| Kalthoff Rifles |
| Location(s) | Military bases within the M.E.G. and Aurielle | |
| Type Mission - | Mass-Producable Semi-Automatic Rifle | |
| Affiliations Mission - |  M.E.G.,  Republic of Aurielle
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Description[]
Object 29, otherwise known as Kalthoff Rifles (/khælθɑf ˈɹ̠aɪfol/; from Nujemen Aurielleno: Fiuscil Kalthof [fju.sil.kal.tof] /Fiuscil Muskcat [fju.sil.mu.skat] (circa 2021)) are cheap, mass produceable firearms from both the M.E.G. and the Republic of Aurielle. Used primarily in the Korthie Casiagen War, they were produced primarily in industrial levels (i.e. Level 92), and are mainly semi-automatic rifles, akin to muskets or The Frontrooms' M1 Garand.
Unlike other weapons used in war, the Kalthoff Rifles are the most reliable - due to being cheap, mass producible, and effective. Whereas other firearms produced by the M.E.G. are expensive, use a lot of resources, and, while effective, often break down due to the quality of materials within The Backrooms.[1]
M.E.G. Models[]
The M.E.G. models use traditional gunpowder, though hard to produce due to the conditions of The Backrooms and are made primarily of wood and metal. They are loaded similar to a musket, having to be loaded traditionally via a powder horn, into the barrel of the rifle. It was soon loaded, with a metal ball (or bullet, alternatively) placed inside. The rifles have a thin barrel, measuring around 1.5 inches (3.81cm) in width, and around two feet long.
The M18 is the most notable of all the Kalthoff models the M.E.G. has produced. The M18 comes with an eight-bullet clip (similar to an M1 Garand rifle) and uses traditional bullets[2] in opposition to the easier-to-produce metal balls. This gives the M18 a significant edge in combat and was used across M.E.G. bases to this day.
The M.E.G. has also manufactured versions which can be equipped with bayonets, foregrips, sights, and other attachments to make using said weapons more efficient.
Auriellen Models[]
The Kalthoff Rifle is theorized to be created by Auriellen insurgencies and uprisings, and then was reversed engineered by the M.E.G., as they rarely saw usage by the Auriellen Ground Forces and other directly government-sponsored rebellions, being considered an inept design or the "bottom-of-the-barrel" weapon. Original models (or believed to be) bear much more visual and internal resemblance to a musket, although with slight deviations such as being able to carry bullets.
Following the Korthie Casisagen war, the Republic of Aurielle ceased production of Kalthoff Rifles, with the stockpiles of the weapon being either destroyed for their materials, sold, or modernized. Modernized Kalthoff Rifles replaced the traditional gunpowder with much more readily available black powder. Blackfire powder is the result of burning either Almond or Cashew Water, and it was a combustible powder fit for firing weapons—similar to gunpowder. Unlike the M.E.G.'s gunpowder, blackfire powder was easier to produce, was easier to handle and store, and resulted in more powerful weapons overall.
Additionally, the loading process was made much easier by an Auriellen model known as the K17. They had a much more efficient firing and loading mechanism, with a specialized ramrod to maximize loading speed (compared to the M.E.G. using sticks or other long objects). The K17 also comes with a metal finish, having higher quality materials overall compared to the M.E.G. models.
In spite of their refurbishment, the K17 never kicked off in Aurielle, still bearing its title as an inept design. It, however, saw success elsewhere, with the design being donated to several Auriellen-sanctioned militias, insurgencies, and oppositions as a designated marksman rifle. Newer models of the K17 have flip-up sights and compatibility for scopes, among other things.
The rifles remain in storage.
Other Models[]
As there are two main models of the Kalthoff Rifle, there are also several other models which differ in varying ways.
- The Backrooms Colonists' BC18, much like the M.E.G. model, has a clip; However, the clip is extended to fit two more rounds, as well as having a nicer finish. The barrel has been made significantly shorter, allowing the rifle to be loaded easier at the cost of effectiveness.
- The Architects' A43 is based on the BC18 model, albeit with an eight-round clip. It is quite similar to all three models, having aspects of each. For example, the barrel is longer to function as a long-range sniper rifle, and it supports foregrips, suppressors, and sights.
- Along with this, the Luvidium-Modified Kalthoff Rifle (LM19) is a heavily modified Kalthoff Rifle powered by Luvidium Crystals - which is able to channel energy into a rapid fire blast, decimating most targets with ease.
- Rumors have also circulated regarding a newer Architect rifle known as the AC42 rifle, with its design said to be resembling to the Luvidium-Modified Kalthoff Rifle without its capability to release gamma ray or the like; the AC42 is rumored to be able to fire in short rapid-fire bursts for temporary periods, intended for saturation attacks.
Etymology[]
Kalthoff (Pron: Cal-tof/Kalthɒf) is an Aurielleno term translating roughly as "scrap" or "salvage" in English. It gained this term due to the M.E.G.'s desperate attempt to mass-produce the rifles in the latter half of the Korthie Casiagen war. In such attempts, they resorted to using anything around them: Resources harvested from various levels, plastic, metal, and other recyclable waste, and scrap, of which it gained the term.
Of course, this term quickly fell out of fashion, as both M.E.G. and Auriellen forces began using higher-quality materials to manufacture their arms; The term Kalthoff has been changed to "Muskcat" (Pron: Moos-chat/mˈuːzt͡ʃˈæt, silent K) in recent years, a transliteration of "musket" into Aurielleno. However, the term Kalthoff is still used in many M.E.G. and Backrooms Colonist bases to this day, despite its actual meaning.