NO. I got ARMA to play DayZ and I remember how frustrating the learning curve was, even with a basic way to defend myself against zombies. I learned shooting guns will attract more zombies and often get you killed. So only shoot if you have to, and only outside of earshot of other infected if possible. If a bandit was well armed, you're dead. That's griefing and it will continue as long as there is no consequence to people's actions or easy useful ways for people to group up for safety. Since the global channels have been removed, if you don't have a mentor talking with you in 3rd party voice then your chances of doing anything but dying are stupidly small. Fun is a factor of gaming, as is frustration. Too much of one or the other and the imbalance turns people away. Any new arma2/dayz players are just going to die repeatedly. Finding and using a firearm is part of the learning curve, that includes a small pistol at spawn. Since melee weapons aren't a possibility, a firearm is a necessity. Once melee weapons are introduced(if they are), then removing the spawn gun could change. After all, a sharp pointy stick isn't hard to find or make. Neither is a basic blunt object like a piece of pipe. Reducing the mag count from 6 to 2 or 3 would be more useful than removing the gun. They would still have the ability to learn that shooting around zombies is stupid without the frustration of finding one first. It's hard enough for beginning players to live past day 1 with a small arm. I also play the game as a survivalist. I don't approach people I don't know and often I'll go out of my way to avoid places commonly visited. I have been alive in game for 12 days and couldn't tell you the last time I went to either cherno or electro. I'm American and I do own guns, pistols included. Lots of people in the world have hunting/sporting firearms in one way or another. I think finding a deer rifle or a hunting shotgun(double barrel or otherwise) should be relatively easy and I think the game does this right.