Bayonets

[JaM]

Current game design choice around bayonets is quite unhistorical. Sword Bayonet was in no way anyhow superior to Socket, triangular bayonet, which was the most effective melee weapons of 18/19century.. Sword Bayonet was instead an attempt to provide a bayonet to units equipped with shorter weapons like for example Baker Rifle, so these light units would have some sort of melee capability. Yet in combat, these sword bayonets were nowhere near as effective as standard socket bayonets on muskets. One of problems was that they were more suitable for cutting than thrusting, while long blade was quite problematic and it was quite common to break in combat.. Socket Triangular bayonets were also dealing much more deadlier wounds due to shape, which created a deep wide hole in body, with immediate blood loss.

 

So, in terms of game balance, all musket weapons should have either old socket bayonet available, while with research, new triangular version should be available. Sword bayonet should be predominantly linked with short muskets (Dragoon muskets) or short rifles (Baker rifle)