BR55HG SAW/IC Battle Rifle

The BR55HG SAW/IC Battle Rifle, or the BR55 Heavy Gunner Squad Automatic Weapon/Individual Combatant Battle Rifle, is a light machine gun variant of the standard BR55HB SR battle rifle, designed to be capable of laying down withering amounts of fully automatic fire. 
==Physical Appearance==
The BR55HG SAW/IC is a bullpup, fully automatic, UNSC light machine gun/rifle that fires the 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round. It fires from a 200 round magazine which fits flush in the receiver. The receiver is built directly into the underside of the butt of the gun and is located behind the grip (known as a bullpup configuration). 
This titanium alloy weapon is gas-operated with a rotating bolt and therefore must be cocked before the first round can be fired. The charging handle used to chamber the round is located on the left side of the weapon and does not move during operation. Once the first round is fired, the gases from that round and those to follow impinge upon a gas piston, which pushes back the bolt carrier, rotating the bolt inside and continuing to chamber rounds until the magazine is empty. Once the magazine is empty, the charging handle can either be pulled back and locked or, it can be fully cycled after a fresh mag has been housed. If it is pulled back and locked, then it must be pushed forward once a fresh magazine is housed to chamber a new round. The magazine release button is located on both sides of the gun with an arrow pointing down towards the housed mag in the stock. The ejection port is located on the right side of the weapon. There is also a fire selector on both sides of the ammo display. 
The BR55HG SAW/IC is notable for being much bulkier and heavier than the standard BR55HB SR or BR55 Battle Rifle. It weighs more, and is harder to hold due to an odd shaping. The BR55HG SAW/IC has a much larger magazine, and thus has a bigger butte of the gun. The BR55HG SAW/IC is able to use a belt fed magazine and can be attached with a tripod, which is typically done when the gun is being crewed by at least two people. However, when crewed by a single soldier or in mobile field operations, soldiers often forgo the tripod and belt magazine for greater mobility. 
==Development==
The BR55HG SAW/IC was developed in late 2552 as part of a UNSC effort to create numerous new variations of the BR55 Battle Rifle. Different weapons were created for different troops or needs, such as the BR55AT WW Battle Rifle for cold weather, or the BR55CW SA Battle Rifle for commando missions. The BR55HG SAW/IC was created to fill the niche of a man portable LMG with a high rate of fire and easy set up. The BR55HG SAW/IC was meant to be able to be used by either a single soldier, or a squad of them. It was always intended to be a weapon that can be modified for the situation at hand. 
==Changes from Standard BR55HB SR==
*Heavier Weight
*Larger magazine (200 rds as opposed to 36)
*Optional Tripod or belt magazine
*Bulkier
*Higher rate of fire
*Lower Accuracy
==Field Usage==
The BR55HG SAW/IC, unlike some of the other BR55 variants, saw widespread usage across many different parts of the military. It was a weapon designed to be a mainstream firearm, and it became one. One out of every five UNSC squads was issued a BR55HG SAW/IC, and it came into frequent usage of shock troopers and army personnel. The BR55HG SAW/IC gathered positive remarks from troops in the field, and it saw action on dozens of different planets during several different battles.
==Flaws==
While a remarkable weapon, the BR55HG SAW/IC is not without flaws. While the majority of UNSC personel give positive comments on the weapon, a few do not believe it is the best it can be. It has been commented on that the BR55HG SAW/IC is oddly shaped and hard to hold. It has also been stated that due to the weight of the BR55HG SAW/IC, which is nearly twice that of a BR55, it is difficult to maneuver and tiring to carry for long periods of time. 
==Remarks==
"The bee are fifty five ech gee ess eh double u eye see (BR55HG SAW/IC) is unique among the bee are fifty five (BR55) variants. Most don't stray far from the original, maybe no scope here, more customization there. But the bee are fifty five ech gee ess eh double u eye see (BR55HG SAW/IC) has major differences from the original. Its not so much a brother of the bee are fifty five (BR55) as a cousin." 
—unnamed drill instructor
"The thing is horrendously hard to hold, and weighs almost twice as much as the standard bee are fifty five (BR55). However, its monster firing rate and it's potential as both a squad and individual weapon outweigh these minor gripes by quite a bit." 
—unnamed army soldier
"I was a part of a riot/rebellion on Sigma Octanus Four. We had older weapon, like HMG-38s, but there were a lot of us. He made our way to the central plaza of the rebuilt Côte d'Azur, and began assaulting the local governor’s house. We broke in, raided the place, and ran out into the streets behind the house; tight, narrow alleys and service corridors. Next thing we knew, machine gun fire was coming from all sides, with a dozen gunners at least, and the entire squad dropped. In took two rounds in the abdomen nearly bled out, and everyone else died. Turns out that the "dozen gunners" was three people manning a single bee are fifty five ech gee ess eh double u eye see (BR55HG SAW/IC)." 
—rebel insurrectionist Don Flacksand currently doing prison time for treason
"Some people say that the things clip is to big, what with the 200 rounds standard and the 800 rounds belt fed, but what those critics forget is that even with an 800 round mag, it can deplete it's supply of bullets in around forty seconds, give or take." 
—unnamed UNSC heavy gunner
"The bee are fifty five ech gee ess eh double u eye see (BR55HG SAW/IC) is not as mainstream of an armament as the em eh five see (MA5C) or the bee are fifty five (BR55), but it's power and high rate of fire are slowly getting noticed by high command. Sooner or later it will be as mainstream an armament as those." 
—unnamed UNSC marine
"During battles with the Remnant, one of the greatest strengths of this gun came into focus: taking down hordes of grunts. If you thought the em eh five bee (MA5B) was good for mowing down the little bastards, then you'll be in love with this gun. Without shields, the little shits drop like rocks under the bee are fifty five ech gee ess eh double u eye see (BR55HG SAW/IC)'s full auto landslide of bullets." 
—UNSC marine
Category:UNSC Weapons
Category:BR55 series