The MG42 is one of the most iconic machine guns in history, and is currently in BR4. While it is a decent gun and fun to use, it’s statwise really just a sidegrade to the BR3 MG34.
The rate of fire is 110 RPM higher at 990 vs 880 RPM, and the reload is noticibly longer (5.6 seconds vs 4.8). The extra rate of fire is nice, but ultimately not a big enough buff when 880 RPM is already competitive, to warrant a noticibly slower reload and higher BR. The extra rate of fire also means that in addition to being slightly harder to control, you empty the magazine faster, which hurts the general performance when the reload is slightly higher than average. Also worth noting is that the MG34 Patronentrommel is on BR4, which is nearly identical to the BR3 version but has 25 extra rounds and slightly better recoil, and keeps the 4.8 second reload time.
Moving the MG42 to BR3 will give it more opportunities to be used as a true sidegrade to the MG34 and won’t cause a hole because the MG34 Patronentrommel would still be BR4. Additionally, improving the reload speed could help overall performance and make it a more viable gun to use. If it were to be buffed, I would think it would be changed to around 5 seconds.
Should the MG42 be moved to BR3?
Should the MG 42’s reload speed be buffed?
- Yes
- Yes, but keep it BR4
- No
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Ooooh… this is a difficult one…
Logically, I feel I agree with all the points. However, there is a wrinkle… a glaring, historical wrinkle…
The rate of fire is too low…
I’d rather see that number increased, 1200 would be ideal, so we can run around with our zippers. If it weren’t for that, I’d agree with the changes - and being able to run MG 42s in BR III would be a amazing bonus.
Of course, a 1200 RoF gun in BR IV raises its own balance concerns, both comparative balance as well as the viability of the weapon (RoF + magazine size means 2.5 seconds of fire to dish out before having to reload) - and the RoF increase from upgrades just makes that worse. Personally, I’d remove/replace the RoF weapon upgrades from the game… I don’t get using historical RoFs when those weapons more often than not won’t even be firing with that cyclic rate.
I aught to remake that suggestion… it’s about time…
That’s just my two pence on the issue… I won’t be voting either way…
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You have some good points, and I had thought about the idea of changing into the high ROF version as well. Personally, I think the best solution would be to have the light bolt version introduced to the TT that has the said 1200 RPM so the current heavy bolt 42 won’t dissapear and can be balanced seperately. But even if it would only take a reskin a changing the stats, knowing how major updates have been going in terms of weapons, it seems unlikely.
I’ll be sure to vote yes if you do, never got why the devs have the accurate rate of fire for automatic weapons (most times) just to have it change to something else entirely when upgraded.
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To my knowledge they came with different bolts so you could vary the rof depending on what it’s going to be used for eg AA gets higher rof. This one has a heavy bolt (900 rof) for better handling as an infantry gun. In a way since a light bolt can go up to 1500 rpm that would be better if it were BR 3 as the handling would be more erratic.
I have heard this too, but I have come to question this commonly accepted view over time, since I have not seen any period evidence that this was a practice employed during WW2. West Germany did use MG 42s, and MG 42 derived MGs, after the war… and they had a developed doctrine to do exactly as you described… but I have yet to read anything period-authentic that suggests the practice existed before then. No production records, no mentions in user/training-manuals at the time, no Wehrmacht inventory reports on the number of duplicate bolt types held by units…
It might be what is commonly repeated… but just because something is common knowledge doesn’t inherently mean it’s also true…
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At its current state I would like to see it as a BR III weapon. HOWEVER, if Darkflow realizes it needs some fixes and buff its reload speed an ROF, then I would agree on keeping it at BR IV.
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I would rather buff its ROF, as of now it is barely better than the MG34.
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Welp sorry just being a parrot I guess heard paradivison say it in one of his videos so I could see it going ether way, I think it likely it’s true but if their is documentation it’s not a 5 min search.
Hard no. As of now germans have the best MGs in the game from BRs 2-4. The last thing we need is for them to get the MG42 at BR2 or an increased reload rate. I would like to 1200 RPM though. I know it would be a big buff and I have seen what it can do on some maps as is but it would make it better than the MG34 to a big enough degree to use it. I know some people say that its just a “heavy bolt version” but thats BS. The heavy bolts never went into service in any significant amount if at all until post war. Besides the MG42s you can find around some maps have 1200 RPM and they are just fine.
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So they only have the best MGs for BR5, and even then it’s only one MG not MGs plural.
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oh, uhhhh… That is not what i meant to say. I just fixed it.
(so basicly I was going to put in “the best exept for BR 5” than changed to to “best from br2-4” and forgot to remove “exept”
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If the mg42 (50) keeps its current stats, I’d say br3 is acceptable so there is the trade off of firerate and reload speed compared to the mg34. If it got any buffs it would have to stay br4.
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Is there a BR3 US LMG that is near to similar to an MG34 let alone an MG-42? I can’t think of one.
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I’d say the RD-44 got that because of no dispersion
Don’t really need one. It’s okay to not have one to ones for everything.
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If we include the BP/Event weapons too then Soviet and USA got the best LMG in performance wise. TKB and WAR are basically BR 5 SF light on BR 3.
But regarding MG 42, i think it’s like this - If it gets reload speed buff, then it should remain on BR 4. If it can’t get a reload speed buff then it should go down to BR 3 as it’s just a sidegrade of MG 34 in statwise. Actually, i’d argue that extra 0.8 secs reload time make it worse than MG 34 in practical in-game use.
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Purely based on TT maybe. With all the battle pass, event, and premium squads it’s all pretty even
Then Why do we have KE7 on GER? Why do we want MG-42 on GER BR3 when we already have MG-34?
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Yes, and the vast majority of players are FTP so battle pass, event, and premium squads rarely matter if at all.
Yes, but a countrys whole BR shouldnt be one gun if there are others. The m1919A4 for example needs to go to BR3.
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