what is the point of bayonets?

[Renomaki]

Hey, you remember those pointy things that we can slap on our guns? Yeah, Bayonets, I think they are called...

... Why do we have them again?

Gameplay wise, Bayonets are a melee modifier for guns that makes them more dangerous in, well, melee, as well as giving them piercing damage (or at least I think they do). Due to how blades bypass xeno armor, and marines have superior numbers, you would think that at some point marines would attempt a banzi charge at least once in this game's life, right?

Yet, in all my time, I never really saw any attempt at a mass charge. When marines did charge, it was with guns blazing, never with bayonets affixed, and rarely any stabbing took place. Sometimes I wish we COULD try a proper bayonet charge, knowing that a group of marines surrounding a xeno and stabbing it up could kill it faster than a xeno can tackle them, but most people just don't wanna go into melee, which is disappointing.

It kind of makes the bayonet almost worthless, because on your own, of COURSE it is not gonna do much. It relies on sheer numbers to be effective, but since more marines would rather shoot than stab, it becomes a tool that is just for show or finishing off downed xenos.

Sometimes as CO, I wish I could order a banzi charge, but I know all too well that no one would ever obey such an order, even if I was Bill Carson himself, simply because the marine mindset is bullets = good, melee = bad. A shame... A proper charge would be kinda cool to experience..

[TheDonkified]

Bayonet is a good attachment for shotguns so when you buckshot a T1 or T2, you can rush in, melee it, pump, pointblank shoot.

A bayonet charge is a stupid idea when xenos have the ability to tackle you, slash you, and stun you. Xenos are also way faster than you and can easily run away from a bunch of marines trying to melee them. If a boiler can't run away, it's death from being bayoneted will cause many of the marines that charged it to die, because they will all be blocking each other's paths of escape and/or help intent shuffle.

[oprayx73]

maybe because it's a anti-man weapon not for carapaced creepy xenos that bleed straight acid.
give your marines machetes and order a charge

[McRamon]

As far as i am aware, it is mainly being used to ruin the day of a crusher

[Simo94]

I use stock and bayo when I main slugs, its good to finish off stunned/crit xenos, not standing ones tho, also has a bonus on clearing weed and resin walls I think

[SnakeEater14]

Bayonet charges historically have had a greater effect demoralizing the enemy and getting them to rout than actually killing them. In Space Xeno 'Nam however, bayonets are for killing stunned aliens the most manliest way possible: stabbing them with your gunspear.

[TopHatPenguin]

It's one of the most useful support tools you can get to help break through all the hives goop quicker so that more ground can be secured/cleared for the team. A good example would be forests of sticky resin or when there is an extreme amount of resin doors/walls which you really shouldn't be wasting your ammo on and taking out a boot knife is too risky.

One of the main reasons I love the bayonet is because it allows the user to go from clearing resin goop to ready to shoot without having to fiddle about with a boot knife, swap hands etc.

[Heckenshutze]

Bayonet, like any melee attack, pierces armor. A single marine can held off a young crusher/ravager with it and sometimes kill it (done it several times).

I never deploy without a bayonet both in the rifle and the shotgun, my strategy is to give them lead until they came to my range and charge with the bayonet, they never expect it. Sure it's a 60/40 success bet but damn I love doing it. I call it, "The Murry Flurry". Obviously in honor to our most suicidal marine John 'Spartan' Murry

[Hastati]

As mentioned, it's armor piercing makes it an excellent emergency tool to break a xeno charge. You don't even TRY to use it, you are just trying to shoot, but wind up stabbing them, and it often is enough to make them back off a tile or two. Not gamechanging, but it's enough to save your ass in a crunch and allow you to survive to see the medic instead of being dragged off to a hive or be slashed to death.

[Skimmy2]

The Bayonet itself doubles as a Combat Knife, and I assume a Survival knife.

Really you should be asking why we have such a painfully low amount of smoke grenades for our firefights.

[Kerek]

Generally, clearing resin stuff, finishing xenos, killing humans/preds.

But uh, pointy end into enemy is what i wanted to say

[Sneakyr]

The point of the bayonet is the tip.

Besides that sarcastic remark, it greatly increases your range versatility. Single for long distance, burst for medium to CQB, bayonet for extreme CQB (the xenos favorite). RDS, grip, and bayo is an easy an exceptionally versatile combo that has served me well.

[edda]

I've only ever gotten one kill with a bayonet, but it was a crusher.

10/10 would do again.

[Joe4444]

The point of a bayonet?

well, to bring a knife to a gun fight of course.

[TheBeoni]

When you have free muzzle spot always take bayonet, i once used it to cut myself out of Prae and then meele boiler to death dying in it's acid Cloud afterwards.

[Waka-San]

Hey, you remember those pointy things that we can slap on our guns? Yeah, Bayonets, I think they are called...

... Why do we have them again?

To stab C:

[RealNewDeal]

I found bayonets invaluable during assaults, as I can cut weeds and break walls and windows while keeping my shotgun in hand.

[oprayx73]

cutting down weeds/resin with actual effectiveness is good.

[Lobster]

From a meta stand point most people aren't gonna stab a Xeno knowing its gonna spray them with acid.

[JennerH]

From a meta stand point most people aren't gonna stab a Xeno knowing its gonna spray them with acid.

actually I prefer to stab with the bayonet because its less acid than shooting or using a real knife. I barely get acid on me when I hit them with my gun, bayonet or no

[Sir Lordington]

Bayonets and flashlights are all you need.

[Lobster]

Marines should just have bayonets all over their body for maximum damage

[Surrealistik]

Shotgun blast follow up.

Clearing weed structures while having your gun ready to fire.

Desperation weapon of last resort otherwise.

Wish it didn't penalize accuracy so it'd be less niche and more useful on the M4.

[Tylaaaaar]

TENNOHEIKA BANZAI

[Vispain]

A bayonet's good uses are as following in order of priority:
Clearing weeds without a knife
Attacking close hostiles
Charging hostiles because you can't run away/need to in a critical moment.
Having more than a gun-shaped club when you run out of ammo.

Bad Usage:
Accidentally hitting oneself/others
Hitting dead xenos

Someone said it best earlier. It is a good demoralizer historically. Funnily enough, seeing a bunch of marines charging can have the same effect on xenos that a bunch of charging xenos have on a group of marines.
Bayonets are great for those moments where someone runs in fighting with everything they have and in doing so inspires everyone else to do so...these are battle winning moments. Be it for the marines or xenos.