Kpist/-31

Lahti Kpist/-31
Lahti Kpist/-31
Type	Submachine gun
Place of origin	Esthar and Balamb
Service history
In service	1931–Present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Estharian Civil War Second Europan War War of Lorican Aggression
Production history
Designer	Urho Lahti
Designed	1921
Manufacturer	Prokkakoski
Produced	1931–1967
No. built	Approx. 2,500,000
Variants	Kpist/-39 Kpist/-41 Kpist/-44
Specifications
Weight	4.6 kg (10.14 lb)
Length	870 mm (34.3 in) 925 mm (36.4 in) (SJR) 740 mm (29.1 in) (bunker version)
Barrel length	314 mm (12.4 in)
Cartridge	9×19mm Parabellum
Action	Straight Blowback
Rate of fire	750–900 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	396 m/s (1,299 ft/s)
Effective firing range	200m
Feed system	20-, 36- or 50-round box, 40- or 71-round drum.
Sights	Front blade, rear notch

The Lahti Kpist/-31 is a Balambian submachine gun used throughout the 20th Century. It was the main submachine gun of choice for the Estharian Army and the Balambian Defence Force during the Second Europan War.

Highly regarded as one of the most successful submachine gun during EWII, the soon developed 71-round drum magazine was later copied and adopted by the Imperials and Quenminese for the Type 40 SMG and the QMP-39. The accuracy of the Kpist/-31 was superior to the Type 40, thanks in part to a noticeably longer barrel, with the same rate of fire and the equally large magazine capacity.

The Kpist/-31 remains in service with a few regular armies, including the famed Balambian Forest Jaegers.

History

In 1921, Master Armourer Urho Lahti, a Finlandian native developed a prototype of a submachine gun called the M22. It was drastically changed several times until it was perfected in 1926.

In 1929, the East Europan Empire called for a more modern Submachine gun needed to replace its aging Berger MP 18. Master Armourer Urho Lahti, a Finlandian native was among those chosen to create such a weapon. Later that year, Lahti submitted his weapon and proved to be promising for the Imperials. However, the contract was won by East Europan Native Berthold Vollmer with his MP 30 design, which would eventually evolve into the Vollmer MP 35 and the Krimm MP 40. However, Balambian Minister of Defence, Kalle Mustonen approached Lahti to have his design be made in Balamb, in turn, he would be paid by the Balambian Government and granted government benefits. However, during that time, the Estharian Republican Government ruled both the regions of Esthar and Balamb. Communism was becoming rampant throughout the two regions. Lahti initially refused but agreed when the Balambian State seceded from the ruling government.

The first submachine guns were produced in Prokkakoski, Balamb where it was made in a small factory well-hidden from the eyes of the ruling government. When the Estharian Civil War began in 1932, the Balamb Government supported the Army Rebels under Generalissimo A.C.G. Lindholm and Lahti's factory became the leading source for weapons. When the rest of southern Balamb was taken in the autumn of 1932, Franco opened more factories and gave its ownerships to Lahti.

When the war ended; Lahti, along with Balambian Defence Minister Mustonen and Estharian Defence Minister Benito Pareja signed two important documents concerning the production of weapons and Lahti's company being the source of weapons used. The Submachine gun that found favour with Franco was given an increase in production, despite its expensive cost. Franco noted that it was the best machine gun of the war and had given the Nationalists victory.

Service

Initially first seeing service during the Estharian Civil War, the KP31 was found in the hands of Nationalist soldiers, particularly Balambian Soldiers and the famed Balambian White Guards. Generalissimo Lindholm literally declared the KP31 as the "Weapon of Freedom". The weapon had a profound effect against the Republican troops, who found the KP31 to be superior than their submachine guns supplied by the Imperials, hence many tried to capture one as much as they can. However, the civil war was a loss for the Republicans and a victory for the Nationalist. In Lindholm's memoirs, he named the KP31 as "The Greatest Machine Ever Made".

During the Second Europan War, it was once again used to great effect and Imperial and Quenminese soldiers who came under fire from the KP31 found that it had given their own troops a sense of fear. It was given the nickname of "The Woodchipper", after the distinctive sound that it makes while on a full automatic fire. It was also deadly at mid-range, given its impressive accuracy for a submachine gun. Its heavy mass allowed the user to accurately lay down an intense volume of fire before reloading another drum. Both the Quenminese and the Imperials eventually decided to copy the gun's design. But the expensive cost of producing the KP31 proved to be a setback, hence the Quenminese and Imperials settled for a redesigned variant called the Type 40 SMG. But the Type 40 proved to be a less reliable variant as found in captured Type 40s by Balambian soldiers in testing and comparison with their KP31s. It had a lighter weight, which meant that it was easier for the gun to recoil and put the shooter off target.

The KP31 was also found in the hands of Commando units as a substitute for their Theimer M21 submachine gun and the Shippard-Tamaki SMG. The KP31 proved to be a well-loved weapon. It provided commandos with a sustained prolonged automatic fire in certain missions. It also proved to be a deadly weapon in close quarters. One famous commando who used the KP31 was David John Blazkowicz, who used it to full effect during the Elyagan Valley Campaign. During the Battle of the Otakul Highlands, Blazkowicz's team came under attack on both sides by the Quenminese. Blazkowicz, armed with a KP31, managed to take out 2 squads who were trying to flank his team before finishing off the rest. He would go on finishing the mission dumping 2 more drum mags on the Quenminese on the last outpost. For this, Blazkowicz was awarded with Erebonia's highest award for valour, The Emperor's Cross. The KP31 he used is now under direct ownership of his family.

Users

Alteria
Dalmasca and Nabradia
Erebonian Empire: Acquired 500,000 from the Estharian Government in 1940
Esthar and Balamb
Jutland-Gimli: Issued in 1937 after shortage of factory-producing weapons
United Kingdom: Acquired 300,000 during the Middle East Campaign