About the pre-placed weapons, what do you think of the following idea :

If the AKM is coolness 4 in normal v1.13, replace it with a tech level 4 weapon of the same type/use (maybe a Thompson M1A1 ?), *regardless of the early/mid/late-game target*. After all, not everyone plays the game the same : for instance, I'm aiming for Estoni/Cambria just after Omerta, and will take Drassen and Chitzena later.

EDIT :
BAR M1918 = tech/coolness level 1 ? I thought level 1 was made of weapons between 1901 and 1910, so it should be level 2, shouldn't it ?