The MG 34 was a German general purpose machinegun during the Second Weltkrieg. It was the most advanced belt-fed machinegun at its introduction, capable of fulfilling any role with good performance. However, its price became a key weakness during the mass mobilisation leading up to the war between Germany and its neighbours, for which numerous programs to replace it sprang up. The most famous of these was that which produced the MG 42, which was not only much cheaper but also faster firing and more reliable.