German MG team

Hi guys

I'm new to Battlegroup, and have just started to build my first German army, but I'm not sure how to build the MG teams. If I look at the Infantry Weapons Of World War II section in the main rule book, it says that the MG-34 and MG-42 has a two man crew, but almost all army lists I can find say 3 man crew.

So my question is 2 or 3 man crew.

Thanks

Always follow the armylist. 3 man crew.

Thanks for you quick answer, I will now continue with my army building.

THANKS

I'm too lazy to go check, but I think the rulebook states that the M34/42 *requires* a two man crew, as a minimum. The third man just makes them a hair less fragile and represents a more historically sound unit formation.

Greebs for the win---just checked the Kursk book and it says "requires a crew of 2 to fire at full effect."

pzivh43 wrote:Greebs for the win---just checked the Kursk book and it says "requires a crew of 2 to fire at full effect."

Which is irrelevant as that isn't the question...... He is building forces, and while you need at least 2 men to fire at full effect ruleswise, buildwise you model 3 men team as stated in the army list Whether you do 3 seperate, a 2 man team and a loader or spotter, or 3 men on a base.... is up to the player.

The question had already been answered to the OPs satisfaction, I was just suggesting what may have been the source of the confusion, as I've always preferred to understand the 'why', rather than just being told what is correct without context... I think Pzivh43 was just agreeing with me with citations I had admitted to being too lazy to go fetch!

Is this independent thought I spy?

Nah, I was just that kid who would keep asking 'BUT WHY...' to everything my parents said, and never grew out of it...

Also, understanding why something is the case sometimes makes it easier to remember, as even if you forget the answer, you can re-trace the rationale to reach the correct conclusion.

I completely agree Sam.

Whew. For a minute there, I was worried I was irrelevant!

Hi guys

Thanks for all your answers, you have all been very helpful, I have now build the force with 3 man MG crews, so now my army is like the army list.
I have build it on single bases, so I can use them with a 2 man crew, if I should change my mind, I'm still having trouble with a MG 34 on a bipod, and a 3 man crew, I have looked at a lot of pictures from WWII, and I can't find any pictures where there is a 3 man crew in that config.

But I happy an it's nice to be able to get help .

THANKS

The third man in the crew is for carrying extra ammunition - MG34/42s get through rather a lot. The extra man is also for immediate close in defence of the team using his rifle, presumably against threats from out of the main arc, according to doctrine. In BG though, he's just an extra man in the team and, as pointed out above, he provides a casualty that can be lost without affecting the main firepower of the team.

IIRC, the team can still fire with just one man, as long as he isn't pinned, but he fires at half firepower.

Cheers, Andy

By German doctrine the MG34/42 had a gunner and loader/ammo bearer, and the MG team was led by the squad leader, while the assistant squad leader led the remaining riflement in the assault team. I suspect some units may have used the same doctrine as the British though, with the assistant leader leading the LMG team. So the three men are the two in the gun team and the leader (regardless of his rank). It doesn't make a difference in game terms other than providing a bullet sponge to make the gun remain fully effective even if a casualty is taken.