So how come SMG's are no longer classed as SMG's?

But with that, not all SMGs are "machine pistols", so yea it's kinda weird they did that. Whatever.

*shrug* SMGs are often chambered in the same calibers as pistols. Same goes for PDWs. They actually collapsed pistols, automatic pistols, PDWs and SMGs into one category.

I suppose it doesn't matter now since weapons are not restricted to specific slots in our loadout, not to mention that we can carry multiple of the same weapon type.

This. Why not? If anything, it means that you don't have to invest in two separate skills for pistols and SMG's, and I think that's just right.

Streamlining design-mechanics to save resources.

Plus it helps declutter inventory, stat bonuses from Skills & other gear, and relevant mods/augmentations & the like. Imagine the sheer number of items we'd have to sort through if we also had 'SMG Barrel IV', 'SMG Stock III', etc. to worry about.

I do really appreciate that despite being 'lumped in' with pistols, they actually do finally have the correct holding animation now unlike ME3.

Thank you. That needed to be said, and is also the reason Glock 18 is barely understandable without a conversion into a PDW (yes, they make those for G18s).

When I had my hands on the Škorpion SMGs, both the old Vz 61 and the new Evo 3, I remember the Evo 3 having a collapsible stock... THAT I KEPT ON AND SHOULDERED. I remember the Vz 61 having a collapsible over-the-top stock that allowed it to be used as a pistol with an untraditional mag placement. I still extended the stock and SHOULDERED.

It may have had something to do with the Vz 61 stock extend motion being badass as fuck. Y'see, the stock is a wire-type and extends over the top of the weapon, with the rear hugging the muzzle in collapsed position. What you do is give it a nudge from below and the spring will... spring it into position, where you just give it another nudge down to secure it in place. The only disadvantage is that you can easily sweep your hand when extending it, so KEEP THAT FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER.

But yeah. The Vz 61, being a 7.65mm Browning round, has very little recoil. And I had zero perceived, if my memory is correct. Similar story on the Evo 3.


But I digress. I was rather happy that animations in MEA show characters shouldering (or something that looks like shouldering) their weapons when firing - maybe not from the hip, but definitely in aimed state. Even with a replica, it's easy to see why you shoulder a weapon before shooting.

If I had to guess I would say more Bioware laziness.  If they created another weapon line that would require another Combat spec line in profiles, not to mention an entirely new line of research, augmentation etc.  In fairness to Bioware I am not sure it would have been worth all that effort.