(This article is currently under construction!)
1 Information
The machine guns/autocannons are auxiliary support weapon that are available to many combat units in the game. This article covers them in details.
2 Overview
Many vehicles appearing in the game are equipped with extra machine gun and autocannon type weapons alongside their primary weapon systems; which can further augment their combat effectiveness against the enemy. The types and firepower of the machine guns/autocannons used by the units vary greatly, but their mechanics are identical.
In the game data, these types of auxiliary weapons are collectively labelled as 'machine guns' for description reasons; even though their actual specifications in the game vary greatly from standard heavy machine guns to high-calibre autocannons in both appearances and performances. This article will adopt this convention for simplicity as well.
3 Mechanics
Machine guns can be fired by pressing down the key (Default: 'X') while occupying the unit equipped with them in the first-person mode. The AI-controlled units will always employ their machine guns when aiming down and attacking enemy units in range along with their main weapons during combat. Similar to primary projectile weapons, firing machine guns will cost energy from the unit -- 1 (100) energy point is required for 300 (30000) weapon damage output.
There are many notable differences between the mechanics and behaviours of the normal projectile type (primary) weapons and the machine gun (auxiliary) type weapons:
- The projectile weapons possess full physics properties and attributes, and so their individual characteristics and performances can vary greatly from each other. On contrary, the machine guns possess identical mechanics aside from their individual damage output and visual/sound effects.
- The machine guns are 'hit-scan' type weapons. Unlike the normal projectile weapons, the hit registration of the machine guns is instant, and there is no particular projectile travel time to inflict damage on target. In other words, the machine guns are not bound to the normal physical limitations of the projectile type weapons, and can damage the target instantly as long as it is fired at the target in reticule that is within the effective range of machine guns.
- The machine guns possess an universal range of 1000 in-game distance unit regardless of their types and firepower, which is slightly shorter than the length of a full sector. This distance is shorter than the ranges of most primary weapon projectiles and therefore practically limits the usage of machine guns to standard 'in-range contact' combat situations, which also compensates their hit-scan check advantage.
- The machine guns can damage more than one unit as long as there are multiple units aligned into the trace vector of the machine gun's reticule arc. Which means they have a potential to inflict more damage than usual when fired upon a closely packed group of enemy units. The default radius of the hit registration of machine guns is 5. Which is quite smaller than normal projectile weapons, but compensated by its ability to damage multiple units.
- The machine guns can damage targets placed behind the obstacles, such as buildings/structures or terrains. This feature allows them to be more effectively used in a terrain environment with numerous obstacles, where the normal projectile weapons cannot otherwise hit targets. Conversely, the machine guns cannot be used to damage non-unit type buildings/structures (such as power stations), as they will simply pass through them.
4 Damage Output
Different units are equipped with different types of machine guns/autocannons, and therefore there is a great variation in firepower. This list will contain the damage output of the machine gun/autocannon for each unit.
Under Construction. For now, this information is separately covered under the individual 'Statistical Database' sections under the individual unit entries on Lexicon.
5 Trivia
Under Construction.
6 Notes
Under Construction.