There are some who say that there's such a thing as too much firepower: those people
are wrong.
This time, we're covering the Spitfire LMG.
Suppressive fire has a long history of use in military doctrine: the idea being that
in forcing your opponent to keep their head down, they're far less likely to be able to
return accurate fire.
The advent of the machine gun brought about this tactic: heavier than most other infantry
weapons, either belt fed or drawing from larger magazines.
Light machine guns are named in contrast to emplaced heavy weapons, with the ability to
provide automatic support fire as part of a squad.
Such weapons are normally still pretty hefty - but modern materials have lightened the
load: Making it possible for a lone pilot to carry, along with a full combat load of
ammunition.
The Spitfire chambers the same polymer-cased cartridge as the more common R101 Carbine,
but its larger mass and more efficient heatsinks make it able to fire hotter/more powerful
loads, even under sustained fire.
All in, you've got a modern, well-engineered weapon that's purpose built for one thing:
making sure your enemy are keeping their heads down.
Now, the Spitfire does much more than making a lot of noise - damage is unparalleled for
an automatic weapon.
You'll kill enemy pilots in just 3 rounds at a close range - and you'll never need more
than 5 shots for any infantry target.
Such power even nudges into useful territory when tackling enemy titans: while I'd still
recommend avoiding direct engagement, the large magazine means you can chip away slowly
at a Titan's hull without pause.
Mount up and get onboard for a rodeo attack, and the enemy won't stand a chance: the Spitfire
will quickly shred a titan when hitting its internals, with even the mightiest chassis
falling with less than two-thirds of your magazine.
There's nothing better for tackling titans this way, in fact - and if a pilot isn't quick
in repelling you, their hard-earned build will be curtains in mere moments.
The LMG's effective range is adequate but none too impressive - your 3-shot kill will
start to fade from a middle range out, reaching 5 shots to kill upon distant targets.
Long range combat is best approached as a means of suppressing the enemy rather than
precision targeting - least of all due to the Spitfire's heavy recoil.
The weapon's initial kick will quickly knock you off target, before settling slightly under
sustained fire.
Even so, it's difficult to precisely land shots at a distance - so instead it's best
to keep the trigger held down and rely on sheer volume of fire.
Hipfire performance is persistent but not particularly accurate - but given a deep magazine
and a 3-shot kill, it can prove effective in cases where you're taken by surprise.
Rate of fire is unimpressive, at 540 rounds per minute.
This pales in comparison to the SMGs and Carbines on offer, with some configurations doubling
the Spitfire's dispensation.
It makes up for this slower output with impressive longevity: magazine capacity is really the
Spitfire's key trait, with a mighty 80 rounds by default: enough to down titans and repel
entire squads without pause.
You will need to reload eventually, however - and you'd better be in a safe place when
the time comes: the Spitfire is the slowest reloading pilot weapon, taking 2.8 seconds
to resupply.
However, considering the generous magazine size this is usually tolerable - it is only
half a second slower than the R101-C.
Handling is generally slow all-round - the LMG is not the most lightweight weapon to
wield.
You'll need an impressively slow 700 millseconds to aim, for instance - and nearly a full second
to switch from your sidearm.
All considered, then - your mobility remains reasonably high, at 95 percent of the base
speed.
The Spitfire is ideal for two key roles: lockdown of a defensive point, and quickly shredding
Titans in rodeo.
The weapon's iron sights are slightly obtrusive but otherwise adequate, but a full complement
of alternative optics are available.
The first is the HCOG - an open sight ideal for close-range engagements, with 1.85x magnification.
Perhaps more importantly, it confers a significant advantage: reducing your weapon's aim time
to just 200 milliseconds, massively improving your close range reactivity.
Next, the Holosight is a mid-range option, with 2.1x magnification designed for mid-to-long
range sightlines.
Unfortunately, the heavy recoil - and lack of the HCOG's aim time benefit - make it more
difficult to use this sight effectively.
The same is true of the third option, the AOG - with 2.4x zoom, you'll get a better
view on distant targets but will ultimately struggle to hit them.
With the massive reduction of aim time, there's really only one optical attachment worth considering:
the HCOG should be your go-to in all circumstances unless it is not available to you.
In addition to your optical choice, there are two mods to choose from as well.
First up is Extended Mags, which - rather predictably - extends your ready ammunition
supply.
It will take each of your magazines from 80 rounds to 96 instead, a relatively mild but
still substantial 20 percent increase.
This bump in sustained fire ability can make the difference during a critical defence,
but whether a mere 16 rounds is worth the alternative option is up to you.
The Slammer increases the damage you deal while rodeoing titans by 50 percent: a noticeable
increase in effectiveness that will shave a third off the time it takes to doom your
foe.
This makes for the ultimate in direct anti-titan performance: a slammer-equipped spitfire can
often despatch an enemy titan before the pilot within has time to react.
For this reason, the Slammer would be my choice: while both options are useful, the rodeo potency
increase is much more decisive in the right scenario.
Now, for the rest of your build: If you're planning on tackling Titans with the Spitfire
you will want to make sure you have the cloak equipped as your tactical ability.
If you can't disappear from their view, you'll find it much more difficult to get close to
enemy Titans: so within such a role this is perhaps the most important inclusion.
The Quick Reload kit is another worthy consideration, taking your reload speed down to a much keener
1.96 seconds.
This will reduce your overall downtime, making for a better sustained defence and an otherwise
reduced risk of being caught without a ready weapon.
It is aggressive pilots who tackle from an unseen angle that will prove the most troublesome
when wielding this weapon: it's easy to focus solely on your target while neglecting other
potential threats.
It can be wise to change up your position frequently - if you stick in a predictable
location more mobile pilots will be able to oust you easily.
When on the move, you'll want to retain an ounce of caution - with slower handling speeds,
you can't hang with an SMG in a surprise encounter.
One thing you can do to increase your odds of winning a close-range gunfight is to leverage
your deep magazine with pre-emptive fire: with a full 80 rounds at your disposal, it's
not harmful to start shooting early if you suspect an enemy is moving fast on your position.
Done right, this prefiring tactic will catch your attacker by surprise, and they might
yet blunder straight into your shots.
The Spitfire is a weapon of immense firepower, designed on the premise that more is always
better.
Nothing else comes close to offering a similar level of sustained output, with a huge magazine
dispensable at a steady rate for nearly 10 seconds of continuous fire.
Paired with high damage, no other automatic weapon can hope to put as much lead downrange
- nor successfully tackle multiple opponents without pause.
Unfortunately, the weapon is somewhat tough to handle - from its slow handling and poor
hipfire, to the rambunctious level of recoil - getting shots accurately on target can be
a challenge.
Still, with a good position and the right mindset this weapon can be put to task extremely
well - and will reward those who can take advantage of maximum firepower.
Given the right angle of attack, your assault will be devastating.
The Spitfire will fill the air with lead...
...and leave your enemy's plans in cinders.
Thank you very much for you presence - and do join me next time, when we'll be covering
the Longbow-DMR Sniper.
Until then, farewell.