From FPS games to third-person shooters, there’s something satisfying about cocking a gun and going ham on your foes. While these genres and games may appear to be very different, there are a few intricate similarities that really tie everything together.
So whether you are using a rocket launcher in Team Fortress 2 or an SSG 08 CSGO, here’s how you can master different types of weapons in shooters and make the most out of a dire situation.
Sniper Rifle
Ah, the sniper rifle, used by only the most valiant amongst you — the sniper rifle is meant for those with extraordinary aim or a penchant for ensuring their team loses. Using a sniper rifle primarily requires extreme precision. You should have your DPI dialed down to optimum levels and should be able to switch quickly from one point to the next.
While sniper rifles vary from game-to-game, they generally offer quick, effortless kills and can be absolutely brutal in situations where the enemy can’t get close to you, leading you to wreak havoc on them from a safe distance.
Pistol / Secondary
Your secondary weapon is one that’s often the most underutilized, especially at lower levels. This is because some might find reloading to be more efficient. However, in almost every case, you’ll be able to switch to your secondary much faster than loading that sloppy Negev in the middle of Mid Doors.
Primarily, a secondary will always deal less damage than your primary and have a slower fire rate. However, pistols like the Desert Eagle and Tec-9 act as hearty exceptions to those rules. Regardless, a secondary will never deal a lot of damage and is therefore best used in clutch situations.
Projectile Weapons
While not found in every game, projectile weapons have their own allure. Unlike their gunpowder-powered compadres, they do not have an instant hit duration. Instead, projectiles take their time to travel to the enemy.
Because of their slow speeds, they almost always deal more damage than a typical gun and are also poised to be much harder weapons to use. Your projectile’s speed is dependent on the game you are in. For instance, TF2’s rocket launcher is much smaller than a Nailgun in Quake.
Regardless, they’re an absolute blast to use but are best kept reserved for instances where you can actually preemptively understand where the enemy is going to be. Otherwise, you may just end up wasting a whole lot of ammo shooting away at places where your foe has already skedaddled from.
SMG
SMGs are extremely lightweight, durable, and are often kept as secondaries in most games. Guns like the Tec-9 can technically be considered SMGs, but it is truly the UMP-45 where the weapon arsenal really starts to feel loaded.
SMGs are extremely easy to use, and are beginner-friendly weapons. They don’t require a lot of finesse when it comes to aim and can be considered spray and pray weapons. While they are used by beginners, that doesn’t discount their overall effectiveness in the game.
The main draw of the SMG is the fact that it actually deals more damage than ARs and other primary weapons in the short to medium range. However, it completely falls flat as soon as you hit long ranges, while ARs still maintain their relevance at all ranges.
Primarily, the SMG isn’t meant to be a weapon you use when you wish to play tactically. It is meant for players who like to get in and not have the hope of getting out.
Shotguns
If SMGs feel like they were too accurate at times, say hello to shotguns! Instead of shooting bullets, you are now shooting pellets at unsuspecting foes. Shotguns are super easy and very fun to use. However, they are not beginner-friendly weapons because they tend to require some positioning knowledge in any game.
For instance, if you don’t know where to hide in Dust 2 to ensure your shotgun does maximum damage, you’ll end up getting sprayed by an SMG, sniper or AR at long range. Having the intuition to know the map before you go all in makes a pivotal difference when utilizing a shotgun.
