I just started to play a troll-adept with a high skill in automatics. Because nobody else covers it, i also added some minor skills in heavy weapons. Unfortunately i don´t have much karma jet, so i wanted to specialize in either machineguns or stormcannons. But i really can´t make a decision which one is better. I don´t care about visibility or how obvious these guns are, they are equally big and they are loud. It is just about versatility and damage etc.

The Gauss cannon is the best heavy weapon, you can even damage a tank with it.

Agreed 100%. In the culmination of a two-year campaign last month, my rigger's drone used one to put a 15P dv wound(after the soak) on a great dragon first thing in the fight. Cuts through hardened armor 20 like a hot knife through a stream of piss.
the wound penalty is basically what gave us a fighting chance.

Hmmm....is there a possibility to increase the fire-rate even more? IIRC it already has semi-auto-fire. What about recoil and loudness of a shot from one of these buggers? I don´t think that the weapon in "eraser" would be good for comparisons, right?

Yeah, gauss and to the lesser extent lasers are the way to go.
As to recoil and sound... The recoil is about the same you'd expect from a cannon; after all, Newton's laws still apply. The sound is thunderous enough for that to be a problem during RL railgun tests (if I remember correctly).

But lasers are "exotic", aren´t they?

They are.

Then i stick with the gauss cannon.^^

For anything more conspicuous, could I suggest a grenade launcher?
They are quite versatile.
I've spent half a campaign getting schematics and a workshop access to create a silenced grenade launcher revolver-fed with smart-ammunition system.
I would put several diferent types of grenades and think of the one I needed now and shoot it. (my default configuration was: Thermal Smoke grenade, Frag grenade, flash-bang, Pepper punch, Neuro Stun and Cyanide.

What fire-mode has this grenade-launcher? Semi-automatic?

The normal revolver GL in Arsenal has "SS", but 300 and 1 mod-slot turn it into "SA".

I think that Grenade Launchers are the way to go because you can get a MGL-6... nothing like a pistol sized grenade launcher to make your enemy problems go away.

Also with grenade launcher, you can use that under slung grenade launcher that comes equipped on a lot of different guns.

Hmmmm....sounds good. And i could make the MGL-12 into a BF-grenade launcher with built-in smartling, rangefinder (if he doesn´t already have it), increased ammo-capacity etc...... It is definitely more versatile than a storm-cannon, but less damage. Hmmm...i have to think about it.

A GL is all good, but it's not any close to gauss gun scale.

There are belt-fed FA GLs in WAR! ... if you like to calculate 30min how much damage your combined blasts do to each target.

Grenade launchers and gauss cannons are both heavy weapons but they fill different roles. Your launcher is an indirect fire weapon which means with tacnet enabled spotters like some small (or ubiquitous) drones or the enemy's own compromised security systems you are putting the screws to the opfor before they even see you. The gauss cannon is for when you have gotten line of sight and need as much stopping power as possible per shot fired straight down range. There is also the issue of flexibility in a weapon and there the grenade launcher has it all over the gauss cannon with multiple types of ammunition with their own distinct uses and add-ons like MRSI and airburst links.

Hrhrhrhr....and you ain´t going to loot any of the enemies, not will you be able to find evidence or press informations out of one.^^

I will simply do it this way:

i raise "heavy weapons" to 6, specialize in storm-cannons and put the gauss-cannon on the back while i carry the GL in my hands. Heavy Arms guy.^^

GL is my choice. Played a troll brick poot house that had a lot of fun with one. It's far more versatile than you might imagine. Creativity can earn you some major points when it comes to situations and your GL.

Also, if you're a troll with enough body armor/mods you can shoot it at a fairly short range if need be and avoid too much damage. Just make sure you're friends aren't close by.

This is a valid reason to carry a second gun.

What are you asking? Heavy Weapons is a huge category of totally different weapons for different purposes, with different prices, legalities, etc. You just want 'best DPS on single hard target'?

Dump Truck with a Heavy Load in it.

No no, i was asking about the best heavy weapon in respect of versatility, so that i can take a decision in which category i want to specialize.

Aww now that wouldn't be any fun!

But then again I am the one that has an insane need to play characters that have major faults, like said troll that liked to shoot her GL in the wrong situations...

I am now thinking of a char. that is forced to shoot enemies through the bodies of his team-members. ^^

Do it *insert awesome face*

In terms of actually getting to use it, an MG is the 'best', though the tiniest GL is reasonable. You will never get a Gauss (in my game), but a rocket or missile is occasionally called for.

I think i will go for MG as a specialization because i have the best access to this kind of weapons. I always wanted to use a minigun and i really want to see my enemies hop around if i fire long wide burst at them. MUAHAHAHAHAH...^^

Miniguns are best used with sustaining fire - the DV is multiplied with 1.5 and you have the chance to hit everything in front of you.

Minigun Suppressive Fire, with tracers.

I meant 'machine gun', but yes, miniguns are a subset of that.

LMG Suppressive Fire, with all the bullets being tracers!

"I love the smell of tracers in the morning... It smells like victory!"

Actually, not firing a single round smells much more like victory to me, but ymmv.

Wow, I've been playing the game wrong all along then!

You don't ever use explosives? Way more effective than firing a gun.

I'm not allowed to have those anymore for any character

Why don't You get a Gauss Rifle with an underbarrel Grenade Launcher ( Underbarrel MGL 12 ) ?

with a combidance
Medicineman

Oh You mean Spells(Manabolt, Energybolt,etc), thrown Weapons, Blades and Unarmed Killing Attacks ?

with a deadly Dance
Medicineman

If it is still in there?
Ares Great Dragon ATGM.
Accept no subtistutes.
Modify AntiTankGuidedMissles with some form of autonaviagtion, have a 50Y spotter drone suicide it's way to target, have one 1k a Pop come out of the sky and kill everything in the building. And the Building.
This is, basically a poor mans portable tomahawk cruise missle.
Want it a bit more up close and personal? Vogeljäger Backpack mounted Missle launcher for basically LAW missles with Single Auto firing and either pointing at what you are pointing your hand held launcher/pointer or pointing at what you are looking at.

If these are unavailable, the Gauss-Rifle is your man.
Even if it's not vehicle mounted.
One shot kills ANYTHING. Even if it has to go through a ship or two to get there.
The most portable heavy weapon is a fully automatic shotgun.
Small, concealable, very much versatile with dozends of different kinds of ammo.

Don't wanna leave a trace?
Use a Military Grade Laser Rifle.
No projectile, no residue from firing, no nothing.

Back in SR3, we had Gyro-Jet-Pistol and Rifle.
Basically, a handheld gun that fired semi/unguided rocket propelled grenades.
Think the Space Marine Bolter here for a second and you can see what it is.
And it did work(even better) under water too, i think . .

Enfield GL-67 Grenade Launcher w/ Firing Selection Change [SA], Ammo Skip System, Device Mount (top, taser) with an Defiance EX-Shocker and an underbarrel mounted Ingram White Knight w/ smartlink. A weapon for nearly everything except MBTs.

'Device mount top' is the *least* questionable part of that.

Except for a very much noticable trace from characteristic explosive evaporation, right?

Shapechanging spells, healing spells, phantasm spells, aoe direct spells, mind-affecting spells! You'll have so many spells! Three hundred spells! Oh yeeeeah! Those are not your granpa's spells, either! Those are POWER SPELLS! DEADLIER! AWESOMER! YOU'LL BE THROWING SAVE-OR-DIES, EXCEPT WITHOUT DAILY LIMIT AND THE SAVE- PART! Play Shadowrun today!

No, actually, I mean that little thing called "planning".

I think you've got it backwards. Due to size issues, I think the White Knight isn't a valid underbarrel weapon; its larger than the grenade launcher so you have to flip it around.

'Technically', they're the same size. Ugh. Luckily, all that crap is GM-approval.

That's silly, Fatum: you PLAN to kill everyone. Duh.

Panther Assault Cannon with an underbelly Panther Assault Cannon.

Over-Under "Shotgun" for Redneck Trolls from the CAS.

Right, like this...

Well, yes, of course, where'd be the fun without that? O.o

But aside from that?
Only neat little holes, nothing else.

Lol
Assault cannons are nice, but think about this: Load a Barret M 121 with ExEx and you have the same damage as a Panther Cannon and all the ammo options for regular firearms. You can even fire twice in an action phase. Short medium and long range categories are longer than the assault canon's. The magazine capacity is similar, 14 vs 15. Now if you mod either of them for FA...

To me miniguns are too slow or too loud before they fire. I like the setup of a L/M/HMG with gasvent 3 personalized grip and shock pad in a gyro stabilization unit. Running while shooting full bursts without negative modifiers is awesome. If you also mod it for BF you can even fire Called Shots. Slap on an external smartlink, put on your magnification goggles and it gets even better.

Gauss cannons will probably be to difficult to acquire and they need energy on top of projectiles.

Stupid Barrett.

I love this thread. <3