Gentlemans' War

Term which refers to a conduct of combat, loosely applying to the 17th through 19th century. In which battles were orderly fought in a fashion akin to a turn based strategy game, with opposite sides of musketmen walked around the field of battle to form giant lines of ranks totally exposed. Each army then took turns blasting the crap out of each other.

Sometimes one side would suicidally charge the other with bayonets. On foot or cavalry. Later, cannons were used as fire support.

Generally, this was though of as sportsmanlike by the nobles that waged these wars.

The practice eventually began to wane when people realized that doing this was fucking insane. And basically outright stopped once World War I rolled around.

These people had more balls then any human being in history, when you realize that each and every one of these mother fuckers walked around a battlefield devoid of cover. Then stood in front of a proverbial firing squad.

Not to mention, even if you survived getting shot, you'd probably get a limb amputated, without anesthetics, at best. Slow painful death at worst.

You probably had a better chance at surviving Russian Roulette. A Gentlemans' War was more like a gamble with the Grim Reaper.

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