BSR-127 "Thunder"

The BSR-127 Battlesuit Standard Rifle, Thunder Variant, is a magazine-fed, 12.7x108mm, select-fire weapon based on the older BSR-939. It is used by the Luminarian Ground Forces and is intended to enhance a standard rifleman's anti-battlesuit and anti-vehicle capabilities as well as suppression capabilities.

In Year 10 of the Great War, the BSR-127 entered service during Operation Isomer with elements of the 28th and 32nd Marine Divisions. In Year 11, the BSR-127 replaced the LAR-63 to become the Luminarian Ground Forces standard service rifle. By Year 14, the BSR-127 "Thunder" variant was adopted by the Luminarian Ground Forces as its next-generation standard service rifle, featuring an integrated ballistic computer and rangefinder, additional mounting rails for more accessories, and increased reliability in hostile environments.

Background
In Year 6, the Luminarian Ground Forces begun the integration of battlesuits for all infantry forces. Along with the integration, was the switch from the man-portable rifles to battlesuit rifles. The Luminarian Ground Forces had adopted and manufactured the Empire's LBAR-63 as it was a battle-proven weapon as shown during the Schism and stockpiles of the weapon had been captured en masse.

However, recent engagements with the armor-heavy Zaretian Empire had shown that the LAR-63 was incapable of holding up against heavily armored opponents. The Empire's ground doctrine had originally emphasized the use of heavy suppression to fix enemies in place for heavy weapons to flank and destroy, which was good against lightly armored opponents but tended to falter against heavily armored and experienced forces. The LBAR-63 was a major proponent of that strategy, focusing on a high volume of fire to overpower and defeat shields and armor.

Another issue the Luminarian Ground Forces suffered was the reduced logistics capabilities of conducting warfare deep in hostile territory. Many of the battles fought in the Zaretian Theatre had been conducted with quantum gates in either immediate danger or in a reduced capacity, restricting the number of carriers that could arrive to reinforce and resupply a ground conflict. With the LBAR-63's high rate of fire, this meant that many Luminarian Battlesuits constantly found themselves having to ration ammunition, leading to reduced combat effectiveness. Another further complication was the different calibers utilized by battlesuit arms, with the LBAR-63 utilizing 8x58mm caliber, while the LBMG-287 utilized the 12.7x108mm and the LBSR-800 utilizing the 14.5x114mm caliber.

Battlesuit Standard Rifle
In Year 8 of the Great War, a Universal Need Statement was issued for a new Battlesuit Standard Rifle. Experiences in the Zaretian Theatre had led to a formalized list of requirements for a new rifle to combat armored forces alongside a change in ground forces doctrine and standardization requirements.

Characteristics desired in the weapon included: Increased penetration capabilities; similarity in appearance to other weapons in the squad, reducing the likelihood that any soldier will receive special attention from the enemy;

Multiple manufacturers submitted designs for internal testing, with Magnetic Combat Systems submitting the ZEC-90 "Contender", Valrius Land Systems submitting a variant of the VLS Model-200 and Forge Dynamics submitting the PPCBS-120. After multiple weapon trials, the VLS Model-200 was selected and begun operational testing with the 28th and 32nd Marine Divisions under the designation of BSR-127.

While Ground Forces Combat Command was optimistic about operational testing, some commanders remained skeptical because of the reduction in suppression capabilities at the squad-level that would result if the BSR-127 was adopted. Furthermore, with the reduction from a 60 round magazine to a 25 round magazine would result in increased reloading, and was thus unlikely to wrest fire superiority from enemy forces.

These concerns would be put to rest during Operation Isomer. In several engagements, it became clear that the old doctrine of fire suppression, is the sound of continuous fire with rounds landing close to the enemy was no longer correct. While the LBAR-63's volume of fire may be greater, it is less accurate. Experienced troops who have dealt with incoming fire are less likely to take cover from incoming rounds if they are not close enough or unable to penetrate their armor. With the BSR-127, the doctrine is that a lower volume of fire is needed with better accuracy and more lethality. Fewer rounds need to be used and riflemen can remain in combat longer and in more situations. Further enhancing the BSR-127's suppression is the main use of AP-HE rounds, which help disorient enemy forces.

Additionally, with the increased accuracy and range of the BSR-127 led to the removal of Designated Marksman Rifles. The BSR-127 could engage targets at extensive ranges with the correct optics, and the marksman role in a squad could be replaced with another anti-vehicle combatant, increasing the squad's organic capabilities to engage heavily armored targets.

With the end of Operation Isomer, the BSR-127 would be formally adopted by the Luminarian Ground Forces as the new service rifle.

BSR-127 Thunder Variant
The Thunder Variant is a variant of the basic BSR-127 originally intended for special operations use. The Thunder variant was designed with adaptability in mind, featuring additional mounting rails, improved reliability when operating in hostile environments and the ability to switch out the stock for specialist variants.

Further additions to the BSR-127 included a next-generation integrated ballistics computer, an inbuilt rangefinder, integrated heavy barrel suppressor and an adjustable trigger have improved accuracy and surprise when engaging at long ranges.

Conversion of BSR-127s to the Thunder variant began in Year 14. Though in service with special forces, combat against elite Zaretian units showed the need for faster range acquisition and long-range accuracy alongside the need for surprise, speed and maximum violence in MOUT, had led to the adoption of the Thunder variant by all ground forces units.