HMGs in N3 - Dispelling the Myth of Uselessness

There's been some rumbling on the Infinity forums lately.  It's loud and it's tiresome and it chants the non-stop mantra of "HMGs have been nerfed."

Well, of course they've been nerfed.  They were the single most-effective weapon in N2, with a 8-32" +3 range, a Burst of 4, and a Damage of 15.  Mind you, they do carry some of that over into N3, but now they're not the table-dominating powerhouse they used to be.  Instead, everything has been balanced out so there is no one weapon you want, no weapon you take to the exclusion of all others (if you can help it).

Still, the HMG is a serious contender for long-range engagements.  Let's go into some detail as to why.

1) You can still reach out and touch someone.

On the active turn, the B4 HMG is still almost unparalleled at firing table-length distances.  Despite its -3 blind spot of 0-8", it is still a +0 BS attack from 8-16", and +3 from 16"-32".  It stands (almost) alone in delivering this kind of burst at this kind of distance, and in Infinity, burst is still a strong contender for the throne.

2) Insta-kill AROs are more common.

Both Missile and Rocket Launchers received a substantial discount in N3, along with their less-explosive (but no less deadly) cousins, the Multi-Sniper Rifles.  Because they've gotten much cheaper, they've also gotten a lot more common - which means that you're facing down AROs with long-ranged +3 bonuses and possibly insta-kill ammunition (DA/EXP/FIRE) a lot more often.  Until you can get way up the field, you'll need a long-ranged high burst weapon like the HMG to force your enemy back into Total Cover (or, ideally, to gun them down without mercy).

3) Link flexibility is still important.

A link team made purely of rifles or shotguns is going to be brutal...if it manages to get up-field enough to be effective.  Rifle-type weapons may have gotten better at longer ranges, but you always want to be stacking your bonuses, and Rifles can't do that outside 16".  Those Missile Launchers and Sniper Rifles will still have ranged dominance, and it'll be even worse if they're attached to Camo or TO models.  To avoid this kind of situation, it's always good to kit out your link team with a variety of weapons - including one with incredible range and high burst.

After playing a bit of N3, I've come to the conclusion that HMGs definitely aren't the beasts they used to be.  They are, however, filling that long-ranged requirement most lists seem to have, and do so with maximum prejudice.  Even after their dethroning, a Burst 4 Damage 15 weapon is nothing to scoff at - and could never be easily replaced, contrary to what their detractors may think.

All this came out of my very first game of N3, so I'm really surprised that there are still such knee-jerk reactions well into the new system.  If you're curious about other N3 first expressions, check out Tevesh's here - he comes to different conclusions, and they're all really enlightening for new N3 players!