Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (2005)

Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 is a 2005 video game developed by Gearbox Software and released by Ubisoft Studios. Set during the iconic Normandy Invasion of June 1944, it follows a paratrooper squad in the 101st Airborne over eight days, from the jump of June 6th to the defense of the eponymous Hill 30 on June 13th, and the squad leader, Staff Sergeant Matthew Baker's, attempt to make sense of the sufferings of war and the responsibilities of leadership. Earning praise from both video games and historians, the game was immaculately researched. It allows the player character to lead his men tactically, and splits the squad into two teams - "assault", for flanking and eliminating the enemy, and "fire", for keeping their heads down. In some missions the player can also command a support tank. It was followed by Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood later that year, and Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway in 2008.

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

The following weapons can be seen in the video game Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30:

United States Army

Sidearms

Colt M1911A1

After losing his leg bag and rifle in the D-Day jump, Staff Sergeant Baker uses a Colt M1911A1 given to him by Platoon Sergeant Greg "Mac" Hassey in Rendezvous with Destiny and Silence the Guns. He also carries an M1911A1 as part of the loadout in Foucarville Blockade. Sergeant George Risner fires an M1911A1 when his Stuart is disabled by anti-tank fire. Radioman Pfc. Kevin Leggett fires an M1911A1 during his "last stand" against a German Panzer tank at Hill 30.

Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP

The M1911A1 in Baker's hands.

Looking down the sights of the M1911A1.

Reloading the .45. Note that the weapon slide is not drawn back, despite the chamber having been emptied before reload.

A melee with the Colt M1911A1.

Platoon Sergeant Greg "Mac" Hassey draws and inspects his Colt M1911A1.

Mac hands his .45 to Baker.

Private Allen with an M1911A1 in The Crack of Dawn.

Pfc. Kevin Leggett fires a Colt M1911A1 at a Panzer tank in No Better Place to Die.

The .45 next to Leggett's body.

Submachine Guns

M1A1 Thompson

The M1A1 Thompson is used by S/Sgt Baker alongside the M1 Garand in most levels. It fires from a 20-round magazine. It is the weapon of choice for Corporal Sam Corrion, Baker's assault team leader, Platoon Sergeant Greg "Mac" Hassey and Sergeant George Risner. Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole uses a Thompson during the attack on the German farmhouse in Cole's Charge, an action which earned the real-life Cole a Medal of Honor.

M1A1 Thompson - .45 ACP

Baker with an M1A1 Thompson.

Looking down the sights.

Melee.

Reloading a new magazine.

Platoon Sergeant Greg "Mac" Hassey with his M1A1 Thompson. Note the Colt M1911A1 in his shoulder holster.

Rifles

M1903A4 Springfield

S/Sgt Baker uses an M1903A4 Springfield in Purple Heart Lane and Tom and Jerry. It also appears in Buying the Farm but only in the PS2/PSP ports.

M1903A4 Springfield with Model 330 Weaver scope - .30-06

The M1903A4 Springfield in-game.

Looking through the M84 scope.

Chambering a new round.

Melee.

Reloading.

The M1903A4 Springfield on the ground.

M1 Garand

The M1 Garand is the main weapon of S/Sgt Baker in the game, alongside the M1A1 Thompson. The game correctly shows it as being able to reload before the clip has been expended. It is carried by the platoon RTO, Pfc. Kevin Leggett, most of Baker's fire team (most notably Privates Allen and Garnett) and some of his assault team, as well as Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole, before he swaps it for a Thompson. Notably, the player can reload the Garand before the clip is empty, with a unique animation of ejecting the current clip and catching it before putting in a new clip.

M1 Garand - .30-06

Baker's signature M1 Garand.

Aiming the rifle.

Melee.

Reloading a new en-bloc clip.

The en-bloc clip flying through the air.

Privates Allen and Garnett with their M1 rifles.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole with an M1 Garand.

M1 Carbine

The M1 Carbine appears on the Situational Awareness View (Basically the game's map) as the icon for the M1A1 Carbine.

M1 Carbine - .30 Carbine

The M1 Carbine is visible as the weapon icon.

M1A1 Carbine

S/Sgt Baker uses an M1A1 Carbine in several missions. His fire team leader, Corporal Joe "Red" Hartsock, uses the Carbine until he swaps it for a Browning Automatic Rifle taken from a glider in Rommel's Asparagus.

M1A1 Carbine - .30 Carbine

Baker with an M1A1 Carbine.

Aiming the Carbine.

The player melees, showing off the folding stock.

Baker chambers a new magazine.

Corporal Joe "Red" Hartsock aims his Carbine

An M1A1 Carbine lying by a dead paratrooper in "Foucarville Blockade".

Machine Guns

Browning Automatic Rifle M1918A2

Corporal Joe "Red" Hartsock acquires the Browning Automatic Rifle M1918A2 from a glider in Rommel's Asparagus and carries it for the rest of the game. S/Sgt Baker uses the BAR in Alternative Route, can pick it up from a dead Paratrooper in Push into Carentan and can take it from Hartsock if he suffers a non-canon gameplay death. The in-game model lacks a bipod.

Browing Automatic Rifle M1918A2 - .30-06

Corporal Joe "Red" Hartsock with his Browning Automatic Rifle.

Baker holds his Browning Automatic Rifle.

Baker aims his Browning Automatic Rifle.

Baker inserts a new magazine into his Browning Automatic Rifle.

Melee with the Browning Automatic Rifle.

Browning M1919A4

A Browning M1919A4 mounted on an M2 tripod (referred to as a "Browning .30 Cal" by Allen and Garnett) can be used by S/Sgt Baker in Ambush at Exit 4, it's 82nd Airborne crew having being killed by a German potato masher. ("Watch out for the blood on the trigger".). Another paratrooper fires one in defense of Hill 30 in the mission No Better Spot to Die. The M1919A4 is also pintle-mounted coaxially and in the hull of the M5 Stuart and M4A1 Sherman Tanks that are available as support in several missions. It has infinite ammunition.

The Browning M1919A4 and the other mounted machine guns are the only weapons that can be used in a third person view.

Browning M1919A4 mounted on M2 tripod - .30-06 Springfield

A Browning M1919A4 mounted on an M2 tripod in "Ambush at Exit 4".

Baker manning the M1919A4.

Aiming the .30 Cal.

A paratrooper fires a Browning M1919A4 at attacking Germans in "No Better Place to Die".

The Browning M1919A4 mounted coaxially and in the hull of the M5 Stuart.

Browning M1919A5

The Browning M1919A5 is mounted on the turret of the M5 Stuart, where it can be mounted and used by S/Sgt Baker. The M1919A5 was a modified M1919A4 developed specifically for use by the Stuart. It has infinite ammunition.

Browning M1919A5 - .30-06 Springfield

The Browning M1919A5 on the turret of the M5 Stuart.

Baker manning the turret .30.

Browning M2HB

The Browning M2HB is mounted on the turret of the M4A1 Sherman tanks given to the S/Sgt Baker's squad as support in Buying the Farm, Alternate Route and No Better Spot to Die. It can be mounted by Baker. It has infinite ammunition.

Browning M2HB on vehicle mount - .50 BMG

The Browning M2HB mounted on the M4A1 Sherman.

Aiming down the sights of the Browning M2HB.

Launchers

M1 Bazooka

Private Allen and Private Garnett use an M1 Rocket Launcher "Bazooka" in an attempt to eliminate a German MG post in Objective XYZ, succeeding on their second attempt in a rather comical cutscene. S/Sgt Baker uses the Bazooka against German Panzer IV tanks in defense of the Carentan church in the chapter called Tom and Jerry. (Or Cat and Mouse in the PS2/PSP versions of the game.) Notably, while Baker's reload animation doesn't involve it, when Allen and Garnett use it in Objective XYZ, connecting the wires to the rocket is actually mentioned, avoiding the backblast is also mentioned despite not being present in actual gameplay.

M1 Bazooka - 2.36 inch

Allen holds the Bazooka.

Many chapters later, Baker finds a Bazooka and ammo crate inside the Carentan Church.

Baker holds the Bazooka.

Baker aims the Bazooka at a Panzer.

Reloading the Bazooka.

Grenades

Mk 2 Hand Grenade

The Mk 2 Hand Grenade can be used by S/Sgt Baker. It's heavy weight makes an accurate throw difficult as it tends to drop of fly off course, unusual for video games, most of which show the grenade flying in a straight arc. Baker's squad also use the Mk 2, with varied success. Grenades are fairly scarce, as Baker only starts with a small handful of them in most missions, with only Burying the Farm having a mid-mission Grenade resupply. (This changes in the PSP Port Brothers in Arms D-Day where enemies sometimes drop brown bags containing grenades when dying.)

Mk 2 "Pineapple" High-Explosive Hand Grenade

A pair of Mk 2 Hand Grenades on Leggett's jacket as he helps a literally shell-shocked Baker.

Baker is about to have a bad day.

Baker climbing on the back of a StuG III Ausf. A to throw a grenade down it's hatch, this same action can be peformed on Panzers but requires a Panzerfaust/Tank Shell to damage them first to break the lock on the hatches.

A resupply crate of Grenades, this gives Baker five grenades but is only encountered at the very end of Buying the Farm outside of modded maps, it's also clearly the same model as thrown grenades, missing the lever and spoon.

German Weapons

Sidearms

Walther P38

The Walther P38 is the main sidearm of the Wehrmacht in the game, although it is incredibly rare and is only available in multiplayer or mods. Compared to the powerful .45, it's 9mm caliber lacks the same punch. The P38 does appear in Hill 30 single player in the PSP Port of both Hill 30/Earned in Blood Brothers in Arms D-Day where it appears during the first level used by a German soldier who normally uses a Karabiner 98k, though this is the only time it appears in that version. (As the Earned in Blood Maps where it appeared aren't included in the port nor the competitive multiplayer.)

Walther P38 - 9x19mm

Playing as a German Solder in MP with the P38.

Looking down the sights of the P38.

Reloading the P38, the slide does not lock back with it either.

Performing a Melee Attack with the P38.

The P38 on the ground.

Submachine Guns

MP40

The iconic MP40 is used by German soldiers and Squad Leaders.

MP40 submachine gun - 9x19mm

The MP40 in Baker's hands.

Aiming the MP40.

Melee.

Loading a new clip.

The MP40 on the ground.

Rifles

Karabiner 98k

The Karabiner 98k is the standard-issue weapon for German soldiers in the game. It can be used by the player. It is either reloaded using a five-round stripper clip, or if the chamber is not empty, by individual bullets not unlike a sniper rifle. A scoped variant can also be picked up from German snipers (providing the player has dropped them, of course.)

Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm Mauser

The Karabiner 98k in Baker's hands.

Aiming down the sights.

Melee with the buttstock.

Working the bolt. Note the (blurry) shell casing flying out.

Loading a new stripper clip.

World model of the Karabiner 98k.

Karabiner 98k with Zeiss ZF42 scope - 7.92x57mm Mauser

The scoped Karabiner 98k in-game.

Aiming through the Zeiss ZF42 scope.

Chambering a new round.

Melee.

Reloading, this same animation is used for a non-empty reload on the regular Karabiner 98k.

World model of the Karabiner 98k sniper.

Sturmgewehr 44

The Sturmgewehr 44 makes an appearance in German hands in later missions. It is a powerful weapon and, accordingly, very frustrating to go up against, especially during the street fighting in "Push into Carentan". Panzergrenadiers equipped with it on the hardest Difficulty level, Authentic, are infamous for basically instantly mowing down the player and their squadmates down if given the chance. Notably, (And unrealistically) the Sturmgewehr 44 in Hill 30 and the later released Earned in Blood tends to be the only weapon mainly used by Panzergrenadiers equipped with them. (Despite the earlier sections with other German Units actually featuring more realistic weapon distribution, with usually one or two MP40's in an group of enemies using Karabiner 98k rifles.)

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm

A Sturmgewehr 44 dropped on the ground.

Holding the Sturmgewehr 44.

Machine Guns

MG42

The MG42 is frequently-and frustratingly-used by German troops in fixed positions, mounted on the Lafette tripod. A few hits mean instant death, which makes flanking it not a mere priority but a requirement. The player can man it for himself. It has infinite ammunition.

MG42 Machine Gun - 7.92x57mm Mauser

An MG42 mounted at Utah Beach in a cutscene.

The right side of the MG42.

Using the MG42.

Launchers

Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42

German mortar crews can be seen firing the Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42 in several levels. Silencing the mortar is usually one of the squad's objectives.

Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42 - 81.4mm

A German mortar crew firing a Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42. Note the mushroom cloud in the distance - the mortar shells detonation.

The mortar and it's unfortunate gunner.

Panzerfaust

The single-shot, disposable fire-and-forget Panzerfaust is used by German soldiers to attack American tanks and also infantry. They can be wielded by the S/Sgt Baker when dealing with enemy Panzers. The player can only carry one Panzerfaust, which is then dropped after being fired. (Except in the PSP Port, where Baker/Hartsock carry 5 Panzerfausts at once.)

Panzerfaust - 44mm with 149mm warhead

Holding a Panzerfaust.

One of two infinite Panzerfaust crates, despite the launcher being discarded after firing, the crate only contains Panzerfaust warheads and no actual launchers.

Another infinite Panzerfaust crate, this time with actual launchers.

Grenades

Model 24 Stielhandgranate

German soldiers occasionally throw Model 24 Stielhandgranate at S/Sgt Baker and his squad. Unfairly, Baker cannot throw the grenades back although the Germans can throw grenades back, though the PSP Brothers in Arms D-Day port allows him to throw them back too. The Player can only in the original release use this grenade when playing as the Germans in Multiplayer.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" High-Explosive Fragmentation Hand Grenade

A Model 24 Stielhandgranate on the ground.