History

At the start of the Second World War, German infantry was equipped with similar weapons to most other military forces. A typical infantry unit was equipped with a mix of bolt action rifles and some form of light or medium machine guns. One difference from other armies was the emphasis on the machine gun as the primary infantry weapon, as opposed to it being thought of mostly in the support role. German units tended to be machine gun "heavy", carrying more ammunition for the machine gun than for the rifles, using belt ammunition for their more modern section-level weapons to maintain a higher rate of fire, and generally thinking of the rifle as a support weapon. Although newer rifle designs had been studied on several occasions, they were never considered very important.

One problem with this mix was that the standard rifles were too large to be effectively used by mechanized and armored forces, where they were difficult to maneuver in the cramped spaces of an armored vehicle. Submachine guns such as the MP28, MP38, and MP40 were issued to augment infantry rifle use and increase individual firepower, but suffered from a distinct lack of range and accuracy beyond 100 m. A small fast-firing weapon would have been useful in this role, but again the need did not seem pressing.

The issue arose once again during the invasion of the Soviet Union. The Red Army had been in the process of replacing its own bolt action rifles in the immediate pre–war era. Increasing numbers of semi-automatic Tokarev SVT-38 and SVT-40s were reaching Red Army units, though issue was generally restricted to elite units and non-commissioned officers. Submachine guns were extremely widespread, and issued on a far larger scale; some Soviet rifle companies were completely equipped with PPSh-41 submachine guns.

This experience with high volumes of hand-held automatic 'assault' fire forced German commanders to rethink their small arms requirements. The German army had been attempting to introduce semi-automatic weapons of their own, notably the Gewehr 41, but these early rifles proved troublesome in service, and production was insufficient to meet forecast requirements. Several attempts had been made to introduce lightweight machine guns or automatic rifles for these roles, but invariable recoil from the powerful 7.92 mm Mauser round made them too difficult to control in automatic fire.

The German solution was to use a round of intermediate power, between that of a full-power rifle cartridge and pistol ammunition. Experiments with several such intermediate rounds had been going on since the 1930s, but had been constantly rejected for use by the army. By 1941, it was becoming clear that action needed to be taken, and one of the experimental rounds, the Polte 7.92x33mm Kurzpatrone ("short cartridge") was selected. To minimize logistical problems, the Mauser 7.92 mm rifle cartridge was used as the basis for the final 7.92x33mm Kurz intermediate round, which also utilized an aerodynamic spitzer rifle bullet design.

In April 1944, Adolf Hitler decreed that the MP43 be renamed the MP44. In July 1944, at a meeting of the various army heads about the Eastern Front, when Hitler asked what they needed, a general exclaimed "more of these new rifles!". This caused some confusion (Hitler's response is reputed to have been "What new rifle?"), but once Hitler was given a chance to test-fire the MP44, he was impressed and gave it the title Sturmgewehr. Seeing the possibility of a propaganda gain, the rifle was again renamed as the StG44, to highlight the new class of weapon it represented, translated "assault rifle, model 1944", thereby introducing the term.

By the end of the war, some 425,977 StG44 variants of all types were produced. The assault rifle proved a valuable weapon, especially on the Eastern front, where it was first deployed. A properly trained soldier with an StG44 had an improved tactical repertoire, in that he could effectively engage targets at longer ranges than with an MP40, but be much more useful than the Kar98k in close combat, as well as provide light cover fire like a light machine gun

The worlds first assault rifle produced by Nazi Germany during the later years of WWII. Hitler called it the "SturmGevehr" or Assault Rifle in English. The name stuck to all weapons that fired the intermediate cartridge, it also layed down the design for the many other assault rifles.

Singleplayer

It is not used in the missions

Multiplayer

Accuracy: 6 / 12
Damage: 9 / 12
Range: 9 / 12
Fire Rate: 3 / 12
Mobility: 8 / 12
Clip Size/Reserve Ammo: 30/60
Recoil: moderate/high vertical
Reload Time: 2.5 seconds / 3.06 empty
Damage: 30-40
Range: 1500-2000 / 500-1000 SD
Rate of Fire: 1200 RPM Single
Penetration: Large / Large Bullet
Location Damage Multiplier: Head (1.4) / Neck: (1.0) / Torso: (1.0) / Stomach: (1.0) / Limbs (1.0)
Hip Accuracy: Stand (3-7) / Crouch (2.5-6) / Prone (2-5) Unlocked at lvl 52

In Call of Duty 4, the recoil levels were reverted to the level they were in the original game. The MP44's accuracy and damage are still decent, and it is the only automatic rifle in the game with no aim-sway. However, being the 60 year old rifle it is by the time Call of Duty 4 takes place, it doesn't have any available attachments. This is too much of a flaw to some, but others accustomed to the Call of Duty 2 ironsights (or those that prefer ironsights in general), adjust to it with no problem.

The MP44 is antiquated compared to modern weapons like the low recoil M4, or high-rate-of-fire LMGs. Some players just use it in order to get the golden AK-47 and then cease to use it; however, it can be a solid weapon that gets the job done.

A nice little shout out to older times, but strictly worse than the AK47. It has all the exact same stats except for a lower rate of fire and longer reload time. The only way I can see using it over the AK47 is if you really really like its iron sights.

Challenges