Re: What is the most common?

["Robert J. Hansen" <rjhansen@xxxxxxxx>]

> What is the Most common weapon used in Millennium's End?

Generally, semiauto pistols of the same sort used by local
law-enforcement types.  The BE guys don't want to be memorable; if there
are any witnesses, they want the witnesses to assume they're cops.  

For the really serious work, the team tends to gravitate towards Benelli
shotguns.  12g 00 buck is absolutely devastating, and shotguns attract
far less attention than an MP5.  If a cop finds a recently-fired Benelli
in your car, but it's in a travel case and whatnot, you can always tell
the cop you just went to the shooting range... but if the cop finds an
MP5 in your backseat, you have to do some real quick talking and some
phone calls to BlackEagle's corporate counsel.

As a GM, my policy was that if the PCs really wanted an HK UMP45-SD,
they could probably find a way to get one.  But given how often
operations went Murphy to one degree or another, most PCs figured it
would be best to use commonplace weapons.  If there's a gangland war and
the police learn from spent brass at the scene that it was done mostly
with pistols and shotguns, okay, fine, another nine dead gangbangers,
pass another donut.  But if there's a gangland war and witnesses report
hearing automatic weapons fire and there's spent brass from M4s
littering the place, then the police start paying lots of attention.

> What weapon do your players use or buy first?

As above.  Most buy their own Glocks/SIGs/whatever and a Benelli, in
addition to their ME-issued gear.

> What weapon do you as a player do you use or buy first?

SIG P226/P228 in .40 S&W or a Colt .45.  Common, effective pieces of
hardware.  I rarely have my PCs use Glocks because of a bad RL
experience with a Glock at the range a couple of years ago.  My boycott
of all things Glock extends even into RPGs.  :)

> Do you or players ever buy a LMG, MMG, or a HMG in starting characters
> selection?

No and no.  The only time an LMG has factored into an urban game was
when Russian mercs were running around in Miami, and the PCs found out
firsthand what an RPK could do.  In field games, there have been the
occasional times when an MMG or HMG has made its appearance, but
(speaking generally) MMGs/HMGs are far too heavy to be as mobile as the
PCs like to be.  For field work, most PCs prefer M4s or AKMs--if the
mission is covert, AKMs, if the BE presence is public, M4.  Seeing a
bunch of foreigners dressed out in NATO-style fatigues and using M4s, or
just seeing spent 5.56mm brass, is a strong clue a NATO-style force is
in the area... but if you just see a bunch of raggedy-looking guys who
haven't bathed in three weeks, are dressed shabbily and use AKMs, then
it's hard for locals to associate them with BE.