Mounted Machinegun

## Description

**Mounted Machineguns** are Large Items which require placement on a Tripod before they can be fired. They are carried on the shoulder and prevent the use of Weapons or Items while being carried. They are produced in either a Factory or Mass Production Factory like other Weapons. The Tripods they must be placed on are also produced in the Factory, and then need to be deployed separately.

The mounted machineguns are chambered in 12.7mm like the portable Machine Guns but have more range and damage and larger magazines.

The assembled gun&tripod is considered a structure. It can decay and take damage from 12.7mm and heavy explosives.

The weapon can also be mounted on a Half-Track instead of a tripod.

## Mounted Machinegun List

* **Lamentum mm.IV**
* **Malone Ratcatcher MK.1**

## How To Use

### Assembly

To place a mounted machinegun, you must first place a tripod on the ground or other suitable position (Trench ledge, short wall, etc). To do that, pick up a tripod, press `B` and place the tripod with `LMB`. The tripod has a specific direction which will define the firing arc of whatever tripod weapon is installed on it. You can rotate the tripod by with `RMB + mouse movement` before placing it. Pick up a mounted machinegun, press `B` then `LMB` on a deployed tripod.

### Using the gun

Once the gun is installed, press `Q` to get on it and fire like you would any other gun. The spare magazines should be either on yourself or in the gun's inventory which you open by pressing `E`.

Like every other mounted weapon, you always aim exactly where your cursor is. Unlike infantry firearms, if you aim at the ground your bullets will land on the ground (minus the inaccuracy).

### Disassembly

When you want to move the gun, open its menu with `E` then click the "Pack Up" button  at the bottom. Both the gun and the tripod will fall to ground as well as the spare magazines. You can then pick up the gun and tripod with `V` to redeploy somewhere else.

## Tactics

Because they are fixed on a tripod that requires a few seconds to disassemble the mounted machineguns give you far less mobility than the portable MGs. They should therefor be preferably placed in well defended areas with a wide open field in front to take advantage of the gun's superior range. High ground is also a key advantage.
They cannot be placed inside bunkers.

Tripod mounted machineguns are invisible at night, just like infantry. They can also be hidden by being placed inside bushes, but are revealed to people within 10m. Only their firing effects (smoke and flashes from the barrel) will betray their presence.

The mounted machinegun's targets are infantry and unarmor or light armored vehicles. They can also damage certain structures.

### Destruction Power on Structures

Unlike other small arms calibers, 12.7mm machine guns are powerful enough to deal damage and destroy the weaker structures of the game. They can damage:

* Any structure made of fabric (Tier 1 Bunkers, Encampments, Rifle Pillboxes, etc) except sandbags.
* Any Shippable (structures moved by cranes, like Containers, pallets, 68mm Anti-Tank Cannons, etc)
* Watch Towers, Tier 1 Gates, Storage Boxes, Tripods, Fire Pits

### Counters

Mounted Machineguns can be countered by Field Machine Gun which are very resistant to 12.7mm unlike tripods. They can also be stopped by Mortars, either Mortar Shell to kill the gun or Mortar Shrapnel Shell to kill the gunner. Sniper Rifles can also safely take down the gunner since they outrange the machinegun.

They can also be pushed with heavy armor vehicles which can shrug off even 12.7mm.

Artillery can also be used. The mounted machineguns are often used in dense defensive networks so the shells can both take down the gun and damage surrounding defenses.

If cover (Trenchs, Sandbags Wall, etc...) is available in front of the machine gun, infantry can sneak close enough to throw Gas Grenades or Frag Grenades at the gunner. The mounted machinegun having a fixed firing arc is also susceptible to flanking.

## Tips

* Like other shoulder carried items, you will automatically drop the mounted machinegun if you try to swim with it. One consequence of this is that you won't be able to deploy tripod mounted weapons on the other side of destroyed bridges that can be crossed by infantry (your soldier has to swim across the tiny gap in the middle).

## Gallery

* Ratcatcher mounted machinegun on its tripod.
* Ratcatcher mounted machinegun on a tripod in a Trench.
* Ratcatcher on a Niska Mk. 1 Half-Track.