Infantry Machine Guns

This page will go over the types of machine guns, their representatives in the SSG Arma 3 mod pack. This page should not be considered gospel, it is simply a resource to allow for Sigma members to make an informed decision on the selection of machine guns.

Light Machine Guns
Light machine guns are machine guns that do not require any additional personnel to make full use of their capabilities. These are employed by fire teams to provide substantial suppressive fire. This single user does not mean that the fire team should not carry additional ammo for the gun.

FN Minimi (M249 SAW, L110)
The 249 is perhaps the most common machine gun carried by Sigma. Utilizing the lightweight 5.56 round, it is not uncommon for a single SAW gunner to carry over 1000 rounds in 200 round belts.

Mk.48
The Mk.48 is an M249 chambered in 7.62. It is employed by special forces to provide a lightweight 7.62 machine gun option without an overweight gun. The disadvantage is the weight of the ammo, a 100 round belt of 7.62 can weigh close to that of a 200 round belt of 5.56 for the M249.

Stoner 99
The stoner 99 is based on the Knights Armament "light assault machine gun", utilizing the constant recoil concept. The Arma version, chambered in 6.8 cased provides similar fire capabilities to the M249, with a heavier cartridge that should allow for increased penetration, and range (this has not been tested).

Negev NG7
Chambered the Negev is the Israeli Defense Force equivalent to the M249. The 5.56 version features a functioning belt and magazine feed, currently unavailable with our mod-pack. Arma only offers the NG7 variant firing 7.62 NATO, however, it isn't compatible with the RHS or NI Arms ammo and doesn't have access to AP

RPK
Essentially a reinforced AK, the RPK fills a similar role to the M249 in Russian and ex-soviet militaries. Available in both 5.45 and 7.62x39, the RPK is the only magazine-fed LMG in the Sigma mod-pack. This allows for the rapid reload afforded by automatic rifles, while maintaining the suppressive fire provided by other LMG's.

Automatic Rifles
Automatic rifles evolved out of the magazine-fed LMG's and are typically heavy/long-barreled version of the standard service rifles of their respective military branch. This allows them to be pressed into suppressive fire duty in critical circumstances. However, this is not ideal as automatic rifles do not have a quick change barrel, and heat quickly builds up.

M27 IAR
The new U.S.M.C. standard service rifle based on the HK416 with a longer heavy barrel. Originally adopted to replace the M249, it was later introduced as the standard service rifle, additionally filling the role of  DMR.

L86 LSW
British long-barreled bullpup AR. Likely more useful as a DMR than as an AR.

AUG HBAR
The Austrian (and Australian) service rifle with an extended heavy barrel to allow for sustained automatic fire.

QBZ-95-1 LSW
A long heavy barrel variant of the Chinese service rifle. Firing the 5.8 Chinese intermediate cartridge, similar to the 5.56 or 5.45, the weapon can take both 100 round drum mags and standard 30 round stick mags

MG 36
A heavy variant of the G36 German service rifle, the MG36 was not adopted as an AR as its polymer construction caused significant overheating issues with sustained fire

MX LSW
Vanilla Arma 6.8 caseless automatic rifle.

FN MAG (M240)
Firing 7.62x51 NATO, the FN MAG is one of the 2 most used NATO GPMGs recently. Balancing fire rate and portability, the FN MAG can lay down sustained fire while still being foot portable, and not burning through the Ammo supply.

PKM/PKP
Firing the 7.62x54R (rimmed), the ammo is significantly heavier than the Nato 7.62x51. However, the PK design is much older than the FN MAG, introduced just after WWII. The PKM is a modernized upgrade, and the PKP is a further modernized variant with an optics rail. The PK series offers many of the same benefits of the FN mag in terms of sustained fire and portability.

MG3/42
The original GPMG, the MG 42 earned the nickname Hitler's buzzsaw due to its incredible fire rate of 1200rpm. This firing rate was designed into the gun for its use as an anti-air weapon. Originally firing the 7.92x57 Mauser, this caused logistical issues for the Bundeswehr in WWII as their service rifles fired a different cartridge, and the MG42 burned through ammo. Post-war, the West German military took the proven design and re-chambered it in 7.62x51 NATO, slightly reducing fire rate and effectively solving the logistical issues as this was the standard rifle cartridge at the time. This became the MG3, though the 1000 RPM fire rate will chew through ammo if not carefully controlled.

HK121 (MG5)
Firing 7.62x51 NATO, the HK121 began entering service in the Bundeswehr in 2015, replacing the MG3 with an easier to control fire rate. For some reason the Arma variant also fires a 9.3x63 round, which to my knowledge hasn't actually been used for combat. The Current variant is only compatible with BAF 7.62 ammo.

LWMMG
Firing the new .338 Norma Magnum, the LWMMG is designed to bridge the gap between the M2 and the M240. Slightly lighter than the M240, the .338NM should pack more punch than a 7.62 weapon, however it only fires vanilla ammo and hasn't been tested.

M60
Firing 7.62x51 NATO, the M60 was introduced in 1957, but quickly showed it's flaws in Vietnam. It was replaced by the M240 in the late 1970s

M2
Firing the .50 BMG round, the M2 was introduced in 1919 and is still in service in the US Military. The M2 is capable of penetrating light armor, or medium armor when firing M903 SLAP rounds.

DShK
Essentially the Soviet equivalent of the M2 firing a similar 12.7 round

NSV
Successor to the DShK, originally designed as a competitor to the PKM. The NSV fires the same 12.7 as the DShK, but is about 10kg lighter

KORD
Replacement for the NSV firing the same 12.7 round, the reworked internals provide reduced recoil thus increased accuracy with sustained fire.

Mk.19
Firing a high-velocity 40mm grenade, it can easily reach out to 1500m. It most commonly fires HEDP, but can also fire canister rounds (think giant shotgun).

AGS-30
Fires 30mm grenades, the AGS-30 only weighs 30kg loaded, and can be carried by one man. While perhaps not packing as much punch as a Mk. 19, the AGS-30 is much more portable.