Machine Gun Employment Fundamentals

Questions and Answers

What is the USMC acronym for the Principles of Machine Gun Employment?

PICMDEEP

The principles of machine gun employment include Pairs, Interlocking, Coordinating, Mutual Support, Defilade, Enfilading Fire, Economy of Fire, and Protection. Acronym: ___

PICMDEEP

The Army Principles of Machine Gun Employment can be summarized with the acronym ___

MCISSCE

What does MCISSCE stand for in relation to Army Machine Gun Employment Principles?

Mutual Support, Coordination, Interlocking Fire, Sited in Defilade, Sited to produce Enfilade Fire, Cover and Concealment, Economy of Ammunition Signup and view all the answers

What are interlocking fires?

Reinforce and double the firepower employed across the unit's frontage while ensuring no area goes uncovered. Signup and view all the answers

What does coordination of fires dictate?

Use of appropriate weapons to fire on appropriate targets for maximum effectiveness. Signup and view all the answers

What is defilade?

Allows firing behind the mask of terrain, outside the effects and observation of the enemy. Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics of fire?

Trajectory, Burst of fire, Cone of fire, Beaten zone, Dead space, Danger space Signup and view all the answers

Define line of sight.

An imaginary line from the firer's eye, through the sights, to the point of aim on the target. Signup and view all the answers

Define trajectory.

The arching flight path of the round from the muzzle to the target. Signup and view all the answers

Define ordinate.

Elevation of the flight path of the round above the line of sight. Signup and view all the answers

Define max ordinate.

The maximum elevation of that round above the line of sight along its flight path, reached at 2/3 the distance to the target. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the cone of fire.

The pattern of round paths due to variations in factors like vibration, ammo, and shooter; for an M240B, it is always 2 mils wide. Signup and view all the answers

What factors affect a burst of fire?

The gunner and rate of fire, the gun and ammunition, clarity of target, air/weather, distance. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the beaten zone.

The elliptical pattern formed by the impact of rounds, with width staying constant but length being terrain dependent. Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of rounds is considered an effective beaten zone?

85% Signup and view all the answers

Describe how the length of the beaten zone changes on uniform terrain.

At short ranges, the beaten zone is longer; at long distances, it decreases in length. Signup and view all the answers

Describe how the length of the beaten zone changes on rising terrain.

Rising terrain stops rounds abruptly, creating a small beaten zone resembling the cone of fire. Signup and view all the answers

Describe how the length of the beaten zone changes on falling terrain.

The beaten zone becomes longer. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three classes of MG fire?

Respect to ground, Respect to target, Respect to weapon. Signup and view all the answers

What are the classifications of MG fires in relation to the ground?

Plunging fire, Grazing fire. Signup and view all the answers

In relation to ground, describe dead space.

Occurs anytime the target or enemy drops below the line of aim or line of sight. Signup and view all the answers

What type of space occurs anytime the target drops below the line of sight?

Dead Space Signup and view all the answers

In relation to ground, describe danger space.

Any space up to 1.8 m above the deck is considered danger space. Signup and view all the answers

What type of space is 1.8 m above the deck?

Danger Space Signup and view all the answers

In relation to ground, describe plunging fire.

Defined where the danger space is confined to the beaten zone when firing from high to low or low to high and using long-range fires. Signup and view all the answers

What type of fire is where danger space is confined to the beaten zone?

Plunging Fire Signup and view all the answers

In relation to ground, describe grazing fire.

Where the center of the cone of fire does not rise more than one meter off the deck; this is the most effective type of fire we can employ. Signup and view all the answers

What type of fire is where the center of the cone of fire does not rise more than 1m off the deck?

Grazing Fire Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Machine Gun Employment Principles

USMC acronym for principles of machine gun employment is PICMDEEP, which includes: Pairs, Interlocking, Coordinating, Mutual Support, Defilade, Enfilading Fire, Economy of Fire, and Protection.
Army principles follow MCISSCE: Mutual Support, Coordination, Interlocking Fire, Sited in Defilade, Sited to produce Enfilade Fire, Cover and Concealment, and Economy of Ammunition.

Fire Coordination and Effectiveness

Interlocking fires reinforce firepower across unit fronts, ensuring comprehensive coverage without blind spots.
Coordination of fires mandates appropriate weapon usage on designated targets, optimizing ammunition conservation and ensuring timely delivery of fire.

Tactical Positions

Defilade allows firing from behind terrain's cover, minimizing exposure to enemy fire and observation.
Characteristics of fire include trajectory, burst of fire, cone of fire, beaten zone, dead space, and danger space.

Conceptual Definitions

Line of Sight: An imaginary line from the shooter’s eye through the sights to the target.
Trajectory: The arching path of a bullet from muzzle to target.
Ordinate: The height of the bullet's flight path above the line of sight.
Max Ordinate: The highest elevation of the bullet’s path, reached at two-thirds of the distance to the target.

Fire Patterns and Effects

Cone of Fire: The pattern of fired rounds influenced by numerous factors, typically 2 mils wide for an M240B.
Beaten Zone: The elliptical impact area of rounds, consistent in width but terrain-dependent in length.

Range and Terrain Impact

An effective beaten zone consists of 85% of rounds landing within the target area.
In uniform terrain, shorter distances yield longer beaten zones, while longer distances reduce zone length.
Rising terrain affects rounds by abruptly stopping them, creating a small beaten zone. Conversely, descending terrains lengthen the beaten zone.

Classes and Types of MG Fire

Three classes of MG fire relate to respect for ground, target, and weapon.
Classifications of MG fires concerning the ground:
- Plunging Fire: Danger space confined to the beaten zone, occurs when firing at varying elevations.
- Grazing Fire: The cone of fire’s center remains within one meter off the ground, considered highly effective.

Space Definitions

Dead Space: Exists when the target falls below the line of aim or sight.
Danger Space: Any area up to 1.8 meters above ground is classified as danger space, essential for tactical considerations.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the principles of machine gun employment used by the USMC and Army. This quiz covers key acronyms and important concepts that are essential for effective machine gun tactics. Challenge yourself to understand PICMDEEP and MCISSCE and their applications in the field.