Heavy machine gun (dNetHack) - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: rephrase

2026-01-16T19:44:42Z

rephrase

Umbire the Phantom: some copyedit

2026-01-16T19:08:02Z

some copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: potholes

2025-09-08T17:11:10Z

potholes

Umbire the Phantom: fix

2025-09-08T17:10:56Z

fix

Umbire the Phantom: establish

2025-09-08T13:13:32Z

establish

New page

{{weapon
|name=heavy machine gun
|tile=
|appearance=strange broken crossbow
|smalldmg=1d2
|largedmg=1d2
|skill=firearm
|tohit=<nowiki>-4</nowiki>
|weight=100
|cost=2000
|material=iron
|color=metal color
}}
{{for|the weapon in SLASH'EM and its derivatives|heavy machine gun (SLASH'EM)}}
A '''heavy machine gun''' is a type of [[firearm]] that appears in [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]]. The submachine gun is a [[Item size (dNetHack)|huge]] [[Future tech|futuristic]] [[launcher]], making it [[two-handed]] for medium-sized [[hero]]es, and uses the [[firearms]] skill. It is designed for use with [[Bullet (dNetHack)|bullets]], [[Silver bullet (dNetHack)|silver bullets]], [[blood-bullet]]s, and [[blood-spear]]s.

The heavy machine gun has a [[Object materials (dNetHack)|default material]] of [[iron]], and appears as a [[strange broken crossbow]] for heroes in most [[role]]s when [[Identification|unidentified]]—[[Anachrononaut]]s, [[Android]]s, [[Pirate/dNetHack|Pirates]], and [[Undead Hunter]]s will instead see the unidentified item as an "unfamiliar heavy gun".

==Generation==
[[Anachrononaut]]s and [[Android]]s start each game with knowledge of the submachine gun's appearance. [[Dwarf (starting race)#dNetHack|Dwarven]] Anachrononauts start each game with an uncursed +3 heavy machine gun made of [[mithril]] and a stack of 100 uncursed +3 bullets as ammo.

Heavy machine guns are not randomly generated, though they can be found in [[bones]] and can only be [[wish]]ed for by [[Tourist/dNetHack|Tourists]]. They cannot be created by [[Smith (dNetHack)|smithing]] unless the hero is an [[Undead Hunter]] that knows their appearance.

A heavy machine gun is placed randomly on the [[Anachrononaut quest]] locate level at level creation, and another is randomly placed on the goal level at level creation—they are also generated in the same locations on the [[Android quest]].

[[Deep one (dNetHack)|Deep ones]] and [[Deeper one (dNetHack)|deeper ones]] generated in the future (i.e. the Anachrononaut quest and Android quest) have a {{frac|6}} chance of being [[generated with]] a heavy machine gun as their firearm weapon and 4 different stacks of bullets as ammo, with the properties of the heavy machine gun itself dependent on which monster is given one: deep ones will have fully [[eroded]] heavy machine guns, while deeper ones will have heavy machine guns with 1 level of erosion and an [[enchantment]] ranging from +1 to +4.

==Description==
The heavy machine gun has a range of 20 squares with a base rate of fire of 8, but has a -4 [[to-hit]] penalty. A heavy machine gun [[wielded]] by a hero with skill in firearms gains doubled [[multishot]] bonuses compared to other firearms.

==Origin==
{{wikipedia|Heavy machine gun}}
A heavy machine gun (or HMG) is significantly larger than light, medium or general-purpose machine guns and has more formidable firepower, but are typically too heavy to be carried by one person: HMGs usually require mounting onto a weapons platform in to be operably stable or tactically mobile, and generally require a team of personnel for operation and maintenance.

Historically, the term "heavy machine gun" refers to machine guns that are weighty and cumbersome enough to prevent infantrymen from transporting them on foot, and are typically chambered in standard full-power cartridges; examples of historical HMGs include the Maxim machine gun and M1917 Browning machine gun. The modern definition refers to "heavy caliber" machine guns that are designed to provide increased effective range, penetration and stopping power against vehicles, aircraft and light fortifications far beyond that of both the full-power cartridges used in battle rifles and medium or general-purpose machine guns, as well as the intermediate cartridges used in assault rifles, light machine guns and squad automatic weapons.

In contrast to the higher rate of fire demonstrated by the weapon in variants of ''[[NetHack]]'', real-live heavy machine guns have a much lower rate of fire than their lighter and smaller counterparts: in return, they are capable of firing heavier ammunition more accurately at longer ranges, and can do so for days on end, mainly in fixed defensive positions to repel infantry attacks. A tripod-mounted and water-cooled HMG with a well-trained crew can fire nonstop for hours given sufficient ammunition, replacement barrels and cooling water.
{{variant-343}}
[[Category:dNetHack firearms]]
[[Category:notdNetHack firearms]]
[[Category:notnotdNetHack firearms]]
[[Category:dNetHack future weapons]]
[[Category:notdNetHack future weapons]]
[[Category:notnotdNetHack future weapons]]

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 [[Deep one (dNetHack)|Deep ones]] and [[Deeper one (dNetHack)|deeper ones]] generated in the future (i.e. the Anachrononaut quest and Android quest) have a {{frac|6}} chance of being [[generated with]] a heavy machine gun as their firearm weapon and 4 different stacks of bullets as ammo, with the properties of the heavy machine gun itself dependent on which monster is given one: deep ones will have fully [[eroded]] heavy machine guns, while deeper ones will have heavy machine guns with 1 level of erosion and an [[enchantment]] ranging from +1 to +4.
-Undead Hunters can request a heavy machine gun to be created from a [[Smith (dNetHack)|smithing]] service if they know the item's appearance.
+Only Undead Hunters can create a heavy machine gun by manual [[Smith (dNetHack)|smithing]] if they know the item's appearance.
 ==Description==

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 ==Generation==
-[[Anachrononaut]]s and [[Android]]s start each game with knowledge of the heavy machine gun's appearance. [[Dwarf (starting race)#dNetHack|Dwarven]] Anachrononauts start each game with an uncursed +3 heavy machine gun made of [[mithril]] and a stack of 100 uncursed +3 bullets as ammo.
+Anachrononauts and Androids start each game with knowledge of the heavy machine gun's appearance. [[Dwarf (starting race)#dNetHack|Dwarven]] Anachrononauts start each game with an uncursed +3 heavy machine gun made of [[mithril]] and a stack of 100 uncursed +3 bullets as ammo.
 Heavy machine guns are not randomly generated, though they can be found in [[bones]] and can only be [[wish]]ed for by [[Tourist/dNetHack|Tourists]]. They cannot be created by [[Smith (dNetHack)|smithing]] unless the hero is an [[Undead Hunter]] that knows their appearance.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
   |name=heavy machine gun
   |tile=
-  |appearance=strange broken crossbow
+  |appearance=strange broken crossbow<br/>or [[unfamiliar heavy gun]]
   |smalldmg=1d2
   |largedmg=1d2
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 }}
 {{for|the weapon in SLASH'EM and its derivatives|heavy machine gun (SLASH'EM)}}
-A '''heavy machine gun''' is a type of [[firearm]] that appears in [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]]. The submachine gun is a [[Item size (dNetHack)|huge]] [[Future tech|futuristic]] [[launcher]], making it [[two-handed]] for medium-sized [[hero]]es, and uses the [[firearms]] skill. It is designed for use with [[Bullet (dNetHack)|bullets]], [[Silver bullet (dNetHack)|silver bullets]], [[blood-bullet]]s, and [[blood-spear]]s.
+A '''heavy machine gun''' is a type of [[firearm]] that appears in [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]]. The submachine gun is a [[Item size (dNetHack)|huge]] [[Future tech|futuristic]] [[launcher]], making it [[two-handed]] for medium-sized [[hero]]es. It uses the [[firearms]] skill, and is designed for use with [[Bullet (dNetHack)|bullets]], [[Silver bullet (dNetHack)|silver bullets]], [[blood-bullet]]s, and [[blood-spear]]s.
-The heavy machine gun has a [[Object materials (dNetHack)|default material]] of [[iron]], and appears as a [[strange broken crossbow]] for heroes in most [[role]]s when [[Identification|unidentified]]&mdash;[[Anachrononaut]]s, [[Android]]s, [[Pirate/dNetHack|Pirates]], and [[Undead Hunter]]s will instead see the unidentified item as an "unfamiliar heavy gun".
+The heavy machine gun has a [[Object materials (dNetHack)|default material]] of [[iron]], and appears as a [[strange broken crossbow]] for heroes in most [[role]]s when [[Identification|unidentified]]&mdash;[[Anachrononaut]]s, [[Android]]s, [[Pirate/dNetHack|Pirates]], and [[Undead Hunter]]s will instead see the unidentified item as an "[[unfamiliar heavy gun]]".
 ==Generation==
 Anachrononauts and Androids start each game with knowledge of the heavy machine gun's appearance. [[Dwarf (starting race)#dNetHack|Dwarven]] Anachrononauts start each game with an uncursed +3 heavy machine gun made of [[mithril]] and a stack of 100 uncursed +3 bullets as ammo.
-Heavy machine guns are not randomly generated, though they can be found in [[bones]] and can only be [[wish]]ed for by [[Tourist/dNetHack|Tourists]]. They cannot be created by [[Smith (dNetHack)|smithing]] unless the hero is an [[Undead Hunter]] that knows their appearance.
+Heavy machine guns are not randomly generated, though they can be found in [[bones]] and can only be [[wish]]ed for by [[Tourist/dNetHack|Tourists]]&mdash;note that wishing for one by appearance (i.e. a "strange broken crossbow") will yield a [[Rifle (dNetHack)|rifle]] instead of an auto shotgun, due to multiple items sharing that appearance.
 A heavy machine gun is placed randomly on the [[Anachrononaut quest]] locate level at level creation, and another is randomly placed on the goal level at level creation&mdash;they are also generated in the same locations on the [[Android quest]].
 [[Deep one (dNetHack)|Deep ones]] and [[Deeper one (dNetHack)|deeper ones]] generated in the future (i.e. the Anachrononaut quest and Android quest) have a {{frac|6}} chance of being [[generated with]] a heavy machine gun as their firearm weapon and 4 different stacks of bullets as ammo, with the properties of the heavy machine gun itself dependent on which monster is given one: deep ones will have fully [[eroded]] heavy machine guns, while deeper ones will have heavy machine guns with 1 level of erosion and an [[enchantment]] ranging from +1 to +4.
 ==Description==