Yeah, but we currently don't really have anthing else to do in that category (or at least nothing urgent), so we might as well do the trials and get some more information before making a desision.
We've got a lot that we want to do in that category, though, it's just going to require writeins/is not listed yet. Starting production of a LMG, a HMG, possibly 50 mm mortars, grenades, and an improved version of the 13.2 mm AA/AT MG, purchasing 81 mm mortars and ~75 mm howitzers, making local ammunition production lines for all of the preceding, possibly developing and starting production of a SMG, etc. are all things we probably want to have done before a war kicks off. If the war is fairly late, we're also going to need to add in things like manufacturing heavier AA/AT autocannons. Reewiin's strengths are in our steel and our heavy industry, and leveraging that strength means turning that steel into weapons. If anything, it's the one category where we're most pressed for time; we don't have much to do with horses and we're making good progress on the Carabinieri reforms.
From what I can see, the Type 11 used the standard rifle ammunition first, then had it's own developed for it later. I do agree that it's not one we should pick up though, and any consideration given to it would be worth more as playing politics to suck up and try to keep the Japanese from getting "hands on" for as long possible.
I don't recall seeing anything about ZB being particularly excited to work with us in the updates, but I'll take your word for it. My thinking was that since we're a really small market and aren't going to produce that many guns comparatively, ZB might charge an increased licensing cost to try to make back the money spent on developing the alterations for just us over the lower amount of guns we'll produce total, if they don't decide that it would be unprofitable to do it at all.
I don't think the Madsen in particular would need trials to procure though, at this point I think it's a pretty well proven gun thats seen multiple wars. The vz. 30 OTOH came out just last year. If anything I'd say the ZB vz. 30 needs a trial more than the guns that got used though WW1. And with the Madsen being produced in something like 13 different cartridges by this point, some of which are already 6.5mm, I don't think we'd have as much trouble asking for just one more.
If we needed to do trials, then I'd be fine with it. However, 6 months to play politics is not something we can afford, especially when Japan should be happy that we're paying them for their rifle and ammunition as-is (and, if they get in a war and need to procure 6.5 mm LMGs, there's now a country that can sell them guns from a stockpile even if they're not the Type 11).
Yes. ZB would very much like to take your mon--er, sell you the finest weapons they have to offer, is there anything else you'd like while you're here? Perhaps some Mauser rifles? Maybe a staff car and some light trucks? What about a nice typerwriter for the secretary?
See above re. ZB being enthusiastic.
AIUI, rechambering the gun to 6.5 mm would not be complicated for an experienced company such as ZB, there'd be no tooling costs for them (we're licensing production, not buying guns outright, so we'd be paying for that anyways), and the one complication of a magazine that can accept rimmed rounds was done on the Bren anyways.
The ZB vz.30 is just a ZB vz. 26 with some minor modifications, by now it's a fairly proven gun.
The Madsen has a really fiddly mechanism from what I've heard. Yes, the gun works, but it'll probably be difficult to produce.
Ofc I'm basing this on us being able to jump right into negotiating licenses and not needing to do any significant work before, which may not be true, but that's not the impression I've gotten.
