Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaakko
While playing the USMC during the battle of Hue 1968, I noticed the lack of M60 LMGs. What appeared to be in their place in most cases was the weapon number 24 "M16A1 AR" or 26 "3x M16A1 AR". Is this supposed to be so and what is the weapon number 24/26 supposed to represent?
I also noticed relatively low morale levels compared to later periods. I wonder what's the reasoning behind this.
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The USMC never regularly used the M60 as a LMG the way the US Army did.
With the loss of the BAR in the late 50's (tho many units did continue to use them till about 65ish) the official USMC policy was for each fire-team Automatic Rifleman (the person in a team "authorized" to fire in full auto mode) to be issued a bipod for the M14/M16 and carry some extra magazines.
With the advent of the M249 SAW they were issued them as an "LMG".
So yes, weapons "M16A1 AR" and "3x M16A1 AR" represent the use of M16's as "Automatic Rifles".
Not to say the M60 isn't used as an LMG regularly, but WinSPMBT code can't deal with an MMG unit becoming an LMG unit when in motion and back to an MMG when stationary.
As to morale ... Vietnam was a rather unpopular war and I believe (and can't personally verify) there is a hard-coded reduction to morale for US (and possibly other) OOBs during the late Vietnam period. This probably lasts till about the Regan Era (ca. 1981) when it is returned to "normal".