WW2 FMA

An esteemed lister said: Your getting into murky waters there if you think all
mg's are the same.

[Tomb] True, though the distinction isn't as
large as it is sometimes played out to be.

German tactics evolved arround using the squad MG 34 or later MG 42 as the
main killer, the riflemen where just there to protect it.

[Tomb] Although this is true, lots of rifle
bullets killed people too. And there are plenty of times your MG jams or has a
temporary stoppage or the MG gunners get shot. The riflemen (and even those
buggers with the SMGs) come in handy then.

Both being the first general purpose machine guns (GPMG) and having high rates
of fire. The MG 42 1200rpm (rounds per minute) or 20 a second, about double
the.30cal browning.

[Tomb] Which is relevant in how many
rounds it might put into a target, but you're
still trained to fire in bursts of 3-10 rounds
and you are still (even today) advised to
keep your fire in the area of 50-100 rpm.
That cyclic sounds really great, but if you've had to carry the ammo boxes to
supply 1200 rounds worth of fire, you aren't going to love it quite as much.
And we still (mostly) use rifles. Apparently equipping everyone in the squad
with an LMG or GPMG (or even every second guy) isn't that useful or practical.

[Tomb] As to the proposed stats: I think
you'll find your rifle impact way too low. Given you've already got a fair
chance to miss if your target is half smart using cover, or evading, or
whatever, then a D6 vs. a D4 once you hit (especially since you really need to
score > 3x the D4 to take the guy out) is going to lead to very long and
frustrating games. I think the rifles should have D8 or D10 impact. And the MG
the same (in some cases, it's the same bullets).

[Tomb] Also, there is a question of multiple
attacks or suppressing an area or establishing fire lanes (danger spaces) that
are hazardous to cross. Machine guns are very apt to do just this, but how
does one support it in game mechanics? Machine guns are excellent in
suppressive role and this buys the guys with the SMGs and grenades a chance to
get in close and do their work (like the Russians with a heavy
emphasis on the cheaply produced PPsh-
41).

> [Tomb] As to the proposed stats: I think

I planned on using quality and firepower die for the attacker while the
defender would get a single d4 if in the open or d4 and (d6 or d8) if in
cover. While the changes of an outright kill might be low for a single roll
you will most likely wound the other guy with a hit. Which will lower the
number of actions they can take by one. If anything they'll get a suppression
marker.

Up close and personal you'll have grenades which will have quite a splatter
effect. But that's after I have the small arms nailed down. In the long run I
tend to think your standard rifles will be used to suppress the other side
while your heavier gear (grenades, MGs, rockets, etc) will do the heavy
killing.

    But yeah...I need to actually play a few games using the stats -- at
the con I played in the Terminator game and I had a heck of time dropping a
terminator just four inches away from my squad.

Damo