Medium Machine Gun


 * This article is about the weapon type called "Medium Machine Gun". For the infantry unit carrying such a weapon, see MMG (Unit).

A Medium Machine Gun (MMG) is an automatic weapon firing full-powered bullets (usually 7.62x51mm or 7.62x54mm) from a Belt. The sturdy construction of the weapon, its belt-feeding mechanism and built-in attachments (such as a Bipod) allow the MMG to sustain fire over long periods of time, far more effectively than any Assault Rifle. The heavier "full-powered" bullets used by the MMG make it more deadly with each impact than the smaller Automatic Rifles.

MMGs are dangerous to infantry, capable of seriously injuring an infantryman with just one hit, if not killing them outright. The high rate of fire generates a lot of suppression as well, rendering ineffective anyone who isn't directly hit by the flying rounds. The full-powered bullets of the MMG are also capable of going through obstacles more easily than the "Intermediate" rounds fired by Assault Rifles, easily penetrating materials like bullet-proof glass, thick wood, or even light armor such as kevlar. They are not heavy enough to go through concrete or proper armor.

The MMG itself is the heaviest of all Small Arms. While it can still be operated by a single individual, that individual cannot carry enough ammunition on their own to keep firing for very long - requiring someone else to carry the extra ammunition for them. All of this weight is significant enough that MMGs are not normally carried by members of a Fireteam; instead, the MMG gunner and ammo carrier are split into a separate unit (known as MMG), which can move independently of other units to seek positions from which to provide heavy covering fire.

In some circumstances, the MMG is carried by Automatic Riflemen instead of a normal Automatic Rifle. In this case, the MMG may be called a "Light Machine Gun" instead, though this term is rarely (and inconsistently) used in ShackTac. In this role the MMG is used similarly to an Automatic Rifle, except it is largely unsuitable for firing on the move or during an Assault, preferring longer-ranged engagements with the enemy.

Finally, the MMG is often found installed on a variety of vehicles, either as a main weapon (on light support vehicles such as the HMMVW) or as a secondary anti-infantry weapon (on heavier vehicles, up to and including Tanks).

Models
ShackTac's Modset offers a limited variety of different Medium Machine Gun models.

BLUFOR's primary MMG is the M249, originally known as the "FN MAG". This Belgian weapon fires the standard 7.62x51mm NATO bullet, and is typically supplied with 200-round Ammo Boxes. The same weapon is found mounted on a variety of American vehicles, from the HMMWV scout vehicle to the Abrams tank.

Prior to the M240, the Americans used the M60 machine gun for several decades, especially during the Vietnam War. Though uncommon in ShackTac, it can still be seen in scenarios taking place during that war, and occasionally mounted on older armored vehicles such as the M113, as well as in the doors of older Huey helicopter models.

The main OPFOR MMG is the PKM, which fires 7.62x54R bullets. Though similar in effectiveness to the M240, it has several minor drawbacks including slightly-longer reload times. The PKT is the vehicle-mounted version of this weapon, found on pretty much any OPFOR armed ground vehicle, either as a main weapon or a secondary one. Since the early 2000s, the PKM has been gradually replaced by its most modern version - the PKP.

Another Medium Machine Gun occasionally featured in ShackTack is the German MG 3, or any of its older models. The original version of this weapon was used by the Germans in World War 2, firing 7.92x57mm bullets at a very high rate for Small Arms of the period. The modern MG 3 was developed to use the standard 7.62x51mm NATO rounds - while retaining its famous firing rate.

MMG Team


For the most part, Infantry carrying a Medium Machine Gun and its ammunition are split into a separate unit known as an MMG team. This unit is dedicated to operating the Medium Machine Gun in support of other Infantry units.

This separation carries two benefits:
 * 1) It prevents the MMG's weight from slowing down Fireteams, allowing the Fireteams to advance faster and Assault enemy positions if necessary, while the MMG separately finds a good firing position from which to cover them.
 * 2) It allows the MMG to be seamlessly moved from position to position in order to support whichever Squad needs them the most, or to create anti-infantry blocking positions, without having to post an entire Squad/Fireteam to that task.

The MMG team typically consists of only two players: A Gunner, responsible for carrying and firing the weapon; And an Ammo Man, responsible for carrying additional ammunition. On occasion, the MMG team may also have a Leader, whose task is to maintain communications with Command over the Radio, while also using Binoculars to spot enemies and direct the MMG's fire onto them. Otherwise, the Gunner or Ammo Man can serve as a Leader as well.

MMG units are very useful for attacking enemies at long range, providing cover for other units during defensive or offensive maneuvers. However the unit is significantly less capable when encountering enemies at close range, and has few or no weapons to tackle armored targets. Therefore, the MMG unit relies on other Infantry units to provide it with mutual protection, and will rarely stray far from them - especially in situations where the enemy is expected to come from multiple directions. MMG will often be seen hopping from one friendly position to the next, bolstering a Squad's firepower for some time before moving to assist someone else. They move alongside the infantry if at all possible.

MMG Teams are generally subordinated directly to an Infantry Platoon commander, whether they behave as an independent unit or operate closely with one specific Squad. Nevertheless, they often maintain close communications with a nearby Squad Leader, possibly even switching over to that squad's 343 radio net.

Light Machine Guns
Instead of splitting the MMG Gunner and Ammo Man into a separate unit (see above), the MMG may occasionally be integrated directly into the Squads themselves, replacing the normal Automatic Rifleman and Assistant Automatic Rifleman respectively. In most armies, this changes the classification of the weapon from "Medium Machine Gun" to "Light Machine Gun", even though the exact same weapon is used in both cases.

LMGs provide heavier firepower to the Squad than Automatic Rifles, but are less gainly. They provide much less assistance during Assaults, but are significantly more effective when engaging enemies at longer ranges.

Due to the total weight allowance spent on the weapons and its ammo, only one LMG is typically distributed to each Fireteam, replacing two Automatic Rifles. Thus, the Fireteam will have only one LMG Gunner, one Ammo Man, and three Riflemen or AT Riflemen.

The LMG setup is significantly rarer in ShackTac missions than the normal Automatic Rifle setup. It is most often encountered in mid-20th century scenarios, such as Vietnam or World War 2 era missions, where Automatic Rifles have not even been invented yet. LMGs are also sometimes carried by low-tech armies, militias, or INDFOR. Certain modern military forces still use LMGs instead of ARs to this day.

The term "Light Machine Gun" is largely unused in ShackTac. Players have in the past referred to the weapon as "MMG" even when distributed to the Fireteams. The term "Light Machine Gun" or "LMG" is nevertheless used on this wiki to prevent confusion.