Deleted member 1487
Plus the Bren once it got a chromed bore had such a low effective rate of fire that barrel swaps weren't needed, so spare barrels were left at home. The BAR used a hotter cartridge and IIRC had a higher ROF, so overheated more readily than the Bren.What do you think is the difference between one 20 lbs gun with a 20 round magazine and a QC barrel and the other? Compared to the Vz-26, the BAR is compromised by the combination of under-barrel gas tube snd bottom-feed, but they are functionally identical when they have the same options.
As far as I can tell, an LMG in the WWII context is normally the squad (sometimes the platoon) machine gun, so it's a role more than a type. The automatic rifle is normally defined as a machine gun fed by box magazines that usually is used as an LMG.
Per wikipedia that Polish BAR was heavier than the US BAR used in WW2, over 9kg.The Polish wz 28 is very close to the original BAR. It weights 13 pounds, not 20, lacks a QCB and is not meant for sustained fire like the Vz30. If you use a BAR with a QCB, like the swedish model 37, it can fulfill the LMG role.
If we are going to mix and match, why not a RPD or Vz58 style LMG? Frankly the intermediate cartridge automatic weapon is the way to go for squad level use.A squad should, regardless of rir type either have two automatic rifles (like the BAR) or one light MG (like the Bren) a single AR doesn't provide enough sustained volume of fire and two LMG turn the rifle squad into an over large LMG squad.
My ideal WW2 platoon would be:
3x Rifle squads
1 Sergent, two team leaders, eight riflemen (total, nine rifles and two automatic rifles)
1x command squad
1 officer, platoon sergent, radio operator, LMG team (2 LMG four men) Grenade Launcher team (two 50mm GL four men)
Squad total, nine rifles two GL two LMG.
Platoon total
44 men, 36 rifles, 6 AR, 2 LMG, 2GL
Weapons of choice (in 1939:
KAR98
Polish BAR in 7,92 Mauser
VZ30 in 7,92 mauser
Type 89 50mm GL