Notes: The Type 56 is essentially the Chinese equivalent of the AK-47, modified to suit local manufacturing methods, with slightly looser tolerances for its parts (mostly from being built sometimes in crude shops early in its Chinese manufacturing history), and designed to work with parts made from a lesser quality of steel (again, only at first). The original versions of the Type 56 were essentially almost exact copies of the AK-47, but with a permanently-mounted spike-type bayonet which folds under the barrel, instead of the cleaning rod normally carried under the barrel of the AK-47. Later versions were built with better manufacturing methods and were even closer copies of the AKM, though they still had the folding bayonet instead of the cleaning rod. (These versions were still referred to by the Chinese as "Type 56," though the West sometimes called them "Type 56-1," and that is how I will refer to it to avoid confusion.) The furniture of both was always rather poor-quality wood; a version referred to in the West as "Type 56-2" is the Chinese equivalent of the AKMS, with a folding metal stock what folds sideways instead of under the weapon as does the folding stock of the AKMS. (Some Type 56-2s built in the late-1970s have a folding stock similar to that of the Belgian FNC, however.) A short version was also designed in the late 1980s, known as the Type 56C; what the West referred to as the "Type 56C" used a plastic stock and fore-end and a wooden pistol grip, while what the West referred to as the "Type 56C-1" has the same folding stock as the Type 56-2 (though not the FNC-type folding stock of later Type 56-2s). Both have a much shorter 13.65-inch barrel (as opposed to the 16.3-inch barrel of a standard Type 56), tipped with a small muzzle brake. A version designed only for semiautomatic fire and normally sold only on the export market (most commonly in the US) are sometimes called the "Type 56-5." And just to add even more to the confusion, the entire series (particularly those built after 1973) are called by some the "M-22," due to some of the markings on the weapons. Beginning in the mid-1980s, the Chinese also began flooding the world civilian market with a semiautomatic version of the Type 56-2, called the Type 56S by the Chinese (and about a zillion different names in the different countries to which it is exported); this version is available with the folding stock of the Type 56-2 or the wood stock of the Type 56, and can also be found with a plethora of Chinese-made and aftermarket modifications. The Type 56S has, especially in the US, become the scourge of police forces, since it is cheap, easily found both on the black market and legally, and is easily converted to automatic fire.

Though quality got better over the years, the Type 56 was always worse than the AK-47/AKM. In particular, chroming of the bore and chamber was nonexistent in early manufacture and often poorly-applied later on, leading to rapid corrosion. The gas system was also often poorly-built, leading to quick fouling. Albanian examples are usually better than Chinese ones, though those made in Vietnam during the Vietnam War were even worse than Chinese-built ones.

The Type 56 Assault Rifle series is no longer used by regular Chinese forces, though they have been kept for reserve forces. In addition, they are some of the most commonly found variants of the AK series in the world, and can be found in almost any country. Albania still manufactures the Type 56, though they call theirs the AK-47. The Type 56C saw almost no use by Chinese troops, because it was designed in the late 1980s largely for export. None of these rifles should be confused with the Chinese version of the SKS, which the Chinese called the Type 56 Carbine.

Notes: At first thought to be a modification of the SKS, it now appears that the Type 63 is an original, though rather strange design. The Type 63 was designed in the early 1960s specifically to give the People’s Militia forces a bit more firepower without having to make a lot more (and more expensive, in real-life terms at the time) Type 56 series assault rifles, and also to give them a design which was simple enough that they could make it themselves in backyard machine shops if necessary. The Type 63 is therefore a rather simple weapon with a rather crude appearance and questionable quality.

The Type 63 is semiautomatic and gas-operated; the gas system is simple, not quite like that of the SKS, and not quite like that of the Type 56 assault rifle; but not exactly a blend of the two, either. The Type 63 (as standard) is fed by 15-round steel magazines which are proprietary and will not fit into AK-series weapons despite having the same dimensions and holding the same ammunition. The magazines may also be topped off by loading them using stripper clips through the top of the receiver. The Type 63 has a knife-type bayonet which folds back underneath the barrel, and is otherwise permanently attached. Construction of the Type 63 is normally heavy (though there was considerable variation sometimes), with heavy steel metalwork and rather crude hardwood furniture. Sights normally consisted of a hooded front post and a tangent leaf adjustable rear. The 20.45-inch barrel’s bore is almost always unchromed, as is the chamber. Though the Type 63 was not built with selective-fire capability, Chinese soldiers quickly found out that if you grind down the sear in just the right way, you can gain automatic fire capability in the Type 63. (The side effect of this modification is that the bolt catch no longer works.)

Though the Type 63 was meant to be fed only by that special 15-round box magazine, crafty militiamen quickly discovered that if the bolt catch is ground down, removed, or modified, the Type 63 can in fact accept AK and RPK-type magazines and drums.

The Type 68 is sort of an "AKM version" of the Type 63; it uses a stamped steel receiver, has a few other minor modifications, and is in general less crude in its construction. Many were in fact factory-built, and most actually have a plastic handguard. The Type 68 also has selective-fire capability designed into it. The Type 68 has an adjustable gas regulator with two positions, allowing the shooter to keep the weapon functioning when conditions do not allow him to clean the weapon often enough or when he has to fire lots of ammunition in a short period of time. The gas regulator does not eliminate the need for cleaning; it merely keeps the Type 68 going a bit longer.

The Type 73 updated the pattern further; the Type 73 can accept AK and RPK-type magazines and drums as standard.

Twilight 2000 World: As the Twilight War wore on, more and more of these weapons were modified to use AK magazines.

Type 81

Notes: The Type 81 was originally designed specifically for export, but was later produced in large numbers to become the Chinese Army’s primary assault rifle, replacing their aging Type 56 assault rifles. Though appearing to be a modification and modernization of the Type 56-1, the Type 81 in fact bears a closer relationship to the Type 63 series of rifles.

The gas operating system is essentially an updated version of that used in the Type 73 above; however, a cover now protects the formerly open part of the rear of the operating mechanism. The fire selector switch is on most of the Type 81 series on the left side of the receiver above the pistol grip, though the late production Type 81S also has a secondary safety in the same place as the safety would be found on the SKS, just behind the trigger; this automatically disengages when the trigger is pulled back fully and prevents the Type 81S from being accidentally fired if dropped or bumped. Very early production Type 81s could not accept the AKM/AK-47 magazines of any other country, due to a radically different feed mechanism; however this was corrected early in production and most Type 81s can Kalashnikov-type magazines and drums of virtually any origin, as well as the 15-round magazines of the Type 63 series. Very early production models also had a three-round burst mechanism in addition to a full automatic setting, but this was also quickly deleted. The sights are standard Type 56-type sights, though modified for use with the longer barrel. The Type 81 uses high-impact plastic furniture and steel construction, and has a mount for a knife-type detachable bayonet. The 17.52-inch barrel is tipped by a flash suppressor which is of the right size for the launching of Chinese, Russian, former Warsaw Pact, or Pakistani rifle grenades. The Type 81-1 is a Type 81 with a folding plastic stock instead of a fixed one. Note that for game purposes, the Type 81, Type 81-1, Type 81S, and Type 81S-1 are identical.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The Type 81 was not initially intended to replace the Type 56, but as millions of troops were raised to fight off the Russian invasion, most Type 81 production was diverted to native Chinese use. It is still not nearly as prevalent as the Type 56 series.

Merc 2000 story: In addition to Chinese use, the Type 81 has been sold in most corners of the world, usually in small lots. The two large foreign sales has been to Thailand and North Korea.