Minigun

The minigun is a very heavy, multi-shot firearm in RimWorld which fires 25-shot bursts of rounds which deal a moderate amount of damage each; a short delay between each shot; a slightly longer time between bursts; slightly longer range and very low overall accuracy.

When equipped, it slows its wielder's move speed by −0.25 c/s

Acquisition

Miniguns can be crafted at a Machining table once the Multibarrel weapons research project has been completed. They require 160 Steel, 20 Components, 60,000 ticks (16.67 mins) of work, and a Crafting skill of 7.

They can also be purchased from outlander and orbital combat suppliers, and outlander faction bases. They can also be found on the following raider kinds:

Raider Kind	Chance	Average Quality	Health
Heavy Mercenary	36.73%	Normal	70-320%
Cataphract	?	?	70-230%

Analysis

The minigun takes what the LMG has and cranks it up to eleven.

Raw damage per second is, by far, the highest out of all non-explosive wepaons in the game. It's almost double that of the chain shotgun, and 2.5 that of the LMG. Even against single targets, the minigun's average DPS surpasses the charge rifle past "short" range (12 tiles), though beat by the heavy SMG from short range and closer. However, its accuracy is very low, especially at point blank. This makes actual damage highly variable; weapons like assault rifles and heavy SMGs are more reliably good against a lone target.

But the minigun isn't meant for single targets. The low accuracy and the huge 25-shot burst makes the minigun extremely good against crowds. Missed shots can hit other targets in the vicinity, negating much of the accuracy. Even low-skill pawns are bound to hit things with so many bullets. In addition, the massive warmup/cooldown cycle and movement speed penalty makes it rather inflexible; pawns will become extremely vulnerable if shooting out in the open.

Therefore, miniguns are best used in a well-defended emplacement (like a killbox), against large, clustered crowds of enemies.

As a cost, the minigun is expensive to produce, has a dedicated research project, and won't appear from raiders until the lategame.

Stats

The minigun is most accurate between 12 and 25 cells range, though the exponential accuracy application from Shooting skill means that the minigun is likely to hit its highest accuracy at between 0 and 14 cells, depending on Shooting level (it requires at least Shooting 8 for the best accuracy range to be anything other than 0 cells, however).

Against an unarmored human, a minigun can kill with 4 hits to the torso, 3-4 hits to the head, 3 hits to the neck or 1 hit to the brain; cripple or destroy limbs in 3 hits; and cripple or destroy eyes and digits with a single hit. It'll generally take around 7 hits to incapacitate that human from pain shock. Assuming the target is at "optimal" range (between 12 and 25 cells, the maximum band of accuracy for the minigun)

From a strictly primary-target perspective, at a relative short range of 12 cells, a Minigun is best paired with Careful Shooter up to Shooting level 13, and Trigger-Happy at 14+. At a moderate range of 20 cells, Careful Shooter wins up through Shooting 18, and Trigger-Happy at 19+. Careful Shooting wins for all shooting levels at a target range of 24+ cells. However, against crowds of enemies, where better accuracy is both unnecessary and potentially detrimental and the goal is simply to maximize the number of bullets going down range, Trigger-Happy wins at all Shooting levels and all ranges for rather obvious reasons.

Attack table

Ranged

Minigun			Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Quality	Dam.	AP	Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Awful	9	13.5%	12%	20%	20%	14.4%	33.08	3.97	6.62	6.62	4.63	580
Poor	10	15%	13.5%	22.5%	22.5%	16.2%	36.76	5.15	8.45	8.45	5.88	870
Normal	10	15%	15%	25%	25%	18%	36.76	5.51	9.19	9.19	6.62	1160
Good	10	15%	16.5%	27.5%	27.5%	19.8%	36.76	6.25	10.29	10.29	7.35	1450
Excellent	10	15%	18%	30%	30%	21.6%	36.76	6.62	11.03	11.03	8.09	1740
Masterwork	12.5	18.75%	20.25%	33.75%	33.75%	24.3%	45.95	9.19	15.62	15.62	11.03	2900
Legendary	15	22.5%	22.5%	37.5%	37.5%	27%	55.14	12.68	20.95	20.95	14.89	4160

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality. Values shown in Red indicate the weapon is out of range at the reference point for this range band.
The value is provided due to the interpolated nature of accuracy between range points.}

Melee

Feature	Toggle
Attacks

Minigun			Barrels (Blunt)					Human: Left & right fist (Blunt)					HP	Value
Quality	DPS^[1]	AP^[1]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	HP	Value
Awful	3.95	12.6%	9.36	2.6s	14.4%	3.6	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 37.5%	100	580
Poor	4.08	13.4%	10.53	2.6s	16.2%	4.05	33.33%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 33.33%	100	870
Normal	4.42	16.5%	11.7	2.6s	18%	4.5	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	1160
Good	4.78	17.85%	12.87	2.6s	19.8%	4.95	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	1450
Excellent	5.13	19.2%	14.04	2.6s	21.6%	5.4	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	1740
Masterwork	6.03	22.58%	16.97	2.6s	26.1%	6.53	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	2900
Legendary	6.75	25.28%	19.31	2.6s	29.7%	7.43	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	4160

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality.}

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Note: This is the actual base average derived from the melee verb system updated in 1.1.2610, it may sometimes disagree with the listed value in the in-game infobox.
It may also change depending on the stats and the melee verbs available to the wielder if the weapon is wielded by some other than a baseline human.
↑ Chance for attack to be selected, assuming the weapon is wielded by a baseline human. It may change depending on the melee verbs available to the wielder

Version history

0.3.410 - Can now spawn on pawns
Beta 19 - forced miss radius removed allowing it to hit single targets; to compensate accuracy has been nerfed. Also received a buff to damage and a nerf to fire rate; the overall damage is slightly higher.
1.4.3523 - New weaponTag added to uniquely identify it for use by a specific centipede variant.