Arisaka

History
The Arisaka Type 99 rifle is a bolt action rifle based heavily on the German mauser design. Though the name 'Arisaka' tended to be attributed to it's predecesor, The Type 38. The Type 99 rifle itself was an effort to rectify the shortcommings of the Type 38 rifle and become standard issue to Japanese soldiers. However as Japan became at war with the United States, demand for the rifle was greater then Japan's ability to mass produce them. As a consequence most Japanese troops were were issued the Type 38 Arisaka rifle.

The main difference between the Type 38 and the Type 99 is the caliber of ammunition. The Type 38 fired 6.5mm rounds while the Type 99 was chambered for the more powerful and penetrating 7.7mm rounds, The same round chambered in Japanese aircraft mounted machine guns. Other improvements were a shorter and more manageable overall length as well as a chrome lining inside the barrel to aid in cleaning and reduce wear. Few rifles have as many 'gadgets' as the Type 99, one of these was a steel wire monopod underneath the rifle as well as folding anti-aircraft sights. Unlike most weapons in the Japanese Arsenal, both Arisaka rifles were very rugged and reliable as well as being very easy to maintain. However as reliable and well made the early Arisaka rifles were, they were once again, outclassed by the much more powerful, reliable and fast-firing American made weapons.

As the war went against Japan, mass-shortages in both material and time spawned the 'Last Ditch' varient of the rifle. This varient lacked the monopod and the adjustable sights, instead being replaced by very crude single setting sights. Very poor quality steel, a wooden buttplate that was nailed in as well as rough welds on the metal parts. This variant ended up being dangerous to the shooter. By war's end, All Japanese rifles, even U.S. soldiers with souvenir Japanese rifles, were ordered to file down the Imperial cresantamum that was stamped on the reciever of every rifle so they would not be considered dishonouring the emperor in surrendering their weapons.

Historical Note
As the war came closer to it's bloody end, Japan actually relied on the efforts of school children, and civilians to produce ammunition for the military, the goal for each Japanese citizen was to hand make 100 rounds of various types of ammunition per day.

Design Errors in Game
All Japanese rifles were manufactured with a dust cover over the action. As a consequence a very metallic rattle is heard every time the bolt was cycled. In Call of Duty: World At War the dust cover is missing; however, many Japanese soliders discarded the dust cover due to the excessive noise it made. Some people would leave the dust cover intact, and interestingly, there is not a single rifle in game that has it. Also, with the monopod and the Anti-Aircraft sights, it's definitely a Type 99 rifle. However with the low recoil and smaller rapport (gun shot sound) then the other rifles, these attributes would be attributed to the 6.5mm rounds that the predecessor of the Type 99 fired. The 7.7mm round is very similiar to the rounds every other rifle uses in the game.

Game Usage
The Arisaka is the standard issue rifle of the Imperial Japanese Army and one of the weapons the player automatically gets when he unlocks the "Create a Class" option. It is less accurate over longer ranges than the Springfield but with less recoil and sound. This weapon performs well at long range and mid-range, but close range combat should be avoided if possible, which applies for all bolt-action rifles.

The dynamic for the whole weapon changes when the player unlocks the Sniper Scope attachment; damage is decreased, accuracy over range is decreased, as well as an increase in reload time and a separate aiming mechanism. As such, it is possible to kill an opponent in one shot to the torso at mid-range, but over longer ranges it may take two or three in the place of a headshot.