German firepower

Von Luck · 05-10-2009, 08:15 AM,

US Machine guns after 45 were based on the MG42 that's how good it was.Most troops going by reports when they heard the buzzsaw sound of it tended to dive for cover regardless of where they were.Although not very accurate due to the fire rate and little recoil(unless fitted with the heavy baseplate 2000yds+) up to 1500rpm 2 of these situated in killing zones would really mow down the enemy even 1 in 3 hitting thats 500 hits per minute each gun.The MG42 was a very portable gun with its 3 man crew(take away the heavy baseplate used only in fixed defences)say 25kg in weight between them took seconds to setup carried spare barrel's for overheating etc.Granted downside would have been amount of ammo they could carry or have nearby.Think maybe this is why Talonsoft designers gave it the greater range and could still move like other infantry.

Dan Caviness · 05-15-2009, 08:21 AM,

nikoda:

Your post makes some excellent points. Alfons knows well what he is doing so I "advise" him at my own risk...(:O)...but you may be on the right track with the morale issue.

I only know of one instance where young and extremely green troops were "coached up" to a fever pitch and fought like their forefathers...and that was the 12th SS "Hitlerjugend" at Caen. Of course, the 12th SS had a tradition of utilizing extremely young Hitler Youth...hence the name...and you can bet they were coached well be a cadre of Liebstandarten SS veterans.

Kurt Meyer had them so well motivated at Caen they gave the Canadian 3rd Armored all they could handle. Yet for all that...they were kids...and even though fanatical...they fought like kids....and are at least partially responsible for the eventual demise of the Carpiquet Airfield and Caen due to their zealous yet dismal frontal assaults against well prepared units of the Cameron Highlanders and the Regina Rifles. The flanks were there...and exposed...had they thought to change their tactics...

Kids, no matter how motivated, don't know stuff.

Veterans, no matter how "un"motivated....know stuff that you don't want to know...

Still...if I had a bunch of snot nosed pimple poppers...I'd put them behind an MG42... Whip

Regards and welcome to the debate...

Dan

Dan Caviness · 05-15-2009, 08:31 AM,

Dear Mr. Von Luck:

Can you give us a little more info on barrel twist?
:eek1:

I'm thinking at 12 turns per foot the bullets would keyhole their targets more frequently as well causing more severe tissue damage not to mention the fragmentation factor.
You may also want to factor in range accuracy degradation due to barrel warp over time as a function of....:stir:...coriolis force assuming clockwise twist and the firer being above the equator at the time of primer detonation...:cheeky:

I used to think I knew armaments....:bow:....thanks to you I have been taught humility and now question my manhood not to mention genetic worthiness... cheers