How many times are we going to do this? ??? Can we please get back to autocannons and possible improvements, replacements, and additions to?
Until either you or he gets tired, I wager. Or, rather, when he gets tired.
I've said my improvements once or twice to the Autocannon here which makes them competitive:
1.Cut the AC/2's heat down to 0
2.Cut the minimum ranges of autocannons (AC/2 and /5 variants) down to 0
3.Give autocannons 20% more ammunition (optional but it helps them utilize point 4)
4.Make autocannons automatic with a kinder version of Rapidfire Autocannons to fire like the Ultra currently does (while making the Ultra even better at it: 2 rolls to-hit without jamming instead of relying on the cluster table). Apply to all non-Ultra, non-Rotary autocannons.
If these criteria are met (specifically Criteria 4), then I would view ACs as serious contenders that are fully worth their weight compared to the other options.
I can see more ammo types. I can see improved Rifle Cannons. I can see experimental AC types. A Shotgun AC for example as a low tech version of the LB-X but reduced range. AC/s with cut down barrels to reduce weight with reduced range and to hit penalty. I can see an Autocannon that can select between single shot and burst. Burst functions normally while shot does half damage but has double ammo. Maybe even more range. I can even see just the single shot versions. I'm also thinking of a Gast Gun type AC and a Gatling Gun AC. I can't see gauss rifles of any kind being available during the later succession wars but I can see their predecessors, Rail Guns being used.
The existing ammo types need to be improved first so there's more viable, useful types other than just Precision and sometimes Flak. The utility of AC ammo pales in comparison to either LRM or SRM ammo. I made an honest try of that here:
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=67185.0Rifle cannons are not really relevant to Autocannons. I've done that before though, mostly to have another "Intro-tech" ballistic option so the vanilla ACs aren't so lonely.
AC's with "cut down barrels to reduce weight and accuracy" are just LACs and PACs.
The single-shot/burst-shot AC idea sounds like an Ultra, except your "ultra" mode is just firing a non-nerfed shot. I don't think that adds anything of value.
"Gast Gun" mostly sounds like one of those configurations that some of the autocannons of a given class are split up into
fluff-wise, as some may be single-barrel, double-barrel, rotaries, etc. Introducing the Gast Gun as a separate entity, outside of maybe a model of an existing AC class with a quirk if we're stretching it, sounds like clutter for the sake of clutter.
"Gatling Gun" -> RAC