NEW WEAPONS FEATURED IN HEAT OF BATTLE

GEWEHR 43
In 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union. On the Eastern Front, the Germans captured many Tokarev 7.62mm SVT38s and '40s self-loading rifles. The Tokarev rifle employed a much simpler but more effective gas-operated mechanism than the bolt-action mechanism used in the Karabiner 98k.Taking design aspects of the SVT38 & SVT40, the Germans designed a new weapon, which was designated the Gewehr 43 (G43). This new semi-automatic rifle featured a removable 10-round magazine. The G43 was a beautiful design which was much cheaper and faster to produce than the K98. The weapon's designation was later changed to Karabiner 43, abbreviated K43, although the weapon really wasn't a carbine; it was envisioned to replace the Mauser Karabiner 98k as the standard infantry rifle but that never happened. Production started in October 1943; total production of the G43 until the end of the war was 402,713.



TOKAREV SVT40

Alternate Fire: Pressing your "Fire Rate" key (key that switches from Full-Auto to Semi-Auto) will attach/detach a bayonet. When the bayonet is attached your melee attack will be a stab. With the bayonet off, the melee attack will be a normal bash with the stock of the gun. The bayonet stab does more damage than the stock hit.

During the 1930's the Soviet army experimented with several semi-auto rifles, while several designs were fielded in limited numbers none survived to 1940. The problems encounted by these rifles centered on their durability, the SVT40 is an improved version of an earlier Tokarev design the SVT38. Although the SVT40 was made more robust than the earlier weapons it was still found to require more care than the typical Soviet soldier would give to their weapon. In order to get the most from the weapon it was generally issued to NCO's or carefully trained soldiers who could use their increased firepower to good effect. It also became common to issue the SVT40 with a telescopic sight as a snipers weapon. The ability to get a rapid second shot was seen as an asset to snipers and generally they took better care of their weapons. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941 they soon encountered the SVT40 and used any they captured as the Selbstladegewehr 259(r). Examples sent back to Germany were studied an influenced the design of the Gewehr 43.



STEN Mk. V
With the failure of the Sten Mk. IV, the quest to develop an SMG for airborne forces went on. As serious concern had been expressed in the ranks about the quality, or rather, lack of quality, of the Sten since its introduction, it was decided to make the Sten more appealing to the troops in the field, in an effort to inspire more confidence in the weapon. The result of this was the Mk. V, which was clearly a product of the much-improved situation the Allies were in by 1944. If the poor quality of the Mk. II and III hit home how bad things were, then the Mk. V might have brought a small bit of hope that things were getting better. The most noticeable modification was the reappearance of woodwork in the Sten design, something not seen in quantity since the Mk. I of 1941. A wooden stock (originally fitted with elaborate Lee Enfield rifle brass butt-plates) and twin pistol grips were fitted. Overall quality of workmanship had improved, with welds properly finished, and a better overall finish. How many soldiers were convinced is not known, as the woodwork added to the weight and bulk of the weapon, and no matter how well-made the weapon was, the problem of poor-quality magazines causing stoppages was certainly not solved.

M3A1 Grease Gun
The widespread use of the Thompson was due mainly to the fact that it was the only allied submachine gun in mass production at the beginning of WWII. It had several weaknesses; e.g. weight and control. The Sten, for example, which was of stamped and welded metal construction and finished with a paint-like coating, scored higher than the Thompson when such things as simplicity, accuracy, weight and reliability were measured. The .45 caliber M3/M3A1 were far easier to manufacture than the Thompson, and have a number of excellent design features in addition. The low cyclical rate of fire makes the gun easier to control than most submachine guns. The weapon's straight line of recoil thrust also adds substantially in controlling the gun in automatic fire. The gun's loose tolerances allow for reliable operation even if very dirty and, with its bolt and guide rod design make it more reliable than the Thompson under adverse conditions.