Flamestrike
Legend
And that's with a solid hack, with a very sharp and reaaonably heavy sword, that hits the arm flush.
If the sword guy is getting to dash in within a few feet and deliver a killing blow BEFORE they get shot by the gun guy...then the gun guy can also dash in and bear hug the swordsman while sticking the pistol in his gut and pulling the trigger...I'll just note here that this isn't a knife. What are you blocking the sword with? Its not "I get some defensive cuts" its "your arm is removed from your body".
And if your using the gun to parry, well that just plays into the swordmans game.
I'm not going to argue that modern fire arms are not more lethal than swords (and I really hope no one is really trying to make that argument....its really more about musket/early rifles)....but I do think people have this notion that blocking a sword is a trivial matter...its not even when your trained (and don't have an equivalent weapon)....but for a person trained in guns and not in swords....very very difficult.
Literally no group in the world is as accurate with firearms in a close up fight as you suggest...every beat cop is. And cops are...egregiously inaccurate in life or death situations. They mostly win shootouts by having more bullets, more shooters, and better cover. The firearm hit rate of the vast majority of humans in a fight is worse than the hit rate of first time shooters at a range.Im ex Army, and I know the 21 foot rule well.
Im discussing a scenario where each combatant is competent and trained in their weapons to a military or LEO standard (non SF or SOG), and are standing at ready, in fighting positions appropriate for those weapons, with those weapons drawn.
"Bang' is going to happen before any swordsman can complete his thrust or cut, it's likely going to strike the swordsman in the chest, and pass through or near the heart or spine, or blow the swordsmans brains out rhe back of his skull.
Our swordsman doesn't have the same levels of hit certainty, his attack can (and likely will) be deflected by his opponents arm (causing a nasty defensive wound).
Things the gunman doesn't care about with his attack (unless hes shooting at Agent Smith or Neo).
I think the more nuanced question is.... why would adventurers use firearms?My take on the OPs original question would be....why did the group of people in your world that invented firearms do so? If they are in all respects the same as the crossbow...why would I want to take all the drawbacks proposed to use one without any benefits to offset them?
Pretty much this. The arm probably isn’t removed, though, just disabled.I'll just note here that this isn't a knife. What are you blocking the sword with? Its not "I get some defensive cuts" its "your arm is removed from your body".
And if your using the gun to parry, well that just plays into the swordmans game.
I'm not going to argue that modern fire arms are not more lethal than swords (and I really hope no one is really trying to make that argument....its really more about musket/early rifles)....but I do think people have this notion that blocking a sword is a trivial matter...its not even when your trained (and don't have an equivalent weapon)....but for a person trained in guns and not in swords....very very difficult.
To add to this, not sure if many here have seen someone hit by firearms.Severing an arm with an edged weapon like a sword is extremely hard when the arm is capable of moving - generally you hit the bone (severing muscle and nerve) and the arm moves (possibly fracturing).