M-134 (Was Anybody know this weapon?)

[Legbreaker]

I suppose it's got something to do with how that power is applied.
A high rate of fire from one barrel/weapon for example can only be applied to one location at a time. Even if it's firing off a ten thousand rounds a minute, there's not exactly a large increase in useful firepower.

Now firing off that same ten thousand rounds from twenty individual machineguns spread out across the battlefield IS going to have a HUGE impact. It also allows the commander many, many more options than with just one weapon - they can move around and take advantage of terrain, enemy disposition, etc.

Same concept applies to adding extra soliders, even if armed with bolt action rifles. After all, it only takes one bullet to remove the average enemy (or friendly for that matter) soldier from the fight, and with say one thousand riflemen firing ten rounds a minute you're able to cover and dominate a VERY large area.

That said, I still like my M60....

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

That said, I still like my M60....

I've said that so many time to the youngn's here. For a relatively short soldier like me (in the Army, 5'8" and 145 pounds or so), it was perfectly sized.

[Legbreaker]

I was the same weight but had about an inch extra height on you.
Amazing how much a small person can carry - 10.43kg M60, 600 belted 7.62 (approx 18kg) plus all the extras commonly issued and required to be carried in your webbing (at least another 10kg, but usually MUCH more).
And then as I rarely had a No2, I had the spare barrel to haul as well. Once they even threw the 77 set at me in addition to all that! ("combat" load was almost more than my own bodyweight!)

Still, a properly maintained M60 is a thing of beauty and I wouldn't trade one for anything (well maybe a couple of porters to carry all the extra gear!)