Heckler & Koch G-36 SAW
Notes: The G-36
SAW entered service with the German Army in 1997, and has been exported to most
of the same countries who also use the G-36 assault rifle and its variants.
Though it was at first intended to be the standard German Squad Automatic
weapon (and in fact was until recently), but has now been partially supplanted
by the new MG-43, and it may become simply a companion piece to the MG-43 (much
like the British Army still uses the L-86A1/A2 as a companion weapon to the
Minimi).
The G-36 SAW is
essentially a G-36 assault rifle with a minimum of changes to better suit it to
the SAW role. The 18.9-inch barrel
is heavier than that of the G-36 assault rifle to allow the barrel to better
withstand sustained automatic fire, but is tipped with the same flash
suppressor. The folding bipod is
permanently attached at the front of the handguard, and can be given some
minimal adjustments for height and cant.
The G-36 SAW retains the large carrying handle above the receiver, along
with the 3x red-dot-type optical sight and backup iron sights which consist of
adjustable 1x red-dot sights. The
G-36 SAW also retains the ability to have up to five 30-round G-36 assault rifle
magazines clipped together for quick magazine changes, and as with the G-36
Assault rifle, can also use STANAG 5.56mm NATO magazines, and a 50-round drum
has also been designed for the G-36 SAW.
However, in service use, it appears that Beta’s 100-round C-Mag is the
magazine most often encountered in use by G-36 SAW shooters.
The G-36 SAW also retains the folding stock, but the buttplate has a
rubber recoil pad.
The G-36E SAW is
the export version of the G-36 (though the Spanish seem to have been sold the
standard G-36 SAW). The only real
difference is the optical sight, which is 1.5x instead of 3x.
Twilight 2000
Notes: Adoption of this weapon largely came to an abrupt halt with the nuclear
exchanges of the war; perhaps less than 75 were ever delivered to the German
Army.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
G-36 SAW |
5.56mm NATO |
3.49 kg |
20, 30, 50 Drum, 100 C-Mag |
$1790 |
G-36E SAW |
5.56mm NATO |
3.49 kg |
20, 30, 50 Drum, 100 C-Mag |
$1740 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
G-36/G-36E SAW |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
5/7 |
2 |
5 |
53 |
(With Bipod) |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
5/7 |
1 |
2 |
69 |
Heckler & Koch HK-13
Notes: This is
essentially a heavy-barreled version of the HK-33 assault rifle.
The dimensions are similar, and it uses the same magazines, and is
equipped with a bipod. The HK-13E
is a development of the HK-13. It
is heavier, and has a foregrip under the barrel, has a setting for 3-round
bursts, and uses standard STANAG magazines. It
can also use the 90-round MWG magazine and 100-round C-Mag.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
HK-13 |
5.56mm NATO |
6 kg |
25, 30, 40 |
$1370 |
HK-13E (Magazine Feed) |
5.56mm NATO |
8 kg |
20, 30 |
$1734 |
HK-13E (Belt Feed) |
5.56mm NATO |
8 kg |
100 Belt |
$1734 |
Belt Feed Parts Kit for HK-13E |
NA |
1.6 kg |
NA |
$549 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
HK-13 |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
6 |
2 |
5 |
46 |
HK-13 (Bipod) |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
6 |
1 |
2 |
60 |
HK-13E |
3/5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
6 |
2 |
2/4 |
46 |
HK-13E (Bipod) |
3/5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
6 |
1 |
1/2 |
60 |
Heckler &
Koch MG-43
Notes:
The light machinegun which would become the MG-43 was not seen in public
until it was shown at a public shooting range in Yuma, Arizona in 2001.
However, by that time, it had already been in development for several
years, and had been tested at military facilities encompassing a wide variety of
climate conditions in the US including Ft. Greely, Alaska, Ft. Benning, Georgia,
and the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona.
These tests showed the MG-43 to be a rugged, reliable weapon capable of
functioning in virtually any field conditions.
The German Army is currently in the process of issuing the MG-43 to its
troops to supplement the G-36 SAW; the British Army is reputedly also evaluating
the MG-43.
The MG-43 does
have a superficial resemblance to the G-36 SAW, but it is not a member of the
G-36 family. The MG-43 is
gas-operated, fires from an open bolt, and has no selector lever (merely a
safety switch), since it is meant to be fired only on automatic. 750-rpm cyclic
rate means that short bursts can be squeezed off with a little practice, and
even single shots can be fired by a skilled gunner.
The MG-43 may use virtually any sort of disintegrating link 5.56mm NATO
belt used in the world today, and even some no longer in general use (the MG-43
shown to the public in Yuma was actually firing old Stoner 63A belts).
Belt pull is extremely strong; though normally meant for use with up to
200-round belts, one demonstration at Yuma showed it pulling a 1200-round belt!
Feed is from the right side of the receiver, with case and link ejection
from the bottom. The 18.9-inch
barrel is of the quick-change type and tipped with a flash suppressor; the
barrel is built somewhat heavy and is equipped with a small handle allowing it
to be changed while hot with bare hands.
The barrel can be removed and replaced whether the bolt is open or
closed. The stock folds; while it
is similar to the stock of a G-36, it has a compartment which can house a
cleaning kit. The MG-43 has
adjustable iron sights, but there is also a MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver.
At the front of the handguard is its folding bipod, adjustable for height
and cant; the handguard also has a mounting interface for standard NATO light
and medium tripods or compatible pintles.
The newest
version is the MG-4. This version
has a basic commonality with the MG-43, but is equipped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail
above the receiver which extends just beyond the feed cover, and has another
short length of rail just to the rear of the front sight.
The front sight folds, and the rear sight is removable. (The rear sight
is often replaced with a version of the same carrying handle/optical sight
assembly of the G-36 assault rifle, with a 3x red-dot sight in the handle.) The
MG-4 has a reshaped stock reminiscent of the Minimi, and when the carrying
handle/sight combination is not used, can mount a simpler removable carrying
handle. The stock can also be
folded to the left. The barrel is heavier than that of the MG-43, and it has a
slightly different flash suppressor.
The barrel is also slightly longer at 19 inches. Dimensionally, the MG-4
is also slightly longer than the MG-43. The handguards are also reshaped, both
for extra barrel and receiver cooling and for protection of the shooter’s hands.
The MG-4 is able to take a 50-round belt in a cloth assault pack in
addition to the belts of the MG-43.
The MG-4 is primarily designed to eject spent cases downward, though right-hand
ejection is possible through the change of a few parts.
The MG-4E is
essentially the same, but replaces the standard stock with a sliding M-4-type
stock. The MG-4KE is the same as
the MG-4E, but has a shorter 15.8-inch barrel. The MG-4E and MG-4KE cannot be
used on tripods.
Twilight 2000
Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Merc 2000 Notes:
German units and certain NATO special operations units began using the MG-43 in
early 2005.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
MG-43 |
5.56mm NATO |
6.4 kg |
100 Belt, 200 Belt, 250 Belt |
$1403 |
MG-4 |
5.56mm NATO |
8.15 kg |
50 Belt, 100 Belt, 200 Belt, 250 Belt |
$1419 |
MG-4E |
5.56mm NATO |
7.9 kg |
50 Belt, 100 Belt, 200 Belt, 250 Belt |
$1419 |
MG-4KE |
5.56mm NATO |
7.7 kg |
50 Belt, 100 Belt, 200 Belt, 250 Belt |
$1318 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
MG-43 |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
5/7 |
2 |
4 |
52 |
MG-43 (Bipod) |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
5/7 |
1 |
2 |
68 |
MG-43 (Tripod) |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
5/7 |
1 |
1 |
104 |
MG-4/MG-4E |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
6/8 |
2 |
4 |
52 |
MG-4/MG-4E (Bipod) |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
6/8 |
1 |
2 |
68 |
MG-4
(Tripod) |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
6/8 |
1 |
1 |
104 |
MG-4KE |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
5/6 |
2 |
4 |
40 |
MG-4KE (Bipod) |
5 |
3 |
1-Nil |
5/6 |
1 |
2 |
51 |
Knorr-Bremse
Notes:
This weapon started its life as a light machinegun by a Swedish inventor
in the early 1930s, named the LH-33.
The Swedish Army passed on it, as did the Norwegians, but he managed to
sell the patents to a German company named Knorr-Bremse (who, oddly enough, was
not in the arms business – they sold automobile brakes).
Like many companies of the time, they jumped head first into the arms
business, seeing the clouds of war gathering.
They modified the design to simplify production, and then named it after
themselves. The double triggers
that provided selective fire were deleted in favor of a simple single trigger
allowing only automatic fire. (The
rate of fire is slow enough to allow the shooter to easily squeeze off single
shots.) The barrel was turned into
a quick-change model, and the rifling ended 76mm from the muzzle to save just a
little more money. The safety catch
was poorly-designed, and usually failed to keep the gun in a safe condition.
The butt tended to fall off the weapon from vibration.
The German Army did buy the Knorr-Bremse, but they foisted it off on the
various foreigners they employed from conquered countries.
In addition, the Finns, who were glad to have any weapons at all during
their war with the Soviets, bought the weapon.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
Knorr-Bremse |
8mm Mauser |
10 kg |
20 |
$2872 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
Knorr-Bremse |
5 |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
8 |
3 |
7 |
98 |
Knorr-Bremse (Bipod) |
5 |
5 |
2-3-Nil |
9 |
1 |
3 |
128 |