America's submachinegun by excellence during WW2 was the Thompson M1A1 chambered in .45 ACP, seeing combat in every region of Earth. Its defining characteristics were a 30-round magazine (instead of the earlier 20-round ones, or the 50-round drum magazines) and the reduction of unnecessary parts. Due to its increased simplicity, the M1A1 could be produced at a fraction of an original M1921's cost, though it remained significantly more expensive than its foreign contemporaries.
This weapon is fully automatic, either inherently so or by the presence of a selective-fire mechanism.
EFFECT:
This weapon can fire more than one shot each time it is used, specifically, in bursts. A penalty is applied depending on the burst size, to simulate recoil. The number of shots in a burst is different for certain types of weapons.
| Light Automatic Weapons | Heavy Automatic Weapons | Penalty | Penalty (Stable firing platform) |
| 5-round burst | 20-round burst | NONE | |
| 10-round burst | 50-round burst | ||
| 20-round burst | 100-round burst |
Automatic weapons are considered stable when they're mounted on a vehicle, tripod or turret. This is different from the Stabilised SA.
Do note that penalties from firing at long-range apply as per the Basic Rules (TBD).
It is impossible to perform automatic fire at a target that is at Very Long Range (VLR) or Extreme Range (EXR) without a stable firing platform.
American infantry in World War II, thanks to their nation's unrivalled logistical capacity, could bring to bear unmatched firepower against Comintern troops which were largely equipped with old bolt-action rifles and had sparse organic fire support.
EFFECT:
This weapon enjoys an Easy DM to its Suppressive Fire (2 APS) rolls.
To say the Thompson is an iconic weapon is an understatement. Though used to great effect by the Allies during World War II, it is vastly more infamous as the signature weapon of America's interwar gangsters; some historians say that the Thompson is the gun that made the 20s roar.
EFFECT:
This weapon can always Magdump (2 AP).