Machine Gun

Machine Gun
Production information
Type Ballistic (Anti-Infantry)
Tech Base Clan / Inner Sphere (IS)
Year Introduced Clan = 2825 CDS

IS = Pre-Spaceflight[1]

Technology Rating B
Availability Ratings A[2]/A[2]/B[2]
Technical specifications
Heat 0 [3]
Damage 2 + 2D6 vs. Infantry[3][4]
Minimum Range 0[3]
Short Range 1[3]
Medium Range 2[3]
Long Range 3[3]
Tons Clan = 0.25[5]

IS = 0.5[3]

Critical Slots 1[3]
Ammo Per Ton 200[3]
Cost (unloaded) 5,000[2]
Ammo Cost (per ton) 1,000[6]
BV (2.0) Clan = 5[7]
1 (Ammo)[7]

IS = 5[8]
1 (Ammo)[8]

Description

The Machine Gun is the quintessential anti-infantry weapon, issuing a stream of bullets at a high rate of fire to cut down opposing soldiers, while still being effective at damaging BattleMechs. Vehicular-scale machine guns mounted on BattleMechs can lay low entire platoons in just a few passes thanks to their high rate of fire, though they are more commonly found on Combat Vehicles and ProtoMechs.[1] These weapons are much heavier than those typically carried by infantry, but can be used by them when placed on a static mount, where they are called Support Machine Guns.[9][10] Battle Armor can also carry machine guns, typically upgraded versions of infantry-support weapons, which can rival their larger vehicular-scale cousins.[11]

Beyond the "standard" models Clan Smoke Jaguar was the first to create Light Machine Guns and Heavy Machine Guns, which the other Clans and the Inner Sphere eventually fielded as well. The Federated Suns were also the first to mount multiple machine guns on the same linked platform creating the Machine Gun Array.[1]

Additionally, to their feature of being brutally effective against infantry units, Machine Guns can be reconfigured to spray a significantly higher amount of bullets at the cost of heat. This by default consumes triple the amount of ammo measured against the actual damage applied (regardless of if this hits or not). This in turn enables them to do a notable amount of damage to armor as a result of simply throwing more bullets at the problem. This unfortunately doesn't make these types of weapons any more damaging against infantry however.[12]

Ammo Handling

BattleMechs and vehicles (massing more than 5 tons) allot Machine Gun ammunition in half-ton (100 "round") as well as full ton (200 "round") lots. Powered Armor (of all types, including BattleArmor) and vehicles massing less than 5 tons are alloted ammo in 5 kg lots that are consumed in a single "round" or turn of fire.

Models

The Machine Gun is manufactured on the following planets:

Brand Planet Company Used by References
Armstrong MiniGun Ramora United Outworlders Corporation ??? [citation needed]
Double-Gun New Avalon Achernar BattleMechs ??? [citation needed]
GM MiniGun Salem General Motors ??? [citation needed]
Grizzly-3 Minigun Torrence Veridian Dynamics T-12 Tiger Medium Tank [13]
Kicker Skye Cyclops Incorporated ??? [citation needed]
LFN Linblad Grand Base
Tematagi
Wallis
Illiushin 		Earthwerks Incorporated
Nimakachi Fusion Products Limited
Ronin Incorporated
Vandenberg Mechanized Industries 		??? [citation needed]
MainFire MiniGun Belladonna Cal-Boeing of Dorwinion ??? [citation needed]

20mm Gatling Gun

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Ares Quikscell Company
Gallery Quikscell Company
Kalidasa Quikscell Company
Layover Quikscell Company

Blackwell B75

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Outreach Blackwell Heavy Industries

Borman-ASC

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Torrence Veridian Dynamics T-12 Tiger Medium Tank [13]

Bulldog Minigun

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Ingersoll Bulldog Enterprises
Proserpina Bulldog Enterprises

Coventry Light Autogun

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Coventry Coventry Metal Works

Johnston MiniGun

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
New Syrtis Johnston Industries ??? [citation needed]

M100 Heavy

The M100 Heavy Machine Gun is a 12.5mm[14] weapon typically used to deter infantry attacks against Phoenix Hawk, Crusader and Exterminator BattleMechs.[15]

The M100s is powerful enough to punch right through any body armor, though Elemental armor could withstand multiple hits with no problem.[16]

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Oliver Brigadier Corporation Phoenix Hawk
Crusader
Exterminator 		[15]

MainFire MiniGun

Maxi Mini

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Menke Ceres Metals Industries

Mydron Mini-Gun

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Bithinia Bithinian Ballistics

ScatterGun Light

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
New Earth New Earth Trading Company

Sperry Browning

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Canopus IV Majesty Metals and Manufacturing
Hun Ho LexaTech Industries
Indicass Ceres Metals Industries
MacLeod's Land Pinard Protectorates Limited

SureFire MiniGun

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Coventry
Pandora 		Coventry Metal Works
Red Devil Industries

Voelkers 200

Manufactured on Manufactured by Typically used in References
Stewart
Pinard 		Corean Enterprises
Vandenberg Mechanized Industries 		Thunderbolt

Notes

Some weapons such as the M100 are occassionally described as .50 Cals but this is unlikely to be more than generic terminology for Machineguns as the BattleTech Universe uses the metric system.[16] Vehicular machine guns in BattleTech can be anywhere from caliber 12.5mm, up to 20mm, (30mm enters into the range of Autocannon territory in BattleTech) depending on the model. Infantry scale models are usually smaller, but there are support weapon variant guns firing larger caliber shells above 20mm as well.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 TechManual, p. 228, "Machine Gun"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 TechManual, p. 290, "Heavy Weapons And Equipment - Table"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 TechManual, p. 341, "Inner Sphere Heavy Weapons And Equipment Table"
  4. ↑ Total Warfare p. 217 "Burst Fire Weapons Versus Infantry Table
  5. ↑ TechManual, p. 343, "Clan Heavy Weapons And Equipment Table"
  6. ↑ TechManual, p. 294, "Heavy Weapon Ammunition - Table"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 TechManual, p. 318, "Clan Weapons and Equipment BV Table"
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 TechManual, p. 317, "Inner Sphere Weapons and Equipment BV Table"
  9. ↑ MechWarrior: Third Edition, p. 137, "Machine Guns"
  10. ↑ MechWarrior: Third Edition, p. 143, "Battle Armor Primary Weapons"
  11. ↑ TechManual, p. 258, "Machine Gun"
  12. ↑ Tactical Operations p. 102, "Rapid Fire Machine Guns"
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 211, "T-12 Tiger Medium Tank"
  14. ↑ Ghost of Christmas Present, p. 3
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Technical Readout: 3039, p. 294, "Produced Crusader 3R Components"
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lethal Heritage, Ch. 16

Bibliography

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