User blog:Crazy sam10/Black Ops II guns and where they fit

Over the course of the past few days I've managed to make use of all the (primary) weapon archtypes. In this time I've deduced what fits where.

Assault Rifles
"I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy, who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me."

- Marines

Despite the name the gun isn't all that great for assaulting. The assault rifle seems to react well to a more slower gamestyle, while not as slow as the LMG or Sniper, it can't go toe-to-toe with an SMG user in a rushing style. This gun favours the cautious, those that look down their sights commonly and stick to cover. It can be used aggressively due to it's light weight allowing the user to get to cover easily and pick their targets. It can also fill a defence role well, but this is not its main strength, as this way you're only focusing on the weapons ability to be fired from cover. This appears to be the versatile gun, it can be used for aggression or defence, however it is not the best at either of these roles.

Submachine guns
The SMG is one of the lightest guns in the game, and for good reason. The SMG reacts well to a faster gameplay motif, playing in the usual "Run 'n' Gun" fashion is what suits this weapon. The relatively low recoil and high rate of fire makes aggression the most fearful tactic with an SMG. It's ability to allow the user full use of their mobility will allow any SMG user to quickly take any of the other weapon classes, barring the shotgun, out of their comfort zones and into the SMGs. While an SMG can be used in a defence role, one would have to do so in a hit and run fashion on the area they are defending as to keep the mobility bonus, it can't be used behind cover as effectively as any of the other weapon types. This appears to be the aggressors gun, primarily used for rushing the enemy, but not so great if it loses its mobility bonus.

Sniper Rifles
"You can run, but you'll only die tired."

- Old Samurai proverb

The Sniper Rifle is already infamous for its one shot, one kill abilities, and that's exactly what it's used for here. While only the Bolt-actions can achieve such consistent kills, both the bolt-action and semi-auto follow a similar path. The Sniper plays a unique role, in that it can play defence, or indiscriminately play offence by appearing where your enemy least expects you. Despite the raw killing power of a sniper rifle it's not the greatest of hold out weapons, if you get flanked or an enemy closes the gap you will end up dead, the sniper plays a better stealth role. Hitting your enemy fast and hard and then moving to a new shooting hole allow the best use out of a sniper, as does good understanding of the map to find the best choke-points, and not running into an enemy while changing position. This appears to be the indiscriminate gun, punching the enemy where it hurts then moving before they hit you back.

Light Machine Guns
"I don't need luck, I have ammo."

- Urdnot Grunt

The LMG may not be all that light, but it doesn't need to be with that huge magazine it lugs underneath. The LMG reacts well to the slowest gameplay, but that doesn't mean it's entirely useless. This fills the role the Sniper Rifle can't do, it can hold down a position far more effectively, allowing for a great defensive emplacement, or a area of cover fire for your team to move up. While not as powerful as the BF3 LMGs as they can't give a suppression rating causing most enemies to retreat, it still serves an adequate role in defence allowing a user to hold position far more effectively then any other weapon class, what it loses in mobility it gains in power and bullets. This appears to be the defenders gun, slowing an enemies advance and holding it like that for a good amount of time.

Shotguns
"Alright you Primitive Screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my boomstick!"

- Ashley 'Ash' J. Williams

The Shotgun is what would happen if a Sniper Rifle and SMG made love. The Shotgun reacts well to a high risk, high reward gamestyle, rivalling the SMGs for mobility. What it lacks in range it makes up for in sheer fire power. Like the sniper rifle it plays better if a user kills and moves, however being flanked is the least of your worries. The Shotgun works best if you make user play by your rules, if you're an area where the map is playing to your advantage, then stealth is unneeded, any players looking for an easy kill will simply run into range. However, outside of the shotguns lethal range it will be outclassed by every other gun, this requires a shotgun user not only to rely on mobility to simply close the gap for the kill, but also to stay alive. While stealth isn't required, it can't run into battle like an SMG can. However once the game has come into your court, the shotgun will really pull though. This appears to be the high risk, high reward gun, while it can be easy to die by a multitude of sources, once in range the tables turn drastically.

These were my observations based on my gametime with all the guns. Why not share in the comments your experience with the guns so far and what your play style is?