RG LAG

LAG
RG LAG displayed at Kongberg Arsenal Museum. Rifle produced in 1960
Type	Battle rifle
Place of origin	Erebonian Empire
Service history
In service	1954–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	War of Lorican Aggression Post-War of Lorican Aggression Crisis Second Lucis Civil War Imperial Crisis
Production history
Designer	James Gwyn Rainford
Designed	1947–53
Manufacturer	Rainford Group
Produced	1953–present
No. built	5,000,000+
Variants	See Variants
Specifications (LAG 50)
Weight	LAG 50.00: 4.3 kg (9.48 lb)
Length	FAL 50.00 (fixed stock): 1,090 mm (43 in)
Barrel length	LAG 50.00: 533 mm (21.0 in)
Cartridge	.280 RG LAG 2: 7.62x51mm CS
Action	Gas-operated
Rate of fire	700 rounds/min (fully automatic), variable (semi-automatic)
Muzzle velocity	840 m/s (2,755.9 ft/s)
Effective firing range	600 m
Feed system	20- or 30-round detachable box magazine.

The RG LAG or LAG (Leichtes Automatisches Gewehr) is an Erebonian Battle rifle produced by Rainford Group. It was designed by James Gwyn Rainford.

Considered to be one of the most successful rifles ever made, it was used extensively by many Allied nations during the 20th century. It saw widespread use during the War of Lorican Aggression and had seen service in 16 countries. It was also the most serviced rifle that the Allies had over the AR-16 and the Richter & Manfred BR3, gaining its nickname as The Arm of the Free World and was the signature weapon of the Allied forces during the conflict. The LAG was largely phased out in the late 1990s as different countries adopted other rifles or created indigenous designs. The LAG still continues to be used by cadets throughout the Commonwealth where training required a lightweight battle rifle.

It was eventually replaced by the Steyrheim UAG in standard service for other nations. The LAG was later redesigned and turned into a carbine as the RG LAK as a weapon intended for issue to special forces.

Development

In 1945, the first LAG prototype was completed. It was designed to fire the intermediate .300 Theimer, which was a new rimless cartridge design in response to Europa Standardisation. The LAG took several inspirations from the Imperial Schlachtgewehr 44. After testing this prototype in 1946, the Lucis Army urged Rainford to build additional prototypes and chambered for the new .280 RG, an improved cartridge over the .300 Theimer.

Concordian Army officials expressed interest in the project. It was hoped that a common cartridge and rifle could be standardised for issue to all armies in the North Atlantic countries. Concordian Army officials requested that Rainford redesign his rifle to fire the much larger .30 Light Rifle Cartridge, which is the Concordian version of the .30-06 Theimer. Rainford was given a deal by the Concordians to redesign the rifle to accept the .30 cartridge in return for making the LAG as Concordia's new standard issue service rifle. The LAG was later designed into the LAG 2, which consequently fired the said cartridge. In tests against the Gallian-made Richter & Manfred BR3 and the Concordian-made T50 Rifle, the LAG performed satisfactory, attracting several representatives from different countries. The Concordians were initially to accept the LAG as its new standard issue service rifle but several army officials doubted the LAG's capabilities. As a result, the T50 was redesigned and went up against the LAG. By Concordian tests, the T50 proved superior, becoming the M51 Rifle and breaking their contract with Rainford. While the United Kingdom, Jutland-Gimli, Rubrum, and the Erebonian Empire had finally adopted the LAG as its new standard issue service rifle in 1952, Rainford broke contacts with Concordian officials and contracted his rifle for production in the UK and Rubrum, eventually becoming the E1A1 SLR.

With the ongoing War of Lorican Aggression taking place, the LAG was finally pressed into service in 1953.

Combat Service

War of Lorican Aggression

Throughout the conflict, the LAG was used by almost every Allied nations during the war. It was used prominently by the Lucis Commonweath nations (except for Concordia), who employed both the LAG and the E1A1 variant. It primarily went up against the Stg-47 and later, the Stg-74. The RG LAG provided a great advantage in firepower for Allied forces, especially during the Rhodeian Bush War between 1964 to 1979. Many Rhodeians had looked at the LAG as its symbol of victory over the ZNLA and the ZPRA, saving Rhodeia from a Communist takeover.

It was used to great effect in the conflicts and battles in Asianna, particularly those in Quenmin and Joyonghea.

Post-WoLA Era

Following WoLA, the LAG still remained in service despite the introduction of the Concordian AR-16 rifle. Although both the AR-16 and the LAG fired intermediate cartridges, the AR-16 was becoming the new standard for most Allied nations with Trabia and Joyonghea phasing out the LAG in 1980 in favour of the AR-16. In rigorous testing by Rainford Group, the LAG still performed well over the AR-16, as a result, the LAG still remained in service throughout the post WoLA era, even when the Steyrheim UAG was introduced in 1977. It found use during the final years of the Rhodeian Bush War, as well as during the Circum-Courlès War and in the Aurucolian Splinter War.

The RG LAG was deemed replaced by the Steyrheim UAG in Erebonia but because there weren't enough UAGs to fully replace the LAG, the LAG still remained in frontline service until in 1994. Later, Rainford created the RG LAK, a carbinised version of the LAG for use by Special forces, as the UAG did not suit certain conditions set by the Erebonian Special Air Service.

The LAG/E1A1 was replaced by the L85 Enfield in Lucis service but the rifle was found to be unsatisfactory later on. As a result, the UAG became the Lucis Army's service rifle from 1987 to 2000, before the L85 would later itself be replaced in 2022 by the RG 417.

2000s-2020s

During the 2000s and 2010s, the RG LAG was found less in the frontlines, with Taoyuan, Joyonghea, and Trabia selling their last remaining stocks of LAGs held in inventory to Commonwealth countries as spare parts. These parts found their way mostly to Rhodeia and Basel-Ebel, where the LAG was still the frontline service rifle in their respective armies.

During the Second Lucis Civil War, the Lucis Home Guard, as well as the Auxiliary Territorial Service Corps were re-armed with LAGs and E1A1s in response to the Republican threat. Since then, the LAG and E1A1 has remained as the primary issued service rifle for the home guard units, militia, and the ATS. Following the war, and with the imminent threat of the Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance, Erebonia, Alteria, Lucis, Gallia, and Jutland reissued their LAGs in storage to home guard and militia units. During the Imperial Crisis, the LAG/E1A1 was once again placed back into service with the UK, Gallia, and Erebonia as a designated marksman's rifle.

A refurbished LAG in a DMR role in Erebonian service, 2020.

Neocon War

During the Neocon War, the stockpiles of RG LAGs were pulled out from armouries and used to arm militia and secondary line units across the Heimdallr Council nations. It was used most extensively during Operation Total and in Case Violet in Scandinavia, where Neocon forces faced Erebonian militia units armed with LAGs, who found the LAG's lethal impact against their advances. Although the LAGs were considered obsolete by Neocon standards, the LAG's stopping power proved to be invaluable and caused casualties in Neocon units who faced militia fire.

In Case Violet, Neocon troops faced Erebonian Home Guards and militia units who fought to defend Kongsberg in a bitter urban street-by-street combat armed with LAGs. The LAG offered better penetration against Neocons troops while in cover compared to the standard Neocon 5.56x45mm EB cartridge fired by most Neocon rifles. In addition, the defenders used the ruined buildings and streets to conduct ambush operations and raids on garrisoned Neocon buildings and city centres. The LAGs were treasured by the defenders as giving them far better advantage over the Neocon invaders.

During the Africanna Campaign, the Neocons faced Rhodeian and Basel-Ebelians armed with LAGs. In jungle warfare, where the 5.56 cartridge was less effective, the LAG gave the Rhodeians and Basel-Ebelians a greater advantage over the Neocons in penetrating and stopping power. The 7.62x51mm RG was more than enough to go through jungle cover that the Neocons often had a hard time dismantling Rhodeian patrols and positions in the Rhodeian jungle. In one instance, a platoon of Rhodeian troops faced against a company of Neocon troops from the Second Africanna Army. In a 1 hour skirmish, the squad managed to cause 65 fatalities with 92 wounded while the Rhodeians only suffered 12 wounded men.

In another separate incident in 2037, during the Battle of Kushineda's Hill, troops of the LRRG under Col. Yukio Kushineda V, aided by Ethiopian resistance troops faced against a massive regiment of the Second Africanna Army consisting of Concordians, Quenminese, Joyongheans, Trabians, and Bethausians aided by Task Force Nicator. The defenders were ordered to defend a hill to deny the Magnolia-Vandemeersburg Road from the Neocons. In over a span of a 60 day siege, despite the assistance of Nicator, the defenders armed with LAGs caused heavy casualties and successfully held the hill as they were relieved by elements of the 4th Basel-Ebelian Armoured Division.

Users

Current Users

• Alteria: In use with Militia units and the Alterian Arctic Patrol Force
  
• Archadian Federation: In use with Militia units
  
• Basel-Ebel: Modernised units used as Standard Issue
  
• Dalmasca and Nabradia: In use with the Dalmascan Sled Patrol
  
• Erebonian Empire: Issued to secondary line units
  
• Esthar and Balamb: Standard issue of the Vuorijalkaväkirykmentti
  
• Jutland-Gimli: Standard issue of the Royal Jutlandish Arctic Mounted Police
  
• New Akiba: As the E1A1 SLR; Issued to militia units
  
• Nihhon-koku: Issued to militia units
  
• Rhodeia: Modernised units used as Standard issue
  
• Rubrum: As the E1A1 SLR; Issued to the Royal Rubrumian Home Guard
  
• United Kingdom: As the E1A1 SLR; Issued to the Auxiliary Territorial Service Corps
  
• Zanarkand: As the E1A1 SLR; Issued to the Royal Zanarkian Home Guard units and in ceremonial roles.
  

Former Users

• Holy Trabian Empire
  
• Joyonghea
  
• Taoyuan