing (with one hand) seems more feasible.
No opinion on blades. I know so little about them to even speculate.
I’ll take the Schmeisser and a Mk 1 M1918 knuckle duster trench knife, along with a trench raiding club on the side. I think an SMG would be preferable to a shotgun, in my opinion. I’d rather have a burst of well aimed pistol rounds down range than a single shotgun blast I believe.
I would go with the MP18.1. Once you’ve emptied the shotgun, you’re dead while trying to reload. Edged weapon could be either, knife in close quarters or entrenching tool if there’s room to deploy it.
Erich Maria Remarque, in All Quiet…, says that a spade with the blade sharpened to a razor edge was favored by the original Storm Troopers. Also the Thompson submachine gun was developed as a trench clearing weapon.
From what I can read most of the dirty work was done with bayonet and hand grenade. It seems presumptuous to suggest that the men who were experienced in the work, if not expert, chose the wrong tools. I’ll go with bayoneted rifle and hand grenades.
Personally, I’d prefer to go in with this: British heavy tanks of the First World War - Wikipedia
But if my choices are limited, I’ll take the MP18. At the time, it made such an impression that it was banned by the Treaty of Versailles. That’s enough to impress me.
This.
Because everyone likes running with lots of heavy, flamable stuff strapped to his back :D.
If I had to attack a trench, my weapon would be the 155mm GPF gun. Barring that, self-inflicted injury could do in a pinch.
My grand uncle was commended for his part in a trench raid at night in 1916. Unfortunately he is still buried in France so I can’t ask him.
I doubt if I would have had the balls to undertake any storming of a trench with any weapon.
Gimmie the shotgun.
And a nice parang.
I want a Luger with a Snail Drum clip and Katchinski’s sharpened shovel.
Just give me a single hand grenade. Because the minute they order me “over the top”, I’m walking up to my highest ranking officer and pulling the pin.
The uniform of a Field Marshal.
Elephant gun and katana.
Since I’m going to be mowed down by machinegun fire in no-man’s land anyway, I might as well cut a dashing figure.
Let’s say for the sake of discussion you make it to the enemy’s first trench line. How do you want to be equpped?
