America's Army/M249 SAW

M249
Primary function: Hand-held combat machine gun Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale Manufacturing, Inc. Length: 40.87 inches (103.81 centimeters) Weight: With bipod and tools: 15.16 pounds (6.88 kilograms) 200-round box magazine: 6.92 pounds (3.14 kilograms) 30-round magazine: 1.07 pounds (.49 kilograms) Bore diameter: 5.56mm (.233 inches) Maximum effective range: 3281 feet (1000 meters) for an area target Maximum range: 2.23 miles (3.6 kilometers) Rates of fire: Cyclic: 725 rounds per minute Sustained: 85 rounds per minute Unit Replacement Cost: $4,087 Tactics The SAW is meant to be a support weapon, although it can be used to good effect in CBQ maps due purely to a high rate of fire and tons of ammo. On outdoor maps, however, this gun is better used to supress rushes or guard and an area. The best example of this is bridge, where the saw can be intermitenly fired right down the center of the bridge to blunt an agressive team. Tracers wizzing past you usually make you duck for cover. When prone with the bipod down (press h), the SAW is more accurate then even the M16. This makes it highly effective in defending large open areas. It becomes even more accurate when near a Fire Team Leader or Squad Leader. When engaging a target over a long distance with the M-249 SAW the key is to fire in short, controlled bursts of 3 to 5 shots at a time. Firing more than that at a time will cause sever muzzle climb and lead to greatly reduced accuracy while leaving a continuous steam of tracers pointing back at your position.

The SAW is a very good suppresion weapon. Next to the M203 and sniper rifles it is the best for keeping the enemy heads down. But, in game currently, it is also one of the best rushers weapons. Do not rush with the SAW unless your team meets or beats this criteria

1. Poor Teamwork Without teamwork, suppresion is useless 2. No Attempt at Team Organization ''If the team is trying to organize but you see limited teamwork, still stay back and suppres. It will help the teamwork actually form'' 3. The map is CQB CQB stands for Close Quarters Combat ''In close quarters combat, there is little to nothing to suppress. In this case, rush and allow your teammates to come up in the opening you make. Even if you die, it gets a similar effect of suppression by making the enemy hide.''

If your team is working well together or at least trying to, find a good spot: 1. Must have a wide field of view 2. Must be able to see your teams advance and where they are advancing to. 3. Must not be easy to be killed in and have a place to escape to. A dead SAW gunner in a good position is worse than a living SAW gunner in a worse position. Remember, when suppressing, always use the bipod.

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