The M56A2 is a 10mm general purpose automatic squad support weapon... The entire system is mounted to an operators harness and slaved to an IR tracking system. The gun is self-steering on its mount but is manually fired.

Prepping the Smartgun: The M56 system consists of 4 major components: the operator's combat harness, the Head Mounted Sight (HMS), the articulation arm, and the gun itself. The harness is composed of composite micromesh ballistic armor and is heavily padded to reduce chafing. The armored breastplate holds the communications transceiver and the tracking/targeting processor.

The stabilized articulation arm is attached to the left hip mount point and plugged in via a coaxial cable to the processor and power outlets on the breastplate with the gun at the end of the arm. The HMS is plugged into the tracking and comms system in the armor. The gun tracker is jacked into the processor by a universal connector and the gun must be powered up prior to loading; power is from a Li battery rated for 50,000 rounds.

Smartgun Movement: While the operator is standing, the gun is held and steered by the fore and aft grips. Vertical range from slightly downward to straight up and horizontally from straight ahead to the entire left side...
The articulation arm is gyrostabilised and provides additional recoil dampening while the user is walking or running. When tracking a target, the arm self-steers the barrel to bore sight the target's center of mass. An operator can override the gun at any time simply by moving the barrel away.

Target Tracking: When powered up, the gun starts tracking targets via its IR tracker mounted above the barrel. This system views a 30° cone in front of the gun and transmits high-resolution thermal images to a video display on the HMS. If a target is detected, a lighted rectangle will be placed over its center of mass and the arm will steer the gun to aim at this point. As soon as it does this, a target lock circle is then lit to indicate the target is bore sighted. If engaging multiple targets or if IR decoys are targeted, the gunner can manually steer the lighted box to the desired target.

The M250 ammunition is 230 grain caseless round similar to the Pulse Rifle's ammo. The biggest difference is that the Smartgun's ammunition has a selectable fuse; a switch on the hand grip electronically sets the bullets fuse as it's loaded into the breach. The “Super” setting is designed for soft targets and detonates on impact while the “Delay” setting explodes the shell only after penetrating the target.

Well you can't beat zero recoil, hundreds of homing bullets and fucking netguns, can you?

I think if it WORKS they're good.

Machineguns provide most of a platoons firepower apparently, and being able to use it on the move seems good. On the other hand, you're a big target standing up, and the smartgunners had much less armour due to the stabiliser arm...

Gung Ho and Leatherneck both wear armor with a mechanical arm over their right shoulders; MG3 7.62 mm machine guns, the stock replaced with a mount for the mechanical arms, lie diagonally across the breastplates. The marines extend the arms to inspect the MG3s, lower VR visors over their eyes, and turn to Falcon; their HUDs read, "TARGET LOCKED-- MG3 STANDBY" as the backpack computer-controlled "smart guns" automatically target the Army lieutenant.

A computer-controlled gun system whose visor-mounted radar and infrared sensors automatically detect and track enemy targets, and whose fuel cell can provide energy for 30 days of continuous operation. Yet the computer, sensor, and energy storage systems remain light and compact enough to allow an average human to carry it without overtaxing his or her strength and endurance.

Vasquez was using her smartgun unpowered, as I recall. Right? Even unpowered, I seem to recall her handling the weapon pretty well. How easy would it be to fire a real medium MG from the hip (say the MG3, since thats basically what it is)?

Vasquez was using her smartgun unpowered, as I recall. Right? Even unpowered, I seem to recall her handling the weapon pretty well. How easy would it be to fire a real medium MG from the hip (say the MG3, since thats basically what it is)?

Machine Guns are spray and pray weapons designed to throw out a huge volume of fire with which to take out the target. A mechanical aiming device would be put to better use on something like Quakes railgun instead of a MG.

Let's be honest: light machineguns aren't supposed to be used running around in buildings.

I think if it WORKS they're good. Machineguns provide most of a platoons firepower apparently, and being able to use it on the move seems good. On the other hand, you're a big target standing up, and the smartgunners had much less armour due to the stabiliser arm...

There is an illustration in the Technical Manual showing a Smart Gunner firing from a prone position. IIRC it's fired while lying on one's back.

I've head that pose described as retarded and stupid, and I can kinda see where they're coming from.

Now if the smartgun could be easily detached and had a folding bipod, it would make a decent support weapon that can be fired while prone.

Christ, spot the guy who hasn't seen Aliens! I love how he doesn't understand the role for a device that not only allows you to use a machinegun accurately without lying down, but ON THE MOVE.