This page is about playing a video game. It is not medical, tactical, or safety advice for real life, and nothing here should be used as such.
In one line: two people and one medium machine gun: a gunner, who is normally the senior of the two, and an assistant gunner. Together you are the platoon's base of fire.
The gunner
- Is responsible for the assistant gunner and all of the gun's equipment.
- Puts the gun into action and takes it out of action.
- Knows the gun: its sights, its attachments, and what it does to each kind of target.
- When the team is attached to a rifle squad, advises that squad leader on how best to use the gun.
- Keeps the team disciplined while it is in position.
- Is ready to take over the weapons squad.
The assistant gunner
- Keeps ammunition coming to the gun.
- Watches where the rounds land and tells the gunner the correction.
- Keeps the weapons squad leader up to date on the round count and the state of the gun.
- Watches for friendly troops to either side of the target, or between the gun and the target.
- Collects machine gun ammunition carried by others.
- Takes over the gun at once if the gunner cannot go on.
What good looks like
- The gunner fires and the assistant talks: corrections, round count, friendly troops.
- Nobody walks in front of the gun without the team knowing.
- Both of you understand the plan two levels up: squad and platoon.
What you carry
Kit
The medium machine gun and its ammunition, split between the two of you.
Who you work with
You work for the weapons squad leader, or for a rifle squad leader when the team is attached to that squad.
By the book
From ATP 3-21.8, paragraphs 1-13, 1-35, and 1-36. By the book the team suppresses area targets out to 1,100 meters, by day and by night.
Sources
This page is adapted for a game. Where it differs from the source, it says so. Read the current edition at the source for the real thing.
Version 1, updated .