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Strum Wealh, on 28 February 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:
From TechManual (pgs. 207-208):
Quote
After spending nearly a decade in the prototype stages — long enough to actually give rise to the rotary AC — light autocannons (abbreviated as LACs) only hit full-scale production with the unveiling of Yeffters Weapons’ Mydron Flyswatter and Mydron Snakekiller models in 3068.
Ironically, what spurred this production was the destruction of the NAIS, where these weapons were first developed. It may be a bit of poetic justice that the first models were rushed to the battlefields of New Avalon to help drive back the Blakists’ first assault against the planet. Since then, however, Imperator Automatic Weaponry has begun producing its own versions for the Free Worlds League and their Robe allies.
Built smaller and with shorter ranges, light ACs exist only in the lower calibers (LAC/2 and LAC/5), but benefit from the ability to use the advanced munitions that LB-X, rotary and Ultra ACs cannot. The Clans, who have not seen much use for specialized ammunition and who still possess autocannons superior to even these versions, have shown little interest in duplicating this innovation, though the same cannot be said of the other Inner Sphere states.
Ironically, what spurred this production was the destruction of the NAIS, where these weapons were first developed. It may be a bit of poetic justice that the first models were rushed to the battlefields of New Avalon to help drive back the Blakists’ first assault against the planet. Since then, however, Imperator Automatic Weaponry has begun producing its own versions for the Free Worlds League and their Robe allies.
Built smaller and with shorter ranges, light ACs exist only in the lower calibers (LAC/2 and LAC/5), but benefit from the ability to use the advanced munitions that LB-X, rotary and Ultra ACs cannot. The Clans, who have not seen much use for specialized ammunition and who still possess autocannons superior to even these versions, have shown little interest in duplicating this innovation, though the same cannot be said of the other Inner Sphere states.
Not sure what these light AC's are supposed to achieve. Are they essentially rotary AC's that can use special munitions? If so they might be more like the Bushmaster with a dual feed system that you linked earlier, more like a machinegun and less like a clip firing weapon like regular ACs.
Strum Wealh, on 28 February 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:
From TechManual (pgs. 207-208):
Quote
Another product of our own New Avalon Institute of Science, the rotary autocannon (RAC for short) is, at its heart, an effort to obtain an even higher rate of fire than the Ultra-class autocannon outlined below. Using multiple barrels to attain up to three times the volume of an Ultra burst, this weapon is much heavier and bulkier than its standard-model cousins, and lacks the effective reach of even the Ultra AC series. Its inability to make use of most specialized munitions, coupled with its sheer expense, have prevented the rotary concept from entering the heavier-caliber brackets at this time. Balancing this, however, is the ability to clear weapon jams in the field—a feature lacking in Ultra autocannons. This is especially welcome as the RAC is particularly prone to jams at its higher firing rates.
Gatling gun version of the AC and since gatling guns use a motor to spin the barrels and pull ammunition through unlike traditional MG's, it would clear jams as the unspent round was rotated into the ejection stage and (hopefully) ejected clearing the jam. Also considering the 30mm gatling gun on the A-10 can actually slow the aircraft down due to recoil it makes sense that heavier AC's can't be adapted to the rotary style.
Strum Wealh, on 28 February 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:
From TechManual (pgs. 207-208):
Quote
The advanced Ultra autocannon system (UAC for short) was first developed at the height of the original Star League by Kawabata Weapons, Inc. of the Terran Hegemony. Capable of higher sustained rates of fire than standard or LB-X autocannons, Ultra ACs could dish out twice the punishment in the same amount of time. Unfortunately, these weapons are prone to occasional misfires and arming failures when pushing their maximum fire rates — a factor that forced many UACs into early retirement after the fall of the original Star League. Nevertheless, the Clans (and the Inner Sphere, after encountering the Clans) found enough merit in Ultra ACs to expand the concept across all the same grades as standard-model autocannons. Even though they cannot use special munitions (their own magazines are tailored to the high-speed firing modes, which can be dangerous or detrimental to most specialty ammo), these weapons remain popular for attack and assault units.
If you have two clips mounted in a V feeding into the same point on the AC you could have side 1 feed and then side 2 feed and achieve twice the rate of fire. The only thing that puzzles me is why you couldn't have special munitions. The shells have to be the same dimensions or they won't fit so that can't be why. The only reason I can think of is that more sensitve fuses or shells might have a chance to explode when they feed mechanism is working twice as fast so to fill 2 clips instead of 1, but that doesn't really satisfy me. Just chalk this up to game balance I guess, unless someone has an idea?
Strum Wealh, on 28 February 2012 - 11:41 AM, said:
Also of interest is the entry on the Crusher Super Heavy Cannon:
[...]
So, we know that one variant of AC-20 fires ten 150 mm shells per burst.
This, however, doesn't necessarily preclude other, larger-bore models from firing fewer shells (or even single shells) per burst, yes?
[...]
So, we know that one variant of AC-20 fires ten 150 mm shells per burst.
This, however, doesn't necessarily preclude other, larger-bore models from firing fewer shells (or even single shells) per burst, yes?
Well one would expect larger bore weapons to fire fewer rounds, after all they need fewer rounds to achieve the same effect and they'd have more recoil per round. However considering that there's an AC/20 that fires 10x150mm rounds per burst, I find it hard to believe that even a 203mm cannon would fire only one shot.
If you use the caliber as a ratio of how much damage it does then you have: (150mm*10rds)=(203mm*x rds). While it won't be 100% accurate it shows that you need roughly between 7-8 shells to have the same effect. So the absence of any gun that definitively only fires one round per burst and the fact that we have a 150mm cannon that fires 10 rds, I'd say we've pretty much ruled out the possiblity of any AC only firing one round. Even if there was fluff saying that an AC fired only 1rd per burst I'd say that it was suspect and should be ruled as a mistake by the fluff's author.
Edited by Kartr, 28 February 2012 - 02:41 PM.
