captinjoehenry wrote:doug941 wrote:
If it is possible, skip the Hotchkiss and go straight to a Maxim. Not only were they superb infantry weapons but the QF 1pdr of the Boer War was nothing more than a Maxim sized up to fire 37mmx94R shells. A famous battle in August 1916 had 10 .30 caliber machine guns use 100 barrels to fire 1 million rounds with ZERO failures.
the reason i am in favor of the 37mm is that it is large enough to carry a HE filler which would make them much more effective against infantry behind cover and if it is mounted on a ship it would make quick work of a wooden ship at fairly long range while being light enough to be field mobal or light enough to mount on existing ships relatively easily.
By using the Maxim pattern, Charis can have both a light autocannon and a field machinegun and crews can use both with little to no cross-training needed. Train on one and you're trained on both.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_gun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_1-pounder_pom-pom