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HMG 42 vs. LMG 42? Grognards, please advise


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Preface: Please do not see this as me questioning the accuracy of the game. I'm sure BTS did its research, and a very thorough job as well. I'm just asking this to satisfy my own personal curiosity and ignorance. smile.gif

I was wondering -- what's the difference between the HMG 42 and the LMG 42? In the game, the only difference I can discern is that the LMG has only 2 guys, while the HMG has a crew of 6 (and thus more ammo). However, looking at the damage charts in the unit database, the HMG does significantly more damage, even though (on the surface) it appears to be the same gun.

I was doing a little reading this weekend, and they only listed the MG 42, and the FG 42 (the light, mountain troop light machine gun). The books I read said that the FG was a fairly rare weapon, so it doesn't seem likely that this is the LMG 42. Could a grognard straighten me out on this, or delve further into the subject?

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The terms light and heavy machine gun only determine the udsage of the same (completely same) thing in two roles. When simply used with the bipod, you would label the MG 42 as a "leichtes Maschinengewehr", used to accompany advancing infantry as an assault machine gun. When this same MG 42 is fittted onto the intricate and heavy Lafete 42 tripod, it not only becomes very heavy, it is also designated accordingly a "schweres Maschinengewehr 42", a mostly stationary support weapon.

The tripod made for a more accurate fire especially over longer distances, it had optical sights and a special mechanism for automated fire sweeps in the depth of the field of fire. This and a more dedicated crew (more people to take care of the MG etc.) make for a practical increase of firepower over longer distances, so that BTS is basically correct in giving the HMG a beter FP value than the LMG, although the extent to which the HMG has more FP is of course debatable.

The FG 42 is an entirely different weapon that has nothing to do with the MG 42.

yours sincerely,

M.Hofbauer

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Quickly...The crewed (6-person) version is fired from a tripod, and has much more ammo. Fired from the tripod, it's more accurate and has better control, thus given greater firepower. The actual machinegun (MG42) used in the bipod and tripod mounted gun is the same. Hope that helps.

Los

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