Machine Guns
Suppression that wins ground.
Machine guns are about suppression, not headshots. They pin the enemy in place so the rest of the squad can move. Used as a team weapon they are decisive; used solo they are awkward.
What this page teaches
- The suppression role
- Setup and positioning
- Why MGs are team weapons
- Heavy ammo logistics
What role machine guns fill
Machine guns put out sustained fire that suppresses the enemy — forcing them into cover and pinning them so friendly infantry can advance or hold.
Their value is measured in enemy movement denied, not in kills.
Setup and positioning
Machine guns are most effective from a prepared, stable position with good fields of fire, and some require setting up rather than firing on the move.
Pick a position that covers an avenue of approach and has cover and a fallback.
Why they are team weapons
A machine gun alone suppresses but cannot exploit. The value appears when the suppressed enemy is then assaulted or outmanoeuvred by the rest of the squad.
Coordinate: the gun pins, the squad moves.
Heavy ammo logistics
Machine guns consume ammunition fast and use heavier ammo types, so a gunner needs a generous supply and ideally a teammate or nearby base to resupply from.
Running an MG dry at the wrong moment can collapse a suppression plan.
Related systems
Machine guns work with Infantry Basics and Trenches and Cover, where prepared positions make them especially strong.
Treating a machine gun as a personal kill weapon. Its job is suppression that lets the squad move — not a high score.
Set up where you cover an approach the enemy must use, and coordinate so your suppression actually buys movement for someone.