Post news Report RSS News Update #31: A Touch of British Class (Part 1)

Following last week's update "A Coveted Trophy" we would like to introduce three of the British classes that will be featured in the game. The British squad in World War 2 was an evolution of squad tactics taken from experience during the later stages of the First World War. It consisted of 9 men...

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Following last week's update "A Coveted Trophy" we would like to introduce three of the British classes that will be featured in the game.

The British squad in World War 2 was an evolution of squad tactics taken from experience during the later stages of the First World War. It consisted of 9 men; a Squad Leader (usually of Corporal rank) who led the squad, an Assistant Squad Leader (usually an Lance Corporal), as well as a Bren gunner (could be lance corporal or a senior private) and his assistant, plus 5 riflemen. Of the riflemen, one was designated a grenadier, and as such carried the cup discharger for rifle grenades, whilst another was a designated marksman (simply the best rifle shot in the squad, not armed with a scoped rifle).

The support side of the squad, the Bren and grenadier, would stay back during the assault until the last possible moment, giving covering fire as the riflemen and squad leader advanced to the enemy, before joining in the attack themselves. On defence, the riflemen supported the Bren gun, and took turns covering the Bren gun and being covered by it if forced to retreat. On the whole, firepower was split between the Bren gun and the riflemen, with the Bren acting as a rapid fire support for the squad. This layout would last through the Second World War.


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Turkish007
Turkish007

These are BEAUTIFUL!

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lptomtom
lptomtom

Didn't the M1A1 Thompson use a 30-round magazine?

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Bish91
Bish91

It could use a 30 round mag yeah, But I think the 20 round was much more common.

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Herr_Sturmführer
Herr_Sturmführer

All depends on the model of the weapon. M1 Thompsons issued from 1942 onwards deployed the 30 round mag as standard and was mostly deployed to personnel in the Pacific, it could also however utilise the 20 round, but not the drum mags. The M1A1 and M1928a1 were early variants, M1928a1 issued mainly to navy personnel using the drum mags more extensively, whereas the M1A1 could use all 3 types of magazines. 20 round box magazines were preferable by the Airborne for their compactness and ease of reloading capabilities.

Personally and historically, I would have thought he might have been using the 30 round mag, but given the 20 variant was more common, its acceptable.

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VonMudra
VonMudra

The 20 round magazine was far more common than the 30 round, especially with the British. Even the americans still used them, and preferred them over the 30 round due to fewer jamming issues. The idea that the 30 round was most common (or indeed the 'only' one), is an idea born out of movies and games, not history. :)

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c4ble
c4ble

@Heer_Sturmführer
I think you confused the M1 and M1A1! The M1A1 was the latest Thomson variant used in the war and could definitely NOT use drums because it had a different magazine catch than the earlier models!

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dave61218
dave61218

20 rd was common

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Hezus
Hezus

I like how you base the characters around actual tactics, which is utilising the Bren to it's full potentional. From what I know, the Germans used simular tactics with the MG42.

Are there any gameplay elements planned where you receive perks or bonusses if you correctly use the tactics?

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VonMudra
VonMudra

We are looking into designing such elements. And yes, the German tactics with the MG were even more focused on the MG- turning the squad essentially into one giant MG team- which was probably the most effective squad system in WW2. What we hope to achieve is very different squad systems for each army, to give different combat options and different sources of squad firepower.

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