Their Finest Hour: Firearms of 1940

Most of the iconic firearms of World War II find use after the Battle Britain, but there is still plenty of innovation between 1940 and Victoriana’s default setting of the 1850s. Weapons (specifically firearms) grew in deadliness, capacity, and accuracy. Here is a selection of weapons from 1940 used by the United Kingdom, and the German Army, along with some new rules for Fully Automatic weapons.

Revolvers                              Damage Dice     ROF        Shots      Reload   Range

Enfield Revolver No 2         7                              2              6              2              20

S&W Model 10                      8                              2              6              3              30                                          

Webley Mk VI                        10                           2              6              3              40                          

Colt M1917                            11                           2              6              4              40          

Semi-Automatic Pistols   Damage Dice   ROF        Shots      Reload   Range

Colt Model 1903                   9                             2              8              1              20 
Colt M1911                            12                           2              8              1              30          

Bolt Action Rifles               Damage Dice   ROF        Shots     Reload   Range

Lee-Enfield SMLE                 10                           1             10            2              550                                                                        

M1 Garand                             14                            2              8             1              500                                                        

M11903 Springfield            14                           1               5             2              900        

Submachine Gun                 Damage Dice    ROF        Shots      Reload   Range     Special  

Thompson M1928, M1        12                           3              20/50*   3              100           Fully Automatic    

*The Thompson submachine gun can be loaded with a variety of magazines. The 20 round magazine attacks as normal, but attacks using the heavy 50 round “drum” have +3 black dice.

Light Machine Guns            Damage Dice      ROF        Shots      Reload   Range     Special                                                  

Bren LMG                                   14                           4              30           2              600            Bipod mounted, Fully Automatic

Lewis light machine gun       14                           5              47           3              400             Bipod mounted, Fully Automatic

M1918 BAR                               16                           5              20           2              500            Bipod mounted, Fully Automatic

Anti-Tank Weapons            Damage Dice    ROF        Shots      Reload   Range     Special                  

Boys Anti-Tank Rifle             20                           1              5              5              300            Bipod mounted, Armor Piercing (6)

Firearms of the German Army

Semi-Automatic Pistols     Damage Dice      ROF        Shots      Reload   Range    

Walther PP                                8 (950)                  2              8              1              40                                          

Luger P08                                 10 (1148)              2              8              1              50

Mauser C96                              12(1,394)              2              10           1              150

Rifles                                     Damage Dice     ROF        Shots      Reload   Range                                    

Karabiner 98k                     14                           1              5              1              500                        

Submachine Gun              Damage Dice     ROF        Shots      Reload   Range     Special                                                  

MP18                                      10                           3              30           1              200            Fully Automatic    

MP40                                      13                           3              32           1              100            Fully Automatic

Anti-tank Weapons         Damage Dice     ROF        Shots      Reload   Range     Special                                  

Panzerbuchse 39                22                           1              1              5              300             Bipod mounted, Armor Piercing (8) 

Fully Automatic Attacks

Every attack with a fully automatic firearm spends 3 rounds of ammunition.

Because of their ability to quickly spray bullets over a target area, fully automatic firearms give their wielders two special combat options in addition to a normal firearms attack. Using these special combat options spends an additional 3 rounds of ammunition to a total of 6 per attack.

Spray Attack

To increase their chances of hitting the target, attackers using a submachine gun can perform a Spray Attack. Spray Attacks give +3 dice to Attack Dice pool and -3 dice to Damage Dice Pools.

Multiple Target Spray Attack

Attackers armed with a fully automatic firearm, can shoot multiple targets with one action using a Multiple Target Spray Attack. Attackers roll as normal, but divide their total damage (attack successes + damage successes) over multiple targets (rounding up) in close proximity to each other. How many targets, and what counts as close proximity is up to Gamemaster discretion. As a basic rule of thumb, you cannot attack more targets than half the weapons damage dice (rounded up).

Mounted Weapons (tripod, bipod etc)

Unless a mounted weapon is already set up, average sized characters suffer +6 Black Dice until they spend an action setting up the weapon. These weapons are heavy, unwieldy and often have a very high kickback. Ogres can wield most mounted weapons with little trouble.

All Light Machine Guns have a reduced penalty of +3 Black Dice due to their smaller size, and weight.

Next week’s post features adventure ideas for the Battle of Britain home front, and the week following we’ll look at adventures abroad. I hope you enjoy.