That's exactly what I mean. In the game they die and respawn with another one. The one lost in battle just simply doesn't count, even if it is still being used. There is no motivation to try and protect the weapons, nor recover it if it is lost, and no harm comes to the guy who lost it. He's issued another one and off he goes.
So that would be like him losing it in battle but not dying and then being given another one to lose again, and then being given another one and another one until the end of the round.
Did they have warehouses full of prototypes to hand out?
I don't particularly care about them myself, but that added bit of immersion might be fun. I would really like to see the MG treated like this. The MG is a special weapon to infantrymen. NOTHING is as important. If the gunner dies, the rest of the squad will risk their lives to try and get the gun, but it's never like that in games.
Because I can just respawn with it, it's better for my team to NOT go after the gun. Let it sit there, because I'll have another one in a few moments and you don't have to risk a life to get it.
Imagine if you joined a squad, but didn't choose your weapon directly. You would choose "gunner" "second gunner" "grenadier" or "rifleman" and then the weapon you are issued would come from the pool of available role weapons. One squad, one gun. The gunner spawns with it, and the second gunner spawns with a rifle. If the gunner dies, the second gunner picks up the gun, and the gunner respawns with a rifle. Once he has made it back to his squad, the second gunner can give him the gun, or he can take the second gunner role.
If the gun is lost, it is lost for the round. No more MG (unless you can recapture it, or an enemy gun, that is). That means your squad is motivated to protect the gunner AND the gun. Just like real life.
Absolutely. RO3 maybe