
WWII German Machine Guns
German

Authentic German machine-guns used in the series Combat! are the MG-34 and
MG-42.
MG34 Machine Gun
The German army's Machine Gun 34 (MG 34) was the first general-purpose machine-gun. It
could be used by infantry as a light machine-gun in an mobile attack or as a medium
machine-gun in defensive, sustained fire. It was a high-quality weapon, expensive to
manufacture and required three-man crews when used by infantry in an assault.
When used by mobile units, the MG 34 was mounted on a bipod. For defensive position,
the MG-34 could be mounted on the MG-Lafatte (a tripod with a periscope sight). This mount
took the recoil of the gun, allowing the shooter to sweep a large area with sustained
fire. Other moutings allowed the gun to be used for anti-aircraft use.
Specifications: The MG34 is air cooled and fitted with a quick-change
barrel (crews switched out barrels when the gun overheated, they often carried several
spare barrels).
Weight with bipod was 12 kg loaded or 31 kg on the tripod.
Length 1219 mm, with barrel length 627 mm
Muzzle velocity 755 meters a second
Maximum combat range 2000 meters
Fires 800 to 900 rounds per minute.
MG42 Machine Gun
The MG-42 was designed to make the gun more economical and easier to mass produce than
the MG34. It used plastic in the butt and pistol grip and stamped and die cast metal
components instead of expensive machined steel. In place of riveted or screwed joints, it
was spot welded. It was lighter, more compact, and more reliable.
The re-design allowed the MG-42 to be used in most climates. The previous German
machine guns could not be operated by crews wearing mitts (which proved fatal in winter
battles, especially in Russia). The MG42 was also more resistant to jams caused by dust
and dirt (excellent for use in the African campaigns). Because of re-design, the barrel
could be changed out much more quickly an experienced machine gunner could change a
barrel in the field in under 30 seconds.
When mounted on the bipod, the MG-42 was less accurate than the MG-34, but it's
crushing power was a terrible force against Allied troops in Normandy. Because of its
rapid fire rate, infantry troops provisioned with the machine guns were burdened with
large quantities of heavy ammunition to feed the machine guns, which tended to make them
less mobile, but more deadly.
Specifications: The MG42 is air cooled and fitted with a
quick-change barrel.
Muzzle velocity 755 meters a second
Fires 1,550 per minute.
