They were also fitted to tanks and aircraft, although became less effective in these roles as armour plating improved. Machine guns were used to devastating effect in World War One and were a major contributor to the emergence of stalemate, with annihilation the prospect for any army that exposed itself on the open battlefield.īy World War Two machine guns were more mobile and adaptable weapons, whilst sub-machine guns gave infantrymen far greater potency at close quarters.
The Gatling gun was first developed in Chicago in the mid-19 th century and, although it was not truly automatic at that time, became a weapon that would change the nature of warfare forever.
