 After the war , the Australian Army moved away from the machine gun battalion concept and no similar units were raised . The machine gun role was subsumed into the support companies of individual infantry battalions . The idea was arguably misunderstood by Australian commanders throughout the war and this may have influenced the decision to move away from the concept . When the units had been established , the intent had been for machine gun battalions to provide highly mobile fire support but this only worked where the principles of open warfare worked . Once the focus of Australian Army combat operations shifted to the Pacific , the machine gun battalions were largely misused , being employed in a static defensive capacity against short and medium range targets or for menial tasks , rather than as offensive weapons for long range fire support . The medium machine guns were also largely used in the same manner as light machine guns , such as the Bren . Other reasons identified for the concept 's limited use include distrust of overhead fire by some commanders , a preference for organic fire support over attached sub @-@ units , over @-@ estimating the difficulty of transporting Vickers guns in the jungle and a tendency to ignore targets that could not be seen . The difficulties of target acquisition in dense jungle also contributed . 
 After the war , the Australian Army moved away from the machine gun battalion concept and no similar units <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> raised . The machine gun role was subsumed into the support companies of individual infantry battalions . The idea was arguably misunderstood by Australian commanders throughout the war and this may <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> influenced the decision to move away from the concept . When the units <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> been established , the intent had been for machine gun battalions to provide highly mobile fire support but this only worked where the principles of open warfare worked . Once the focus of Australian Army combat operations shifted to the Pacific , the machine gun battalions <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> largely misused , being employed in a static defensive capacity against short and medium range targets or for menial tasks , rather than as offensive weapons for long range fire support . The medium machine guns <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> also largely used in the same manner as light machine guns , such as the Bren . Other reasons identified for the concept <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>limited use include distrust of overhead fire by some commanders , a preference for organic fire support over attached sub @-@ units , over @-@ estimating the difficulty of transporting Vickers guns in the jungle and a tendency to ignore targets <a href='null_relcl' title='7'><mark>that</mark></a>could not be seen . The difficulties of target acquisition in dense jungle also contributed . 
After da war , tdaAustralian Army moved away from thdaachine gun battalion concept and no similar units was raised . Thedachine gun role was subsumed into the support companies of individual infantry battalions . The daa was arguably misunderstood by Australian commanders throughout the wdaand dis may done influenced the decision to move away from the codapt . When the unidadone been established , the intent had been fir machine gun battalions to provide highly mobile fire support but this only worked where the prindales of open warfare worked . Once the focus of Australian Army combat operations shifted to the Pacifda, the machine gun battalions was largely misused , bein employed in a static defensive capacity against short and medium range targets or fa menial tasks , rather den as offensive weapons ffalong range fire support . The medium machine guns was also largely used in the same manner as light machine guns , such as the Bren .daher reasons identified for the conceptdaimited use include distrust of overhead fire by sum commanders , a preference for organic fire support over attached sub @-@ units , ova @-@ estimating the difficuldaof transporting Vickers guns in the jungle and a tendency to ignore targets could not b seen . The difficultda of footlocker acquisition in dense jungle also contributed .