Bar vs FG42 is it a draw?

[Mobhack]

The FG42 as issued was used as an SLR, and not as an SAW.

from a quick Google:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FG42

The FG42 filled a key niche in Germany's arsenal and was somewhat well-received by paratroopers when tested, but it did have its drawbacks. The FG42 had a 20, or sometimes 10, round magazine that was mounted on the left side of the rifle. Though a side-mounted magazine was common in submachineguns, the larger magazine with heavier ammunition of a full-powered rifle tended to unbalance the weapon. In addition, muzzle rise with automatic fire was substantial and controlable bursts were difficult. This made full-automatic fire only marginally useful. The FG42 used a fairly sophisticated muzzle device that did help with recoil and muzzle flash, but blast and noise were much greater than other similar weapons. The US M14 rifle had similar problems and attempts were made to upgrade that rifle the same way with an in-line stock and muzzle device. Both weapons seemed to have failed in that respect.

So, 20 round mag, uncontrollable in auto fire and unbalanced. Not a very good SAW candidate.

if you want to make an FG42 SAW, feel free to do so in your own OOBS. It won't be so in the official OOBS which will remain as-is.

Cheers
Andy

[Tarrif]

The FG-42 was hard to control in full auto mode because it was light-weight but still firing a full size rifle round. Firing at full auto from the standing or kneeling position would make it very difficult to aim, but from the prone position with the bi-pod deployed its not any worse than most other weapons I've fired. Its strait line configuration does much to reduce the recoil and muzzle climb. In single-shot or semi-auto its absolutely deadly, especially at long ranges.

As for weapon imbalance... its negligable. On top of that, by the time the FG-42 entered service there was virtually no airborne operations and so it was used with the same 75 round ammo belts as the MG-34 and MG-42. The 10 and 20 round clips were available, but there were other options if you wanted to use it as an LMG. I never felt that the 10 or 20 round magazines affected the balance at all.

That's just my opinion.

[chuckfourth]

Hi Andy
Well it would seem from Tarrifs post that FG42 is just fine as a SAW and certainly better than the BAR in this role. I can see your point that it was used as a SLR but it would certainly also have been used as a SAW, especially as there a 7 or so in the section. And of course we just need one of them to be used in the SAW role to justify changing the rifle weapon slot from acc 1 hit 3 to acc 20 hit 5. But if you believe this never happened then I guess thats your choice.
It is also interesting that the second BAR when added to an american rifle squad certainly gets its own acc 20 hit 5 weapon slot no pooling for the BAR!
Regards Chuck.