For anyone who has come to the Forums in search of a bit of help in deciding which weapons are worth spending your hard-earned Silver on, and which ones are better off being converted into said Silver, I will be making a Guide Topic for each weapon class, per Faction.
So, without further ado, BEHOLD! The gospel, according to Simp:
“SMG” will be defined, for the purposes of this Guide, as any weapon classified by the game as either a Submachine Gun or Assault Rifle and generally used by the Assaulter, Medic, and Rider classes. BattlePass, Legacy Gold Order, Event Exclusive, and Premium Exclusive Rifles are not included in this Guide.
MP 28 (Research Tier 1) [BR I]
- The German tech-tree is FULL of SMGs that are more than just serviceable at their respective BRs, and that truth starts at the very beginning. The MP28 has shortcomings in its limited 20-round capacity and the sort of “jumpy” nature of the horizontal recoil, but has good damage and a respectable rate of fire, especially for a starter SMG. Don’t spend your Silver on a bunch of these, however, because Germany has a real showstopper for BR I coming up.
MP 34(o) (Research Tier 1) [BR I]
- The 34(o) takes a larger magazine in exchange for a slower rate of fire and ultimately just feels like a second starter SMG, with its slow fire rate making that same “jumpy” horizontal recoil feel even worse. That being sad, a more than 50% increase in magazine size can be a big deal for players that don’t have the best of aim. If you find yourself spraying with your SMGs, this might be a good option for your BR I lineup.
Beretta M38A (Research Tier 1) [BR I]
- Italian bias? Pinpoint accuracy and 600 rounds per minute are a blatantly over-powered combination at BR I that are SUPPOSED to be balanced by the limited 20-round magazine the M38A has. But the only thing separating this BR I version from its BR III clone (that magazine size) matters little when the weapon reloads in just 2.4 seconds (even faster when upgraded). If you make the 20 rounds count (land your shots consistently), this could sustain you all the way to BR III. More than worth the Silver, in that case, as easily the best BR I SMG in the game.
MP 3008 (Research Tier 2) [BR I]
- If ONE over-powered SMG isn’t enough for you at BR I, you’re in luck! Because Germany gets another one unlocked at Tier 2. The 3008 is essentially an MP40 with a lower rate of fire. It has laser beam accuracy, excellent sights, and a 32-round magazine, making it the min-max BR I choice for players that struggle to land shots consistently enough to make the Beretta M38A reach its potential. If you find the Beretta’s magazine lacking, spend your BR I Silver on this instead and spray away.
Beretta M1918 (Research Tier 2) [BR II]
- CQB Monster. 900 rounds per minute is a bit excessive for a weapon that only holds 25 of those rounds, but it can’t be over-stated how quickly this weapon (and its effective clone the OVP) melt soldiers at close range. That being said, the poor sights, high recoil, and limited magazine will get you into some trouble at any kind of distance, so it’s not over-powered overall. If you like to play aggressively and take fights up close and personal, this may be the BR II SMG for you. Otherwise, save your Silver for the higher capacity and more accurate options coming up.
OVP M1918 (Research Tier 2) [BR II]
- Worse sights and otherwise identical function to the Beretta M1918 make the OVP kind of obsolete. It still melts enemies up close, but also still shares all of the shortcomings of the 1918. There’s no real reason to spend Silver on it unless you have a personal preference for it.
FNAB-43 (Research Tier 2) [BR II]
- Don’t bother. More accurate, with better sights and a higher capacity magazine than the CQB oriented options, but at the cost of an abysmally slow rate of fire. Even if you want the greater accuracy and magazine capacity, there are much better options than the FNAB coming up almost immediately.
PPSh-41 ‘Obrez’ (Research Tier 2) [BR II]
- A CQB Monster, again, but this time even better at it. A full 1000 rounds per minute, accompanied by a 35-round magazine, make the ‘Obrez’ a direct upgrade for those who prefer to fight up close. Does still have the shortcomings of the other CQB oriented options at distance, however. This is the best CQB oriented SMG Germany gets so, if that suits you, the ‘Obrez’ is where you should put your Silver.
MP 38 (Research Tier 3) [BR II]
- A more versatile option for BR II, compared to the CQB ones you’ve unlocked so far. Don’t let the tiny stat differences fool you. This is an MP40 before you get the MP40. They function exactly the same, aside from the fact that the 38 actually has a little bit less dispersion, which means this thing is a laser beam at any range and holds plenty of rounds to fire at a steady but not slow rate. Don’t blow your Silver just yet though. The best is yet to come for German BR II SMGs.
Beretta M1 (Research Tier 3) [BR II]
- Best thought of as an Italian MP40 clone, the M1 functions nearly identically to the MP 38 you unlocked just before it. But it has a couple of advantages over it and the later MP40, in that it has cleaner sights (thanks to the absence of a front sight post shroud) and holds 40 rounds instead of 32. Both advantages show up in battle, and the M1 feels more powerful as a result. While still not as good as its big brother, the Beretta M38/42, in BR II, I still recommend spending some Silver on putting the M1 into your lineup, as the 38/42 won’t unlock until you’re 3 weapons deep into Tier 4.
MP 40 (Research Tier 3) [BR II]
- Objectively, the MP40 does not function any better than the MP38. It has marginally higher stats across the board, but the differences are not noticeable in battle. That being said… Few weapons in Enlisted feel like they belong quite like the MP40. It’s an iconic weapon of the war and creates an extra sense of immersion in every battle you bring it to. I cannot recommend it enough, as someone who values immersion, authenticity, and fun above anything else.
ZK-383 (Research Tier 4) [BR III]
- The only SMG you’ll ever need at BR III comes immediately for Germany. Albeit, at the wrong Research Tier (4). The ZK has it all. Excellent sights, good ammo capacity, high (but not excessive) rate of fire, and very low dispersion for its class (ZK has 62 while most SMGs are in the 80s) make the ZK one of the best BR III SMGs in the entire game (just don’t compare it to the PPSh box or Type 100 late). Fill your BR III lineup with Assaulters equipped with ZKs and you’ll not want for much more. Well worth the Silver investment.
MP 35/I (Research Tier 4) [BR III]
- A slight increase in damage and decrease in recoil are overshadowed by a significant increase in dispersion and decrease in rate of fire. The ZK is just better, plain and simple. Unless you have a personal preference for it, there’s no reason to waste Silver on the MP 35.
Beretta M38/42 (Research Tier 4) [BR II]
- It finally shows up. Unless you’re going back to BR II after making it well past it, which is perfectly fine, the 38/42 probably showed up way too late for you. However, now that it is here, you should know it is the best BR II SMG in the German tech-tree. Excellent sights, good rate of fire, virtually no recoil, and a huge magazine (40 rounds) for its BR make it the easy min-max choice for a German BR II lineup. If you’re going back to BR II, it may be worth the Silver to upgrade your Assaulters to this.
Beretta M38A (40 rounds) (Research Tier 4) [BR III]
- The only real rival option to the ZK, the Beretta has cleaner sights, holds an extra 10 rounds (40), and has less recoil. But that’s still not enough. Neither weapon has recoil worth mentioning, so the difference is not noticeable. Dispersion is your greatest adversary when using SMGs in Enlisted, and the extra dispersion the Beretta has, plus the loss in rate of fire, make the ZK the better in-battle performer. Unless you find yourself in need of the extra rounds on a regular basis, or want to build an Italian lineup, I would not recommend spending the Silver on switching to this.
Kiraly 39M (Research Tier 5) [BR V]
- Hungarian bias? The Kiraly is a powerhouse at BR IV, boasting excellence in every aspect. Excellent sights, magazine capacity, rate of fire, and controllability are all just icing on the cake that is the Kiraly’s damage. The much larger 9x25mm Mauser rounds that the Kiraly fires give it damage (6.6 base) rivaling even the Thompson’s .45 ACP damage (6.8 base). That’s right. The Kiraly is functionally a Thompson with great sights, high rate of fire, and easily controlled recoil. Oh, and it holds 40 rounds. Germany has the best gear for a BR IV lineup in Enlisted, and the Kiraly is central to that truth. If you’re building a BR IV lineup, put as many of these in that lineup as you can. More than worth the Silver.
MKb 42(H) (Research Tier 5) [BR V]
- The first, and worst, of the StG family. But don’t let that fool you. Even with its lack-luster 500 rounds per minute rate of fire, the MKb is still a force to be reckoned with. Just as it was designed to do, in the real world, this Assault Rifle stands between SMGs and Automatic Rifles in having the magazine capacity of an SMG while maintaining its damage over greater ranges like an Automatic Rifle. The only reason you should NOT invest a ton of Silver into the MKb is because there are two better versions of it coming up.
MP 43/1 (Research Tier 5) [BR V]
- A direct improvement on the MKb in almost every way. Not much else can be said about the MP43. It has less recoil, a faster rate of fire, and less dispersion than the MKb. Its only shortcoming, within the German tech-tree, is that the StG44 exists. But it does, so don’t blow all your Silver on this.
StG 44 (Research Tier 5) [BR V]
- As was its real-world design purpose, the StG is truly a weapon without weakness. SMG level rate of fire, controllability, and magazine capacity mixed with Rifle level damage maintenance over range and relatively low dispersion. The StG is undoubtedly one of the strongest weapons in the entire game, only being overshadowed by the Automatic Rifles that dominate the battlefields of Enlisted and a select few of its own kind. Accompanying your FG42 Rifleman squads with StG44 wielding Assaulter squads is the min-max route to take for a BR V German lineup. Let the Silver rain.
Hope this helps. If you’re an Enlisted vet, and have some differing opinions or helpful insights, reply with them!