26 replies to this topic

[Looaxxe]

Theres only one type of machine gun, and a buddy and I are on team speak in a frendly argument about what caliber they are. What do you guys think?

[FupDup]

Fluff says they're 20mm. If we look at actual weights the results might not be the same (I don't remember the exact maths). I'm not entirely sure why it matters, though, because dakka dakka.

Edited by FupDup, 04 November 2013 - 07:47 PM.

[Bishop Steiner]

in one instance at least they are mentioned as .50 caliber. (Shin Yodma's PHX mech, in the first book of the Keresnky trilogy)

That said, in many of the TROs, it lists many different calibers, and rofs, just as in real life. I believe the MadCat was listed somewhere as mounting 20mm machine guns.

In general, the overall closest modern analog would be the 20mm vulcan cannon like on a Huey Cobra.
http://en.wikipedia....wiki/M61_Vulcan

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 04 November 2013 - 07:49 PM.

[Sybreed]

I'd say barely 20mm

[Hans Von Lohman]

Lore wise they're anything from a .30 machinegun to 20mm fully automatic cannons. Or more often than not as either .30 or .50 caliber gattling guns.

They leave it up to you to decide what they are. I've always thought of them as your classic .50 caliber Browning M2 machinegun or a .30 caliber Dillon mini-gun.

[Training Instructor]

If they're the equivalent of M2 .50 caliber machine guns, I want an additional 900 pounds to use on other stuff.

I'd really prefer machine guns that actually did damage to armor, rather than crit seeking.

[Zerberus]

Training Instructor, on 04 November 2013 - 09:18 PM, said:

If they're the equivalent of M2 .50 caliber machine guns, I want an additional 900 pounds to use on other stuff.

I'd really prefer machine guns that actually did damage to armor, rather than crit seeking.

Nope.

It`s the mounting hardware and ammunition feed system that make the total package so heavy, 500kg is an absolutely normal "ready to rumble" weight for a mounted Ma Deuce w/o ammo. Steel is heavy.

Edited by Zerberus, 05 November 2013 - 03:41 AM.

[Captain Stiffy]

Looaxxe, on 04 November 2013 - 07:44 PM, said:

Theres only one type of machine gun, and a buddy and I are on team speak in a frendly argument about what caliber they are. What do you guys think?

It doesn't have a caliber, they shoot bullets made entirely of smoke and fire, obviously.

[CDLord HHGD]

Depends on what story you listen to. In lots of cases it's a stream of slugs fired versus one large slug. In MWO, it is just one slug. I have converted the TT rules to a RPG and in my fluff I did different calibers for the ACs. AC2 = 2cm and so on. May not be 100% accurate, but with all the conflicting info, who knows....

[focuspark]

BT weapons are classes. There's no one spec. Instead it's a close range of similar weapons. So yes, MWO MG are .50 cal, 20mm, etc...

[Selfish]

The only known sizings for the projectiles are 20mm, but I'd say it would range all the way up to a 30mm. Mech machine guns were anti-mech weapons. MGs have three ranges of sizings, but no real care for what caliber they are. There's Mech (mounted on mechs, anti-mech), Vehicular (can be mounted on mechs, mostly vehicles, best anti-infantry option), and infantry (used primarily by infantry against infantry).

[Abivard]

the MG itself weighs half a ton..each round weighs 1 pound.

Zerberus, on 05 November 2013 - 03:40 AM, said:

Nope.

It`s the mounting hardware and ammunition feed system that make the total package so heavy, 500kg is an absolutely normal "ready to rumble" weight for a mounted Ma Deuce w/o ammo. Steel is heavy.

what an utter load of nonsense.

the M2 ready to rumble, minus ammo is a whole 127 pounds.

A modern round that we use now (which is superior to anything MWO should have)

• Cartridge, Caliber .50, Saboted Light Armor Penetrator, M903

This cartridge has a 355 – 360 gr (23.00 – 23.33 g) heavy metal (tungsten) penetrator that is sabot-launched at a muzzle velocity of 4,000 ft/s (1,219 m/s). The 0.30 in (7.7 mm) diameter sabot, which is designed to break up at the muzzle to release the penetrator, must also survive the gun environment until launch. It is injection molded of special high strength plastic and is reinforced with an aluminum insert in the base section. The cartridge is identified by an amber sabot (Ultem 1000). For use only in the M2 series of machine guns. This round can penetrate 19mm of steel armor at 1500 yards. What the BT makers thought was a MG is anyones guess, But they were real ignorant people.

[theta123]

as a licensed, safe, and WW1-2 rifle collecting shooter....I find the Machine guns "120meter" the most laughable thing ever

then again

tabletop

[CarnifexMaximus]

theta123, on 05 November 2013 - 11:13 AM, said:

as a licensed, safe, and WW1-2 rifle collecting shooter....I find the Machine guns "120meter" the most laughable thing ever

then again

tabletop

Me too,
Ive never fired a M1919 or M2, but I have been extremely familiar with the ballistic properties of .30-06 since I was about 11 or 12 (M1Garand ftw).

Because of this, I gave up on rationally trying to understand BT/Mechwarrior ballistic weapons a long time ago.

I just say "because of space magic" and generally I feel ok.

[Sandpit]

they have multiple calibers depending on the mech and manufacturer

[Wolfways]

In MWO?
Super soaker caliber.

[Clit Beastwood]

Training Instructor, on 04 November 2013 - 09:18 PM, said:

If they're the equivalent of M2 .50 caliber machine guns, I want an additional 900 pounds to use on other stuff.

I'd really prefer machine guns that actually did damage to armor, rather than crit seeking.

I'll guess the other 900lbs of weight goes towards cooling so they can fire forever without stopping

[Voidsinger]

Okay.

Ballistic weapons in the Battletech Universe are rated by damage capability, not calibre. Rate of fire covers the difference.

That said, the fluff at the back of the novels had Autocannons starting at 30mm. I believe more recent Catalyst revisions revised this down to 25mm.

This means Machineguns category covers all light ballistics up to 30mm. Usually from 12.7mm to 25mm.

[Hans Von Lohman]

These are typical looks for the MG's in the board game, such as this MG on the front of a 50 ton Bulldog tank.

[Bishop Steiner]

CarnifexMaximus, on 05 November 2013 - 11:58 AM, said:

Me too,
Ive never fired a M1919 or M2, but I have been extremely familiar with the ballistic properties of .30-06 since I was about 11 or 12 (M1Garand ftw).

Because of this, I gave up on rationally trying to understand BT/Mechwarrior ballistic weapons a long time ago.

I just say "because of space magic" and generally I feel ok.

I find it funny I can outduel an MG equipped Mech with my trusty 44 Magnum S&W 29...because I can hit a 15 meter tall barn out past 250 meters pretty much every time. Now I just need some space magic to get it to penetrate...come on double 6s!!!!!