reply to post by masonicon
Because they're heavy and loud compared to a knife. Soldiers do almost all their fighting from a fair distance away. Melee is a very low priority.
Most marital arts training given to soldiers is just for morale and confidence. At the moment, soldiers are so overloaded with gear that it would be
completely infeasible to issue them some kind of chain-bladed weapon. Even with a powered armor suit, you'd really have to get to the point where
they're very mobile and not overloaded and there is literally *nothing* more useful you could give them.
IMO, an extra LAW type weapon is always going to be a better choice. A chainsaw will let you thoroughly mess up somebody at arms length away. a LAW
will let you blow up a moderately armored AFV at (a highly optimistic) 1000 meters, for about the same weight (~6lbs).
