Lewis Gun

     Notes:  This was the first light machinegun used in large numbers in any war.  It was actually first patented  by a Belgian arms manufacturer, and designed by the Americans Samuel MacLean and Isaac Lewis, but the British company of BSA was the first to mass produce it and the British were the ones who made the Lewis Gun famous.  Six Lewis Guns could be made in the time it took to make one Vickers machinegun, and the Lewis Gun was light enough to be carried and fired by one man, even while running, allowing it to e used during advancing fire.  After the British began to use it, it sort of took off, and tens of thousands were eventually manufactured.  The fame of the Lewis Gun was in it’s being the first light machinegun; it was in fact a rather heavy weapon and the amount of ways in which it could jam was astounding.

     Most versions of the Lewis Gun were essentially similar.  The Mark 1 was the original model, declared obsolete in 1946 (though none had been seen for a while by that time).  The Mark 1* was supposedly a conversion of the Mark 1 to the Mark 4 pattern, but it was approved and declared obsolete on the same day (16 August 1946) and probably none were actually built or converted.  The Mark 2 has the cooling radiator removed, a 97-round magazine, and a spade grip instead of a stock; it was designed for aircraft use and the magazine will not fit ground Lewis Guns.  The Mark 2* is a Mark 2 modified to nearly double the rate of fire.  The Mark 3 is a Mark 2* which is of new manufacture instead of a conversion.  The Mark 4 is a Mark 3 with the same story as the Mark 1*.  The Lewis SS was made for the Royal Navy; it has a shorter stock and no radiator.  The Savage-Lewis was made by the US company of Savage Arms Corporation; they were built specifically to sell to the British Navy and Home Guard under the Lend-Lease program in World War 2.  It fires .30-06 Springfield instead of .303 British, and has numerous markings to denote this to users.  In addition, the stock is skeletonized instead of wood.  The Type 92 is a version of the Lewis Gun used as an aircraft gun by the Japanese in the 1920s and early 1930s; it is chambered for 7.7mm Arisaka instead of .303 British. A ground version was not produced, but it is suitable for a pintle mount.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Lewis Mk 1

.303 British

11.8 kg

47 Pan

$2656

Lewis Mk 2/Mk 2*/Mk 3

.303 British

10 kg

97 Pan

$2685

Lewis SS

.303 British

10.4 kg

47 Pan

$2651

Savage-Lewis

.30-06 Springfield

11.21 kg

47 Pan

$2839

Type 92

7.7mm Arisaka

11.8 kg

47 Pan, 97 Pan

$2636

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Lewis Mk 1

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

3

6

92

Lewis Mk 1 (Bipod)

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

3

119

Lewis Mk 2

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

2

183

Lewis Mk 2*/Mk 3

10

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

3

183

Lewis SS

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

3

7

91

Lewis SS (Bipod)

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

3

119

Savage-Lewis

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

3

7

81

Savage-Lewis (Bipod)

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

3

105

Type 92

5

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

3

117

 

Manroy L-7A2 GPMG

     Notes: Sometimes known as the “Jimpy” within the British armed forces, the L-7A2 is the British variant of the Belgian MAG machinegun.  Though the operation and performance of the two weapons are almost identical, the L-7A2 has so many modifications from the original MAG (primarily due to changes made to suit local manufacturing and British military requirements) that virtually no part of the L-7A2 and its variants are interchangeable with the parts of the MAG.  Production of the L-7A2 was originally done by the Royal Small Arms Factory, but is now done by Manroy.

     The basic L-7A2 looks externally similar to the MAG, but there are noticeable differences; internally, the parts also look virtually identical to those of the MAG, but a trained eye can tell the difference.  The barrel, however, is 23.4 inches long, a full 4 inches longer than that of the MAG, and is tipped with a different flash suppressor.  The L-7A2 can use the same tripod and pintle mounts as a MAG, but the folding bipod is made of wide stamped steel and has different feet than that of a MAG.  The L-7A2 has a carrying handle, but it is derived from that of their SLR battle rifle.  The gas cylinder is shaped differently, as is the plastic pistol grip and polymer stock.  Sights are different, consisting of a simple protected front blade and rear adjustable aperture, as well as a versatile mounting rail atop the receiver which can use most NATO-compatible night vision devices.  Feed is from disintegrating link belts; the German 50-round non-disintegrating link belts cannot be used with the L-7A2.  Cyclic rate of fire is slightly slower than that of the MAG, but still variable through use of an adjustable gas block.

     Most of the L-7A2’s variants are for internal vehicle use, and are essentially L-7A2’s with the changes necessary for such a role, such as a change to electrical triggers, no stock, pistol grip, flash suppressor, etc.  The L-8A1 was designed specifically for use as a coaxial machinegun on the Chieftain, and the L-8A2 is an improved version of the L-8A1.  The L-20A1 is mounted in gun pods for use on helicopters and light aircraft, and the L-20A2 is an improved version.  The L-37A1 combines the features of the L-7A2 and L-8A2; it retains the standard stock and pistol grip with trigger group, but has an additional ability to be electrically fired, have the bipod and carrying handle removed, and mounted in internal vehicle mounts.  It can be removed and used in the same manner as an L-7A2.  The L-37A2 is an improved model, designed specifically for coaxial use on the Challenger 1.  The L-43A1 is a version similar to the L-8A1, and originally meant for use as a ranging machinegun on the Scorpion reconnaissance vehicle armed with the 76mm gun.  It was later used as simply a coaxial machinegun on the Scorpion when better sights were fitted, but is no longer used by the British Army.  The L-112A1 is essentially an L-7A2, but it is mounted on an antiaircraft tripod or certain special antiaircraft mounts that Manroy offers.  It also has special antiaircraft sights instead of the standard L-7A2 sights, and deletes the bipod.  For the purposes of the Twilight 2000 v2.2 rules, all of these are identical to the L-7A2 (except that most of the variants use the Tripod line exclusively, of course).

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

L-7A2

7.62mm NATO

10.89 kg

100 Belt, 200 Belt

$3180

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

L-7A2

5/10

4

2-3-Nil

8

3

6/13

78

L-7A2 (Bipod)

5/10

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

3/6

102

L-7A2 (Tripod)

5/10

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

1/3

157

 

Manroy M-2HB QCB

     Notes: Manroy manufactures the standard M-2HB under license from FN/Browning; the standard version which they manufacture is basically identical to the FN/Browning model.  However, their more popular version of the M-2HB is a model which uses a quick-change barrel with fixed headspace and timing (often called simply the M-2HB QCB or the Manroy M-2HB).  The tedious and time-consuming headspace and timing adjustments which normally must be made any time a barrel is inserted or changed on the M-2HB is therefore not necessary, and the M-2HB QCB’s barrel can therefore be changed in less than 10 seconds.  The barrel is attached by simply locking the charging handle to the rear, rotating the barrel (the barrel designed for the QCB modification does not require as much rotation as a standard M-2HB barrel), then you simply put the new barrel in, rotate it until it stops, and release the charging handle.  If necessary, the M-2HB QCB can also use standard M-2HB barrels, as the original threads are retained; however, use of the standard M-2HB barrel requires that the QCB kit’s barrel locating stud be removed, and normal headspace and timing adjustments must be made is a standard barrel is used.  The M-2HB QCB otherwise differs from the Browning M-2HB only in minor details and a slight weight difference.  Several NATO countries are reportedly using the Manroy M-2HB QCB; however, the US has been slow to jump on the QCB bandwagon, and has only earlier this year (2006) decided to go with a General Dynamics QCB kit.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

M-2HB QCB

.50 Browning Machinegun

38.51 kg

105 Belt

$9739

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

M-2HB QCB (With Tripod)

5

9

2-2-3

11

1

3

383

 

Vickers

     Notes:  This is an improvement of the earlier Maxim machinegun.  The main difference is that the mechanism is reversed, oriented upwards instead of downwards, making it lighter and more compact.  It was adopted by the British in 1912, and remained in service until the early 1960s when replaced by the L-7A1.  Despite having gone through many patterns and modifications, it was still basically the same weapon after 50 years of service.  Smaller armies were known to have used it well into the 1980s. 

     The Mark 1 is the original model, with a water jacket.  The Mark 1* is air-cooled, with cooling fins on the barrel and a mechanism to allow the fitting of interrupter gears – it was intended for use on World War 1 aircraft.  The Mk 2 is the same as the Mk 1*, but is further lightened and has a dual rate of fire (the SU setting, for “Speed Up.”).  The Mark 2* is the same weapon, but has a right hand feed.  The Mark 3 is a Mark 2* with a long flash suppressor to protect the cowling of the firing aircraft.  The Mark 4 is for armored vehicles; the 4A was originally made, but improvements were quickly made resulting in the 4B.  They both were cooled by a water tank in the vehicle connected to the barrel jacket.  They were never used in large numbers.  The Mark 5 is a Mark 3 with an easier to open receiver.  The Mark 6 is a 4B with a self-contained cooling jacket and provisions for left or right hand feed.  The Mark 6* is a Mark 6 with an external cooling connection like the 4B.  The Mark 7 is a Mark 6 with a heavy barrel casing and a more efficient cooling system.  The M-1915 is a version of the Mark 1 used by the US Army; it is chambered for .30-06 Springfield.  The “Argentine Vickers” was a Vickers made for Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina, firing 8mm Mauser ammunition.

     Twilight 2000 Notes:  Mark 1s showed up again in the Twilight War – first in several smaller South and Southeast Asian countries, then in South America.  A few M-1915s were even seen to be used in Southern Mexico, and some Argentine Vickers were even pulled out in South America.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Vickers Mk 1

.303 British

18.1 kg

250 Cloth Belt

$2729

Vickers Mk 1*

.303 British

12.47 kg

250 Cloth Belt

$2742

Vickers Mk 2/Mk 2*

.303 British

10 kg

250 Cloth Belt

$3623

Vickers Mk 3

.303 British

10.15 kg

250 Cloth Belt

$3638

Vickers Mks 4-7

.303 British

18.1 kg

250 Cloth Belt

$2729

M-1915

.30-06 Springfield

19.01 kg

250 Cloth Belt

$2911

Argentine Vickers

8mm Mauser

18.93 kg

250 Cloth Belt

$2895

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Vickers Mk 1

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

1

204

Vickers Mk 1*

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

1

204

Vickers Mk 2/Mk 2*

5/10

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

1/3

204

Vickers Mk 3

5/10

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

1/3

204

Vickers Mks 4-7

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

**

**

204

M-1915

5

5

2-3-Nil

7

1

1

182

Argentine Vickers

5

5

2-3-Nil

7

1

1

209

**These are vehicle mounted weapons and have no recoil in that state.