Play balance issue? MG34 vs 50cal

[Kiwikkiwik]

Hi Felix thanks for your interest. In a nutshell what I am saying is that all HMGs whether 30cal or 50cal or their equivalents should get a range of about 30 hexes. Because that is about as far as either calibre can hit something because of their open Iron sights. The exception is the German Lafette tripod that comes with telescope and hydraulic buffers giving it a documented range of 60 hexes.

Playbalance Issue. Obviously German infantry becomes much more capable with a HMG firing out to 60. For the US pretty much -every- vehicle has a 50cal on the top and the ability of these to hose down infantry with suppression out to 40 hexes is a gross exaggeration. No US tanker even opened his hatch and fired his 50 cal at Enemy infantry 2 kms away. All the maxim derivatives HMGs had a lot of vibration which precludes accurate long range firing except on a very heavy tripod.

The German MMG actually doesn't exist MG34/42 came with either a bipod or the telescoped tripod, They could safely remove the 34 and 42 MMGs and free up 2 weapon slots.

I hope this is a bit clearer.

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Kiwikkiwik

The German MMG actually doesn't exist MG34/42 came with either a bipod or the telescoped tripod,

Oh really ?
And what is this then?

The MG and tripod could be set up for use with or without the telescopic sight

MG34


MG42


When the scope is mounted it's very obvious

[Felix Nephthys]

Originally Posted by Kiwikkiwik

Playbalance Issue. Obviously German infantry becomes much more capable with a HMG firing out to 60. For the US pretty much -every- vehicle has a 50cal on the top and the ability of these to hose down infantry with suppression out to 40 hexes is a gross exaggeration. No US tanker even opened his hatch and fired his 50 cal at Enemy infantry 2 kms away. All the maxim derivatives HMGs had a lot of vibration which precludes accurate long range firing except on a very heavy tripod.

Is play balance really an issue with this game? Would this apply to tanks also? To give balance wouldn't you need to make a Sherman more effective to be on par with a Tiger or Panther for example, or make the German tanks less effective in order to be in balance with a less effective tank (which now that I think about it can be done in preferences or even MOBHACK)? If I have a unit that is less effective than an opposing unit I will simply have to find a way/s of using what I have that can even up the odds.

As far as reducing the US machine gun range for tanks because no tanker ever fired out to maximum effective range in real life (which I don't know whether that is true or not), I don't see how that applies here. As a player we can use the equipment and units in ways they might not have been used in actual historical ways simply because this is a game, not a historical documentary.

The issue of suppression seems like a non-issue to me as well. If I want to fire at units I see out near maximum range to suppress them, I don't give a damn about accuracy, I just want to slow them down/make them dive for cover/make them run away, anything but be able to fire at me effectively or be able to close into range where they can be effective against me. I don't care whether I hit anything or not, and at that range the chances of hitting a target would be slim to none anyways I would think (isn't there a utility that can show the effectiveness of these weapons at different ranges?).