That's not completely true...

A lot of game hosts use ammo restrictions... for instance... a rifle / smg can have 300 rounds on them... and no hicaps (including drum mags).

A SAW gunner (with SAW gun... ) can have 600 rounds, and use their drum mag...

More often then not, slapping a drum mag on an AK / M4 / G36 DOES NOT make you a SAW gunner.

The SAW gives sustained support fire.

Since it has the big beefy mechbox you can keep dumping bursts down without the same worry that a guy with a MP5 etc. and a drum mag will have of shredding his internals.

Well in terms of actual performance of the gun itself (host-imposed ammo restrictions aside), what I said is correct.

But Shelled is correct. In practice, games will often have ammo restrictions with the amount carried, and many will not allow standard rifles to be used as LMGs with drum mags.

If employed properly in a support gunner role the saw gunner ends up carrying more and running more than anyone else.

Often support guns are deployed on the flanks of the line of battle .. which means when contact happens the gunner has to make a mad rush to get set up on the flank.

You want your gunners on the flanks so that they can suppress while the formation moves up without worrying about someone walking in front of your fire.

If you put gunners in the middle of the line.. the width of arc will get smaller and smaller as your guys advance.. and you will get B on B happening.

Once your guys are assaulting you can swing your fire to the rear of the enemy to provide cut off if you are deployed on the flank

At real cap games (i.e. the # of BBs in a mag is "real" to what real steel would be) and ammo limited games (i.e. the total number of BBs you can have with you regardless of what capacity mags you have).....SAW/LMG gunners can really swing the tide of things. They are then usually allowed more ammo (total and at any given time) than rifleman loads.

It would suck if at such games EVERYONE came out to such a game with a SAW/LMG...but that tends not to happen.

They work great when combined with riflemen. They work great for stitching an area while others move up (if every just holes up and snipes pot shots then they quickly lose their effect), laying in enough fire to flush out a position (i.e. to displace an opponent so your buddies can get the drop on them). They bring sustained firepower (even if they're shooting the same ammo/same FPS as rifles)...by virtue of their larger ammo capacity.

All of the above works for ammo cap/real cap stuff....when every rifle on the field has 300 rounds on tap or each guy can carry 3000 rounds....it doesn't make that much of a difference. Then you'd be better off designating a couple of guys to be "squad gunners", almost regardless of the rifles they have in their hands.

The common thing in all this...is that any use of them works best when teamed up with a couple of other guys. Work together and you'll be able to really exert maximum pressure and kick ass. With rare exception a SAW gunner on their own is going to get chewed up as fast as a lone rifleman or anyone else.

First, metaltechs are CRAP BBs. I bought a bag 2 yrs ago to try them out. They shot worse than flying colors in my G3, they JAMMED another guy's PTW, and they were shooting all over the place.
Second, high quality BB nothing. If your a good guntech you can run shit BB's in any gun. I've heard dozens of people talking about how flying colors are crap and they jam stock guns, and they jam upgraded guns, and they jam mags. I've shot over 20 bags of flying colors and not once have I EVER had a jam in any of my 6.03 tightbore barrels.
Third, my 249 gets the same range as my M4, which is about as good of a range as you can get out of an AEG using .28s

What are "flying colours"?...a brand?

Dude still waiting for you to answer my mp's

Yes, its a budget brand available at a lot of different retailers. Its often associated with the Soft air clearsoft market as its sold at many hunting/fishing stores.

They have a range of weights, and are always coloured (in a variety).

http://ultracartthumbs.s3.amazonaws....191594DDF7.jpg

Oh wow, thanks everyone! I learn a lot about LMGs. Thanks for your time.

I desided not to get one mainly because of the cost.

I'm usually playing as a sniper and on some occasions, assault.

But I did one game as a LMGer using an RPK and it was very refreshing.

Basically, my role was laying down supressive fire while my teamates would move into position to flank or assault. While they form a skirmish line and fire at the ennemy on semi and move in bounding 2 mans teams, I would keep up with them and keept a large volume of fire outgoing. It was easyer to do with a drum-mag and full auto compared to 30-60 rounds lowcaps.

If you play milsim and everyone respect the roles and limitations of it's weapon and position, a LMGer will be spraying a lot of BBs while covering your team movement. Compared to assaulter, wich purpose was delivering more aimed shots and manuvering for the kill.

Comments from people playing against us was: "Man, how many of you where there? it was an incessant barrage of fire!"

I think the cheapest LMG you can buy is the RPK or MG36. Modded AK47 will run you probably sub 1k$ compared to a M249 that will be over 1K$ stock.

A lot of stricter games don't accept the MG36 as a LMG however.

And you can get an A&K M249 for well under $1K (new).

I wanted one too. And just this sunday got to use one for a match. It was a full metal M249 and at first I joked around wanting to carry 2 of them but just running around with 1 I've gained a new respect for that gun. IT'S HEAVY! Easily one of the heaviest I've gotten the pleasure of using.

It's safe to say I never want to own one now lol. Well maybe if I can turn one into a back mounted gat... :rolleyes:

Like everyone else said, supression and support role. We did attack and defend and a team member had his M249 while defending and would literally just pour BB's out onto the advancing forces keeping them back.

+1

I just got a brand new A&K M249 (C9). Well im about to get it as its not even out yet. On preorder for April 30th. And yes, for WELL under $1000. I could buy 2 of these beasts for that kind of money...

its not really any more expensive then a mid to high-end AEG

I dunno about the suppression and support role, exclusively. Mine's an assault rifle on steroids. It's also not the heaviest gun I have (my SAM-R, when fully accessorized, holds that title).

I think LMGs are a bit like sniper rifles: you need to really want to get into that role, it's not just something you start using randomly. I really wanted to play with one and a while back Brakoo lent me his for a game; after that test drive, I knew it was something I had to buy.

But if you're just looking for another AEG, it probably isn't the right gun for you.