Introduction
Greetings and salutations, friends!
As some of you may be are aware, the Charlton Automatic Rifle recently had its rate of fire changed in the “Far Eastern Front” update of last December, to be more in-line with its historical performance. Whilst changes on historical grounds are appreciated, that change did not correct all inaccuracies of the weapon, the magazine is still left untouched.
The Magazine
The following images is of the Charlton as it currently appears in Enlisted. Note the magazine size, shape, and supposed capacity:
Whilst it is true and accurate that the Charlton Automatic had access to 30-round magazines, its appearance does not match the model we see in game.
This is what a Charlton with a 30-round mag inserted looks like, appreciate the larger size and greater curve of the magazine:
The eagle eyed among you will no doubt have noticed that it is eerily similar in appearance to a Bren gun magazine.
That is because the Charlton Automatic primarily used converted Bren gun magazines, with the bolt hold-open tab removed in order for the magazine to fit in with the shorter Lee-Enfield reciever.
Well, what magazine is the Charlton currently using then…?
The WW1-era 20-round Lee-Enfield trench mag:
The Charlton was capable of accepting both standard 10-round Lee-Enfield magazines, as well as the 20-round trench mags, because that part of the rifle’s reciever was left unaltered during its conversion from Lee-Enfield/Metford to Charlton Automatic. And, as I previously stated, 30-round Bren mags were converted with the express purpose of being used in Charltons (though, in theory, they would also fit in regular Lee-Enfields).
What should be done?
The Charlton Automatic in game is already a BR II machine gun, nerfing its magazine capacity by a third would be a hard blow. Being BR II, it can’t be downtiered, and we are left with significantly altering the gun again to simply make it remain viable, just when people have started to get used to the current version.
That is why I have an alternative that leaves the guns’ statistics unaltered, and which will also give us an additional new gun in the game. I believe this is the overall best route to go down.
- Update the current model to use a 30-round Bren gun magazine.
No stat changes, only a model change, the gun remains exactly the same as it does now in function - only now with a magazine that matches its stated statistics.
But, what do we do with the old, but perfectly useable, magazine model…?
- Add a 20-round Charlton as a new Select-Fire rifle in BR V using the old model.
With the 30-round version remaining a heavier “MG”, this would theoretically leave room for the 20-round version of the Automatic Rifle to have a smaller sprint-speed penalty and fulfil a different role in-game.
It would be rather odd for a weapon with a smaller magazine capacity to be a higher BR than its alternative if both were the same weapon type, especially since there are no BR I MGs. Adding it as a 20-round “Commonwealth BAR” at BR III would therefore feel rather arbitrary. This is why I believe the Select-Fire route would be the best fit. Simply giving a 20-round version the standard 100% sprint factor would already get us most of the way there.
It would also make the Charlton more unique by giving the two versions distinct roles, rather than having multiple Charltons occupying essentially the same weapon category in a balance enviornment that wouldn’t reward its existance.
Polls
- Change the model to use the correct Bren gun magazine.
- Nerf the magazine capacity to 20 rounds to match the current model.
- Nerf the magazine capacity to 20 rounds to match the current model, but buff the other stats and turn it into the Commonwealth alternative to a BAR/Johnson style weapon.
- Nothing.
While changing the stats again is an option, as is turning it into a BAR-style MG, both options rob us of having the Charlton be depicted in-game in its most common configuration - using its 30-round Bren magazine.
The Lee-Enfield trench mag was a very rare sight by the 40s, most became worn out after testing of various automatic weapons across the Commonwealth during the 1920s and 1930s, and Charlton himself made this conversion with Bren magazines in mind.
A simple model change is the most pain-free way to fix the weapons’ remaining inaccuracy, keeping the status quo whilst opening the door for new additions to the game.
- Add it as the Commonwealth Tech Tree BR V Select-Fire Rifle alternative.
- Add it as an Event/BP BR V Select-Fire Rifle.
- Add it as an Premium BR V Select-Fire Rifle.
- Something else (comment bellow)
- Nothing.
Why tech tree…? Consider that there are few other Commonwealth that could be justified to be in that position, all other weapons are prototypes that never saw as wide a production run as the Charltons.
Sources Used
- Ian McCollum, “Charlton Automatic Rifle”, 09/10/2012 (retrieved 17/08/2026), Forgotten Weapons
- Ian McCollum, “From Bolt Action Lee to LMG: The Charlton Automatic Rifle”, 26/07/2019 (retrieved 17/08/2026), Forgotten Weapons
- Army Headquatres N.Z. Military Forces General Staff Branch, “Charlton Self-Loading Rifle Manual”, 23/05/1942
Conclusion
That’s all from me on this topic. Until next time, dear readers, and remember: look both ways before you cross the road.
Signed,
Lt. Ogge King, 3rd Experimental Tea Infusion and Small Arms Appreciation Company, Home Guard (Reserve)
God save the King.
