Bolt Action and jubilee

[CommanderBaker]

Alright i guess as you Brits say "Long live the Queen" and all because she is helping me get a discount on bolt action products! But this of course raises a few questions. Namely for one, is the bolt action ruined houses part of this boxed set deal?? And for two considering the new bolt action ruleset will be headed out in a bit id like to know from someone who has played how a single mg42 team compares to either 30 cal or 50 cal US gun teams. You see im creating two armies at the same time. My german army has a single halftrac, 25 troops two of which have panzerschrecks along with rifles, two with mg34s and one with a panzerfaust. this german army also has an mg42 team. making for about 30 troops and the one vehicle. I need to make an evenish US group. I have 6-8 GIs already one of which has a BAR the rest garands, and a sherman tank. I guess im asking if i get a german tank and a us halftrack, and the boxed us infantry, what machine gun team would i need to be even? also im not a fan of the walking guys with the 30 cal ha.

thanks for your help,
your friend the yank,
commanderbaker

[airborne321]

Ha Ha. I think to even it out man, get a US M2 50 caliber machine gun! that baby is a beast! I don't know what it says about it in the BA rules, But the M2 fifty with enough fire, is capable of taking out a halftrack. with it's breathtaking amour piercing of 0.75 inches of steel, that's the gun you want against those Krauts!

[CommanderBaker]

See thats what i was thinking too. also they are both three man crews(mg42 and 50 cal)

I just want to get my armies balanced for the new rules!!

[canadasteve]

Guys machine guns are grouped into LMG, MMG and HMG with appropraite traits. Of course as the Germans had Hitlers Buzzsaw they get a little extra so dont go trying to compare the 30 or 50 cal to the MG42. You will need to see the army lists to make a balanced force for both sides, but trust me the way you are going you wont be too far off.

[CommanderBaker]

Okay thanks C.Steve. If that'll be close then I will stick with that for purchasing then. But now stug or PIV for the germans.... hmm...

also any news on the ruined hamlet being part of the boxed set thing??

[AlexM]

From what I've picked up across the various threads here, the basic boxes/side will do, then once you have the lists, you can flesh it out to make it even.

And yes, the discount was applied when I put the ruined hamlet into my cart

[canadasteve]

Yep Ruined Hamlet is included in their generous price drop for the weekend.

As for German armour I would think either Panzer IV or Panther myself as the Stug can only fire in the direction it is facing. I have both in my box but remember tanks are not neccessarily game winners, its all down to those fickle dice

[fitterpete]

So is the MG42 a MMG and the .50 a HMG? Because your right there should be no compaison between the two.

[Comte Michel]

The difference between an HMG and an MMG (at least the way I've always understood it) is more the fire role it's used in than the weight of shot. The MG34/42 on a bipod is usually classed as an MMG, as is the US .30cal, especially the air-cooled version. They would be used as burst fire, squad support weapons generally in an offensive role. Note that the way the Germans distributed these with infantry squads is very different to the US doctrine.

The MG42 on a tripod, the .50cal also on a tripod, and possibly also the water cooled .30cal are usually classed as HMGs, set up for sustained fire and more suited to a defensive situation. The fact that the .50cal can penetrate light armour is not what makes it an HMG.

LMGs on the other hand are weapons like the Bren or BAR, originally designed to move forward with the infantry squad in the attack.

Feel free to argue against any or all of the above, it's only my interpretation

[fitterpete]

I'm not here to argue
I agree against infantry not really much difference between the .50 and MG42 except the size of the hole it would leave.

Maybe I misunderstood Steve but I thought he said the MG42 gets a little extra over the 50 and they shouldn't be compaired.I was wondering if they shouldn't be compaired because they are different classes of MG.

My nephew still uses a 50 with wood handles stamped 1941.How many MG42 in the original form do the Bundswehr have?