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The french soldier will be modelized: it
will bring the mle 1907/1915 rifle, and the mle 24/29 light machine gun.
But let's parry that the Rats won't stop there...
The mle 1907/1915
The fusil modèle 1907/1915 had to replace the famous
Lebel rifle during WW1: it was easier to product, and lighter, with
similar performances. In 1939 it was the most numerous rifle in the french
forces.
Specifications:
Caliber: 8 mm - length: 1307 mm - bullets:
5 - weight: 3810 g. - fire cadence: 8/10 per mn - range:
2400 m - velocity: 701 m/s
Other informations:
The mle 1907/1915 was using the 8 mm caliber. If the 8
mm bullet was very accurate, the french army changed its reference caliber
to 7,5 mm, more appropriate for automatic rifles and machine guns. 250 000
1907/1915 were upgraded for the 7,5 ammunition, this was not enough. 8 mm
had to be produced in 1939/1940, handicapping the rationalized production
of 7,5 mm ammunition. But there were a so huge number of rifles to change
that it was impossible to change quickly. Its performances were still good
in 1940.
The FM 24/29
The Fusil Mitrailleur modèle 1924/1929 is the
light machine gun of the combat group.
Specifications:
Caliber: 7.5 mm - length: 1007 mm - bullets:
25 - weight: 8930 g. - fire cadence: 200/400 per mn - range:
2000 m - velocity: 820 m/s
Other informations:
The FM 24/29 has been developped by the Manufacture
d'Armes de Châtelleraut to replace the FM modèle 1915 , the famous
Chauchat of WW1. Its career will begin in 1924 to finish in the early
60's. Apprecied for the trooper who'll find a good support, the FM 24/29
was considered like a robust weapon.
In the future...
...what can we hope?
With the 1907/1915 and the FM 24/29, the
french troopers only have light weapons, and newest rifles are absents. We
hope that a machine gun like the Hotchkiss mdl 1914 and the MAS 36 rifle
will be included soon.
The Hotchkiss modèle 1914 machine gun.
Caliber: 8 mm - length: 1310
mm - bullets: 24 or 251 - weight: 25 kg. - fire cadence:
500 per mn - range: 2400 m - velocity: 637 m/s
The Etat-Major prefered the
St-Etienne MG at the beginning of WW1, because it came from a State
factory. But the trooper prefered the Hotchkiss in the trenches even if
its weigh was important, and finally, in 1916, it became the main french
MG. Used until 1939, the Etat-Major wanted to replace it by the
13,2 mm MG project. But it was abandonned, and finally, the production of
the Hotchkiss mdl 1914, wich still had good performances in 1939,
restarted.
The MAS 36 rifle
Caliber: 7.5 mm - length: 1002
mm - bullets: 5 - weight: 3720 g. - fire cadence: 10
per mn - range: 1200 m - velocity: 840 m/s
The MAS 36 rifle was designed to become the
main rifle of the french forces for 1940. Its developpement was stopped
many years because the undecision of the Etat-Major, and it will be
too late to equip all the army with it. About 250 000 were distribued. A
good rifle, wich will be at the origin of french post-war rifles. A
foldable version existed for paratroopers and mountain troops.
The automatic MAS 40 rifle
Caliber: 7.5 mm - length: 1065
mm - bullets: 5 or 25 - weight: 3940 g. - fire cadence:
20/25 per mn - range: 1200 m - velocity: 840 m/s
This is speculative : the MAS 40,
that the Etat-Major was awaiting to suceed to the WW1 automatic
rifles, only arrived in 1939, and had not the time to be produced
massively. It was an automatic rifle, wich could use a 5 magasine, or the
25 bullets magasine of the FM 24/29. It will be finally introduced in the
french army in 1944 with the FA modèle 1944, then FA modèle 1949 and
finally FSA 49/52. It could only be introduced in WW2OL if France continue
war on its territory, after the 1940 scenario.
The MAS 35 s handgun
Caliber: 7.65 mm - length: 190
mm - bullets: 8 - weight: 725 g. - fire cadence: 18
per mn - practical range: 50 m - velocity: 345 m/s
The MAS 35 handgun had to suceed to the WW1
Ruby handgun, that the Poilus loved to use in rafales for close combat.
But the armistice won't let the MAS 35 to become the most numerous hangun
for the troops. It will be at the origin of the PA modèle 50 MAC OTAN (NATO
in French).
The Grenade DF (defensive)
Weigh: 710 g. - range: 30/35
m
Introduced in 1916. Can only be sent
from a protected area, or the launcher will be wounder by the powerfull
explosion wich had a letal range of 100 m.
The Grenade OF (offensive)
Weigh: 150 g. - range: 30/35
m
Introduced in 1916 too. A new version will
appear in 1937.
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