These are heavier slugthrowers for support (although the LMG is quite popular as a personal weapon). Heavy Weapons or Auto Weapons skills are required to use them effectively.
AutoCannon 20mm
Weight 400kg (turret), 300kg (pintle), 1000kg (towed); 200-round drum 100kg. Length 1500mm. A linkless feed, fully automatic weapon, the autocannon fires a 100g round at velocities of 1200 metres/second with a practical rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute. Ammunition is provided in 200-round drums, two of which may be attached to the weapon at any one time. Two different ammunition types may be used (one in each drum) and drum selection may be changed at the end of any combat round. Replacing an empty ammunition drum requires four combat rounds; if a loader is present, this may be done while firing the weapon from the other drum. Ammunition types include a 20/9mm discarding sabot and HE; every tenth round in a HE drum is an incendiary. The weapon fires 10 round bursts, up to 5 of which may be fired per combat round. Bursts may be directed at different targets within the weapon's arc of fire. The weapon is available in three different configurations; turreted, towed and pintle mount. The turreted version has a 180o arc of fire while the others have a 90o arc of fire. Turreted and pintle mount versions must be fitted to vehicles; the towed version may be emplaced.
Note: A variety of more primitive autocannon ranging from 20mm to 60mm are available from TL 6, generally more bulky and less effective.
Gatling
Gun-7 5mm
Weight 700kg; hopper 50kg. Length 1500mm. The gatling gun, otherwise known as the hydraulic cannon, takes its name from one of the earliest the TL 5 Terran machine-guns, and works in much the same way. A number of separate barrels (usually around 15 or 20) are rotated on a central spindle, either by an electric motor or by compressed air. As each barrel passes the lowest level, it is loaded; as it reaches the top of the weapon it is fired. The weapon fires a 5mm, 7g bullet at velocities of 900 metres/second at an effective fire rate of 250 rounds per minute. The weapon must be either built into a vehicle or emplaced; it cannot be set up independently as with the machine-guns. Two configurations are available; turret mount and pintle. Turreted gatlings are quite often set up for remote control. Ammunition is supplied in 500- round hoppers; most installations are designed to accept 2,500 rounds (5 hoppers); the weapon fires until all the hoppers are exhausted. Reloading the ammo bay takes 5 minutes per hopper. This weapon is particularly popular as a fitting on helicopter gunships at the time, due to its high rate of fire.
Gatling
Gun-7 7.62mm
Weight 1000kg; hopper 100kg. Length 1500mm. The 7.62mm version of the hydraulic cannon is (except for the calibre) identical to the 5mm version.
Gatling
Gun-8 5mm
Weight 800kg; hopper 50kg. The TL 8 hydraulic cannon has an effective fire rate increased to 300 rounds per minute, and has ammo hoppers to hold 5,000 rounds; it is otherwise identical to the TL 7 model.
Gatling
Gun-8 7.62
Weight 1000kg; hopper 150kg. Length 1700mm. Identical to the TL 7 version except as noted above and that the ammo bay holds 5,000 rounds.
Gauss
Support Weapon 4mm
Weight 40000g; magazine 400g x4. Length 1000mm. The GSW fills the niche occupied by the LMG at CPR tech levels. Usually issued one to a squad or platoon, it provides heavy support fire without incurring the bulk and expense of a VRF. The weapon has two of the ingenious double-magazine devices fitted to the GRH (q.v.), allowing four standard gauss rifle magazines to be loaded simultaneously. The weapon has five times the rate of fire of the normal gauss rifle, making greater ammunition stocks a neccessity. When the last round in the first magazine is discharged, it drops out and the next one automatically loads. A fresh magazine may then be inserted in the “waiting” slot. Normally, a loader is required to perform this without interrupting firing, but the firer may attempt the maneuver on a throw of Formidable, Automatic Weapons, Dexterity. Due to its’ bulk, the GSW does not have a RAM grenade launcher; other accessories are as described for the gauss rifle. Improvements in accelerator technology result in greater power as the design progresses through the tech levels.
Heavy
machinegun-6 13mm
Weight 70kg; belt 3000g, drum 2000g. Length 1600mm. The biggest of the true machine-guns, the HMG fires a 13mm, 10g bullet at velocities of 900 metres/second with a practical rate of fire of 200 rounds/minute (50 rounds per combat round). Ammunition is provided either in 100-round belts or 50-round drums; separate versions of the weapon are required to use each. Reloading requires three rounds if the weapon is manned by a single individual, one round if a loader is present. If a loader is present, he may link two 100-round belts to form a 200-round belt on the spot; drums may not be linked. This may not be done ahead of time (unless the weapon is emplaced or vehicle mounted) as each belt comes in its own ammo box. Each pull of the trigger fires a 10-round burst, up to five of which may be fired in any one combat round. Each burst may be directed at a different target, provided they are all within a 45o firing arc. If more than 2 bursts are fired in a combat round, there is a chance that the HMG will overheat and jam. Throw 13+ to jam, DM +1 per successive burst, DMs carried over to successive combat rounds. Thus, firing four bursts gives DM +2. Firing 4 more next round will give a DM of +4. Accumulated DMs are reduced by one for each round in which the HMG is not fired (cools down). If the weapon jams, throw 10+ to clear it, DM +1 per level of skill. The weapon is provided with a tripod, and must be fired prone with the tripod extended, although the weapon may also be emplaced or vehicle mounted. The weapon may fire at targets in an arc of 90o.
LAG 20mm
Weight 4000g; magazine 500g. Length 900mm. Essentially a heavy rifle, the Light Assault Gun fires a 20mm, 30g bullet at velocities of 400-500 metres/second. A magazine containing 5 rounds is inserted into the under-side of the weapon, ahead of the trigger guard. Reloading takes one combat round, during which the firer is treated as evading. One round is fired per pull of the trigger. Ammunition available includes HE, flechette and 20/9mm discarding sabot. The LAG is provided with a sling to assist carrying. Due to the weight and recoil of the weapon, individuals with a strength of less than 9 (unless in powered armour) will suffer a DM of -2 when firing the LAG.
LMG-6 6mm
Weight 5500g; belt 2500g, drum 1500g. Length 1100mm. A heavier belt fed version of the automatic rifle, the light machinegun fires a 6mm, 5g bullet at velocities of 900 metres/second with a practical rate of fire of 200 rounds/minute (50 rounds per combat round). Ammunition is provided either in 100-round belts or 50- round drums; separate versions of the weapon are required to use each. Reloading requires three rounds if the weapon is manned by a single individual, one round if a loader is present. If a loader is present, he may link two 100-round belts to form a 200-round belt on the spot; drums may not be linked. This may not be done ahead of time (unless the weapon is emplaced or vehicle mounted) as each belt comes in its own ammo box. Each pull of the trigger fires a 10-round burst, up to five of which may be fired in any one combat round. Each burst may be directed at a different target, provided they are all within a 45o firing arc. If more than 2 bursts are fired in a combat round, there is a chance that the LMG will overheat and jam. Throw 13+ to jam, DM +1 per successive burst, DMs carried over to successive combat rounds. Thus, firing four bursts gives DM +2. Firing 4 more next round will give a DM of +4. Accumulated DMs are reduced by one for each round in which the LMG is not fired (cools down). If the weapon jams, throw 10+ to clear it, DM +1 per level of skill. The weapon is provided with a bipod, and generally must be fired prone with the bipod extended, although the weapon may also be fired from any convenient rest (bunker embrasure, log, etc.). Tripods may be purchased, use of which allow the weapon to fire at targets in an arc of 90o.
LMG-15 6mm
Weight 2209g; drum 1536g. Length 1100mm. The light machinegun remains a very popular support weapon throughout the history of CPR firearms; during this time, advances in technology make a multitude of small improvements to the weapon. The example described here is the culmination of this progress as at tech level 15. All the changes have been made to the weapon in this case; ammunition also improves across tech levels, but most weapons of this type fire a standardised cartridge basically identical to the 6mm machinegun round associated with the original weapon. As a result, any LMG may be used with standard ammo; the statistical differences stem from the weapon itself. Weapon performance is similar to the original; a 6mm bullet is fired at a muzzle velocity of around 800 metres/second; the rate of fire has increased slightly to 240 rounds/minute. Each pull of the trigger fires a 10-round burst; between 1 and 6 of these may be fired per combat round. Each burst may be directed at a different target, provided they are all within a 45o firing arc. Rules for jamming are as for the LMG-6, except that the throw to jam is 15+. Ammunition is provided in 100-round drums, belt-fed versions having become less common with the increase in sophistication.
Medium
machinegun-5 10mm
Weight 6000g; belt 2500g, drum 1500g. An earlier and more primitive version of the LMG, the medium machinegun fires a 10mm, 7g bullet at velocities of 800 metres/second with a practical rate of fire of 160 rounds/minute (40 rounds per combat round). Ammunition is provided either in 100-round belts or 50-round drums; separate versions of the weapon are required to use each. Reloading requires three rounds if the weapon is manned by a single individual, one round if a loader is present. If a loader is present, he may link two 100-round belts to form a 200-round belt on the spot; drums may not be linked. This may not be done ahead of time (unless the weapon is emplaced or vehicle mounted) as each belt comes in its own ammo box. Each pull of the trigger fires a 10- round burst, up to four of which may be fired in any one combat round. Each burst may be directed at a different target, provided they are all within a 45o firing arc. If more than 1 burst is fired in a combat round, there is a chance that the MMG will overheat and jam. Throw 13+ to jam, DM +1 per successive burst, DMs carried over to successive combat rounds. Thus, firing four bursts gives DM +3. Firing 4 more next round will give a DM of +6. Accumulated DMs are reduced by one for each round in which the MMG is not fired (cools down). If the weapon jams, throw 10+ to clear it, DM +1 per level of skill. The weapon is provided with a tripod, and must be fired prone with the tripod extended. The weapon may fire at targets in an arc of 90o.
VRF
gauss gun 4mm
Weight 2 metric tons; ammo hoppers 10000g each. Length 1500mm. A cryogenically cooled rapid fire support weapon, the Very Rapid Fire gauss gun fires a 4mm, 4g needle bullet at velocities of 4500 metres/second, with an effective fire rate of 4000 rounds per minute. Firing operation is similar to the gauss rifle (q.v.). The weapon fires 100-round bursts, up to 10 of which may be fired in any combat round. Each burst may be directed at a different target within the firing arc of the weapon. The VRF is only available as a turreted configuration, and requires special modifications to the vehicle carrying it. The turret normally gives a 180o arc of fire, although a more sophisticated version (costing an additional Cr50,000) gives a 360o arc of fire. If more than four bursts are fired in a round, there is a chance of a stoppage. Throw 12+ for a minor stoppage and 15+ for a major stoppage, DM +1 per additional burst fired, -1 per level of applicable skill. If a minor stoppage develops, the weapon may not fire for 2D rounds, less the gunner's skill. If a major stoppage develops, the weapon may not fire again without major maintenance. Ammunition is provided in 1,000 round hoppers, which are loaded directly into the vehicle's ammunition bay. The ammo bay of a VRF will generally hold up to 30,000 rounds although this will vary somewhat with vehicle size. Reloading is not required until the ammunition bay is empty; reloading generally takes in excess of an hour.