[firebug]

I just want to see if I'm missing something...

The Ares MP-LMG is a pretty decent LMG.  It's 12F (so you can buy it at chargen), comes with 2 or 3 Recoil Compensation out of the box, and is only 1,500¥.

But directly underneath it is what's probably the most pointless LMG printed, as it is in no way ever worth purchasing or using over the gun printed two lines above it in the chart (and immediately above it in the descriptive text).

The GE Vindicator is 16F, comes with no recoil compensation, uses 15 bullets instead of 10 for a Full Burst (with no added benefit), has no standard upgrades to speak of, and even requires an additional action to bring the barrel up to speed before it can be fire, even going so far as to specify that it makes an "easily recognizable and audible" sound.  To top the dungpile off, it's actually three times more expensive than the MP-LMG, plus another 1000 on top.

Why was this gun even printed?  Every difference from the norm of LMGs it has is a downgrade and it's not even cheaper.

[CanRay]

Ares marketing and contracts.  Sure, you got those nice Ares Alphas for your front-line troops, but with the purchase of ten cases of MP-LMGs you'll get the extended maintenance contract at 20% off that'll guarantee you spare parts and ammo deliveries in less than 24-hours!  Even if the unit is undergoing combat!!!

[Angelone]

Because nothing can quite make the opposition crap their pants quicker than a minigun. They sound like hell itself is opening up.

[CanRay]

Because nothing can quite make the opposition crap their pants quicker than a minigun. They sound like hell itself is opening up.

True enough.

Hitler's Zipper has nothing on a minigun.

[Mirikon]

That's because you're not thinking clearly, Firebug. The MP-LMG can do good things for you as a man-portable gun. But the Vindicator really shines as a vehicle weapon or drone weapon. Once you get those barrels spinning, you can unleash molten death upon other vehicles like nobody's business. There's a reason why people put the same kind of gun on a chopper and let soldiers hose down jungle with them today. And when your target has some armor, that extra +15 DV can make all the difference in the world, especially since weapons mounted on vehicles don't bother with recoil.

And yes, that distinctive sound you were talking about? It is the same as if you hear a lightsaber hum in a Star Wars movie. You might as well start running now, because shit is about to go DOWN!

[JoeNapalm]

And let's not forget the core tenet of Cyberpunk:

Style over substance!


-Jn-
Ifriti Sophist

[CanRay]

"Minigun spinning up.  Be somewhere else.  NOW!!!"  "Geht ta da choppah!"  "We don't have a chopper, Mungo!  We came in a VAN!"  "Mungo whantz hiz Ise Creem Truk Bak."

[Angelone]

*Jumps behind cover* "Oh god! Why's the cover disappearing!"

I know they're not the same size, but hearing an A-10 do a run is both the greatest and most horrifying sound in the world.

[Mirikon]

Indeed. You hear one of those things, it is best to de-ass the area with a quickness.

[firebug]

That's because you're not thinking clearly, Firebug. The MP-LMG can do good things for you as a man-portable gun. But the Vindicator really shines as a vehicle weapon or drone weapon. Once you get those barrels spinning, you can unleash molten death upon other vehicles like nobody's business. There's a reason why people put the same kind of gun on a chopper and let soldiers hose down jungle with them today. And when your target has some armor, that extra +15 DV can make all the difference in the world, especially since weapons mounted on vehicles don't bother with recoil.

What extra +15 DV?  It does the same damage as the MP-LMG but just uses more bullets to do so.

I won't discount the badassery of someone hearing the gun and knowing to run before you shoot though.  I'm just sayin'...

[Mantis]

I guess you missed the fact it is a minigun and uses the minigun rules (pg 30 Arsenal, the big black box).

[Mirikon]

My bad, it was +14 instead of +9 for the long burst. Go open your copy of Arsenal, and find the page with the Vindicator on it. Now turn to the next page, and read sidebar at the top about miniguns. Page 30. You can do a +14 (or give them a -14 to defend, I guess), or split it into two long and one short burst, one long and three short bursts, or five short bursts. So if you mount that baby on a vehicle to negate the 14 recoil (before doubling it, as always for heavy weapons), you've got a nasty piece of work that can chew through vehicles, or people, with ease. And that's before you do horrible things like putting ExEx, APDS, or SnS in there.

[Michael Chandra]

Can't believe nobody realized that was the misunderstanding you had. I was on the laptop without my login and was waiting for someone to spot it. ^_^'

You said it's 15 bullets instead of 10 for the same damage. It is not. A Burst of any kind always is either -(#Bullets-1) to dodge for wide, or +(#Bullets-1) on damage for narrow. A minigun thus uses a -14 to dodge or +14 DV. It also has additional rules for hitting multiple targets and suppressive fire, which are listed on the next page (Arsenal p30).
So basically that Vindicator, on a narrow burst, will do 5 damage more than the full burst of a normal machinegun.

Now as for its Recoil: Add a stock, a grip, a gas vent 3 and a tripod and you hit 11 RC. A Strength-10 Troll then ends up with 1x2 Recoil. Stock+Grip+GasVent3 while mounted on a Body-9+ vehicle would, even with Body-as-RC, mean no recoil when used with Gunnery.

[Mantis]

Uh, I realized it. That's why I posted what I did. 

[Michael Chandra]

Yes. After he posted it again. =P I meant after his first post, I realized two hours ago.