KC-249 General Purpose Repeating Blaster

Production Information

 * Manufacturer: Karavin Concern
 * Model: KC-249 General Purpose Repeating Blaster
 * Affiliation: Closed-Market | Eternal Empire
 * Modularity: Yes - Can be mounted onto a tripod and fed from a larger external power cell
 * Production: Mass-Produced

Technical Specifications

 * Material: Durasteel


 * Classification: Heavy Repeating Blaster
 * Size: Large
 * Weight: Heavy
 * Ammunition Type: Standard Power Cell consisting of a battery and Tibana gas canister in a single package
 * Ammunition Capacity: 300 Shots (In mounted configuration, using external power cell), 100 Shots (In portable configuration)
 * Reload Speed: Fast
 * Effective Range: Average
 * Rate of Fire: High
 * Stopping Power: Average
 * Recoil: High

Advanced Features

 * Composite Power Cells: The KC-249 uses a composite power cell design, storing the tibana gas and battery in the same container, enabling faster reloading
 * Tripod Mount: The KC-249 can also be mounted on a fixed tripod, which enables it to be fed from a higher capacity, albeit heavier external power cell through a connector which slots into the weapon's magazine well

Strengths

 * Fast Reload: The KC-249's design enables its user to quickly swap out spent power cells for new ones
 * Suppressing Fire: The KC-249's high rate of fire makes it an excellent support weapon, especially in the tripod-mounted configuration, which gives it the benefit of the larger power cell as well

Weaknesses

 * Unwieldy: The KC-249's high rate of fire imparts a high recoil on the weapon, making it unwieldy and difficult to control. Due to its weight, it is also practically impossible to fire this weapon while on the move
 * Inaccurate: The KC-249 is designed to output a high amount of firepower against massed enemy formations and fixed emplacements. Consequently, it is an inaccurate weapon ill suited for picking off single targets and will perform very poorly in situations where precision is required

Description
The KC-249 is Karavin Concern's answer to the Eternal Army's need for a relatively lightweight and portable squad support weapon. Drawing upon experience gained from the development of the military-industrial conglomerate's S-series of blasters, the 249 features a self-contained power cell design, the battery and tibana gas cannister being enclosed in a single, shared container that can be swapped out, allowing quicker and easier reloading at the cost of more expensive magazines.

Developed alongside the S4C light repeating carbine, the KC-249 shares many of its features, such as the firing mechanism, but in a larger, heavier receiver. A highly versatile, albeit inaccurate support weapon, the KC-249 can be mounted onto a tripod or swivel, allowing it to be fed by a larger, higher capacity power cell that is normally too heavy to be fitted onto a portable weapon. In this configuration, it is a crew-served weapon, requiring a two-man crew to carry and operate, due to the added weight of the larger power cell and the tripod.

In its portable configuration, the KC-249 uses a smaller, 100-shot power cell and features a foldable bipod mounted under the barrel, an essential addition as the weapon is too heavy and unwieldy due to its high recoil, to be fired on the move, forcing the operator to remain stationary while firing the weapon.

The KC-249 is issued to all branches of the Eternal Army as a support weapon, used to provide suppressing fire for advancing infantry. It is also used as a fixed turret in some defensive emplacements such as bunkers or towers, most notably deployed in prison guard towers by law enforcement. Aside from the Eternal Empire, the KC-249 is also in service with some mercenary organizations, as well as several planetary defense militias within the Unknown Regions.