[quote=@Zoldyck]
<Snipped quote by Vanguardian>

I can get into the airships and mechs thing cause steam powers those things but how does steam power enhance a machinegun to fire 100 rounds in 2 seconds? Remember that the Gatlinggun has been developed one year before the start of the scenario. 

EDIT: just a question, not trying to start an arguement.
[/quote]

Welp thank you for not trying to start one.
The gun is not like the modern guns. These Machine guns are bulky, and the ones that are specialized (The really fast firing ones) are built like cannons, but with an actual gun instead of well, a cannon. The reason why they are so bulky is to fit the steam powered engine. Basically in the back there is some contraption that can move between burning gunpowder or burning blue coal. You load up the blue coal and once you get enough to power it, you switch it to burn gunpowder, which starts to make the gun fire bullets.