Any usage of bayonets in modern day should be scrutinized closely. They sort of fell out of use... specifically for combat. Perhaps they are still perfectly functional weapons for murdering helpless non-combatants, though. Bayonets saved more lives than they took. Sounds strange, right? Well, think about it: two opposing sides, say, the British and the French in the Napoleonic Wars: two regiments exchange a few volleys. The French's shots seem to be more effective. British lines are thinning, discipline is beginning to waver as it appears they are losing. French fix bayonets, and charge in. Put yourself in the boots of the British. You do not have time to reload and fire another volley before the French reach you. Your options are- frantically fix your own bayonet (hoping that the rest of the regiment does so as well) and then spend the next several minutes trying not to get fucking skewered as your best friends lay around you, screaming in agony.... or you could turn around and run away into that open field *where there are no Frenchmen with bayonets trying to kill you.* Bayonet charges were often the "chasing off" action. It was a bit of a rare occurrence for a prolonged bayonet vs. bayonet battle to happen; everyone's deaf from all the shots, artillery probably being fired all over, bullets flying, gunsmoke blinding and choking both sides... usually, by the time it came to "charge bayonets!" orders, the losing side was already getting ready to bail out. This actually saved lives on both sides- less men being shot on each side, less men being stabbed dead on both sides- the winner attains their military objective (taking the ground) while minimizing losses... all by simply fixing bayonets and threatening to use them. Compare this to the American Civil War. Foreign observers noted that the rate of fire capabilities of the rifles in use meant that bayonet usage was practically unheard of. And the casualties of that war were *horrendous.* I would pose that if one side was willing/able to charge with bayonets, it would have provoked the other side to flee more often than not... but this is risky. Because if they don't flee, your bayonet formation is going to eat another 2-4ish volleys while closing the distance, out in the open. I like bayonets. I don't like the idea of using them to murder babies, but they're pretty cool otherwise, with some interesting history about them.