Blunderbuss

A blunderbuss is a muzzleloading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel that flares at the end. A predecessor to the modern shotgun, it is designed to unleash a blast of many shots at once, but for this reason is only effective at short ranges.^[1]

Description

Essentially a precursor to the later shotgun,^[2] the blunderbuss is a firearm with a large caliber barrel intended to facilitate the loading of numerous shots all at once. Once armed, the blunderbuss can fire shots in a great burst from its flared muzzle. The wave of projectiles can be devastating at short-ranges, blowing away groups of enemies simultaneously. However, like the shotgun, its firepower and accuracy rapidly diminishes at further ranges the more the shots spread away from another.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

As a muzzleloading gun, the ammunition of blunderbusses is limited not only to lead shots which can instead be substituted with a variety other material, including metal and stone, or even random scraps of junk. Wood can also be used, but this choice in particular is prone to damaging the weapon itself.^[2] Although commonly in the form of a long gun^[3]^[4]—in which case it is invariably shorter than its peers^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]—blunderbusses can also be as small as a a pistol.^[6]^[7] The light weight and compact size of blunderbusses ensured that they were popular with naval forces and cavalry since they could be handled easily in a position of limited mobility or confined space.^[2]

History

Throughout its history, the blunderbuss came to be associated not only with cavalry and naval forces, but bandits and pirates as well.^[2] So popular was it with the latter, that types of blunderbuss pistols were commonly called pirate blunderbusses^[7] or pirate flintlocks.^[6] It therefore flourished during the Golden Age of Piracy.^[7]

In 1735, the Maroon rebellion's leader Augustin Dieufort gave the Caribbean Assassin Adéwalé a blunderbuss in gratitude for having saved him from a slaver raid on a Maroon hideout. From then on, the blunderbuss became Adéwalé's favored type of firearm. Notably, on 8 July 1737, he used it to kill five guards at once during his assassination of Saint-Domingue's governor, Pierre de Fayet.^[3]

In 1773, the Colonial Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton acquired a pirate blunderbuss pistol after sinking the Man O' War HMS Dartmoor as part of a privateering contract.^[8]

By the end of the century, blunderbusses continued to be prevalent in France and were sold in Parisian markets during the French Revolution. At some point in Charles Cochon de Lapparent's term in office as Minister of Police from April 1796 and July 1797,^[9] he gifted the French Assassin Arno Dorian with blunderbusses in two separate occasions in return for his services. These were the plainly named Blunderbuss and the Woodplate Blunderbuss, rewarded for solving the murders of Alexandre Loissac and Professor Simon Marcel, respectively.^[4]

In 1841, the blunderbuss was standard service for British East India Company Highlanders who were deployed to India.^[10]

Weapon statistics

18th century Caribbean

Name	Damage	Spread	Range	Cost	Availability

French Revolution

Name	Level	Damage	Parry	Speed	Range	Cost	Modifiers	Requirements
Flintlock {{#section:AC:CST/Weapons\|"Flintlock (Unity)"}}
The Iron Dragon {{#section:AC:CST/Weapons\|"The Iron Dragon"}}
Blunderbuss {{#section:AC:CST/Weapons\|"Blunderbuss (Unity)"}}
Woodplate Blunderbuss {{#section:AC:CST/Weapons\|"Woodplate Blunderbuss"}}
Officer's Blunderbuss {{#section:AC:CST/Weapons\|"Officer's Blunderbuss"}}

Behind the scenes

Despite being technically blunderbusses, the Pirate Flintlock of Assassin's Creed III and the Pirate Blunderbusses of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag function as normal pistols in their respective games and lack the later gameplay mechanics of blunderbusses. This is owing to the fact that they predate the introduction of blunderbusses as a gameplay class of weapons in the expansion for Black Flag, Freedom Cry.