MG42 (2009)

This article is about the MG42 machine gun seen in Wolfenstein. For the version seen in Return to Castle Wolfenstein, see MG 42.

B.J using MG42 to fending off Nazi Forces that try to foil the plan of the Resistance setting up a Dynamite to blow up the Train that contain Veil Energy.

The MG42 is a general-purpose machine gun seen throughout and is one of the most common mount weapon used in Wolfenstein.

Overview

Adopted by Germany in 1942, in an effort to reduce the machining time and cost inherent in the production of the MG34, the MG42 (MG standing for Maschinengewehr, literally "Machine Rifle") is perhaps the deadliest and the most widely used machine gun used during the Second World War. It was designed to take full advantage of modern production techniques such as replacing machined components with stamped ones; one of the key figures in the project, Ernst Grunow, had no prior experience in firearm design whatsoever and worked for Großfuß AG, a company that normally made sheet-metal lanterns. The result was a weapon that took 50% fewer man hours to build than the MG34 and cost 24% less. Light weight and great reliability made it one of the first true general purpose machine guns, able to be used in the light machine gun role on a bipod or the medium machine gun role on a tripod.

The light weight of operating components make the MG42 one of the fastest-firing single-barrel guns which does not require an external power source; with a cyclic rate of 1,200 rounds per minute, individual shots are mostly indiscernible. The distinctive sound led to nicknames such as "Hitler's buzzsaw." While this caused the weapon to heat up rapidly, the MG42 featured a very rapid barrel change system which allowed hot barrels to be easily changed out to keep up fire; however, this could not be practically operated with the weapon mounted on tanks, which largely retained the older MG34 as a result. The MG42 uses the same 7.92x57mm chambering (8mm Mauser) as the Kar98, though machine gun rounds tended to have heavier powder loads to make the weapon cycle more reliably.

In the game, the MG42 is an indestructable, non-equippable weapon encountered in fixed locations with infinite ammunition, governed by a heat gauge. MG42s are often found facing towards BJ's position, though sometimes an MG42 facing enemy positions can be found. They can be used by basic soldier enemies, friendly NPCs, and the player.

Locations

MG42s are found in key locations throughout the game, being present in both the missions and the Isenstadt hub maps. In uptown and downtown area, its advised to remeber some MG42 locations, because the enemy might use it again.

Characteristics

In the player's hands the MG42 is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, with roughly the per-bullet hitting power of a Kar98 and the same tendency to dismember enemies even without the use of Empower. The only shortcoming of the weapon is the heat gauge, which fills up rapidly and requires the weapon to be fired in short bursts.

In enemy hands the MG42 is almost as deadly, easily able to deal critical damage to BJ with a short burst. Mire slows the weapon's rate of fire to the point it can easily be dodged without taking damage and turns the hitscan bullets into projectiles, and Shield will stop MG42 fire for long enough to take cover or a shot at the soldier manning the gun. Enemy AI has a very strong tendency to attempt to man any available MG42, to the extent that a player with a Kar98 or Scoped MP43 can easily clear a group of enemies just by sniping them in turn as they try to man the machine gun. Only basic enemies (Wehrmacht and SS) can man the MG42; mid level enemies like Scribes and Elite Guards will never even attempt to do so.

Friendly NPCs will sometimes also man an MG42; they are just as accurate as enemies with it, and if they use the weapon they can provide very useful covering fire to the player, though they can be somewhat unreliable.

After the transition to the Downtown hub, MG42s will occasionally be found mounted on Portable shields. This combination is very dangerous, though unlike regular MG42s the shielded versions can be permanently destroyed if the small Veil Barrel powering the generator is targeted or you can use the Empower to shoot through the shield. Making easier to deal with the situation.

Trivia

• The MG42 shown in the game is not loaded, as it has no ammo belt or drum magazine.
• The way B.J. fire the MG 42 is different from other NPCs.
• When used by NPCs, the MG42 will not overheat.

Gallery

Kreisau Circle agent with a MG42

Wehrmacht soldier with a MG42

A Portable Shield with an MG42 mounted

SS soldier with a Shielded MG42