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Light MG42 deployment problem


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I noticed a small problem in a PBEM QB i played recently.

My Panzergrenadier squad was deployed in a forest containing impact craters from 120mm mortars. See picture below:

mg42difference.jpg

As can be seen, the first sections MG42 is deployed correctly (right hand side of the picture), the bipod is on the ground, supporting the MG42.

The second sections MG42 is being fired from the shoulder, resulting (correctly) in very inaccurate fire (and a waste of good ammo). The firing from the shoulder went on (with this squad and others) for more than 10 turns and it happened consistently when the section was positioned in an impact crater for better cover.

Has anybody else noticed this? And shouldn't the MG42 be deployed (if not immediately, still quite quickly) to allow for accurate fire? My guess is that this possible problem has to do with the impact craters, which maybe somehow "break" the correct setup of the MG42 for the section in a squad. Still quite an entertaining sight, with tracers flying around everywhere (in the general direction of the enemy):D.

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I've seen the AI doing this to fire over something, specifically a low wall or hedge in front of a foxhole. Was there some sort of low sight obstruction in front of the norty kraut's crater?

Confirmed. I´ve noticed that oftenly, when the MG gunner wouldn´t have a clear LOF otherwise. Wielding the MG34/42 like an assault rifle is something I find quite annoying for the mentioned reasons, although I guessed that maybe internally the MG is assumed to be leaned at something, without having a proper animation.

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The gunner's elbow is braced on the helmet of the soldier in front of him. One of the better uses for Pomeranian recruits, apparently.

A long time ago, I saw a photo of an MG 42 being used, in Russia I believe from my woolly recollection of context, with the bipod resting on the shoulders of a crouched team member...

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A long time ago, I saw a photo of an MG 42 being used, in Russia I believe from my woolly recollection of context, with the bipod resting on the shoulders of a crouched team member...

Yep, I've seen that in video as well. I can imagine what happens after a while: "Where's 'Deaf Fritz?' I need him to hold up the Machinegewehr again." :D

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A long time ago, I saw a photo of an MG 42 being used, in Russia I believe from my woolly recollection of context, with the bipod resting on the shoulders of a crouched team member...

I´ve even seen this "procedure" mentioned in some german field regulation as .... expedient for quick reaction shooting vs. low flying aircraft.

But MG34/42 shooting assault rifle style??? According to this:

..surely doable, but wasn´t quite common practice.

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Thanks for all the comments.

..surely doable, but wasn´t quite common practice.

Yep, this is my point, kind of...

It can be done and there are circumstances where it should be done (on the move, to put a volume of fire in a general direction for suppression etc.).

But I highly doubt (and I have some personal experience with the MG42s successor, the MG3) that it should be employed this way from a perfectly fine position which allows the usage of the bipod - that doesn't make any sense.

A quick test scenario where my teams where positioned in craters surrounded by otherwise flat, open ground showed the same behaviour. The section in the crater employed the MG42 as if it were an assault rifle .. which it isn't. The result, btw, is modeled correctly .. tracers in the sky ..

Maybe this should / could be changed.

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I´ve even seen this "procedure" mentioned in some german field regulation as .... expedient for quick reaction shooting vs. low flying aircraft.

But MG34/42 shooting assault rifle style??? According to this:

..surely doable, but wasn´t quite common practice.

I think that what was shown in the video wasn´t a a very common method back then, since you exhaust pretty fast if you wield the MG like a bigger assault rifle.

Guess the german mg-gunners simply fixed the shoulderstake under their right (or left) arm, while holding the bipod with the other hand, like in this video http://youtu.be/B57dW3A-DT0

At least this stance looks more like to that what the Bundeswehr still teaches it´s soldiers. ;)

So I would guess CMBN simulates this "firing position" but lacks the "right" animation for it.

btw. Even the japanese got it right...well sort of.... http://youtu.be/kf5mWmrnxSo

In the Kerberos- Saga the MG 42 is pretty much like the standard assault rifle in our world.

It might be questionable why one should want to fire a full belt into one enemy but who cares...it looks cool...nothing to question about it. :D

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