KC-M5 Heavy Machinegun

Production Information

 * Manufacturer: Karavin Concern
 * Model: KC-M5 Heavy Machinegun
 * Affiliation: Closed-Market | Eternal Empire
 * Modularity: Yes - Can be mounted onto a tripod or on vehicles, uses ammunition belts of variable capacity
 * Production: Mass-Produced

Technical Specifications

 * Material: Durasteel


 * Classification: Heavy Machinegun
 * Size: Large
 * Weight: Very Heavy
 * Ammunition Type: Belt-fed Slugs
 * Ammunition Capacity: 100 to 400-round belts
 * Reload Speed: Slow
 * Effective Range: Long Range
 * Rate of Fire: Very High
 * Stopping Power: High
 * Recoil: Average

Advanced Features

 * Belt-fed Receiver: The KC-M5 is designed to be fed by a belt, which allows for a variable ammunition capacity
 * Standardized Mounting System: The KC-M5 utilizes a universal mounting system which allows it to be swivel-mounted onto any vehicle or emplacement with the appropriate mount

Strengths

 * Suppressive Fire: The KC-M5's features a bolt assembly which allows it to maintain a high rate of fire, making it ideal for suppressing enemy formations
 * Belt-fed Ammunition: The KC-M5 is designed to be fed by a belt, which gives it a lot of flexibility in terms of ammunition capacity, supporting a maximum of 400 rounds before having to cool down
 * Quick-change Barrel: The KC-M5 is designed to enable its operators to quickly and easily change its barrel for a new one

Weaknesses

 * Crew-Served: The KC-M5 is a heavy weapon which requires a crew of two to operate effectively and transport, a gunner and a loader
 * Must Be Stationary: Unless mounted on a vehicle, the KC-M5 is too heavy to be fired on the move, requiring it to be deployed onto a tripod before being able to fire
 * Periodic Barrel Change: The KC-M5's high rate of fire causes barrel errosion, requiring the barrel to be swapped out every 1600 shots

Description
As the Eternal Empire's military lacks the manpower of other galactic governments, its doctrine has evolved to take a combined arms approach to warfare, heavily relying upon force multiplication such as heavy artillery barrages and prepared fighting positions. This required the development of heavy weapons capable of a high rate of fire, which can provide the adequate support that its battlefield doctrine relies upon for success.

The KC-M5 is one such weapon. Developed and manufactured by Karavin Concern, a large military-industrial conglomerate based on Kalidan, which supplies the majority of the Eternal Army's military equipment, the M5 is a belt-fed heavy machinegun designed to be mounted on a tripod or on a vehicle and provide heavy, extended-duration suppressive fire.

Forgoing the more conventional blaster design, Karavin opted for a slugthrower, simplifying the weapon by eliminating the need to carry both Tibana gas and a power cell. Its receiver can be fed from belts of varying capacity, ranging from one to four hundred rounds of ammunition, requiring a cooldown after four hundred shots in order to prevent the barrel from overheating.

In infantry service, the weapon requires a crew of two to transport and operate effectively, a gunner and a loader, as it is too heavy to allow both the weapon and its ammunition to be transported and handled by a single person. Additionally, because of the weight the weapon can not be fired on the move and it must first be deployed by mounting it upon a tripod. Despite all of these drawbacks, it is an excellent weapon for laying down sustained suppressive fire upon enemy formations of varying sizes.