Machine guns and cover

[S-Array 03]

Hello, I was wondering how other players tend to use HMGs, particularly those that lie on the ground like the maxim. Due to the way that HMGs are implemented, they are technically vehicles and as such cannot be posted at windows in building, or put laying on a brick wall to use as cover etc...

For lafette mounts and AA Doushkas, this is not much of an issue as the gun stands on a fairly high tripod, usually enough that the barrel is above the cover. But I find the liying position HMG rather difficult to use in comparison since they can't raise above cover. There seem to be very few places where they can be used to their best.

And in general I find that HMG crew tend to die very fast, especially since (AFAIK) suppression does not inflict any kind of debuff to the target infantry beyond forcing them prone or otherwise hide behind cover. So when a squad comes out in the open and your HMG opens up, they all just go prone becoming harder to hit, and fire back with impunity at your HMG.

All in all it just seems better to have a couple LMG soldiers around, with the only downside being magazine size and total ammo?

[Raubritter]

Originally posted by S-Array 03:

All in all it just seems better to have a couple LMG soldiers around, with the only downside being magazine size and total ammo?

I think HMGs also have higher accuracy. Some Soviet and American HMGs (Dushka and M2) also have much higher damage and can be a threat to soft vehicles and even some light AFVs.

But yes by and large they are a pain to use, especially since unlike heavier guns they cannot be towed, so the crew has to lug them around on foot. I only use them in defence personally, I put them somewhere and I forget about it. If I need a mobile MG, I use an MG tank or half-track.

[Capy-baron]

You can try positioning short-tripod MGs inside trenches and/or foxholes. It requires some microing to get it deep inside while still having the clear line of fire, but it makes them less vulnerable to small-arms. They can still be shot, but at this point they're easier to deal with using some small caliber HE or grenades, rather than try to shoot them.

[Saxhorn]

I was wondering how other players tend to use HMGs

In general we don't because they are awful and your MP, CP or DP are better spent on just about anything else.

The DsHK is an exception. I expect the M2HB will also get used but any .30 cal will be as useless as all the other "tripod" mounted MGs.

[Urk_da_WAAAGH!]

Usually I just separate the LMG section of my squads from the rest and use them separately as a more stealth and mobile MG fire team

[dibil]

the lie-down static machine guns dont even really need cover because they usually have face shields (DSHK stand, maxim, etc.) which protects the soldier from small arms

also yes static machine guns usually suck trash most of the time, they were especially horrible in mow:AS2, but the devs in GoH tried to remedy this by giving static machine guns much higher accuracy and ammo count than LMG soldiers

use them for defense not for offense obviously

[S-Array 03]

The cover problem isn't that they do or don't have it, it's that terrain cover blocks line of sight for the machine gun very often so there tend to be few spots where they actually have good coverage if at all.

[dibil]

Originally posted by S-Array 03:

The cover problem isn't that they do or don't have it, it's that terrain cover blocks line of sight for the machine gun very often so there tend to be few spots where they actually have good coverage if at all.

watch the terrain from the side and look for hills to place them onto