M3A1 with folded stock usable in tunnels

[CroVepar]

As you all know, South Vietnam forces cannot use primary weapons in tunnels, just the pistol. For longer and heavier weapons this is completely reasonable and works well in making the tunnels a hostile environment for US soldiers. However, not all guns in the US arsenal are too heavy and cumbersome to be used in a tunnel, the M3A1 (especially with the folded stock) and perhaps the stakeout variant of the shotgun stand out as pretty compact, so why not use them in a tunnel?

I think its a perfectly reasonable choice for an US soldier to use an SMG in the same CQB environment as a pistol. This might at least encourage people to fold the stock which is a nice but not very popular feature.
I doubt this would at all affect balance since US soldiers don't venture into tunnels very often, and only a few have grease guns with them.

The stakeout riot shotgun variant might also be included for this.

 

[Gladius]

The limitation of pistols only in tunnels is not about cumbersomeness simulation or folding stock usefulness. It's a balance thing. Or do you think it's fun when the handful of SMG users in a game can totally dominate the tunnels? Bad idea.

 

[JokersWarPig]

The reason tunnel rats often used pistols was because the close quarters of the tunnels as well as the risk of going deaf.
Back when Battlefield Vietnam was the only Vietnam game around I had a conversation with a clan member who knew a Vietnam Vet/Tunnel rat. He used a sawed off double barreled shotgun to clear tunnels with. If I remember correctly he only used it on one occasion and came out almost completely deaf.
You can't really simulate that in game, so I think the system is fine the way it is.
Now if there was a tunnel rat specific class, that would be another conversation but I don't think the game needs that.

 

[LiamFVJ]

The reason tunnel rats often used pistols was because the close quarters of the tunnels as well as the risk of going deaf.
Back when Battlefield Vietnam was the only Vietnam game around I had a conversation with a clan member who knew a Vietnam Vet/Tunnel rat. He used a sawed off double barreled shotgun to clear tunnels with. If I remember correctly he only used it on one occasion and came out almost completely deaf.
You can't really simulate that in game, so I think the system is fine the way it is.
Now if there was a tunnel rat specific class, that would be another conversation but I don't think the game needs that.

Um, why would they be able to dominate the tunnels? Northern players have no restrictions on what guns they can use, this would just mean they would have to be on their toes while they're navigating through them, just like US players have to.

 

[Gladius]

Tunnel rats used mostly pistols, because in the other hand was the flashlight. If you give the americans fully automatic weapons, that would throw the whole balance away. The tunnels are supposed to be the vietnamese turf and entering them should be highly risky for the americans.

 

[LiamFVJ]

Why should teams get 'turf'? And yes I know tunnel rats would use pistols, but this is a game and nothing is stopping a VC soldier from firing an ak full auto in the tunnels, not to mention the tunnels have magic lighting so you never need a flashlight anyway. If we're talking about realism these tunnels should have pitfalls traps that both sides would have to avoid.

 

[Gladius]

Why should teams get 'turf'?

To represent that one side is defending the homeland and the other side is doing a search and destroy mission. Btw those tunnels that were just part of little fighting positions and not part of huge complexes like in Cu Chi, were usually not sweeped during the initial combat. American troops just closed off the entrances and later, when the area was secured the specialized tunnel rats were sent in to search the tunnels and prepare them for demolition. This is why the ingame limitation of weapons in the tunnels is to make sure they are not the preferred battleground for the american players.