The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, also known as the M249 SAW or simply SAW, is a weapon featured in Half-Life: Opposing Force. It is a powerful automatic weapon used by the HECU.
Overview
- The M249 is a machine gun that offers squad-level support. However, it also has a lot of recoil added to it as well so that the SMG is not made completely obsolete. In addition to decreasing accuracy whilst continuously firing the gun, the longer the player fires the gun, the M249's recoil knocks the player back a bit as long as the fire key is held down. Firing the gun in bursts increases accuracy greatly, and aiming downwards and/or crouching will greatly decrease the gun's recoil.
- The M249 can first be obtained by taking it from a dead ally in the chapter Friendly Fire. If not picked up there, it can be obtained at the beginning of the chapter Foxtrot Uniform.
Tactics
- The M249 is very effective against strong foes, such as Shock Troopers and Voltigores. It should not be wasted on enemies that can be easily killed with the SMG, such as Zombies or Pit Drones.
- Headshots will make quick work of even the strongest enemies, so one should try to aim for the head if possible.
- Crouching will make the weapon more accurate, so one should be sure to crouch as often as possible when using it.
- Ammo for this weapon is extremely rare until the end of the chapter Vicarious Reality.
- The M249 has a fairly long reload time, so one should make sure to be safe before reloading.
- Tapping the primary fire button instead of holding it will greatly reduce the recoil. Moving forward removes the recoil but decreases accuracy.
- If sufficient ammunition is available, the M249 can be used to impede falls by shooting downwards while falling. The backwards recoil will constantly push towards the player's back, regardless of direction, resulting in lower downwards momentum.
- In some speedruns, an experienced player can "bunny-hop" and while moving backwards, he can fire the M249. The high recoil from this heavy machine gun will boost the speed of that player.
Trivia
- All HECU soldiers who use the M249 will have a ammo belt attached on his suit, but the model they usually use is Gasmask Sodier and Tower's model, but there is at least one soldier that uses the Balaclava (Shotgun soldier) model, is seen at the dam.
- Tower is seen carrying a ammo belt even though he uses a MP5.
- This weapon appears in Counter-Strike. However, unlike Opposing Force, the M249 has a lower rate of fire and has a high price tag.
Gallery
HUD icon.
Worldmodel.
Viewmodel.
Ammo box.
Shephard aims at a Voltigore with his M249.
List of appearances
- Half-Life: Opposing Force (First appearance)
External links
 The Hazardous Environment Combat Unit
| |
|---|---|
| Characters | Dwight T. Barnes • Sharpe • Adrian Shephard • Minor HECU members |
| Weapons | Combat Knife • Desert Eagle • Dam Turret • Double Turret • Dynamite • Glock 17 • Land Mine • Laser Tripmine • M198 Howitzer • M2 Browning Machine Gun • M202A1 FLASH • M249 Squad Automatic Weapon • M40A1 Sniper Rifle • Minigun (cut) • Mk 2 Grenade • MP5 • RPG • Satchel Charge • Sentry Gun • SPAS-12 |
| Vehicles | AH-64 Apache • F-117 Nighthawk (cut) • F-16 Fighting Falcon • M1A1 Abrams • M2A3 Bradley • M35 cargo truck • V-22 Osprey |
| Classes | HECU Engineer • HECU Medic • HECU Sniper • Human Sergeant (cut) • Robot Grunt (cut) |
| Technology | Powered Combat Vest • Radio • Tactical Map • Welding Torch • Robot Grunt (cut) |
| Other | Military Police • Santego Military Base |
| The Black Ops
| |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | AH-64 Apache • M35 cargo truck • V-22 Osprey (cut) |
| Weapons | Crossbow (cut) • Flash Grenade (cut) • Glock 17 • Laser Tripmine • M2 Browning Machine Gun • M40A1 Sniper Rifle • Mk 2 Grenade • Mortar • MP5 • Sentry Gun |
| Technology | Cloaking device |