For an overview of minigun models in the Fallout series of games, see minigun. |
The Rockwell made minigun or CZ53 personal minigun[1] is the most commonly encountered big gun in Fallout 3.
Background
A Rockwell CZ53 personal minigun is capable of firing 5mm rounds at over 60,000 RPM[1] with an ammunition capacity dependent on the type of feed mechanism (120 round unknown[2] and 240 box with accompanying extra belt backpack[3]). The CZ53 personal minigun makes up for the small 5mm round by sending a hail of bullets toward its target. Its sheer size, coupled with its trademark sound, is enough to send anyone in its path running for cover. It is a great weapon for suppressing fire, letting others flank the unsuspecting enemy.[4][5] When the Great War struck, it was already an aging design and was slowly being replaced by the more advanced CZ57 Avenger minigun.[6] The minigun was the favorite weapon of the Mariposa super mutants during the Unity's time, with super mutants able to wield them effectively with only one arm.[7]
Characteristics
Since it is so common, the minigun is comparatively easy to find and repair, as well as one of the few big guns easy to find ammunition for; nearly every super mutant brute encountered with one has at least 30 5mm rounds for it. It is also carried extensively by Brotherhood of Steel units, Brotherhood outcast units, Enclave soldiers, as well as occasionally on some raiders and slavers. This is offset somewhat by the minigun's high rate of fire, which quickly uses up ammunition. Although it consumes ammunition as quickly as the Gatling laser, the minigun is designed as a sustained-firing weapon, and its rate of fire of 20 rounds per second means that it can fire up to 240 rounds in only 12 seconds of continuous firing. Because of this, those who intend to make use of it should buy additional ammunition, which is generally quite plentiful and cheap at shops.
When firing the minigun without V.A.T.S., there is a wind-up time between holding the fire button and when it actually fires. It usually takes under a second to begin shooting. This can be negated by tapping the "fire" button repeatedly to keep it spinning while not actually firing.
Durability
The minigun can fire a total of about 3333 rounds, the equivalent of 14 reloads, from full condition before breaking.
Variants
- Eugene - A unique minigun which is available as a reward for completing the Reilly's Rangers quest and has notably better firepower, and slightly better durability.
- Vertibird as the Pulse Field is approached. Once acquired, 5mm rounds can be drawn from the ammo dispensers. - A version of the minigun that has extremely high HP. It must be pickpocketed from the T-51b soldiers dropped by the
Comparison
Legend | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
- Weapon name (melee or unarmed) | - Attacks in V.A.T.S. | |||
- Weapon name (gun, energy or explosive) | - Action point cost | |||
- Damage per attack (damage per projectile) | - Damage per action point | |||
- Damage per second | - Weapon spread | |||
- Area of effect damage | - Magazine capacity (shots per reload) | |||
- Effect damage & duration | - Durability (number of attacks before breaking) | |||
- Bonus effects | - Weight | |||
- Attacks per second | - Value in caps | |||
- Critical chance % multiplier | - Value to weight ratio | |||
- Critical damage | - Skill required | |||
- Critical effect damage & duration | - Strength required | |||
- With all mods attached |
Minigun | 5 | 100 | 20 | x0 | 0 | 8 | 30 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 240 | 3333 | 18 | 1000 | 55.6 |
Eugene | 7 | 140 | 20 | x0 | 0 | 8 | 30 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 240 | 3571 | 18 | 1500 | 83.3 |
Locations
- National Guard depot - One can be found in the armory storage.
- Wheaton Armory - Behind the very hard locked door.
- Hubris Comics- Wielded by Mad Johnny Wes.
- The Roach King uses this as their primary weapon.
- A fully repaired minigun can be found in Fort Independence.
- Can be found on some Brotherhood of Steel members.
- Several super mutant brutes use the minigun, most notably the one by the Mall, near the Capitol Building.
Notes
- The minigun is known to disappear from followers' inventories.
- Brotherhood Outcasts occasionally hold the minigun like a rifle, without the ammunition box on their backs.
- When using a minigun in 3rd person, one cannot fire as far downward as they can in first person.
- The supposed "60,000 RPM" noted in the description is completely impossible, as it would drain ~1000 rounds every second. Most miniguns fire at 3,000 to 6,000 RPM, so perhaps the developers tried to up this in an over-the-top fashion, increasing it tenfold. The actual 20 rounds per second fire rate is far slower than most military miniguns fire, but also more realistic in terms of the huge recoil.
Bugs
- Very rarely the minigun can actually jam while firing. The barrel will quickly move left and right as if the gun is repeatedly warming up but no bullets will fire. [verified]
- If the player begins fires and crouches at the same time the minigun will not fire, but will still consume ammunition. [verified]
Sounds
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fallout and Fallout 2 item description: "{1200}{}{Minigun}"
"{1201}{}{A Rockwell CZ53 Personal Minigun. A multi-barrelled chaingun firing 5mm ammunition at over 60,000 RPM. Min ST: 7.}"
(PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout), PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2)) - ↑ Fallout & Fallout 2
- ↑ Fallout 3 & Fallout: New Vegas – assumption that there are extra belts within the backpack.
- ↑ Fort Independence terminal entries; research terminal, Research Log - Minigun
- ↑ Research Note - Minigun
- ↑ Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel item description: "{38900}{}{Avenger Minigun}"
"{38901}{}{Rockwell designed the Avenger as the replacement for their aging CZ53 Personal Minigun. The Avenger's design improvements include improved, gel-fin, cooling and chromium plated barrel-bores. This gives it a greater range and lethality. Min ST: 7.}"
"name_lightMiniGun = {Avenger MiniGun}"
"desc_lightMiniGun = {Rockwell designed the Avenger as the replacement for their aging CZ53 Personal Minigun. The Avenger's design improvements include improved, gel-fin, cooling and chromium plated barrel-bores. This gives it a greater range and lethality.}"
(PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2), Items.txt) - ↑ Animation frames in Fallout and Fallout 2.