MG34 Belt Fed or Saddle Drum?

[Jorg Biermann1]

Ok so I've been wondering about this for a long time now.

I tried to level up my MG34 in time in the beta to check for myself but it looks like I'm not going to get my MG34 to level 25 in time, so I'm going to ask.

Does the MG34 get a Belt Fed or Saddle Drum?

For the love of god I hope it's the Belt Fed. If it's the Saddle Drum that's almost as stupid as adding the MP40/II in RO2, but I'm hoping that Tripwire knows that the Belt Fed was actually more common than the Single Drum and therefore would be the perfect chose for an unlock.

I also think it could be the Belt Fed because the Belt Fed MG34 Heavy MG is already ingame so that means all the animations are models are already made so here's hoping its a belt. COME ON BELT!!

 

[LMAOser]

I hope they do belts, but I don't know. For some reason the magazine for the MG has always bothered me.

 

[Jorg Biermann1]

I hope they do belts, but I don't know. For some reason the magazine for the MG has always bothered me.

Yeh I always prefered the MG34 in OStfront too. The only thing that bugged me was the tiny drum mag. I'm actually surprised no one modded a belt fed MG34 in RO :?

 

[TheRealGunther]

Actually both the drum just held a 50 round belt as the mg 34/42 was belt feed only also another drum held a 75 round belt.From a stationary position a 250 round belt was often used.For mobile infantry the 250 round belt wasn't practical.The drum protected the belt from debris which could cause jamming.

 

[Jorg Biermann1]

Infantry rarely used 250 belts. The belts I think were most commonly 100 to 150.

 

[wake_up]

You can play commander at your first time playing RO, but you have to
unlock a bayonett first, or ammo?
Stats should just be for fun, they should not interact with the gameplay.

Unlocking such things, is just another feature, copied from Battlefield.
First they tell, RO is targetet to be more realistic, then they add
features like unlocking new weapons addons seen at Battlefield.

At RO1, all was for teamplay and winning the battle.
Look at Battlefield:BC2, noone is talking, all kiddies are running alone
and ignores any teamplay, cause the only thing they think that counts,
is the K/D rate, score and rank.
Most people with high K/D rates are sitting in a bush on a hill and shoot
10 rounds at you cause they suck at sniping, but the K/D of 10/1 they
got this way, lets them think theyre the best battlefield rulerz.

Sorry, iam just wondering about the discussion about "what" it beeing
unlocked, instead a "why" there is anything beeing unlocked one

 

[TheRealGunther]

From a stationary position it was often feed straight from a 250/200 rd belt box.Your right tho 150 was about the max you could carry around practically even then it was cumbersome.

 

[Stahlhelmii]

That's because the in-game model is not realistic. M34's were operated in 2-3 man crews, and ALWAYS included an ammunition carrier armed with a Kar98, and sometimes a loader, also armed with a Kar98. So, the low ammo count is some compensation for this.

From a stationary position it was often feed straight from a 250/200 rd belt box.Your right tho 150 was about the max you could carry around practically even then it was cumbersome.

 

[Zoring]

Rumour has it as the Saddle The Luftwaffe only item which required a new rear plate. Sigh. MP40/II, Nagant Silencer, Saddle Drum, perma bayonets. Grumpy

 

[TheRealGunther]

That's because the in-game model is not realistic. M34's were operated in 2-3 man crews, and ALWAYS included an ammunition carrier armed with a Kar98, and sometimes a loader, also armed with a Kar98. So, the low ammo count is some compensation for this.

Yup the wehrmacht used the mg as teams up to 3 man as u say and in fact whole companies was based around the mg tactics wise. The mg in the game drum feed was deployed by light infantry not grenadiers(heavy infantry).

Mainly fallschirmj

 

[rudeboy]

I was also curious about what the MG34s would get as I love playing as a support gunner. I think TWI is putting in something like the PT 34. You all are right, it doesn't seem as commonly used as a belt/box setup. But for a game where MGs are mostly one man jobs, it seems the most practical loadout wise.

And Zoring, wasn't the MG15 the Luftwaffe MG that also featured a dual drum?

PT34 and MG34 below (AA sight on though)-

Image taken from bergflak.com

 

[Zoring]

Yes the MG15 also used the saddle drum. Almost all pictures you see of the Saddle drum used by the Wehrmacht are from pre-war manouvers, the picture there certainly is, note the absence of any typical equipment particulary gas mask tins/gas sheets, tool kits, extra ammunition etc.

Although it may be a logical choice by 1942 in Stalingrad I would seriously doubt that any MG34 featured the saddle drum.

This website fully outlines the differences between the MG34 Saddle and the MG15 for anyone curious

http://www.bergflak.com/PT34.htm

If we had a Poland expansion pack than their would be little issue with the PT34 but it's silly to have it in Stalingrad (if it is in the game!) a 100 round belt would be far more logical and still manageable by a single soldier.

 

[Scrappa]

I heard that the first unlock is a bigger drum and the last unlock is the belt.

I also heard the PPSH41 has the first unlock as a fire selector and the last one as the drum mag. Maybe there is still hope for a belt mag on the MG34.

 

[Stahlhelmii]

I heard that the first unlock is a bigger drum and the last unlock is the belt.

I also heard the PPSH41 has the first unlock as a fire selector and the last one as the drum mag. Maybe there is still hope for a belt mag on the MG34.

Giving a belt mag to a one-man machine gun "crew" would be a joke.

 

[rudeboy]

Yes the MG15 also used the saddle drum. Almost all pictures you see of the Saddle drum used by the Wehrmacht are from pre-war manouvers, the picture there certainly is, note the absence of any typical equipment particulary gas mask tins/gas sheets, tool kits, extra ammunition etc.

Although it may be a logical choice by 1942 in Stalingrad I would seriously doubt that any MG34 featured the saddle drum.

This website fully outlines the differences between the MG34 Saddle and the MG15 for anyone curious

http://www.bergflak.com/PT34.htmhttp://www.bergflak.com/PT34.htm

Yes, finding any combat pictures was a challenge. The only ones I found were on that page you linked, where it looked like the PT34 didn't help a half track vehicle defend itself too well...

While I'm not bothered by it being in-game, I think you're right about it not seeing much use irl. Not only does it look unnecessarily complicated up against a belt/box- it looks like it might affect use of the iron sights and cut down on a gunners FOV.

sneaky edit: for the record Zoring, I feel your pain about the mp40 dual mag. New support weapon of RO2...

 

[Unus Offa Unus Nex]

Hoping for a 100 or 150 round belt as-well.

 

[Zoring]

sneaky edit: for the record Zoring, I feel your pain about the mp40 dual mag. New support weapon of RO2...

Cheers buddy I think out of the few worrying issues i have heard about unlocks the MP40/II is by far the biggest, failed prototype all over the frontlines

 

[6S.Manu]

That's because the in-game model is not realistic. M34's were operated in 2-3 man crews, and ALWAYS included an ammunition carrier armed with a Kar98, and sometimes a loader, also armed with a Kar98. So, the low ammo count is some compensation for this.

The assistants had no rifle since they had to stay in cover helping the MG operator.

 

[Yellonet]

Belt please!

Rambo M60 Shooting - YouTube

 

[Unus Offa Unus Nex]

I'm afraid it will be the saddle drum guys: