Well, having no real advanced knowledge of FFXIV, it's technology and just lore in general I can reach two different conclusions on firearms in FFXIV - brace for speculation and probably a million things i've missed!
But before that, rule of cool. In the real world, when firearms became widespread melee combat (Save for bayonets and to a point, pikes) and archery/crossbows died rather quickly due to the indisputable killing power and ease of use of firearms, with cavalry lasting only a few centuries longer thanks to their speed and slow reload times of early firearms. However, line combat is boring. Melee combat and archery holds a far more interesting and -much- faster paced fighting style which is more suitable for games, because being able to seriously wound or kill someone with one shot is no fun.
So, first conclusion - Garlean firearms are magic/energy based, and Eorzian are conventional. I recall seeing cannons on many of the ships in Limsa Limonsa, noting Melwyb carries a pistol, and if I recall correctly, that Ceruleum is only found in Garlean-held lands. Not too much of a stretch as blackpowder is fairly simple to make, especially with the existence of an Apothecary guild.
For why they aren't widespread using this theory is anyone's guess, though it could range from low supply, price of production, scarcity of raw materials and something so similar to Garlean magitech being viewed as something best left alone.
Ceruleum as a propellant does not hold much energy. Naturally if you fire something out of a firearm (Assuming they fire physical projectiles) with low energy behind it due to a small / weak charge, the damage inflicted will be lower, leading to more minor wounds. Another possibility is that firearms are difficult / expensive to produce, so grunts only get cheap, ineffective models which may have trouble punching through armour, while the real nasty boomsticks are reserved for higher-ranking soldiers.
As for just how advanced their knowledge of firearms and ballistics is, I really can't say. To create firearms that are accurate beyond a hundred or so feet they would need to figure out rifling, beyond that, breech loading. I don't know if they could make automatic / self loading weapons due to apparently low energy of the propellant,which would make gas-operated reloading hard, if not impossible. Though a mechanical system such as the one used in the Gatling Gun may be possible. That being said, it would be grossly impractical as the smoke created by blackpowder, and Ceruleum would blind the crew in their own smokescreen.
But, all this being said, if Garleans can build functioning mechs and huge airships, little would be beyond their grasp.
But before that, rule of cool. In the real world, when firearms became widespread melee combat (Save for bayonets and to a point, pikes) and archery/crossbows died rather quickly due to the indisputable killing power and ease of use of firearms, with cavalry lasting only a few centuries longer thanks to their speed and slow reload times of early firearms. However, line combat is boring. Melee combat and archery holds a far more interesting and -much- faster paced fighting style which is more suitable for games, because being able to seriously wound or kill someone with one shot is no fun.
So, first conclusion - Garlean firearms are magic/energy based, and Eorzian are conventional. I recall seeing cannons on many of the ships in Limsa Limonsa, noting Melwyb carries a pistol, and if I recall correctly, that Ceruleum is only found in Garlean-held lands. Not too much of a stretch as blackpowder is fairly simple to make, especially with the existence of an Apothecary guild.
For why they aren't widespread using this theory is anyone's guess, though it could range from low supply, price of production, scarcity of raw materials and something so similar to Garlean magitech being viewed as something best left alone.
Ceruleum as a propellant does not hold much energy. Naturally if you fire something out of a firearm (Assuming they fire physical projectiles) with low energy behind it due to a small / weak charge, the damage inflicted will be lower, leading to more minor wounds. Another possibility is that firearms are difficult / expensive to produce, so grunts only get cheap, ineffective models which may have trouble punching through armour, while the real nasty boomsticks are reserved for higher-ranking soldiers.
As for just how advanced their knowledge of firearms and ballistics is, I really can't say. To create firearms that are accurate beyond a hundred or so feet they would need to figure out rifling, beyond that, breech loading. I don't know if they could make automatic / self loading weapons due to apparently low energy of the propellant,which would make gas-operated reloading hard, if not impossible. Though a mechanical system such as the one used in the Gatling Gun may be possible. That being said, it would be grossly impractical as the smoke created by blackpowder, and Ceruleum would blind the crew in their own smokescreen.
But, all this being said, if Garleans can build functioning mechs and huge airships, little would be beyond their grasp.
