Noah Corek
Cocked, Locked and a Smoking Barrel
- Intent: To create a heavier squad automatic weapon for the Legion in the same vein as the LCBR is to the LCAR
- Image Source: Here
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: LMG-01 and GPMG-01
- Manufacturer: Hekler'Kok Defense Industries (Original) and Galactic Foreign Legion Armorers (Modifiers)
- Affiliation: Galactic Foreign Legion
- Market Status: Closed-Market
- Model: Legion Squad Heavy Automatic Weapon Mk I (LSHAW Mk I)
- Modularity: Various Optics, Muzzle Devices, Underbarrel Attachments, Accessory Rail Attachments, Extended Magazines and Various Ammo Types
- Production: Minor
- Material: Titanium-Alusteel Alloy (Upper and Lower Receiver, Internal Mechanisms and Heat Shield), Dallorian Alloy (Barrel) Chromium (Barrel Lining), Plastoid (Grip, Stock, Handguard and Carrying Handle) and CeramiCoat (Plating)
- Classification: Slugthrower Medium Machine Gun
- Size: Large
- Weight: Heavy
- Ammunition Type: Hekler'Kok 7.62x63mm Polymer Cartridges
- Ammunition Capacity: Small, 50, 100, 150 or 200 Round Belts
- Effective Range: Long Range
- Rate of Fire: Average
- Damage Output: Very High
- Recoil: Low
- Reversible Fire Selector (Safe, 5-Round Burst and Full Auto)
- Reversible Feed Tray
- Reversible Feed Tray Cover Release
- Reversible Charging Handle
- Folding Stock
- Heavy Duty Butt Pad
- Textured Grip
- Adjustable Gas System
- Double Advanced Recoil Buffer System
- Heavy Barrel
- Fluted Barrel
- Threaded Barrel
- Quick Change Barrel
- Carrying Handle
- Optic Rail
- Side Accessory Rails
- Bottom Grip Rail
- Bipod Mounting Bracket
- Heat Shield
- Back-Up Folding Iron Sights
- Spare Parts Storage (Stock and Grip)
- Slow but Steady: While it's average rate of fire is slower than its smaller brother this can be advantage as a well trained user can put a constant and steady stream of fire on a target to provide more consistent suppressing fire
- Large and Heavy: Like any machine gun the LHSAW suffers from being heavy, large and cumbersome, being better suited to be fired from the ground or braced against something and not from the shoulder, though it is feasible to do so
With almost all of the members of the Legion's Rifle Squad now equipped with a new heavy variant of their typical firearm the armorers at the Legion began work on a heavy variant for the squad automatic riflemen. Like always they first started their journey by looking at weapons that were already being used by the Legion and weapons that were produced by Hekler'Kok.
They found none in the Legion inventory but did find two in the Hekler'Kok catalog: the LMG-01 and the GPMG-01. The LMG-01 was a light, belt-fed and portable machinegun that could be operate by a single person if need be but lacked the stopping power needed. The GPMG-01 was chambered in a heavy hitting round but was too heavy and cumbersome to be used by a single person or fired from the shoulder.
The armorers at the Legion took these two weapons and the concepts behind them, broke them down to a base level and for lack on better words threw the two of them together to create a, relatively, light machinegun chambered in a hard hitting round. The result of this was the Legion Squad Heavy Automatic Weapon, a mixing of both of weapons into a package that held the best of both worlds.
With the basic design of the weapon plotted out and beginning to take form the armorers began to process of choosing the materials that would be utilized in LHSAW's construction. They reused the same Titanium-Alusteel Alloy in the upper and lower receivers, internal mechanisms and heat shield to save on weight without sacrificing durability. The barrel was made of Dallorian Alloy due to its ability to handle extreme heat, letting the weapon fire consistently.
The inside of the barrel is lined with Chromium to prevent excess wear and tear over repeated firing. The furniture of the weapon, the stock, grip and carrying handle, were made of Plastoid to reduce weight without compromising durability. Lastly the entire weapon was plated in CeramiCoat to reduce external wear and tear.
With the materials selected the armorers began working on implementing the features that could further enhance the performance of the weapon. First was a set of fully reversible controls including fire selector, feed tray, feed tray cover release and charging handle, to best fit the users preference. A folding stock allows for easier storage and transportation, though it can be fired with the stock folded this is not recommended. A heavy duty butt pad helps lessen the blow of recoil from automatic firing.
A textured grip gives the user a better hold and more traction on it when firing. An adjustable gas system makes the weapon function more more reliably in a wide variety of environments. A double advanced recoil buffer system, similar to the ones used in previous weapon, helps lessen the effect of recoil on the shooter. A heavy barrel reduces muzzle climb and therefore helps the user keep the weapon on target better. A threaded barrel allows for the mounting of muzzle devices such as suppressors, brakes, flash hiders and compensators. A fluted barrel helps with heat dissipation to prevent overheating of the weapon. A quick change barrel allows for the easy removal and replacement of the barrel in the case of overheating.
A carrying handle mounted on the barrel helps with both carrying the weapon as well as swapping the barrel with the quick change barrel previously mentioned. An optic rail mounted on top of the feed tray gives the user the ability to mount a wide variety of different optics to augment the weapon. A pair of accessory rails mounted on weapon allows the user to mount tactical accessories such a laser and lights to help them in combat. A grip rail on the bottom of the weapon allows for the mounting of wide array of foregrips.
A bipod mounting bracket just forward of the grip rail allows for the optional mounting of a bipod for extra stability dependent on the user. A heat shield mounted above the barrel prevents the user from accidentally burning their hand during operation and changing barrels. A pair of back up folding iron sights helps in case the optics, if the user is using any, is damaged in used. Last a pair of hollow storage tubes in the pistol grip and stock allow for the storage of spare parts for the weapon in case of breakage.
