the problem with MGs within BT, is that within the framework of rules and relative to everything else, they are nigh impossible to accurately translate if you try to stick to the rules. Here is why.
Weapon weights and space system. Battletech has massive amounts of leeway regarding space. But never factors in the logistics or engineering. So technically you can have an arm packed with MGs sucking ammo all the way the other side of the mech, no problem. doesn't matter if you have 8 ammo feeds running through a shoulder
Multiple hits. what justifies an ultra ac or rotary getting multiple hits? A relatively faster ROF. but MGs have really fast ROFs already. But their damage is only treated as striking one area. Doesn't really give the feel of sweeping an area with mg fire, does it?
Armor penetration does not work that way. Ablative or no. Anything designed to deal with a hypervelocity slug the size of a melon, is not gonna give to 1 mg or 20. Armor penetration comes from force, not volume. If it CAN penetrate, volume helps. But its often better to just buy a larger gun unless you want to shoot down low flying aircraft.
MGs don't relfect how fast they burn through ammo. 200 rounds in cbt terms is technically enough ammo to last for 33 minutes if you are going off 10 seconds per turn, but at the same 200 is nothing at all if you are treating each shot as 1 bullet and firing on auto.
fubar range system. MGs IRL can fire accurately, anywhere within several hundred meters with iron sights to a few kilometers with long range sights. But if cbt had that, then logically the acs would need a boost too leading to even more messed up stuff.
MGs even being used against armor. Why? it would be like using a tank covered in assault rifles to fight other tanks now. Let the ACs deal the low end of ballistic damage table. Save MGs for aircraft, light vehicles, and infantry.
