Quick answer
M249 SAW: Deployment price $3,200 (Earlier record · not restated); Level gate Support 20 (Season 02 notes); Permanent access payment $150,000 (Season 02 notes).
Recorded purchase and unlock
| Category | Light machine gun |
|---|---|
| Recorded deployment price | $3,200 in-game cash · Earlier record · not restated |
| Level gate | Support 20 · Season 02 notes |
| Permanent access payment | $150,000 · Season 02 notes |
| Ammunition | 5.56×45 mm |
| Evidence scope | Mixed evidence · an official change applies; other fields remain versioned |
| Data build | Season 02 notes + earlier records |
| Earlier fields reviewed | 2026-09-16 |
| Season 02 balance note | Torso damage and suppression were revised; older damage comparisons are not current measurements. |
| Fire modes | Semi-auto / full auto |
| Recorded weight | 7.5 kg |
| Recorded inventory size | 6 × 2 |
| Current check | Confirm the supported ammunition container and capacity in the live weapon screen |
Read the source label beside each price, gate and fee. These are separate payments; magazines, ammunition, protection, fuel and task equipment are not automatically included. Confirm compatibility and operating details in the current client.
Ammunition and equipment
The catalog record describes semi-auto and full-auto fire, a 6 × 2 footprint and 5.56×45 mm ammunition. It also records substantially more weapon weight than the rifles on this wiki. Treat those figures as build-specific and confirm the current inventory panel.
Do not infer magazine compatibility from the shared 5.56 label. Build the ready ammunition through the M249 screen and verify what enters the weapon before deployment.
Battlefield role
Use the M249 when the squad needs sustained coverage of an approach, a crossing or a withdrawal. Choose cover with an exit, fire for a team purpose and relocate before a fixed firing point becomes predictable. The weapon does not replace objective presence, spotting or resupply.
Compare another option
Compare the current weapon roster by access, ammunition, task and total repeat-kit cost. The Season 02 order differs from the launch order, so an older higher-level or cheaper-weapon comparison is not a current ranking.
Data version and sources
The official Season 02 notes supersede earlier values only where a field is explicitly named. The table labels those replacements separately. The image, physical specifications and other unreconfirmed fields remain dated records reviewed on September 16, 2026.
Earlier source record: Official weapon changes are tracked through WARDOGS Steam announcements. Item fields are versioned community records reviewed on September 16, 2026; damage, recoil and current ammunition capacity require a live-client check.
Read every value with its version.
Official changes use first-party announcements. Item fields without a current official table remain labeled as dated gameplay records until they can be checked in the public client.