History Main / WarfareRegression

* During the UsefulNotes/EnglishCivilWar there were calls, especially on the Royalist side, to go back from Muskets to Bows and Arrows. There was a justification, it was difficult for gunpowder production to keep up with consumption and Muskets aren't that much more lethal. In the end though it wasn't proctical because of the amount of time it takes to train an archer.

* In ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', warfare is dominated by Battlemechs and lasers are commonly used weapons. However the first two Succession Wars have knocked back most Inner Sphere's technological progress resulting in most fights limited to close range combat. The Clans however possess more advanced technology than the IS but they intentionally made most of their fighting limited to honor duels, to hone their skills and limit their losses.

* The aircraft carrier example given in the description is [[http://sploid.gizmodo.com/are-the-us-navy-supercarriers-useless-1484497670 speculated]] by some military theorists to be on its way to becoming TruthInTelevision sometime in the 21st century, due to the increasing efficacy of anti-ship missiles. Given that these same missiles can also sink other large boats, the consequence of this would be that the future of naval warfare in this environment would resemble a mix of the mid-late 19th century (before the [[LensmanArmsRace dreadnought race]]), with every surface vessel larger than a cruiser (the smallest warship that can operate independently in the open ocean) rendered obsolete, and the early 20th century, specifically the submarine warfare employed by Germany in [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI the two]] UsefulNotes/{{World War|II}}s. Such predictions take on [[http://www.newsweek.com/china-dongfeng-21d-missile-us-aircraft-carrier-427063 an especially ominous tone]] for the United States, whose unmatched navy is built entirely around the power of its carrier task forces; the other boats in the fleet are all there to protect the carriers.
* Albert Einstein -- 'I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.'

[[AC:{{Anime}} & {{Manga}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:TabletopGames]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars'' has GDI revert back to using tanks, since it was just more cost-effective. It turns out Mecha and [[HoverTank hover tanks]] are too expensive to maintain. Similarly, Nod ends up abandoning subterranean burrowing vehicles due to environmental changes.

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

* Albert Einstein — 'I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.'

* In ''Literature/WorldWarZ'', the world's armies have largely abandoned tanks, jet fighters, aircraft carriers, and indeed most modern tactics, as such equipment and tactics are poorly suited for fighting masses of unarmed, NighInvulnerable zombies that can't feel pain or fear. While trucks and armored vehicles are still invaluable for logistics, assault rifles, grenades, and bayonets have been replaced -- the new weapons of choice for most soldiers are semi-automatic rifles and the "Lobotomizer", a cross between a shovel and a battleaxe. The squad is also no longer the base unit for organization of soldiers -- instead, they are organized into lines and fire in accurate, devastating salvos, like something off of a Napoleonic battlefield. More modern equipment is still kept in reserve for fighting rebels, separatists, survivalist holdouts, and enemy nations, but otherwise spends most of its time mothballed.

* The aircraft carrier example given in the description is [[http://sploid.gizmodo.com/are-the-us-navy-supercarriers-useless-1484497670 speculated]] by some military theorists to be on its way to becoming TruthInTelevision sometime in the 21st century, due to the increasing efficacy of anti-ship missiles. Given that these same missiles can also sink other large boats, the consequence of this would be that the future of naval warfare in this environment would resemble a mix of the mid-late 19th century, with every surface vessel larger than a cruiser (the smallest warship that can operate independently in the open ocean) rendered obsolete, and the early 20th century, specifically the submarine warfare employed by Germany in [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI the two]] UsefulNotes/{{World War|II}}s. Such predictions take on [[http://www.newsweek.com/china-dongfeng-21d-missile-us-aircraft-carrier-427063 an especially ominous tone]] for the United States, whose unmatched navy is built entirely around the power of its carrier task forces; the other boats in the fleet are all there to protect the carriers.

* In the future of ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'' advances in anti-air defense had made air and missile strikes nearly impossible, and fullerene armor made ordinary guns obsolete. Which meant most battles were fought on the ground, by men in suits armor hitting one another with hammers. [[http://www.poisonedminds.com/d/20101028.html "Oh, how far we have come."]] One of the major story arcs involves a war that ends when one side uses a KillSat to knock out their opponent's AA and launching a bunch of [[BreakOutTheMuseumPiece museum piece ICBMs]]

* In ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'', the advent of powerful mecha - particularly the [[SuperPrototype NEXTs]] in the 4/For Answer continuity, have rendered close combat using {{LaserBlade}}s an extremely effective strategy, since such mecha are both very fast and extremely resistant to gunfire. Thus, a SwordFight between thirty-foot-high mecha moving at more than the speed of sound is not an uncommon sight on future battlefields, as a single strike from some of the more powerful {{Laser Blade}}s can be a OneHitKill.

* In ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'', the advent of powerful mecha - particularly the [[SuperPrototype NEXTs]] in the 4/For Answer continuity, have rendered close combat using {{LaserBlade}}s an extremely effective strategy, since such mecha are both very fast and extremely resistant to gunfire. Thus, a SwordFight between thirty-foot-high mecha moving at more than the speed of sound is not an uncommon sight on future battlefields, as a single strike from some of the more powerful {{LaserBlade}}s can be a OneHitKill.

* In ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'', the advent of powerful mecha - particularly the [[SuperPrototype NEXTs]] in the 4/For Answer continuity, have rendered close combat using LaserBlades an extremely effective strategy, since such mecha are both very fast and extremely resistant to gunfire. Thus, a SwordFight between thirty-foot-high mecha moving at more than the speed of sound is not an uncommon sight on future battlefields, as a single strike from some of the more powerful LaserBlades can be a OneHitKill.

* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', the military is primarily trained in [[DualWielding double swords]] and hand-to-hand combat because flintlock rifles are much less useful personnel weapons for fighting Titans, though cannons still get used in Titan defense and rifles are kept around to enforce the law and to deal with possible civil wars or uprisings.

* Autonomous air defense systems have rendered things like drones and ICBMs useless in the future of ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps3''. As such the demand for capable foot soldiers is once again on the rise and cybernetic augmentation is there to make them all the more effective, [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul albeit at a possible price]].

* On ''Literature/{{Starfist}}'', the creation of the "Straight Arrow" AntiVehicle missile is so effective at destroying tank warfare that the only person to think of bringing it back in any major warfare capacity in the ''hundreds'' of years afterwards is the bad-guy warlord of the book ''Steel Gauntlet'' (and ''this'' forces the Marines to BreakOutTheMuseumPiece themselves-namely, the knowledge on how to produce the missiles, as well as what few working models remain(ed)). Even then, warfare remains a business done purely by infantry, with minor artillery, drone, [[DeathFromAbove orbital bombardment]] and APC support.

* On ''Literature/{{Starfist}}, the creation of the AntiVehicle missile is so effective at destroying tank warfare that the only person to think of bringing them back in any major warfare capacity in the ''hundreds'' of years afterwards is the bad-guy warlord of the book ''Steel Gauntlet'' (and ''this'' forces the Marines to BreakOutTheMuseumPiece themselves-namely, the knowledge on how to produce the missiles, as well as what few working models remain(ed)).

* In ''Literature/WorldWarZ'', the military has abandoned tanks, jet fighters, aircraft carriers and indeed most modern tactics. Assault rifles, grenades and bayonets have been replaced - the infantryman's new weapons of choice are a semi-automatic rifle and the "Lobotomizer", a cross between a shovel and a battleaxe. The squad is also no longer the base unit for organization of men - men are organized into lines and fire in accurate, devastating salvos. Zombies have rendered modern military equipment and tactics obsolete in favour of the kind of things you'd expect from an Napoleonic battlefield.
* Played with in the ''Literature/BookOfTheNewSun''. With most of Urth's technology has regressed, so most soldiers are armed with crossbows and slings, while others have lances. Crossbows and slings that have pyrotechnic ammunition, and lances that can fire bolts of energy. The cavalry charge is much in evidence, although horses are extinct and their replacements run faster than a motor vehicle.

* In ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', warfare is dominated by Battlemechs and lasers are commonly used as weapons. However the first two Succession Wars have knocked back most Inner Sphere's technological progress resulting in most fights limited to close range combat. The Clans however possess more advanced technology than the IS but they intentionally made most of their fighting limited to honor duels, to hone their skills and limit their losses.

This occurs a lot in SpeculativeFiction, where some discovery or advance in science or technology has the net effect of rendering the last 20 to 200 years of military tactical development moot, forcing a return to the methods of an earlier time of warfare, often still with high-tech spins on the old gear. For example, if large close-combat weapons become viable again, they may develop {{Laser Blade}}s, HotBlades, or {{Vibroweapon}}s. This overlaps with RetroUpgrade.

* Played with in the ''Literature/BookOfTheNewSun''. With most of Urth's technology has regressed, so most soldiers are armed with crossbows and slings, while others have lances. Crossbows and slings that have pyrotechnic ammunition, and lances that can fire bolts of energy.

* Subverted in ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', in the Inner Sphere, warfare is dominated by Battlemechs and lasers are commonly used as weapons. However the first two Succession Wars have knocked back most technological progress resulting in most fights limited to close range combat. The Clans however possess more advanced technology than the IS but they intentionally made most of their fighting limited to honor duels, to hone their skills and limit their losses.

* ''Literature/CoDominium'': To keep the the status quo, the titular Soviet-American alliance has banned most research. While their SpaceNavy hasn't suffered (being needed to colonize and police the stars), the restrictions has caused a regression in ground combat. Improvements to computer countermeasures, railguns, and man-portable missiles have made aircraft obsolete. Improvements to body armor has limited effective sizes of ammunition. 21st Century warfare resembles early 20th century combat. In addition, the colonial worlds lack industry, so very few can build tanks or artillery. Very often battles are infantry only.

* In ''Literature/WorldWarZ'', the military has abandoned tanks, jet fighters, aircraft carriers and indeed most modern tactics. Assault rifles, grenades and bayonets have been replaced - the infantryman's new weapons of choice are a semi-automatic rifle and the "Lobotomizer", a cross between a shovel and a battleaxe. The squad is also no longer the base unit for organisation of men - men are organised into lines and fire in accurate, devastating salvos. Zombies have rendered modern military equipment and tactics obsolete in favour of the kind of things you'd expect from an Napoleonic battlefield.

* The old ''TabletopGame/{{Manhunter}}'' universe had swordsmen who specialized in fighting aboard spacecraft, where guns are impractical because of the tendency of stray bullets to punch holes in the hull and/or destroy necessary equipment.