TL D Shotguns.....

[mmartin798]

I guess they had to make some distinction, but the StG 44 can date a good deal of it's R&D to the 1920's. Not saying I agree with the tech level, but I understand the need for a easy to describe distinction.

[kato13]

I have not seen the rules yet (still hoping it shows up at my FLGS), but I sounds to me like people may want to use something similar to a plus and minus designation to the Tech levels.

Perhaps

C+ > C > C-

So you can have a little more flexibility in how things are described tech wise. Generally they are the same era but minus comes first then regular and the plus are at the tail end of things.

Guns, Guns, Guns kinda has something similar as when you are nearing the end of an era you can spend a lot more and get basic models (prototypes) from the next era.


A am assuming it goes F->E->D->C->B->A in order of increasing technology. If it goes the other way it is a little weird but still works.

[mmartin798]

I guess I am just grousing about the seeming arbitrariness of the lines. While the StG 44 is older than the HK MP5, by virtue of the size of the round the StG 44 is a higher tech level than the HK MP5. Even though the StG 44 has an arguably simpler gas action versus the MP5's roller delayed action. Unless the MP5 referenced above is a different MP5

[Project_Sardonicus]

In the 1930s there were a bunch of workable assault rifle prototypes or actually in production combining the Maxim automatic system with a less powerful rifle bullet. From the Tokarev automatic rifle [ingeniously using a Japanese rifle bullet designed to have less recoil for their soldiers], to the Winchester which I believe was the standard issue rifle of the Texas Rangers. Indeed the Soviet SMGs of the time that used the Tokarev [about double the velocity of a 9mm or .45 bullet], with better range and ability to penetrate early body armour could be seen as proto assault rifles.

So it's not so much the technology. Basically any society that has mastered basic precision engineering [19th century] can build an assault rifle [if they haven't mastered it they'll have a lot of one armed soldiers]

The reason these weapons weren't adopted earlier is conservatisim and patronising attitudes in the general staff. Soldiers with machine guns with shoot up all their ammo in 5 minutes or you'll have to give them hundreds of rounds and they'll use them for poaching. In the 1956 Suez crisis Royal Marines carried out the first ever helicopter assault, armed with bolt action rifles.

If the future society builds one it won't be a refined hitech material M4 or Tavor. It'll probably be like the STG44 or the Kalashnikov simple, reliable possibly a bit bulkier and less accurate.

The real question is can you provide enough ammunition. Now if you've got a dedicated factory churning out 1000s of bullets a day then the assault rifle is a game changer. If you're loading them by hand it's a liability.