Timeline for Would gorillas with human-level intelligence make effective soldiers?
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| Feb 29, 2016 at 12:25 | comment | added | Davidmh | Actually, there is a scientific explanation for their lower dexterity that is independent of intelligence. The reason why they are so strong is because their muscles fibres react in an "all or none" fashion. Their muscles are optimised to deliver strong forces; but the trade off is that they are not so efficient delivering precise movements (when only a few fibres are activated at the time). | |
| Feb 29, 2016 at 8:25 | comment | added | blankip | Isn't shooting a gun while moving a major major major expectation of any good soldier. I would love to go against a gorilla given I had a gun. Also I am not sure how strength is important. Have you seen some soldiers these days? If you are part of an elite unit, heck you might not be in shape beyond a junior high athlete. | |
| Feb 28, 2016 at 16:43 | history | edited | AndreiROM | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Feb 28, 2016 at 15:56 | history | edited | Vincent | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| S Feb 28, 2016 at 9:07 | history | suggested | CommunityBot | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Feb 28, 2016 at 8:28 | review | Suggested edits | |||
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| Feb 27, 2016 at 23:33 | comment | added | Philip Tinney | @AndreiROM endurance is a major factor if they don't have enough to last a battle. I don't think they would. The only plus the have is if you manage to get into melee combat. These days, if you got into hand to hand combat you didn't do the job right. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 22:14 | comment | added | user2284570 | @Dunk : This is due to many physical structure problems, not mental ones. Before 3 you can make them walk like a human baby before the age of 1 (by holding their hands). | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 21:25 | comment | added | Dunk | @user2284570 - The only reason they can't walk using 2 legs after the age of 3 is because there are no Gorilla Chiropractors. I imagine if Gorillas were as smart as humans then they'd be able to open Gorilla Chiropractor schools and wallah...problem solved:) | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 21:14 | comment | added | Ethan | You should add in potential effects of brain enhancing the gorillas. The brain can eat up a lot of energy, especially for higher level thought. A standard gorilla with an upgraded brain would have even higher caloric requirements than a normal gorilla, and might require more sleep as well. Additionally, if the brain requires more blood/oxygen, it can strain the cardiovascular system. You say caloric intake doesn't matter, but supplies are limited, and a general might have to choose between supporting one gorilla or four humans. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 19:37 | comment | added | user2284570 | Gorillas can’t walk using 2 legs after the age of 3. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 18:46 | comment | added | Shane | "They would make great infantry, and would pose a serious threat on the battlefield. [...]These Gorillas will move faster than human infantry, carry more firepower, more ammo, and more armor. I pity the poor bastards going up against them." Do you honestly think that is the same as this: "I think Gorillas could make excellent, niche, soldiers. But I do agree that there are situations in which they would not be the best suited."? Your answer is unbridled enthusiasm for these amazing soldiers that would wipe the floor with humans. Your comments are MUCH more reserved and limited. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 17:50 | comment | added | AndreiROM | @Shane - not really. I am not "admitting" that I am wrong. Not at all. I think Gorillas could make excellent, niche, soldiers. I think that in the situations in which they would be employed they would rock the battlefield. But I do agree that there are situations in which they would not be the best suited. That is all | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 17:29 | comment | added | Shane | "so we'd probably still be better" Ok. That is a far cry from " I pity the poor bastards going up against them." from before. At this point you've completely abandoned the conclusion in your answer and are basically saying the exact opposite. Perhaps you should edit your answer to reflect the changes in your opinion? | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 17:19 | comment | added | AndreiROM | @Shane - the reason we're entertaining these things is because the OP wants Gorilla troopers. Realistically, gorillas are not sapient, so it's a moot point. Generally speaking I think that if they were properly equipped they could hold their own. Humans are very versatile however, so we'd probably still be better. But would gorillas be useless? I don't think so, but again .. moot point | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 17:13 | comment | added | Shane | "As far as having to unsling their weapons while they run, I don't see a problem: gear already exists which allows troops to do so in seconds" slinging the weapons in only seconds is about 1000 times slower than simply pulling a trigger. The fact that they would have to completely stow their weapon to maneuver is a serious tactical disadvantage. And doing it at that speed is simply not going to happen with an LMG. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 17:09 | comment | added | AndreiROM | @Shane - everyone's a critic | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 17:09 | comment | added | Shane | "Frankly, I don't see what the issue is. Humans run from cover to cover and shoot from behind said cover. Gorillas would be perfectly capable of doing the same." Really? Gorillas can't even run and you expect them to be able run and gun? Gorillas can crawl on all fours at around the same speed as we can run, but that is a very, very poor substitute. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 16:43 | comment | added | AndreiROM | @JonHanna - but the OP really wants those guerrillas! I mean gorillas. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 16:12 | comment | added | Jon Hanna | "Are you trying to tell me that feeding the gorillas, while expensive, would be a deal breaker?" Quite possibly in a given context. There's a reason why stand mixers were on navy ships' galleys years before they were in kitchens. The bulk of gorilla's diets would put definite pressure on the supply-chain. If you can't support that supply-chain, you can't support gorilla troops. If you did have gorilla soldiers, you likely wouldn't have gorilla guerillas. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 14:51 | comment | added | Davor | The way you would measure dexterity of anything? I don't get it. They have differently attached tendons than humans. This gives them a much larger leverage, producing much greater strength with muscles that are not that stronger. But because of that, their range and precision of motion is terrible compared to humans. This is simple biology. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 14:48 | comment | added | AndreiROM | @Davor - that's a silly statement. How would you measure the dexterity of a Gorilla, or a Chimp as compared to that of a human being? Furthermore, technology can and will make up for their physical limitations. We already have smart-aim guns which use servos in the gun to adjust the barrel and help the user aim better. And smart grenades which you can program to explode as they pass a certain point, or immediately after they enter a building, or after they've bounced behind a corner, etc. It's all experimental, but it can be done. Furthermore, machine-guns. I rest my case. | |
| Feb 26, 2016 at 14:45 | comment | added | Davor | Gorillas, or for that matter, no other animal in the world, don't have even dexterity that is even close to human. They absolutely could not aim better than a 5 year old child. And this is a limitation in their build, not intelligence. It's the price you pay for strength. | |
| Feb 25, 2016 at 15:54 | vote | accept | ckersch | ||
| S Feb 25, 2016 at 14:25 | history | mod moved comments to chat | |||
| S Feb 25, 2016 at 14:25 | comment | added | user3652621 | Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. | |
| Feb 25, 2016 at 14:01 | history | edited | AndreiROM | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Feb 25, 2016 at 13:45 | history | edited | AndreiROM | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Feb 24, 2016 at 22:15 | history | rollback | AndreiROM |
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| Feb 24, 2016 at 22:08 | history | edited | Xandar The Zenon | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Feb 24, 2016 at 21:25 | history | edited | AndreiROM | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Feb 24, 2016 at 21:00 | history | answered | AndreiROM | CC BY-SA 3.0 |