Following the recent machine gun balance changes, I think both the ZB-26 and Breda Mod. 30 could do with some adjustments to make them more competitive with the MG 13.
I’m not suggesting they should necessarily be as strong as the MG 13 in every situation. Rather, I’d like to see each weapon given its own strengths, so there’s a genuine reason to choose them beyond personal preference.
ZB-26 – Restore its aggressive playstyle
Until the recent fire-rate nerf, the ZB-26 was a genuinely viable alternative to the MG 13. Its higher rate of fire gave it a distinct advantage in close-quarters engagements, rewarding a more aggressive playstyle despite its smaller 20-round magazine.
Unfortunately, the recent patch removed that advantage, reducing its fire rate to match the MG 13. As a result, the MG 13 now offers a larger magazine, considerably less vertical recoil and a slightly faster reload, with very little reason to choose the ZB-26 instead.
The ZB-26 also compares rather unfavourably with the Bren, which offers a significantly larger magazine, faster reload and better mobility, although the ZB retains its higher fire rate.
I understand the developers’ desire to bring the ZB-26’s rate of fire closer to historically accurate figures, and I’m not suggesting that change should be reversed. However, the patch effectively removed the weapon’s main selling point without introducing anything to compensate for it.
I’d therefore suggest improving its handling characteristics to restore its identity as the more aggressive, mobile alternative.
My suggested improvements:
- Increase sprint factor from 50% to 65%.
- Increase ADS speed multiplier from 0.3 to 0.45.
- Reduce dispersion penalties while moving by approximately 25%.
- Potentially improve hip-fire accuracy by around 20%.
These changes wouldn’t increase its damage or fire rate, but would give players a meaningful reason to choose it over the MG 13 again. Its smaller magazine and greater recoil would still provide clear disadvantages.
Breda Mod. 30 – Make it the controllable alternative
The Breda is in a similar position, arguably even worse. It has a relatively small magazine, an awkward reload and little to distinguish it positively from the MG 13.
I actually quite enjoy using it, particularly because of its unobstructed iron sights, but it’s difficult to justify choosing it over the German alternatives.
Given that the Breda fires the comparatively mild 6.5mm Carcano cartridge, I think there’s a reasonable argument for making it noticeably easier to control.
My suggested improvements:
- Increase sprint factor from 50% to 65%.
- Increase ADS speed multiplier from 0.3 to 0.5.
- Reduce recoil by approximately 20–25%.
- Improve accuracy while moving.
- Potentially reduce reload time from 2.7 to around 2.4 seconds.
This would give the Breda a distinctive role as a slower-firing but accurate, controllable and relatively mobile LMG.
Its lower fire rate and 20-round capacity would continue to limit its effectiveness in sustained engagements, preventing it from replacing the MG 13.
More variety, not power creep
Ideally, I’d like to see three different options at BR II:
- MG 13: The strongest general-purpose machine gun, with good recoil characteristics and a larger magazine.
- ZB-26: The aggressive alternative, with better moving accuracy, hip-fire and mobility.
- Breda Mod. 30: The easy-to-control alternative, rewarding accuracy and controlled bursts rather than sustained fire.
The recent mobility improvements to the Bren, Vickers-Berthier and other LMGs show that the developers are already willing to differentiate machine guns through their handling characteristics. I’d love to see the same philosophy applied to these two weapons.
I appreciate the developers’ efforts to maintain historical accuracy, particularly regarding fire rates. However, I don’t think historical accuracy has to come at the expense of weapon variety or enjoyable gameplay.
At present, the MG 13 simply feels like the most sensible choice in most situations, which is a shame when the alternatives have so much potential.
Obviously, the proposed figures are just suggestions and could be adjusted during testing. The important thing is giving these weapons distinct advantages rather than simply making them statistically inferior alternatives.
What do other players think? Would improved mobility and handling be enough to make you consider using the ZB-26 or Breda again?
- Yes
- No