Some notes I had on the design process. The M2 comes out too long and too
heavy while the M240 came out shorter and lighter than the real life design
specs. Biggest improvement to the sequence would be to split up the
machine guns into at least two sub categories with different rules: light
machine guns, and heavy machineguns, if not three (light, medium, and
heavy). Ma Deuce is obviously a heavy machine gun. The M240 is pretty
close, though, especially on mass (10.09 instead of 11.6 kg). Cyclic rates
for both weapons is much higher than possible with these design sequences.
Cyclic rate of 650 to 950 rounds per minute on the M240 would be a Fire
Rate of 66 in TNE terms. My first inclination is add two levels of VRF
capability to the receivers. Level 1 would allow a fire rate of 30 and
multiply receiver length by 1.1 and level 2 would allow a fire rate of 60
and multiply receiver length by 2.2. Incidentally this would give almost
exact specs for the real life M240 receiver (63.3 cm). The barrel is a tad
too long so overall length of barrels would need to be adjusted. Given the
need for periodic barrel changes on the M240, I was inclined to break the
rules and give it light barrels and require that they be changed x number
of rounds. This could allow the tweaking of the barrel length to match
real world specs. I would probably want to put at least 2 or 3 other
comparable MG's (especially the TL6/7 M60 machineguns before deciding on
this finally). With these designs, I went with rules legal fire rates of
10 for each. Good killing bursts in real life practice tend to be 3-4
tracers which at standard tracer ratio is close enough for my purposes.
Could also get into barrel fouling. Tracers become sort of important to
add to the sequence, as well as their ratio... maybe too much detail,
though.
M2 .50 cal "Ma Deuce"
Heavy machine gun designed in 1919 and used in US aircraft, ground vehicles
from the P-47 Thunderbolt and B-25 Mitchell bomber to the M1A2 Abrams Main
Battle tank to anti-aircraft duties on ships of the US Navy and in infantry
machine gun sections with a tripod. In ground roles, it is primarily an
anti vehicle weapon. Standard Ball ammunition with tracer is the most
common, though SLAP (Saboted Light Armor Penetrator) using a tungsten
penetrator has also seen heavy procurement and deployment.
Weapon Length: 181.15 cm [165.60 cm in Real Life]
Weapon Weight: 44.1 kg [38 kg in Real Life]
Weapon Price: 10,858 Cr
Ammunition Feed: Belts of 100 rounds
Ammunition Price: 500 Cr / belt (Ball), 1000 Cr / belt (SLAP)
Ammunition Weight: 12.5 kg
Loaded Weight: 46.6 kg (+20 kg tripod)
Tripod: 20kg, 300 Cr
Round Damage ROF PEN Bulk Belt Recoil* Short Range*
12.7x99 NATO Ball 9D10 10/30 2-2-3 11 100 1/5 (5/27) 300m (150m)
12.7x99 NATO SLAP 9D10 10/30 1-1-2 11 100 1/5 (5/27) 360m (180m)
*Recoil and Range with tripod/vehicle mount. Range without
tripod/vehicle mount in parenthesis
M240 7.62 x 51mm NATO
Replacing the M60 series in US Arsenal, the Fabrique Nationale design is
common in armor and infantry uses in different variants. M240 is used on
armored vehicles, including the M1 Abrams series Main Battle Tank while the
M240G is equipped with a brake, stock, and bipod for use in infantry fire
support sections.
M240/M240G
Weapon Length: 91.79 cm / 120.79cm
Weapon Weight: 10.09 kg / 12.63 kg
Weapon Price: 2418 Cr / 2873 Cr
Ammunition Feed: Belts of 200 rounds
Ammunition Price: 94 Cr / Belt
Ammunition Weight: 4.6 kg / Belt
Loaded Weight: 14.46 kg / 17.23 kg
Round Damage ROF PEN Bulk Belt Recoil* Short Range*
7.62x51 NATO Ball 4D10 66 2-3-Nil 8 200 1/5 (2/10) 91 (70)
*Recoil and Range with bipod. Range without bipod deployed in parenthesis
*In Vehicle Mount, Recoil is negligible (1/2) with short range of 140m
---
M240G uses Bipod, TL7 Shock Absorbing Rifle Stock, and TL8 Long Muzzle Brake
heavy while the M240 came out shorter and lighter than the real life design
specs. Biggest improvement to the sequence would be to split up the
machine guns into at least two sub categories with different rules: light
machine guns, and heavy machineguns, if not three (light, medium, and
heavy). Ma Deuce is obviously a heavy machine gun. The M240 is pretty
close, though, especially on mass (10.09 instead of 11.6 kg). Cyclic rates
for both weapons is much higher than possible with these design sequences.
Cyclic rate of 650 to 950 rounds per minute on the M240 would be a Fire
Rate of 66 in TNE terms. My first inclination is add two levels of VRF
capability to the receivers. Level 1 would allow a fire rate of 30 and
multiply receiver length by 1.1 and level 2 would allow a fire rate of 60
and multiply receiver length by 2.2. Incidentally this would give almost
exact specs for the real life M240 receiver (63.3 cm). The barrel is a tad
too long so overall length of barrels would need to be adjusted. Given the
need for periodic barrel changes on the M240, I was inclined to break the
rules and give it light barrels and require that they be changed x number
of rounds. This could allow the tweaking of the barrel length to match
real world specs. I would probably want to put at least 2 or 3 other
comparable MG's (especially the TL6/7 M60 machineguns before deciding on
this finally). With these designs, I went with rules legal fire rates of
10 for each. Good killing bursts in real life practice tend to be 3-4
tracers which at standard tracer ratio is close enough for my purposes.
Could also get into barrel fouling. Tracers become sort of important to
add to the sequence, as well as their ratio... maybe too much detail,
though.
M2 .50 cal "Ma Deuce"
Heavy machine gun designed in 1919 and used in US aircraft, ground vehicles
from the P-47 Thunderbolt and B-25 Mitchell bomber to the M1A2 Abrams Main
Battle tank to anti-aircraft duties on ships of the US Navy and in infantry
machine gun sections with a tripod. In ground roles, it is primarily an
anti vehicle weapon. Standard Ball ammunition with tracer is the most
common, though SLAP (Saboted Light Armor Penetrator) using a tungsten
penetrator has also seen heavy procurement and deployment.
Weapon Length: 181.15 cm [165.60 cm in Real Life]
Weapon Weight: 44.1 kg [38 kg in Real Life]
Weapon Price: 10,858 Cr
Ammunition Feed: Belts of 100 rounds
Ammunition Price: 500 Cr / belt (Ball), 1000 Cr / belt (SLAP)
Ammunition Weight: 12.5 kg
Loaded Weight: 46.6 kg (+20 kg tripod)
Tripod: 20kg, 300 Cr
Round Damage ROF PEN Bulk Belt Recoil* Short Range*
12.7x99 NATO Ball 9D10 10/30 2-2-3 11 100 1/5 (5/27) 300m (150m)
12.7x99 NATO SLAP 9D10 10/30 1-1-2 11 100 1/5 (5/27) 360m (180m)
*Recoil and Range with tripod/vehicle mount. Range without
tripod/vehicle mount in parenthesis
M240 7.62 x 51mm NATO
Replacing the M60 series in US Arsenal, the Fabrique Nationale design is
common in armor and infantry uses in different variants. M240 is used on
armored vehicles, including the M1 Abrams series Main Battle Tank while the
M240G is equipped with a brake, stock, and bipod for use in infantry fire
support sections.
M240/M240G
Weapon Length: 91.79 cm / 120.79cm
Weapon Weight: 10.09 kg / 12.63 kg
Weapon Price: 2418 Cr / 2873 Cr
Ammunition Feed: Belts of 200 rounds
Ammunition Price: 94 Cr / Belt
Ammunition Weight: 4.6 kg / Belt
Loaded Weight: 14.46 kg / 17.23 kg
Round Damage ROF PEN Bulk Belt Recoil* Short Range*
7.62x51 NATO Ball 4D10 66 2-3-Nil 8 200 1/5 (2/10) 91 (70)
*Recoil and Range with bipod. Range without bipod deployed in parenthesis
*In Vehicle Mount, Recoil is negligible (1/2) with short range of 140m
---
M240G uses Bipod, TL7 Shock Absorbing Rifle Stock, and TL8 Long Muzzle Brake