Re: [SGII] Heavy Support Weapons

WELL,  about a geologic age ago, the so-called LMG and GPMG fired the
same cartridge in use with the basic rifle  caliber.

the bipod  concept was to permit rapid battlefield and tactical movement
for  these beltt, magazine or clip (yes clip was not a magazine
originally) fed air cooled  LMG in an age when most  MGs were water
cooled,  and  mounted on  tripods or wheeled carriages.

the GPMG machine concept was a rifle caliber air-cooled weapon mounted
on a tripod for sustained and plotted fires from a defensive  position
OR used with a bipod as a LMG.

HMG, are an outgrowth of  WW I 11MM FRENCH AA machineguns and GERMAN big
bore AT rifles.

as i remember it, the UK, USA, and USSR were the only nations to
actively employ 12.7 mm or larger caliber HMG in WW II and between wars.
maybe the ITALIANS, too.

as HMG these were always mounted on  infantry tripods, aircraft,
vehicles, and  ships. early model USA HMG were water cooled but quickly
became air-cooled before  WW II.

then along came NATO, which went from a 7.62mm rifle and LMG/GPMG
cartridge to a 5.56mm rifle cartridge (thank you UNCLE SUGAR!). 

which inturn saw the  birth of the 5.56mm SAW.

 and the point is?

SAW shoud have a higher rate of fire (maybe) than an assault rifle or
ACR (does not matter if the bullet/flechette is launched with explosive
cartride, binary propellant, or gauss pulse) ut IMPACT and ARMOR
DEFEATING POTENTIAL SHOULD BE THE SAME !

now , if the LMG/GPMG uses a more powerful round, even it it shoots
slower than the  SAW,  IMPACT and ARMOR DEFEATING POTENTIAL SHOULD BE
BETTER! also range, and accuracy!

and now we come to the monster bore HMG and anti-material weapons.  the
HMG maybe slower shooting  than the SAW, BUT, boyo, boyo, boyo who ever
is on the  recieving end is in deep shit!
and the ATR is slower shooting still, but,  the love tap at the
recieiving end will ruin the reciever's whole day!

so these should be rated as very powerful weapons when compared to SAWs,
GPMGs/LMGs, and individual weapons that fire projectiles.

my thoughts!

DAWGIE