FAL

The FAL is an Assault Rifle featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty: Black Ops II and it is scheduled to appear in  Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Campaign
The FAL is commonly used by the Brazilian Militia in "Takedown" and the OpFor in "Team Player". The FAL is also used by Russians in the early stages of the invasion, but the AK-47 is more commonplace later in the conflict. It is usually seen with a Red Dot Sight, ACOG Scope, or Shotgun. It can be found in many Spec Ops missions, abundantly in the missions "Favela", including "Bomb Squad" and "O Cristo Redentor". It is the only semi-automatic assault rifle in game. What it lacks in rate of fire, it makes up in power, accuracy, and range.

Multiplayer
In multiplayer, the FAL is unlocked at Level 28. While this rifle's semi-automatic nature and its lower hip-fire accuracy reduces its effectiveness at close range, an experienced player with a fast trigger finger can easily unload a full magazine on an enemy in close-range, like a fully-automatic weapon. This same semi-automatic firing allows the player to control how much ammo is used and increases the FAL's effectiveness at long range, even though the player must pause briefly between shots to let the recoil settle. Because of this long-range prowess, the FAL bridges the gap between assault rifles and sniper rifles.

The FAL is the strongest assault rifle in the game with a damage range of 55-35, and as such, Stopping Power has a minimal effect, opening up a second tier perk slot. Shots will always kill in two hits at close and medium range, but three are required for a long range kill, regardless of the use of Stopping Power. However, with Stopping Power, the FAL is able to achieve one-hit kills with a headshot up close. Moreover, like the UMP45, the FAL is one of the few non-sniper weapons in the game that can kill in a maximum of three shots regardless of range, perks, or attachments.

The Red Dot Sight is not properly aligned on the FAL, as shots land below and to the right of the dot.The Holographic Sight can fix this problem; interestingly, it also increases the FAL's minimum damage by five, for a total of 40, and when using Stopping Power, gives two-hit-kills at all ranges. This includes Bling combinations, in which a Holographic Sight would go well with a Suppressor or Grenade Launcher.

In Hardcore, due to the gun's minimum damage being five points higher than a player's normal health, when paired with a Thermal Scope it can become a viable sniper rifle. However, due to the fact that many players in Hardcore use Cold Blooded to hide from air support, the FAL is outperformed by the M14 EBR for easier penetration kills, higher zoom, higher movement speed, lower recoil, and a handy Ghillie suit.

Attachments

 * Grenade Launcher
 * Red Dot Sight
 * Suppressor
 * ACOG Scope
 * FMJ
 * Shotgun
 * Holographic
 * Heartbeat Sensor
 * Thermal Scope
 * Extended Mags

Call of Duty: Black Ops
The FAL returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops as the FN FAL, and looks much different from the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 version, having a wooden stock and handguard, the standard capacity of 20-round magazine, and lacking a rail system for attachments.

Campaign
In the campaign, the weapon is used heavily by the Tropas in "Operation 40" and is the primary assault rifle used by the NVA in "The Defector." It is powerful and effective, but is usually passed up for other weapons that can be found.

Multiplayer
Unlocked at level 32, the FN FAL has medium recoil and high damage, killing in two to three shots in Core game modes and always with one shot in Hardcore game modes.

The FAL is a powerful weapon in the game, killing opponents with less shots than most other automatic weapons in the game, but is semi-automatic, which somewhat limits its effectiveness in close-quarters. The FAL excels at mid to long range gunfights due to its superior damage and accuracy, as well as moderately low recoil.

The FAL is a versatile weapon that can work with many different attachments and perks to be effective. Optics are an extremely common choice, as the FAL's sights are reasonably good, but optics allow for more accuracy at range. The Red Dot and Reflex Sights are great choices, as they provide better peripheral vision than the iron sights. The ACOG and Infrared scopes are also useful, but further limits the FAL's close quarter abilities by slowing ADS time and increasing recoil. Dual Mags are useful as it shortens reload time and grants 2 extra starting magazines, lessoning the need for Scavenger and Sleight of Hand. Extended Mags can be helpful when facing multiple enemies at once, but for the most part, 20 rounds are enough, as the FAL's semi-automatic nature and high power conserves ammunition very well, and its reload is rather quick. The Suppressor is also useful, as its high minimum damage allows it to kill effectively with 3 shots or less at any range. Adding a Masterkey or Flamethrower can increase one's close-quarters ability, as the basic FAL has very wide hipfire crosshairs.

Warlord is a great perk to use, as Sleight of Hand and Steady Aim are not immediately necessary for the FAL, although they are effective. An optic paired with Dual Mags or the Suppressor would be a good choice for a silent, deadly marksman class. Hardened is also useful, as it will increase the player's chances of killing an enemy behind cover. Hardened Pro's effect is highly beneficial as well, as accuracy is vital to be successful with the FAL, and flinching in the middle of a firefight can be fatal.

The FN FAL has some advantages over the other single-shot assault rifle in the game, the M14. The FN FAL has much more open, less obstructed iron sights, easily stays on target in close to long range gunfights, can accept Dual Mags, and does not require a grip like the M14 to lower recoil. The FN FAL features arguably lower, but less predictable recoil, unlike the M14, which has a more powerful linear vertical recoil. However, one can argue that the linear recoil is much easier to control and is largely negated by the fact that enemies are taller than they are wide, but this choice is up to the player. Another notable fact is that the M14 has a tighter hipfire spread than the FN FAL, therefore increasing the performance of the latter in close quarter combat. Additionally, the M14 is the only assault rifle to feature high penetration, and can kill opponents behind cover more easily. Finally, the FN FAL lacks the 1.5x damage multiplier head that the M14 has and posseses no neck multiplier at all, meaning that the FN FAL needs two headshots for a two-hit-kill at long range, while the M14 only needs one of the two bullets to hit the head or neck in order to get a two-hit-kill at long range.

Attachments

 * Extended Mags
 * Dual Mag
 * ACOG Scope
 * Red Dot Sight
 * Reflex Sight
 * Masterkey
 * Flamethrower
 * Infrared Scope
 * Suppressor
 * Grenade Launcher

Zombies
"The Falafel! Good for Eating and Shooting!"

- Nikolai Bellinski when obtaining the FN FAL on Ascension

The FN FAL appears in the Zombies maps Kino der Toten, Five, Ascension, Call of The Dead, Shangri-La, and Moon. It also appears in the updated Call of Duty: Black Ops versions of Nacht der Untoten, Verruckt, Shi No Numa, and Der Reise. In Zombies mode, the FN FAL can be only obtained from the Mystery Box. It comes with a 20-round magazine, moderate power (one-hit-headshot until round six) and high accuracy. Due to the larger magazine size and double the power on headshots, the FN FAL is considered superior to the M14.

When Pack-A-Punched, the FN FAL turns into the "EPC WN", which sports a Reflex Sight with a randomized reticule and switches to a three-round burst firing mode, with a one-hit-headshot capacity lasting until round 12. However, one will seldom see a player using the "EPC WN", due to the ineffectiveness of the normal variant. However, It can be effective until round 30 if aiming for headshots.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II
The FAL appears in the 1980s arc of the campaign of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Zombies. Unlike in previous games, it is fully automatic in campaign. Also it has a magazine release button on the right side of the reciever with which the player ejects the magazine with instead of taping it out or removing it manually.

Campaign
The FAL is available at the start of the campaign. It is the primary weapon in the recommended loadout for the "Pyrrhic Victory", and comes equipped with an ACOG sight. It is also seen in "Time and Fate" and "Suffer with Me" used by the MPLA, PDF, Menendez Cartel, and Batallón Dignidad.

Zombies
"Only the addition of suction cups would render this weapon less effective."

- Marlton Johnson

The FAL can be bought from the Mystery Box for 950 points. When Pack-a-Punched, the FAL will become the WN and is equipped with a Reflex Sight. It retains the same three-round burst fire mode, magazine size, and similar damage as its Call of Duty: Black Ops counterpart, with the only main difference being its name.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

 * The FAL's rear sight sways unless equipped with the Shotgun attachment.
 * The FAL made its appearance under the name "FN FAL" in one of the pictures in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Official Strategy Guide, under the 'Multiplayer' section.
 * On the right side of the gun, it says "FN FAL" and indiscernible text but backwards. This backwards lettering is also present in the letters R and S on the fire selector.
 * The FAL's handguard appears to have a discoloration or a stain on it.
 * The FAL has a unique way of reloading. The player flicks the magazine release with the new magazine and inserts it. Also, when the player reloads, the magazine appears to go through the trigger-guard to flick the old magazine out.
 * The FAL appears to have scratches and marks on the barrel.FAL grenade Laucher.png
 * The pick-up icon for the FAL with a grenade launcher says "FAL Grenade Laucher" instead of "FAL Grenade Launcher"
 * When equipped with a Heartbeat Sensor, and reloaded with an empty magazine, the player's hand will clip through the monitor.
 * Enemies firing from behind cover, particularly doors, fire the FAL as if it were fully automatic.
 * The magazine removed when empty reloading still appears to be full.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

 * Emblems on the FN FAL appear "backwards" or as a mirror image of the emblem.
 * Like the M14, the FN FAL has a wooden stock and handguard, but when a camouflage pattern is applied, the stock and hand guard turn into a synthetic material. This only occurs in multiplayer.
 * On the Nintendo Wii, the camouflage does not change the wooden stock.
 * With a Grenade Launcher, Flamethrower, or Masterkey attached, the player character releases the magazine slightly differently due to the trigger guard obstructing the magazine well.
 * When Pack-a-Punched, the name changes, EPC WN, which is a short variation of "Epic Win", while the FN FAL sounds like "Effin' Fail".
 * The FN FAL's serial number is "723750402".
 * By viewing the FN FAL in third-person, the player can see the word B3AN1ES, which translates to "beanies".
 * Nikolai Belinski calls this weapon the "Falafel", similar to how Tank Dempsey calls the Wunderwaffe DG-2 the "Wonder Waffle" and Edward Richtofen calling the P.E.S. "pies".
 * It is the only weapon that is three-round burst when Pack-a-Punched in Zombies.
 * If the player uses the "give all" cheat on "Operation 40", they will obtain a FN FAL with ACOG and Silencer, but it fires as if it is unsilenced.
 * It is Nikolai Belinski's favorite weapon in Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

 * Jason Hudson uses the FAL as his main weapon throughout the campaign.
 * This is the first game in which the FAL is fully automatic by default, though it only applies to campaign. In Zombies, it retains the semi-automatic fire mode.
 * The FAL and the SVU-AS both share the same firing sounds, although the SVU-AS' is slightly altered.
 * If equipped with Fast Mag, then the FAL will reuse the reload animation from the one in the first Black Ops (for both the normal reload and the one with Dual Mags).

Videos
Video:FN FAL Assault Rifle - All Attachments Weapon Guide Series (Call of Duty® Black Ops)

Attachment Overview