It was designed to be able to be a light machine gun and be able to do other things as well. This was an early example of a general-purpose machine gun. When it is being used as a light machine gun, a bipod can be attached to it. If it is being used for other things, it is put onto a tripod and is belt-fed. In a battle, the bipod version was used mostly. This turned the MG 34 into an infantry support weapon. Later, the MG 34 started to be used less for the MG 42.