Bipods reduce the sway. You can test the differences.

Deploying a weapon without bipods while prone: You are using your elbow for stabilization. Maybe it doesn't look 100 percent perfect in the game, doesn't mean, it is not possible nor is it unrealistic.

This is not an issue but a feature.

Well this "feature" is totally unrealistic.

There is just no way in real life one would be able to do that.
Normal prone without "deploy" in this game is even more stable than real life. Adding a uber stable on top of that (edit: for none bipod weapons)just makes it silly.

Secondly, while not using LMG the character still changes from "rifle" stance to a LMG stance regardless of weapon. Yes, I do know that people can shoot in many dif ways, but the reason they use the rifle stance is, ironically, for more stability without a bipod and the more flat strait behind the weapon with both legs in a V. Is more commonly used with LMGs because you have a bipod, but you are most likely shooting full auto with larger calibers so you can more easily absorb recoil without it affecting your aim too much.

The way its ingame right now is the opposite of real life.
Which would be fluff if it wasnt for the fact this is supposed to be a mil infantry simulator.

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=23652
I see the majority voted down.
After updating 1.42. the player got invisible bipod and THIS NONSENSE like for most users! In the what do you want to turn ARMA? Maybe in the Unreal Tournament!?

Unfortunately For me it's not the indicator of the presence of not crazy users, but and blind users!
I have provided special images, but few people saw, that the both prone positions are practically are identical and that the icon, which shows bipod that do not exist at the player! In both cases, the player caharacter relies on his elbows. However, the BIS says that the weapon is deployed!

BIS, you should to clean this nonsense.
Why then you add bipods, if the any weapon can be deployed, without bipods?

Hey Mickeymen,

the deploy function doesn't depend on the use of bipods. Even your arms or elbows can act like a deploy point (personal experience on the shooting range).

If you like, take a look at my fresh created feature request. That request maybe connects the deployment debate on a flat ground with a proper use of the prone position: #0023737

Adam - "This is not an issue but a feature."
JojoTheSlayer - "Well this 'feature' is totally unrealistic."

Aside from the bipod issue, this is juvenile and disrespectful to the devs :/

This is not the place to discuss or complain about whether or not features that the developer intended to be in the game is good or not. This is the place to report bugs.

"the deploy function doesn't depend on the use of bipods"

@Koala I mean only a flat and empty ground.
On this ground there is only one way deploying!
To put the weapon on magazin, which located in the bottom of the weapon.
Thus, all further will depend on lenght of this magazin.
If you tell the world another way, then you will make the world discovery!

Please note, that there is a weapon which has a very short magazin or not in general. (as a fulcrum)
Today, these details are not realised out in A3. When deploying weapons, the player will always have one height of the aiming, relative to the ground, one limitation of rotation!
Also there is no animation, in which the player has put their weapons on the magazin.
Today, animation of deployment, shows us the weapons, with emphasis only on the elbows of the soldier! For this reason, I think that the deployment of weapons without bipod, looks not realistic. The details are not implemented!
Resume: If you do deploy weapons without the bipod, on a flat surface, then the developers need:

1. Take into account the personal characteristics of the weapon (length of magazins)
2. To make personal animation, the position of the soldier
3. Fix icon(to make personal icon, without bipod)

Or just leave as it was: The player in the prone position, can have the aiming only on the his elbows! The other deployment in the game, should be only using a bipods!

@Podder "Aside from the bipod issue, this is juvenile and disrespectful to the devs :/"

BI aims for a realistic or close to realistic game, but the problem is they now seem to listen more to people with little experience or none at all.

I am a exMil qualified instructed on both assault rifles, light machine guns and other. I also have a decent amount of experience in shooting in difficult terrain. Its not a "gamer" opinion I have on this.

Pointing out that something first seen as a bug, by probably mostly exMils I would assume, isnt a good feature. Is aimed at proving BI with proper information. It has nothing to do with "disrespect".

Downvoted thus Im one of those guys or fanboy that thinks that is not a bug, rather a feature request.

I think, this is not a bug. it's a poorly implemented feature.
Because of this, it looks not realistic.

I also noticed that it has a poor deployment on the hillside: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvYGew00jss&feature=youtu.be
Deployment takes on a tilt! If the weapon is deployed without the bipod, this should not happen.

BIS! Please change the status of this topic!
Deployment without bipod has a lot of problems.
This deploying without bipod looks poorly implemented, because:

1. not considered a personal characteristics of the current weapon( lenght of magazine (the height of the player aiming under ground)
2. does not have the correct animations (animation of deployment, shows us the weapons, with emphasis only on the elbows of the soldier)
3. uses always a same limited angle of rotation.
4. uses the incorrect icon showing the bipod, while the bipod is not a player
5. is not correct on the slope of the hillside (watch video)

or make the details or remove it in general!

@JojoTheSlayer I see. Sorry for calling you out, it's that I was shocked at the strong reaction of the community in the wake of the weapon resting update. Other tickets had been hounding BI because of the weapon deployment discrepancy, and the devs got defensive. I guess that is partly why BI seems to be unreceptive of this issue at the moment.

EDIT: upvoted the ticket. Bohemia Interactive, please reconsider the status of this issue.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?189003-Weapon-Resting-amp-Deployment-Feedback&p=2918578&viewfull=1#post2918578

This poor feature should be removed from A3!