AAI GPHMG

     Country or Origin: United States

     Appears In: Company and other literature as early as the mid-1980s (as far as I know).

     Notes: This weapon was designed as a private venture for a replacement for the M2HB.  It aimed to fix a number of perceived problems with the M-2HB, such as the variable headspace and timing, the slow loading times, the lack of dual-belt ability, and other small details.   The AAI GPHMG can be fired from a tripod (NHT) or vehicle mount. The weapon has a dual-feed mechanism and is normally loaded within both BMG and SLAP belts. It also has a mount for sighting or ranging gear, a quick-change barrel, and does not require the tedious headspace and timing adjustments of the M2HB.  The AAI GPHMG fell victim to budgetary problems in the US government, and did not sell anywhere else.  It remains an interesting “what if.”

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The AAI GPHMG appeared too late for widespread distribution, but was acquired by the US military at the advice of the Chairman of the JCS.  It was popular and much sought-after. 

     Merc 2000 Notes: This is a weapon that sold better overseas than to the US military, most notably to the South Koreans.  Nonetheless, it was never a big seller.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

AAI GPHMG

.50 BMG

21.32 kg

110 Belt (x2)

$10104

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

AAI GPHMG (Normal Ammo)

5

10

2-2-3

12

1

3

450

AAI GPHMG (SLAP Ammo)

5

10

1-1-1

12

1

3

541

 

FN BRG-15

     Country of Origin: Belgium

     Appears in: I first heard of this weapon in the RDF Sourcebook, and later confirmed it in mid-1980s issues of Jane’s Infantry Weapons.

     Notes: This is a Belgian-made heavy machinegun designed to fill the gap between the .50 machinegun and the 20mm cannon. It was also conceptually influenced by the Russian KPV heavy machinegun and the British 15mm Besa. Though it looks very much like an M-2HB, the BRG-15 is gas-operated instead of recoil-operated with a rotating bolt. This is similar to an enlarged FN-FAL operation, and most of the operation takes place above the barrel, again like a FAL. It has a dual-feed system that gives the gunner a choice of ammunition. The BRG-15 can also be used on helicopter mounts.  It cannot be fired without a vehicle or tripod mount.  The BRG-15 uses the NHT and was given a hard look by US, NATO, Israeli, and other countries’ militaries, but eventually found no takers.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The BRG-15 partially replaced the M2HB in the USMC, Belgian, French, and Israeli Defense Forces. 

     Merc 2000 Notes: There is isolated special operations use of this weapon, but it is mostly unknown.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

BRG-15

15.5mm BRG

60 kg

100 Belt (x2)

$14552

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

BRG-15 (Normal Ammo)

5

12

2-2-3

14

1

2

479

BRG-15 (SLAP Ammo)

5

12

1-1-1

14

1

2

575

 

GE XM-214 Microgun

     Country or Origin: United States

     Appears in: The Microgun idea has been kicked around for while; it appears in literature as early as 1982 (as far as I've been able to find out).

     Notes: Also known as the Six-Pack or the Mini-Minigun, the XM-214 is s smaller version of the M-134 Minigun designed for use by ground or light vehicle-mounted troops to deliver massive amounts of small-caliber fire for defensive purposes.  It is basically similar to the Minigun, except that it fires 5.56mm NATO ammunition and have various differences in layout to adapt it to tripod and vehicle use.  Though rumors persist of its testing in various hot spots around the world, it is unknown whether the Microgun has seen any real combat use, and it remains officially an experimental weapon as of 2003.  The Microgun has two rates of fire, and can actually be hip-fired (though it is unwieldy).  Rumors say that this weapon gave the makers of the movie Predator the idea for their fictional man-packed minigun. 

     The Microgun is fed by a pair of 500-round belts contained in “cassettes,” roughly square containers of belts which are then connected to the gun by a feed chute. When the cassette is running dry, a flag is tripped telling the crew that they must soon switch the feed chute to the other cassette. This takes one phase. The Microgun may be run off of external power (it takes 24 Volts DC) or by a battery, which enough to fire 3000 rounds.  Recharging the battery takes 15 minutes.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon was type-standardized M-214 in 1992, though it was still not produced in great quantities.  In an odd sort of competition, it became sort of a badge of rank for command vehicles of infantry units to be armed with the Microgun whenever possible.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

XM-214

5.56mm NATO

18.06 kg

2x500 Belt

$5639

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

XM-214

10/60

3

1-Nil

7

1

2/6

58

XM-214 (Tripod)

10/60

3

1-Nil

7

1

1/1

116

 

Melanika Uirapuru

     Country of Origin: Brazil

     Appears in: Jane's and company literature up to the late 1990s.

     Notes: Designed to be the standard Brazilian machinegun, the Uirapuru fell victim to budget cuts and competition from cheaper imports before it could be widely produced and distributed. Built by Mekanika Industries, the Uirapuru is named after a rain forest bird and has proven to be an excellent and reliable machinegun, though a bit expensive. The weapon is simple but ergonomically built, and has a very efficient muzzle brake.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Unlike in the real world, the Uirapuru was widely built and distributed in the Twilight 2000 World.

     Merc 2000 Notes: The Uirapuru enjoyed lots of sales to mercenaries and clandestine units.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Uirapuru

7.62mm NATO

13 kg

100 Belt

$2589

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Uirapuru

10

4

2-3-Nil

8

2

8

79

Uirapuru (Bipod)

10

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

4

103

Uirapuru (Tripod)

10

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

2

159

 

Stange MG-39 Rh

     Appears in: Competition to replace the MG-34 just prior and during early World War 2.

     Notes: This Czech light machinegun dates back to the German request for a lighter, simplified, improved machinegun to replace the MG-34, which was eventually won by the MG-42.  The original requirements were a higher rate of fire, more reliability, better suited to mass production through the use of modern production methods such as stamped metal and spot-welding, and production which cut down time and the need for skilled labor.  The design was to use as many of the MG-34’s accessories as possible, such as the bipod, tripod, and non-disintegrating link belts as well as disintegrating-link belts.  As the design process at the stage at which the MG-39 Rh appeared, the designs to be submitted were still considered experiments and not required to be completely finalized.  The design proved to be superior in almost all ways to the other two prototypes, including the Grossfuss prototype design which eventually evolved into the MG-42.  However, Germany decided to go with the Grossfuss design anyway; but Stange decided to keep developing his gun, figuring that if the Grossfuss team couldn’t work out the bugs in their design, they would be waiting in the wings with a perfected design.

     The MG-39 Rh owes much to Vaclav Holek’s ZB-26, the gun that went on to become Britain’s Bren gun.  The MG-39 Rh has the tilting bolt locking method, the bolt carrier has bolt unlocking ramps, and the firing pin is contained within the bolt and the gun fires by striking a separate projection on the bolt carrier, therefore actuating the firing pin indirectly.  However, there were plenty of operating differences, including only having the front part of the bolt tilting upward for locking, the bolt meeting the barrel and stopping, but the bolt carrier continuing to move forward (which is what tilts the bolt). The ZB-26 was largely machined, but the MG-39 Rh was largely made of stamped metal, with spot-welding and riveting.  The only machined part is the core of the barrel mounting block.  The design of the locking lugs required that turn-bolt locked – some say this was an unnecessary complication.  Instead of simple recoil operation, the MG-39 Rh used gas operation, which brings up the specter of fouling.  Belt pull also uses a complicated operation, with the feed not gripping the rim of the cartridge, requiring a spring-loaded rim stabilizer, and the belt-feed mechanism contained entirely within the feed cover, with many small parts.  The MG-26 Rh’s extractor was also unusual, being an oscillating spur suspended from pivot pins and a projecting ejector plunger.  The bolt was surprisingly light, despite its complication, filling the requirement for a high rate of fire.  The firing pin is a three-pronged star shape to make it stronger, but requiring more skill on the part of laborers. (A conventional firing pin would be snapped by the violent action of the extractor system.)  The quick-change barrel was threaded, and had a handle on it, but required that a nut at the base of the barrel be tightened, negating much of the advantage of the handle.  This also resulted in a chronically leaky gas chamber.  Rotating off a hot, swollen, tight barrel often required banging the nut with a hammer.

     In the end, the design of the MG-39 Rh was simply too complicated and far more quirky than the MG-42 turned out to be.  However, some of its best design features would show up in later designs, such as on the PK and PKM and the Vz-59.  It was turned down by the German military. It was a marvelously lightweight design, but simply too complicated for a country in the middle of a major war that needed machineguns fast and built by largely unskilled labor.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

MG-39 Rh

8mm Mauser

6.55 kg

50 Belt, 100 Belt

$2758

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

MG-39 Rh

10

4

2-3-Nil

9

3

14

80

MG-39 Rh (Bipod)

10

4

2-3-Nil

9

1

7

104

MG-39 Rh (Tripod)

10

4

2-3-Nil

9

1

3

159