View Single Post
  #15  
Old 11-16-2009, 05:48 AM
Rainbow Six's Avatar
Rainbow Six Rainbow Six is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,615
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Raellus View Post
UK: L85, L85A1/SA80, SLR, and/or Armalite AR-18?

IRL, the early production version of the SA80 (aka the L85) had a dreadful reputation and the improved L85A1 version only entered widespread service right around 2000. In the Twilight world, this may not have occured. Instead, the UK may have reissued the venerable 7.62mm SLR as a stopgap measure to replace the unreliable early-make L85s. Another possibility is that the UK began remanufacture of the Armalite AR-18 which had been liscence-built by Sterling in the UK during the late '70s in order to issue a stopgap weapon using the NATO 5.56mm round.

IMTW*, the UK armed forces use a mix of all three, with the SLR being the most common c. 2000. This would likely mean the Sterling SMG would be more common in the Twilight timeline than it was in the late '90s IRL.

On a related aside, I also like the idea of the reissue of Bren L4s LSWs to UK units (alongside a few L86s and FN Minimi SAWs).
I can't recall where I read it, but I did see an article a few months ago that suggested that the UK still had a stockpile of SLR's which ran into the tens of thousands, so I think it's highly likely that the SLR would be the most commonly found weapon amongst British forces either though neccessity or choice. I also like the idea of reissuing Brens, and would probably add to that the possibility of very occasionally encountering militia and Home Service Force units in the UK armed with .303 Lee Enfields. There's also likely to be a number of MP5's in circulation as that was the standard issue long arm of most British police forces (at least on the mainland).

One minor thing - whilst I agree with most of what you've said here (including the reissue of the Bren gun), IRL Sterling Armaments went bust in the late 80's, so wouldn't be in any position to start remanufacturing the AR18.

(Of course, that doesn't mean that they have to go bust in a T2K World...)

On a side note, finding ways for marauder groups in the UK to be armed is a source of constant headaches for me...there are only so many dodgy French weapons dealers or abandoned HSF caches...I do sometimes envy those whose work is set in the US where it seems (to me at least) that both lawful and unlawful groups have relatively easy access to large amounts of weapons.

Interesting views on the G11 / G36 debate also. I've always been a fan of the G36, but as I use a Version 1 timeline following the logic here I think I may have to dump it in favour of the G11.
__________________
Author of the unofficial and strictly non canon Alternative Survivor’s Guide to the United Kingdom
Reply With Quote