The M249, also known as Advanced MG and Combat MG, is a weapon featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, and Grand Theft Auto V.
Description
Vice City Stories
In GTA Vice City Stories, the weapon is a powerful, one shot kill gun that holds 100 rounds per magazine, and is capable of knocking down a person when hit (similar to the way shotguns do), but is slightly less effective than the Minigun. Unlike the M60 from GTA Vice City and GTA Liberty City Stories, the M249 has a unique firing and reloading animation, no longer copied from the assault rifle animation. Victims shot with this weapon will release a large amount of splattering blood than other machine guns do.
The M249 is a weapon of choice for several Rampages and is featured during Farewell to Arms.
The Ballad of Gay Tony
The M249 in The Ballad of Gay Tony (referred to as the Advanced MG) is the first Light Machine Gun to be featured in the HD Universe. The weapon is placed in the Assault Rifle slot, unlike in GTA Vice City Stories where the M249 would occupy the Heavy Weapons slot.
It has a 200 round magazine capacity and high rate of fire but has less stopping power and accuracy than the Assault and Carbine Rifles. It is highly inaccurate because the weapon is fired from the hip rather than the shoulder. The Advanced MG requires sustained fire to destroy a vehicle, unlike the LMG's from previous games, which can destroy vehicles in just a few rounds. The weapon is best suited for engaging multiple enemies at close to medium ranges. The Advanced MG suffers in long range combat, being outclassed by the other rifles and even the SMGs.
It is first given to Luis in the mission Going Deep for Ray Bulgarin.
Grand Theft Auto V
The Advanced MG makes a comeback in GTA V by the name Combat MG. The Combat MG is available after the Heist Blitz Play. The Combat MG is based on M249 with the stock of an M60.
This weapon is superior all-rounds to SMGs, the Assault Rifle, and the MG. It shoots further but with less accuracy than the Carbine Rifle.
Grand Theft Auto Online
The Advanced MG is available at level 80 in the Grand Theft Auto Online. It retains its single player qualities with decent rate of fire, high damage but somewhat slow reload and low mobility.
Customizations (GTA V)
Attachments
- Grip (gives stability, increases accuracy) - $322
- Scope (mid-range zoom, increases accuracy) - $1397
Capacity
- Default clip (100 rounds) - Equipped by default
- Rounds (200 rounds) - $92
- Extended clip (200 rounds) - $315
Colors
- Black (default) - Equipped by default
- Army Tint (Desert sand) - $100
- LSPD Tint (Metallic Blue) - $600
Trivia
- GTA Vice City Stories features the M249E1 while the one featured in TBoGT is the M249E2 model.
- The Advanced MG will spawn in Deathmatch when weapons are set to Snipers.
- In TBoGT, if you look carefully at the bullet cartridges ejecting from the right, you will notice that the cartridges are .45 ACP rounds (pistol rounds). This is incorrect as the gun shoots using 5.56 x 45mm NATO rounds. The gun given the ability to ejecting pistol cartridges is possibly due for balancing reasons.
- The Advanced MG has a dark green skull on the front portion of the ammo box.
- In TBoGT, law enforcement use the Advanced MG to fire at the player from helicopters, instead of the Carbine Rifle as used in GTA IV and TLAD.
- In GTA V, it can shoot down almost any aircraft thanks to its 100 round magazine.
- In GTA V, the extended clip is similiar to the TBOGT clip model.
- The gun is called "M249" even though it's a M240, a very simillar gun.
Locations
GTA Vice City Stories
- At the InterGlobal Films studio in the first studio directly right of the entrance up the ramp on the catwalk.
- Spawns at every safehouse after shooting all 99 red balloons.
The Ballad of Gay Tony
- Given to the player in Going Deep.
- Available from Armando's gun van after said mission for $7,550, plus $400 for each additional magazine.
- Spawns in the player's safehouse after completing 20 Drug Wars and after completion of Going Deep.
GTA V
- Sold at Ammu-nation, for about $3,100
- Can be found at the crash site of the Merryweather Cargo Plane after the mission Minor Turbulence somewhere in the Alamo Sea.
GTA Online
- Can be found in Survival as early as Wave 4 and will be kept for the rest of the session.
- Can be found in crates in Gang Attacks. Almost always found in the Mile High Club and Sandy Shores Airfield gang hideouts.