Why did the Chinese stick with lamellar over getting plate? Are there any disadvantages to plate? Even up till the qing they used at most brigandines.

It's that time of year again! Post all America-related /k/ stuff!

We have all heard that "Conventional warfare between two superpowers is obsolete due to Nuclear Weapons", but what if that wasn't true. Say, 1962, Cuban missile crisis goes hot, a Soviet submarine decides to launch a nuclear torpedo after a prolonged bombardment by *practice* depth charges and grenades. While in reality, the submarine surfaces, this time the order to fire is carried out.

What would be the immediate response of the US Navy? Obviously an extended submarine hunting campaign would be carried out, but how common would, say, a nuclear depth charge be used? I have always seen it as a last ditch weapon, one to be used against a technologically superior foe that is otherwise out of the engagement envelope, but is that really official doctrine? Would the navy use nuclear depth charges freely and without discretion (both to ensure a kill on the sub and the safety of the hunting ships) against even otherwise easy prey for conventional submarine tactics?

Also, general unconventional nuclear weapon thread (nuclear landmines, depth charges, torpedoes, bunker busters, etc...)

Why was everyone so focused on smallpox and anthrax? Anthrax isn't even that bad.

>Asianist Kenneth Chase argues that gun development stagnated during the Ming dynasty due to the type of enemy faced by the Chinese: horse nomads. Chase argues that guns were not particularly useful against these opponents.[38] Guns were supposedly problematic to deploy against nomads because of their size and slow speed, drawing out supply chains, and creating logistical challenges. Theoretically, the more mobile nomads took the initiative in sallying, retreating, and engaging at will. Chinese armies therefore relied less heavily on guns in warfare than Europeans, who fought large infantry battles and sieges which favored guns, or so Chase argues
Thoughts? Pic is a Ming dynasty matchlock, possibly copied from the Wokou raiders who themselves copied from the Portuguese. Why can't mass volleys be used against steppe nomads? Doesnt make much sense to me why you cant both carry a spear and a gun. Didn't Napoleonic era warfare involve cavalry charges too?

Starting with their display of items relating to the Battle of Visby. This took place on the 27th of July, 1361, between a professional army (largely German mercenaries) of perhaps 200 or a bit more under the Danish king Valdemar IV Attedag, and a local peasant army of about 2000 men. The city meanwhile simply barred its gates and did not intervene.
What followed was a good illustration of why at the time you wanted professional armies and not peasant levies. The Danish losses are estimated to have been about 300 killed, and the Gutish losses about 1800 killed. The surviving locals then fled into the countryside with the Danish army in hot pursuit, before returning two days later at which point Visby surrendered.
This pursuit turned out to be a stroke of luck for modern days archaeologists. Normally the bodies of the fallen (save for a few bigwigs) would have been stripped all all valuables (including arms and armour) and dumped into mass graves. But after the bodies had been left lying around in the summer sun for two days a lot of the armour was so thoroughly second hand that the corpses got to keep it. As such this is one of our major sources for knowledge about mid 14th century armour and battlefield injuries.

First out one the the veterans of the battle, likely a local for reasons explained above. I suspect he may have gotten hit a few more times than absolutely necessary to render him combat incapable.

I like cats

>https://www.forcesnews.com/services/raf/raf-get-hawk-replacement-fast-jet-training-after-half-century-service
The brits are finally replacing their Hawks. Which jet do you think will replace it?

This is a rant thread.

It bothers me to no end that triple stack magazines can not be made. If they were possilble, we could have 50+ round capacity 5.7 pistols and mag-in-grip PDWs. A machine pistol could fire continuously for longer than the current 1.5 seconds or so. They might actually become useful. We could triple stack large case head cartridges that preclude quad-stacking, like 308. Those could use 40+ round mags. It would be sick. But no, it’s just a property of the universe than magazines must stack in powers of two.

Yesterday at Ghedi AB there was the ceremony for the transfer of the last few Tornado IDS of the 154º Gruppo Diavoli Rossi (Red Devils) to the 155th Gruppo ETS Pantere Nere (Black Panthers) (SEAD/DEAD, EW)
The 154th will now fly only F-35As and they will take on the nuclear strike role with the B-61 nuclear bombs.
A special livery for the event was made showing the traditional Red Devil flag and Insigna.
The 155th gruppo will be the last squadron in Italy that will fly the Tonka up until the phase out in 2027-2028.