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