Ir would never happen, but...

[Scribe]

Two squads.. 12 men each... in line and in the open face off 100 yards apart. Squad A is armed with 1858 Remington Army revolvers or Colt 1860 Army revolvers. Squad B is armed with smoothbore muskets loaded with buck and ball.

Rules: The men in both Squad A and Squad B are your average WotR soldiers... no Elmer Keith's out there. Since we're looking at fireams efficiency not tactics there's no charging to take advantage of the greater capacity of the revolvers; advances (see below) are done in a duel-like fashion. Once in line, however, Squad A can fire as many shots as the cylinder holds.

1) If they commence fire at 100 yards which, if either, squad is at hazard?

2) If they close to 75 yards which, if either, at hazard?

3) What if they close to 50 yards?

4) If not at 50 yards, at what range would the revolvers/smoothbores become deadly?

5) Wishing to survive, would you elect to be in Squad A or Squad B?

6) Would you decision change as the range changed?

[johan_steele]

50-75 yards the boys w/ revolvers are meat. Shotgun vs pistol: shotgun wins.

I'll take squad C, with the Indians behind the trees and rocks.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by johan_steele

I'll take squad C, with the Indians behind the trees and rocks.

The Indian wars of the 18th and early 19th Centuries showed that capably led regular troops in formation and armed with muskets and bayonets were well up to the task of whipping Indians behind trees and rocks. Bushy Run, Fallen Timbers, Tippecanoe and Moraviantown come to mind.

Of course regulars could also come a cropper when badly led; the Monangahela, Bloody Run, Kekionga and the Wabash. And militia, oy vey; Blue Licks, Oriskany, Dudley's Fall, Estill's Fall.

[ole]

Factor in that, if there are no Elmer Keith's, the pistoleros cannot hit a man-sized target at 10 yards, let alone 50. Shooting handguns accurately is not easy for those who use them occasionally; it's next to impossible for new recruits unfamiliar with the weapon.

ole