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re: Could you defeat an ancient army with an M4 and cases of ammo? Added other parameters
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:04 pm to weagle1999
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:04 pm to weagle1999
I’d imagine the first round of troops would be wrecked. Not just from direct hits, but from introducing a new form of mass killing to the battlefield.
The next wave of attackers might be too battle shocked to be of much use.
But then the leaders would figure out just to rush you with everyone they have like a zombie hoard. You won’t be able to stop that.
Hell, the first wave or two may get you anyways if they don’t stop cold in their tracks when a good chunk of them get mowed down. I’m just assuming the shock of it would have an impact.
The next wave of attackers might be too battle shocked to be of much use.
But then the leaders would figure out just to rush you with everyone they have like a zombie hoard. You won’t be able to stop that.
Hell, the first wave or two may get you anyways if they don’t stop cold in their tracks when a good chunk of them get mowed down. I’m just assuming the shock of it would have an impact.
This post was edited on 8/17/26 at 12:08 pm
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Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:06 pm to weagle1999
You'd kill at least hundreds of them and they'd only kill one of you, so militarily, you would win. 
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:07 pm to weagle1999
What kind of rounds? Hollow points or full metals?
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:11 pm to weagle1999
No.
Now... 5ish guys dug in with 50 cals would be fun to watch
Now... 5ish guys dug in with 50 cals would be fun to watch
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:11 pm to ProjectP2294
quote:That's where I'm at. The answer to the OP is unquestionably "NO."
I don't think one person could. I think it would be interesting to ponder the tipping point though. Could less than 10? More than 50?
But how far could you get?
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:23 pm to Shexter
Spears exist
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:27 pm to billjamin
quote:
They would think it's magic and probably run away or freak out and want to be a part of the magic army.
This. The max range for ranged weapons (primarily bows and catapults) of the time was ~1,600ft (~533yds) with the effective range being (very loosely) around half of that. The effective range of an M4 is around the same as the max range for the ancient weapons with the max range being much farther than that (roughly 1,200yds).
Someone with decent eyesight and/or a decent scope could potentially pick off enough enemies to turn them well before their weapons were in range. Being killed from so far away might seem to them like holy vengeance.
Put the shooter onto a small hill or cliff and you increase that chance of scaring them away, especially if the shooter is able to pick off commanders at wll (or nearly so).
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:31 pm to DarkDrifter
quote:
Max effective range of and M4 is about 600 yards... they'd be able to close the gap pretty quickly ... and then you have mag changes... Negative
How much open ground was there back then? I would think it would be a lot of cover and limited long range shots, the flip side is that a well camouflaged person could hide easily, but them against you and you are surrounded, no way.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:37 pm to billjamin
quote:
They would think it's magic and probably run away or freak out and want to be a part of the magic army.
That's the angle. Convince them you are the harbinger of an angry god who can kill with a look and a burst of thunder.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:41 pm to weagle1999
No chance whatsoever. Even if they lined up in a single file line and just walked towards you.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:45 pm to BregmansWheelbarrow
quote:
Single shot black powder rifles are not modern LMGs. 1800 British with M4s or 240s would have absolutely shredded a bunch of dudes with spears.
British used the Martini-Henry Breach loaded single shot rifle in Zulu war
AI search:
quote:
A trained military soldier could fire the single-shot Martini-Henry rifle at a sustained rate of about 10 to 12 rounds per minute under combat conditions. Exceptionally skilled or practiced shooters could push past this benchmark to reach up to 15 or 20 rounds per minute for short bursts if they had loose cartridges ready in their hand.
AI Search:
quote:
A trained military soldier could fire the single-shot Martini-Henry rifle at a sustained rate of about 10 to 12 rounds per minute under combat conditions. Exceptionally skilled or practiced shooters could push past this benchmark to reach up to 15 or 20 rounds per minute for short bursts if they had loose cartridges ready in their hand.
1800 troops at a conservative 10 rounds per minute = 18,000 rounds a minute. and they lost to 20,000 with shields and spears. and could see and attach at all angles if needed
1 man with a M4 (not counting reloading and weapon overheating) can put down at best 900 rounds per minute in only one direction at a time.
if 1878 British with 1800 men in open fields of Southern Africa cant beat an ancient army, then no way a single guy with an M4 could do the same against an ancient army of x2 the size, with horses....
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:45 pm to weagle1999
This reminds me of the movie Zulu. Granted they weren’t firing M4s but they took heavy casualties from guys with wooden shields and spears. Way less than 40k attacking them
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:45 pm to weagle1999
I think you will die.
Even with high ground, line of sight is not enough. You can waste alot..
Time is on Alexander side to make adjustments, say siege weapons or raining arrows from a blind spot. You do not become a great general without being able to think around a single defended position.
Even with high ground, line of sight is not enough. You can waste alot..
Time is on Alexander side to make adjustments, say siege weapons or raining arrows from a blind spot. You do not become a great general without being able to think around a single defended position.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:46 pm to The Pirate King
You'd also need to understand that 60,000 rounds is a ton of weight. ETA: Bad math. I need to wake up. You are talking close to a ton. 2000 lbs or so.
The real question though would again be, if you had an M4 how would you defeat an army. You'd be somewhat stupid to wait until they just all out attacked your side.
The real question though would again be, if you had an M4 how would you defeat an army. You'd be somewhat stupid to wait until they just all out attacked your side.
This post was edited on 8/17/26 at 12:48 pm
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:47 pm to weagle1999
My luck the fricking thing would lock up on the first magazine and id be stuck trying to convince them i was some kind of God from the future there to bring vengeance up the 4 people I got before the rifle crapped.
Open some rounds, dump the powder, light it, chant incantations in pig Latin, hope for adequate ignorance from the enemy commander before they slaughter me and use my head for a soccer ball.
Open some rounds, dump the powder, light it, chant incantations in pig Latin, hope for adequate ignorance from the enemy commander before they slaughter me and use my head for a soccer ball.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:51 pm to weagle1999
There's a game on PC that can simulate things like this.
Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator
Like others I think the numbers would overwhelm a single person.
Also if the gun breaks you would be effed.
Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator
Like others I think the numbers would overwhelm a single person.
Also if the gun breaks you would be effed.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:54 pm to Clames
quote:
You're in for a disappointingly short blaze of glory there Rambo....
i've worked with an m60 before; dealt with jammed rounds and gone through 2 or 3 100rd belts until the barrel turned bright orange.
its still an impressively scary piece of hardware to point at your enemy and i'm not constantly swapping mags like an m4.
as for my ak, its never let me down or jammed.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 12:58 pm to weagle1999
No. But to make it interesting, does it come with a M320 and how many M433 and M576s do I get to go along with it??
This post was edited on 8/17/26 at 12:59 pm
Posted on 8/17/26 at 1:06 pm to The Torch
quote:and every time you said it you were wrong
I've always said if I had a Remington Woodsmaster 30-06 with a scope and a box of ammo I could have won the Civil War for the south.
Posted on 8/17/26 at 1:08 pm to weagle1999
The only way it would work is if you break them with “shock and awe”.
You aren’t really “beating” them in the sense that you aren’t destroying them all.
It would just overwhelm them with fear of the “power of the gods” or some such.
You aren’t really “beating” them in the sense that you aren’t destroying them all.
It would just overwhelm them with fear of the “power of the gods” or some such.
This post was edited on 8/17/26 at 1:19 pm
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