system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Half-Life 2] Who's great idea was this crossbow thing anyway?

Listen, I understand the whole 'necessity is the mother of invention' gig, and I know that supplies can be pretty tight and guys in the field gotta go with what they got. That being said, who the fuck made this thing? And who the fuck let it go into general production? I mean I get the idea of crossbows, they're easier to make than a rifle and they've got the whole silenced shooting thing going for them. Also you know what a crossbow is supposed to shoot? Bolts, arrows. Not chunks of rebar. Imagine my surprise when I fitted in a quarrel in there started to aim when the smell of smoke filled my nose as the damn thing lit on fire. Heated chunks of rebar? Really? That's what this thing is made to fire? 


How much force do we need to put behind that thing in order for an entirely blunt rod of metal to move fast enough to puncture flesh? Not to mention the body armour CP's and Overwatch wear. I mean no wonder that damn thing was so hard to notch. And then there's the whole heating aspect. What the actual fuck guys? I nearly burned my fingers off, and I personally know two guys who did. 


I understand demonstrating the kickassery of human ingenuity, but there's a point where you've gone too far. If we can jury rig a good number of crossbows capable of firing an excessively heavy projectile that heats up in seconds, wouldn't it be way easier and safer to just make some regular crossbows instead and not have to worry about setting your clothes on fire, or carrying around a stupidly heavy load of rebar rods, or about your shot bouncing off some Overwatch trooper because it's a fuckin' flat-headed missile?


Sincerely, a concerned rebel.
gpt
1.) The rebar is heated by the battery in the damn crossbow. Heated rebar burns you, as you've figured out, so it hurts more when you get shot with it.

2.) It may be slow compared to bullets, but it's fast enough, and it's heavy enough to kill the damn bastards. So maybe stop complaining and try not to burn your damn fingers when using your damn weapon.

3.) Arrows and bolts are more difficult make, and they can't kill instantly. Heated piece of rebar through the chest, that'll do you in nicely.