KEY ENEMIES UPDATED (8/1/13)

[Skies]

There are very few arguments that favor a gun mechanically fastened to a melee weapon compared to just having a gun and a melee weapon

Sincerely?
It's the large amount of time there is between switching weapons. Holstering/unholstering a gun and then sheathing/unsheathing a melee weapon takes a very long time, specially if you need to switch from the gun to the melee weapon (which is the purpose of having a melee weapon in first place, in case the encounter actually reaches melee range, what shouldn't happen in a realistic setting).

There is an ACTUAL reason why modern assault rifles are actual gun+weapon hybrids, what do you think bayonets are? They're there so you have a capacity to engage in melee an enemy that manages to get close enough to be under you effect aiming capacity. Melee weapons are also your fallback in case of out of ammo.

Now you take that concept to the absurdity levels that fantasy reaches, and there you go, you reach those weapons.
Also if you want to get on to how gunblades are a silly weapon, you need to remember they are a german invention (or was it hungarian? one of them), used by cavalry so they wouldn't have to spend time changing from their muskets to their swords when charging in... Yes, gunblades are real weapons.

[Ferth]

Sincerely?
It's the large amount of time there is between switching weapons. Holstering/unholstering a gun and then sheathing/unsheathing a melee weapon takes a very long time, specially if you need to switch from the gun to the melee weapon (which is the purpose of having a melee weapon in first place, in case the encounter actually reaches melee range, what shouldn't happen in a realistic setting).

There is an ACTUAL reason why modern assault rifles are actual gun+weapon hybrids, what do you think bayonets are? They're there so you have a capacity to engage in melee an enemy that manages to get close enough to be under you effect aiming capacity. Melee weapons are also your fallback in case of out of ammo.

Now you take that concept to the absurdity levels that fantasy reaches, and there you go, you reach those weapons.
Also if you want to get on to how gunblades are a silly weapon, you need to remember they are a german invention (or was it hungarian? one of them), used by cavalry so they wouldn't have to spend time changing from their muskets to their swords when charging in... Yes, gunblades are real weapons.

If I had a saber and a pistol, I'd probably not have either holstered whilst in the fray. (fun fact, war horses are trained to be steered with your legs, not with reins, allowing mounted combatants the use of both hands.) Second, I am well aware of gun swords. But question for you: Have you ever tried to hold 3 feet of steel out in front of you with one hand? While riding a horse that is in full gallop? Good luck hitting anything.

There is a reason gun swords are almost unheard of today... because they were incredibly unwieldy. The US navy even tried using a pistol built in with an 11 inch bowie knife blade for boarding parties but almost immediately switched back to the standard cutlass. Most pistol swords that were made were actually used for hunting boar, and almost all of them had very short blades. Much shorter than a standard sword.


As for your argument about modern rifles... did you even read what I wrote about muskets, bayonets and Darnus' gunhalberd?

When it comes down to it, a gun sword is little more than a novelty, the idea of which far outstrips the actual functionality.