StG 44 as rifleman weapon

Suggestions
62

It also makes me wonder why the superior US units struggled so much against Japan then which had a worse infantry situation than a WW1 nation.

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63

Anyway, StG and MP43 should stay how they are.
The spam of SF and BR of the Mkb are a issue though.

64

Oh I’m just talking bout the cost being the same. Normal mid war medium vs behemoth and they’re the same price? Fricking insane

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65

Could someone who he didnt block just send the numbers please?

66

Unlike US, germans needed to heavily optimise the production costs.

If I remember correctly, M1919 MG costed like 3 times more than MG42.

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67

Or operator(s) killed or gun damaged or jammed or any other way to take it out of the fight

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68

It was also a much older design. Being one of Browning’s brick with a tube designs. Wasn’t optimized for production. It was designed to work and keep working for eternity. Lol

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69

Which is why the squad members were trained to use the gun in emergency.

Which is why both MG34 and MG42 were known for their reliability.
Or why soldiers were trained to be able to quickly dismantle their weapons.

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70

Tbh the only realistic thing that can destroy a block of metal (a gun) is an explosion or a really big/fast schrapnel.
And if that happens to your MG, you probably have bigger worries than enemy rifleman.

71

Just saying that this

  • 1× Squad Leader, Sergeant, armed with 1 M1 Rifle

  • 1× Assistant Squad Leader, Corporal, armed with 1 M1 Rifle

  • 1× BAR Man, Private/Private First Class*, armed with 1 M1918A2 Automatic Rifle

  • 1× Assistant BAR Man, Private/Private First Class*, armed with 1 M1 Rifle

  • 1× Ammo Bearer, Private/Private First Class*, armed with 1 M1 Rifle

  • 1× Grenadier, Private/Private First Class, armed with 1 M1903 or M1903A3 Rifle and 1 M1 Rifle Grenade Launcher

  • 6× Riflemen, Private/Private First Class, armed with 1 M1 Rifle

Puts out a lot more firepower than this

  • 1× Squad Leader (GruppenfĂźhrer), Unteroffizier (OR-4), armed with 1 MP40 submachine gun

  • 1× Deputy Squad Leader (Stellvertreter GruppenfĂźhrer), Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 MP40 submachine gun

  • 1× Machine Gunner (M.G.SchĂźtze 1), Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 MG42/MG34 machine gun and 1 pistol

  • 1× Assistant Machine Gunner (M.G.SchĂźtze 2), Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle

  • 5× Riflemen (SchĂźtzen), Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle each

72

Was just an example of the LMG is out of commission. Now what’s left? When all of your firepower comes from a single source. What happens when that source is taken out?

It is better that every man be able to throw enough lead down range fast enough than for all of them to have outdated weaponry with a single modern gun

73

The 12x Men doctrine was so superior, that the US dropped it it after WW2. Probably because of superior “firepower”. The US also did not had that many Garands around during Africa.

Also, in what way does a couple of M1Gs overvalue a MG34 or 42 in firepower? Does this only work with Imperial units?

74

I took data from wikipedia (so very scientific) and:
M1 Garand - 50rpm
MG42 - 1200rpm

1200/50=24
So you need 24 dudes with garand to match one MG42 in terms of spewing lead. At least untill all those guys need to reload.

Bar - 650rpm so still about 11 rifleman

To be fair this is purely artificial stasistic but I think it ilustrates well the sheer volume of fire of 42.

2 Likes
75

Yes, if mg is destroyed, they are in deep crap. But if enemy is capable of destroying it, they are in trouble regardless if they have mg or not.

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76

The M1G was capable of “surpression” fire by fast tapping iirc but this is still not comparable to a automatic weapon with 800-1200rpm, hundreds of bullets and decent accuracy, while the M1G only had eight bullets and probably worse accuracy with its fast-tapping than a MG burst. And if all of the 11 rifledudes would do that, they still wouldnt do much expect facing counter-attack.

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77

I’ll take the several dudes who can all independently engage targets over one dude who can only effectively engage/suppress one man or a close group of men

78

Bottom line is I don’t understand why Germany chose to put all it’s eggs into one basket instead of providing the supporting soldiers with a means to more effectively support. Give those men semi auto’s instead of bolt actions and their effectiveness increases dramatically

79

Not only German, this is also the case with British infantry doctrine.
Their “squad build” is also based on Bren gun.

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80

Americans are special exceptions.
Their M1919A4s are in two dedicated heavy weapons squads.

81

Also for Soviet main doctrine if it was not a SMG platoon.
In fact, all main nations put their “egg” into MGs as main firepower weapon etc
, including the United States.
They were just the only ones to afford a standard-issued semi-auto.

1 Like