Dual Wield

Dual Wield (also referred to as Akimbo) is a weapon attachment available in Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Call of Duty Online, and every main game in the series since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. However, it was cut from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.

The term "akimbo", used in most games except Big Red One and the Black Ops series, comes from a human body position, but is commonly used in popular culture as a synonym for dual-wielding. The attachment was originally stated to be a Tier 2 perk in Modern Warfare 2, but was changed to an unlockable attachment in the final release of the game.

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
When the player gets eight points in a match, they get the ability to use two Colt .45 pistols when playing as an American or two P38s as a German at once in the Submachine Gun class, albeit with very limited ammunition. Once the player gets sixteen points, however, they get more ammunition.

Singleplayer
In campaign and Special Ops, Akimbo is seen on the M9, Desert Eagle, G18, TMP, Mini-Uzi and Ranger. The Ice Axes in "Cliffhanger" are also used in a similar fashion. Akimbo weapons in singleplayer do not have doubled starting/reserve ammunition, unlike in multiplayer. The only exception is the Desert Eagle, which gets double reserve ammo in both modes.

Multiplayer
In multiplayer, the Akimbo attachment is available to all Handguns, Machine Pistols, Submachine Guns, the Ranger, and the Model 1887. It is unlocked on submachine guns by getting 30 kills with Rapid Fire; for secondaries including handguns and machine pistols, it is unlocked via Marksman challenges. Players are unable to aim down the sight while using Akimbo, although they can still use the knife. As ADS is disabled, any kind of optic becomes useless when using Bling as a perk, nor can they add the Tactical Knife to handguns (Akimbo and Tactical Knife attachments both use the left hand).

When selected, the two weapons can be fired independently with the aim button acting as the trigger for the left weapon on console versions, while the weapons correspond to the mouse buttons on the PC. Both guns count as a single weapon, so when switching to primary weapons and/or secondary weapons, both weapons are holstered. Each gun has its own ammo counter and can be reloaded independently (if the magazine in one of the two guns is full when reloading, the player can continue to shoot the gun with the full magazine while reloading the other one), allowing the player to stagger their reload time, which can be useful if one weapon is running low on ammo. Using two weapons doubles the supply of stored ammo, making Scavenger less necessary.

Akimbo will also affect the weapons' hip-fire accuracy to varying degrees, depending on the class of weapon. On submachine guns, the hip-fire accuracy will be more than twice as bad as normal, but on handguns and the M93 Raffica the hip-fire accuracy is reduced only slightly. Akimbo G18s will actually have better hip-fire accuracy with akimbo. Using Steady Aim will reduce the hip-fire penalty. Akimbo also creates the unfortunate effect of having a slower draw time, which may be especially important for sniper classes that are ambushed from their hiding position.

Due to being able to fire both weapons simultaneously, certain weapons are frighteningly powerful. The Desert Eagle and .44 Magnum can both kill a player by simply pulling the fire button for both guns, essentially performing a one-hit kill without Stopping Power. This is also possible on other weapons like the M9 and USP .45, but these ones need to be at close range and with Stopping Power to do this. Akimbo P90s will, between them, have 100 rounds of ammunition, comparable to an LMG, and, if using Bling and Extended mags, 150 between them.

The most notable use of Akimbo was with the Model 1887 prior to patches 1.07 and 1.08. Already powerful at medium ranges, a player using Akimbo Model 1887s could kill a target at impressive ranges with minimal downtime between shots. The Model 1887s have since been patched to have reduced range in Akimbo.

Weapon differences

 * On the USP .45, the standard slash animation of the knife is replaced with a sped up version of the stab.
 * The range with the Model 1887 is greatly reduced, but the reload time is decreased.
 * Hipfire spread on the G18 is reduced, and the recoil is more manageable.

Call of Duty: Black Ops
Dual Wield is a weapon attachment available in Call of Duty: Black Ops. It is identical to Akimbo from Modern Warfare 2, except that it cannot be paired with another attachment in multiplayer via Warlord.. Dual Wield allows the player to use a weapon in each hand, effectively doubling the player's firepower. However, Dual Wielded weapons can only be hipfired, and it also reduces accuracy at any range. Submachine guns in particular tend to suffer more accuracy loss than handguns and shotguns. Because of this, it is advisable that the player only uses Dual Wield weapons in close to medium range engagements.

As in Modern Warfare 2, Dual Wield also doubles the starting and maxmium ammunition in multiplayer. This is not the case in campaign (where the attachment is only available to the CZ75, MAC11, PM63 and Kiparis), as the reserve ammo limit remains the same for the MAC11 at 600 rounds, and increases to 320 rounds for the CZ75, PM63 and Kiparis.

It increases chances of close range kills, albeit at the cost of ammunition expense and accuracy at range. It should also be noted that Dual Wielded weapons usually have a faster switch speed, except for the Kiparis, HS-10 and Python.

Compatible Weapons

 * ASP
 * Makarov
 * M1911
 * Python
 * CZ75
 * HS-10
 * Skorpion
 * MAC11
 * PM63
 * Kiparis
 * Wave Gun in Zombies

Campaign
The only obtainable Akimbo weapon in campaign mode is the M9, which can very rarely be found in "Goalpost", but this Akimbo version is glitched in that it cannot be fired. Grinch also uses Akimbo Desert Eagles in "Down The Rabbit Hole", but these ones cannot be obtained by the player.

Special Ops
Akimbo is only usable on the FMG9 in the DLC mission "Black Ice", for the player at the back of the snowmobile. However, after dismounting the vehicle, their Akimbo FMG9s are replaced by a single Five Seven.

Multiplayer
The Akimbo attachment is only available to Handguns and Machine Pistols, and is obtained on Weapon Level 5. It functions identically to its Modern Warfare 2 counterpart, except that Akimbo weapons have constant hipfire accuracy; the cross-hairs do not expand while moving.

Unlike the two previous games, Akimbo will not increase reserve ammunition when equipped. This leaves the pistols, excluding the revolvers (they have more spare ammunition by default), with only one spare magazine, making Scavenger a great perk to use if one wants to use Akimbo weapons for more than a couple of kills.

Furthermore, due to a balance patch on every console (except for the Wii version), when the Akimbo attachment is equipped, the rate of fire for each weapon is decreased by 20% compared to that of a single one.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II
"Carry two pistols, one in each hand. Cannot aim down the sight or be combined with any other attachment."

- Create-A-Class description.

Dual Wield returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops II, but this time it is only available in multiplayer and Zombies mode, not in campaign. It is compatible only with handguns. Using the wildcard Secondary Gunfighter will not work with this attachment, as other attachments will be unusable when Dual Wield is selected. When using Dual Wield, maximum (except the KAP-40 and the Executioner, which receives a decrease) and minimum damage and range is increased for all guns, as well as increased hipfire spread. Dual wielded weapons get double reserve ammunition as well.

After a patch, the Dual Wield hipfire spread of both the B23R and KAP-40 was increased, making them less accurate than their semi automatic counterparts. This makes enemies at even medium ranges difficult to kill without having to reload.

The Executioner, while normally reloaded one shell at a time, receives the effects of Fast Mag when Dual Wield is attached. This causes all shells to be reloaded at once without having to actually equip it as an attachment.

Call of Duty Online
Akimbo returns in Call of Duty Online. The difference compared to other games is that both weapons use the same ammo counter that is doubled in the HUD, instead of each one having its own ammo counter per magazine. The attachment usually increases reserve ammunition by 33%-50%, depending on the weapon.

Call of Duty: Ghosts
"Hip fire two weapons."

- In-game description

Campaign
Akimbo in the campaign is only seen on the MP-443 Grach. It can be taken from enemies who draw it from their holsters after running out of ammunition in "Severed Ties". Keegan is also earlier seen using the same combination in "Struck Down".

Multiplayer
Akimbo is only available to handguns except the PDW. Like in MW3, the attachment does not increase reserve ammunition when equipped, making Scavenger or Fully Loaded a good use. However, the problem with the pistols has been fixed, since now they have an extra starting magazine, effectively having two spare ones when equipped with Akimbo (while the .44 Magnum revolver still has more ammunition by default). When equipped on the M9A1, MP-443 Grach or P226, the fire rate of the weapon is changed to 750 RPM.

Extinction
In Extinction mode, the last upgrade for handguns will grant Akimbo to them.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
"Hip fire two weapons."

- In-game description

Akimbo is available to all pistols (except the RW1) and to the M1 Irons. Additionally, two other weapons, the SAC3 submachine gun and XMG heavy weapon, are Akimbo by default. The attachment does not increase reserve ammunition when equipped. When equipped on the Atlas 45, MP443 Grach or 1911, the fire rate of the weapon is slightly reduced.

The Akimbo attachment is only available in multiplayer and Exo Zombies, though the SAC3 and XMG which are dual-wielded by default are obtainable in Exo Survival as well. In Exo Zombies, only the SAC3 and the M1 Irons are used in akimbo.

After an update, five non-dual wielded supply drop variants of the SAC3 have been added to multiplayer via an update. They have much more differences in stats from the dual-wielded SAC3, compared to the pistols.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Dual Wield returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops III, where it is available to the pistols (except the Rift E9) and to the NX ShadowClaw. The differences for having Dual Wield on a pistol are diverse and significant.

All pistols experience a movement speed reduction, draw time increase, and in some cases rate of fire reduction. The NX ShadowClaw, however, has no penalties for being run dual-wielded (aside from the switch and sprint-out times). Once again, dual-wielded weapons get double reserve ammunition.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
"Hip fire two weapons."

- In-game description

Campaign
Akimbo returns in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. It appears in campaign, where it is available to handguns, and can also be equipped to the HVR submachine gun when all side missions are completed. In addition, the Type-2 assault rifle can be toggled into dual-wielded machine pistols.

Multiplayer
Akimbo is available to handguns, and is equipped on the Gemini variant of the HVR. The Type-2 can also be toggled into Akimbo weapons, and the Equalizer payload heavy weapon for Synaptic is dual-wielded by default.

Zombies
The attachment can be equipped on handguns in Zombies in Spaceland, and the Type-2 retains its Akimbo function.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Dual Wield was a planned attachment for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, referenced with strings in the game files. Within the strings, there are strings referencing separate reloading animations for the M9, USP .45 and Desert Eagle.

General

 * In multiplayer, a dual-wielded weapon will only appear to be one gun when on the ground; it will also only appear as one gun when not in use and on a player's back.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

 * Akimbo was originally going to be a perk as there is an image in the game files named specialty_akimbo.iwi.
 * The FAL and the Thumper actually have coding to use them with Akimbo, meaning that it was possibly going to be compatible on other types of weapons as well.
 * There are Akimbo TMPs that can be found with Red Dot Sights in "No Russian", "The Enemy of My Enemy", "Just Like Old Times", "Loose Ends", and the Special Ops mission "Snatch & Grab" although the Red Dot Sights obviously have no purpose.
 * By killing 10 enemies in a row in singleplayer or Special Ops with Akimbo weapons the user will unlock the "Look Ma Two Hands" achievement/trophy.
 * In the campaign, when about to breach using Akimbo weapons, a minor special animation will occur.
 * If the player finds a weapon with Bling that has Akimbo as one attachment, the pickup icon shows two weapons, notifying the player that one attachment must be Akimbo.
 * Using the Console Command bg_forcedualwield and setting the value to 1, almost any weapon can be used Akimbo.
 * On some akimbo weapons, the left weapon is raised higher up on the screen than the right weapon.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

 * Each compatible gun has a unique icon for the Dual Wield attachment in Create-a-Class.
 * The Python automatically gains the Speed Reloader attachment when with the Dual Wield attachment. Also, Dual Wield Pythons have a noticeably slower switch time than a single Python.
 * The M1911 Dual Wield has a unique empty reload animation; where the player throws the gun where the grip is facing up so he can pull back on the slide, and again throws the gun back in position only to catch it on the grip in his hand and the trigger with his index finger and presses the trigger to make the slide fall back.
 * Using Dual Wield weapons seems to decrease their usual accuracy more so than Akimbo in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 .
 * Dual Wielded pistols cannot be used in Second Chance. Instead, the player will automatically pull out a M1911 with no attachment, regardless of what pistol they are using. This differs from Last Stand in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, where Akimbo handguns could be used, and in Zombies, where the player can use Mustang and Sally or Dual Wielded CZ75s.
 * On the PlayStation 3, the right weapon will fire but sometimes fail to make a firing sound.
 * On many weapons, the firing sounds are slightly different for the left and right weapons.
 * On the PC, clicking the left mouse button will pull the trigger of the right gun, and the right mouse button firing the left gun instead. This is because on consoles, players aim down sights with the left button and shoot with the right button; however, in PC, players aim down sight with a right click and shoot with a left click, which the controls on the PC version possibly forgot to reverse, unlike Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which did reverse the controls for Akimbo weapons.
 * Dual Wield decreases the maximum damage of the Skorpion from 50 to 40, presumably to prevent them being able to kill in one hit simultaneously.
 * The Dual Wielded Makarovs appears in Tier 2 in Gun Game. Dual Wield Skorpions also appears in Tier 6.
 * All Dual Wield Pack-a-Punched weapons, excluding the Wave Gun, are actually a name of a certain thing if one removes the "&" (i.e., "Typhoid & Mary", the upgraded HS-10, is a reference to Typhoid Mary).

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

 * The Akimbo attachment icon shows two FMG9s.
 * The Akimbo Five Sevens have an additional reload time of 0.1 seconds, meaning that they can be reload canceled for an almost instant reload.
 * When Akimbo Skorpions are equipped, the left-handed gun is held at an angle.
 * On the Akimbo Create-a-Class icon, the first FMG9 has part of the trigger-guard missing.
 * On Call of Duty ELITE, the recommended loadout is Akimbo, Steady Aim and Extended Mags, which is impossible, since Akimbo is only available for secondary weapons, which cannot mount two attachments in Modern Warfare 3.
 * During Call of Duty XP, the Akimbo Create-a-Class icon was the same Create-a-Class icon from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
 * On the Wii version of Modern Warfare 3, using the MP9 Akimbo and firing with the left weapon will not make any sound.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

 * Dual Wield weapons will appear squished in the killfeed, similar to the MP7 from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and the Default Weapon.
 * Whenever a gun with Dual Wield is picked up, it will lose sixteen shots from its reserve ammo.
 * Guns will actually have a shorter reload when Dual Wielded. This is most noticeable with the Executioner.
 * As of the May 23rd's patch, the B23R and KAP-40 are not affected by this.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

 * In both Black Ops II and Black Ops III, any gun with Dual Wield will have 8 shots more than double the ammo of the base gun as starting ammunition (16 shots more for maximum ammunition). This means that if fired without reloading, the final magazine will not be full. The only exception is the NX ShadowClaw in Black Ops III, which just gets double ammo.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

 * The Akimbo attachment icon shows two Oni pistols

Akimbo Duales