How would YOU equip your army?

Sub-machine Gun: Thompson....a lot of .45 rounds can do some damage
Bolt-Action Rifle: KAR98k
Semi-Automatic Rifle: M1 Garand
Sniper Rifle : 1903 Springfield
Side-Arm: Colt .45
Light Machine Gun: MG42
Heavy Machine Gun: M2 .50 cal
Automatic Rifle: StG44
Grenade: Potato Masher
Antipersonnel weapon: Bazooka or Panzerfaust
Light Tank: Sherman Firefly
Heavy Tank: Tiger Tank
Self Propelled Gun: Sturmgeshutz III, Variant G

 

As for why I choose the Kar98k over all other rifles for the sniper role, it's because the Germans were besides from the Swiss the only country which equipped their snipers with match grade ammunition of the heavy FMJBT type. Furthermore the Germans made by far the best scopes of the war with a very wide FOV, unrivalled optics, built in range adjustmentbased on the sS projectiles trajectory out to 1200m and up to 8x in magnification. This ensured maximum accuracy at long range.

Most other countries just supplied std. infantry ammunition of the light weight flat based spitzer design, and the scopes were rather crudely made with a narrow FOV, low magnification and less clear optics.

 

As a German, I would naturally prefer mostly German equipment with some remarkable exceptions...
And as someone stated before, rifle and MG as well as sub-machine gun and side-arm should use the same ammunition. And I do not share the preference of some Americans for the stopping power of super-heavy calibres. 9 mm should be adequate.

Bolt-action rifle: Mauser 98K - for sniper use with Zeiss scope.
Semi-automatic: Garand M1
LMG and HMG: MG 42 in spite of its high rate of fire - someone has to carry all those ammo boxes!
Sub Machine Gun: MP 40.
Side-arm: Luger - I saw one only once, it looket very good. As a Draftee, I received some training with the Walther, and I disliked it.
light mortar on Company level: British 2 inch - the simplest and and cheapest available, except for the Japanese. The US and German ones were far too complicated.
Special Assault Companies should be equipped with Sturmgewehr 44 entirely.
Heavy weapons company on batallion level: Browning heavy machine guns and 81 mm mortars - they were all quite similar, based on the same French pattern.
AT gun: German 75 mm PAK 40 - smaller and lighter than British 17 pounder
Cannon Company on Regimental level: Russian/German 120 mm mortar - the German one was a copy of the Russian.
Tanks: T-34/85
APC: German SdKfz 251 Model D - superior to the White in mobility and protection
Assault Gun: German StuG III Ausf G or Hetzer
Heavy Tank Destroyer: Jagdpanther
Air Defence: light 20 mm Flak 38; medium 37 mm Flak 43 - smaller, lighter and cheaper than its predecessors and than the Bofors; heavy 88 mm Flak
Infantry A/T weapons: Panzerfaust for the individual soldier, German Bazooka (Ofenrohr) with its greater calibre in the heavy weapons company.

 

mechanized and heavy weaponry. don't expect to kill more than 5% of the enemy (and civilians) with your hand-held weapons. so at the squad-section level:

bolt action rifle (lee enfield)
9mm sub-machine gun for squad leaders and special ops
sub-caliber carbines for auxilliaries, behind the lines personnel and artillery men
.30 light squad auto MG
.30 heavy MG for platoon-company sized operations
ok, a small 9mm or .38 revolver for officers and MPs.

 

Like LWD said, I would make sure the rounds for the various weapons were as uniform as possible.

Sub-machine Gun: None
Bolt-Action Rifle: None

Semi-Automatic Rifle: FG-42 (20 rd magazine, built in bipod, select fire, scope rail)

Sniper Rifle :K98 w/optics
Side-Arm: Colt 1911 .45
Light Machine Gun: MG42
Heavy Machine Gun: MG42

I would add the Panzerschreck for anti-tank work

 

Alright I REALLY REALLY like this thread.

Submachine gun:
I would probably choose the PPSH-41 because of it's wonderful 7.62x25 Tokarev round, this round is probably my favourite pistol cartridge because; in close quarter situations it has a reputation of being a very powerful and dependable round. This round may a weaker type in longer ranges but almost all submachine gun's of this time were. This weapon is also very good for it's fire rate making it one of the most dependable weapons in all of this time. These traits pretty much make this weapon the ultimate close quarter weapon and although there is no optics for increased range, I think in an urban envoirment this could do some major damage. It was clearly the most dependable one of all it's variants and it very trsuted by Russian soldier who used it. I would also use the German version of the PPSH-41 because it was made in large numbers and it also has a round I really enjoy. Another very good feature in this weapon is the 71-round drum which makes this very good for clearing rooms and taking out large amounts of enemies before re-loading.

Bolt Action Rifle:
For the bolt action I think I would go with the Springfeild 1903. It may be old but they were very cheap and had large numbers. I think we all can agree it's a good round because it was used in a lot of diffrent weapons including the infamous "M1 Garand". This Rifle may have only been used much for sniping purposes but I still find it to pack a big punch. This weapon can be fit with a lot of optics and a nice telescpoic sight for sniping purposes.

Semi-automatic rifle:
I think for my semi-automatic weapon(s) i would pick the M1 Garand, due to it's powerful diffrent round and decently sized clip. This weapon can also fire up to 500m which is actually a requirement for American basic training. Plus it's gas operated rotating bolt makes it quite the weapon. I do, however think that the M1 Carbine is a choice due to it's wonderful compatability with paratroopers, who jump, crash (Gliders) and just carry a lot of equipment. The M1 Carbine however can be a powerful yet weak round (if that makes sense) because I have heard some people saying it's very powerful and other's saying it can't penetrate clothing at a decent range.

Sniper rifle:
Odly enough, for this catagory I would choose the Mosin Nagant because it has a long variant list in which it can be converted plus almost all it's rounds are ALSO very powerful and can penetrate some cars and other things. I think in terms of anti-tank sniping I would also want the "boys" British anti-tank rifle for slowing tanks and destroying others. Another option is the Springfeild 1903 which is ALSO a very old weapon but it was used for sniping purposes during the second world war and even a little in futre wars. Another anti-tank rifle, would be the PTRD due to it's ability to be used against humans and tanks This round in the PTRD is backed up with some major power to make it almost go all the way through the "Big cats" of the German army.

Sidearm:
Not a thought about it. I would pick the .45 1911 due to it's raw power and accuracy. Although it is a close competition with the Walther P38 and the Luger Parabellum, but the Luger didn't win my favourite due to it's sensetivity and jamming fasions. The p38 didn't win due it being some-what of a weak weapon. The 1911 however offers remarkable power and a decent accuracy.

Light machine gun:
I think for Light machine gun I would pick the BAR. I am aware that the BAR is not a light machine gun, but it was used in such a fasion so long that it was pretty much declared one. A close second would be another weapon used like a LMG but no one is too sure is it is; The FG42, I like the Fg due to it's goiod firepower and rate of fire. I like the BAR because of it's OUTStANDING round and good bi-pod/tri-pod use.

Heavy Machine gun:
NO DOUBT NO THOUGHT! MG42 and Browning M1919. The Mg42 obviously because of it's decent round but it's amazingly outstanding rate of fire. This weapon can imidiatley overwelm and pin down any enemies in it's way and the Browning because of it's outstanding power and it's designer. This weapon is probably one of my favourites all time, the MG42 can just destroy almost anything in it's path and does not over heat very often making a barrel-switch unnecassary to do to often and this makes it the best.

 

SMG: M3A1 Grease gun
Semi-Auto Rifle: M1 Garand, M1 Carbine
Sniper Rifle: M1903 Springfield w/optics
Sidearm: M1911 Colt .45
LMG: M1941 Johnston
MMG: M1919 Browning
HMG: M2 Browning
Infantry A/T: M20 "Super Bazooka"
Flamethrower: M2
Tank: M4A3E8 (76) HVSS
Tank Destroyer: M36 Jackson
Scout vehicle: M8 Greyhound
APC: M3 Half-track
Self-Propelled artillery: M7 Priest, M40 Motor gun carriage
Anti-aircraft artillery: Bofors 40mm, M1 90mm
Field Artillery: M2 105mm*, M2 155mm*, M1 75mm**, M3 155mm**
Mortars: M2 60mm, M1 81mm

* For regular forces
** For airborne units

 

Well I would make my Infantry Platoon along these lines;

Platoon HQ
Lieutenant (PPSH-41, that 50 round drum makes all the difference)
Platoon Sgt (PPSH-41)
Radio Operator (PPSH-41)
Machine Gun Squad (MG42 with three man crew)
AT-Squad (Bazooka with two man crew, these could act as runners if no AT threat)

Three Squads each containing;

Corporal/Squad Leader (PPSH-41)
Three Sections each containing;
One Light Machine Gun Operator (BAR)
Two Rifle Men (M1 Rifles)

Yan.

 

SMG, Tommy
Bolt action, Lee Enfield
Semi auto, Stg 44
Sniper, M-1 garand
Side arm, 1911
LMG MG 42
HMG M-2
Bazooka for anti tank

Tiger II heavy tank
M-18 tank destroyer

155 mm long Tom
105 mm M-1(?)
And defiantly some 88's

The ammo for my small arms is some what uniform (for those of you who find it important)
The tommy and 1911 both fire a kick butt .45 ACP round, the MG 42 and Stg 44 both fire a .30 cal round (I think).

 

And I forgot in the last post Id probably use the M-1 carbine for guarding camps and for paratroops and things of that nature.

 

Nope, they both fire 8mm rounds (.32 caliber), but they aren't interchangeable because the STG44 fired a shortened 8mm - 33mm long instead of the 57mm of the standard round. And the STG is not a semi, it's a full auto select fire weapon. You squad would have 5 different rifle rounds - 30.06, .303 British, 7.92x57, 7.92x33 and 7.62x33 (.30 Carbine).

 

Shoot.

 

As I'm a small european country my weapons loadout priorities defense, ease of manufacture, and standardization.

SMG: PPSH 41
Semi-Auto Rifle: SVT40 my smaller industrial base wouldn't touch the garand with all it's milled parts
Sniper Rifle: SVT40
Sidearm: TT33 i would use the Nagant M1895 but it would require a different cartrige from the PPSH41
LMG: DP28
Infantry A/T: PTRD for anti transport, faust 100 for anti tank
Flamethrower:einstossflammenwerfer 46 single use infantry flamethrower. No country's infantry in their right mind will want to attack me if I issue one of these to every line soldier.
Tank: mk7 Churchill 75mm effective against infantry and resistant to most shell fire
Tank destroyer: hanomag w/pak40 unweildy but effective for defensive operations
Anti tank gun: pak 40 effective throughout the war M2 90mm
Scout vehicle: jeep cheap and small
APC: Hanomag the M3a1 simply lacks enough armor to protect the occupents
Self-Propelled artillery: katyusha
Anti-aircraft artillery: Bofors 40mm, M2 90mm
Field Artillery:30 cm Nebelwerfer, 42 M3 105mm
Mortars: british 2inch, 82mm

 

Flamethrower:einstossflammenwerfer 46 single use infantry flamethrower. No country's infantry in their right mind will want to attack me if I issue one of these to every line soldier.
Hey Ill attack you, but it has Ben debated if I'm in my right mind(jk)