TAR-21

The TAR-21 is an assault rifle featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Its rate of fire gives it a high damage output, but its moderate inaccuracy and recoil can make it difficult to use.

Singleplayer
In the campaign, it is used heavily by the Russian military in the United States, and is carried by Task Force 141 members. It is available in all missions involving Russian Ultranationalists and the Brazilian Militia. In the Singleplayer Campaign and Special Ops, this weapon is always seen with optics attached. In multiplayer, the TAR-21 uses rail modular sights.

Multiplayer
This weapon is unlocked at Level 20 (Sergeant First Class I). The TAR-21 carries 30-round magazines, deals 40-30 damage per shot and fires at 750 RPM, making it one of the highest damage-output weapons in the game. The weapon also possesses moderate recoil and is somewhat inaccurate. This makes it difficult to use in the hands of an unskilled player at long ranges without short, controlled bursts of fire, especially with the use of an ACOG Scope. This is partially alleviated with a Silencer, as lack of muzzle flash increases visibility and effective accuracy.

The TAR-21 also possesses a unique tinted Red Dot Sight called the MARS Sight, which offers a slightly smaller, circular viewing space versus standard Red Dot attachments on other weapons. One of the advantages of this sight is that when using Bling with a Heartbeat Sensor, the Sensor is still visible while aiming down the sights. However, many players dislike the MARS sight due to its smaller size than a normal Red Dot Sight, and the fact that it reflects the in-game light, sometimes making it difficult to aim through. Because of this, many players will choose to use the Holographic Sight after unlocking it, as it is larger than the MARS sight, has a thinner frame, and does not glare as much while reflecting light. However, the iron sights are generally favourable, and as a result many will opt for a M203 or Silencer instead.

Tactics
Although the TAR-21's recoil makes it somewhat difficult to use at longer ranges (though this can be mostly negated with controlled bursts), its high damage per second makes it extremely effective at close and medium range, and silencers will help to remove muzzle flash that may obsucre the target at long range. The TAR-21 is one of the only assault rifles that will be competitive with SMGs at close range. Due to these traits, this gun can be a very effective stealth/ambush weapon if used with a Silencer and Heartbeat Sensor.

In Hardcore mode, the TAR-21 is capable of a one shot kill without Stopping Power, unless firing through cover or at a player using Last Stand, Final Stand or Painkiller. Combined with an ACOG sight and lightly depressing the trigger to fire a single round can make this a very good anti-sniper, long distance support weapon, or if you simply want to snipe without a Ghillie suit. The same effect can be achieved with a Thermal Scope.

Weapon Attachments

 * Grenade Launcher
 * Red Dot Sight (Only available in campaign)
 * MARS Sight (More common version of RDS, standard on multiplayer)
 * Silencer
 * ACOG Scope
 * FMJ
 * Shotgun
 * Holographic Sight
 * Heartbeat Sensor
 * Thermal Scope
 * Extended Magazines

Video
thumb|left|300px|Video showing the effectiveness of the TAR-21 without the need for Stopping Power

Trivia

 * Despite its bullpup configuration, the TAR-21 (like the FAMAS, AUG HBAR, and WA2000) still uses the same third person reload animation as all other weapons.


 * The TAR-21 has a MARS Sight, however in Singleplayer and Spec Ops it can be found with the normal Red Dot Sight.


 * When aiming down the MARS sight, if heartbeat sensor is attached also, it is still easily viewable.


 * The empty reload animation is slightly different if the heartbeat sensor is attached.


 * The iron sights have the writings "Intensity Fire". This can be seen best when a grenade launcher is used while prone.
 * A TAR-21 with a Red Dot Sight can be found in the single player level "Museum".
 * When using the TAR-21 Holographic sight the camo choose is a different shade on the holographic than on the gun.
 * When viewed in third person with any attachment other than optics, the TAR-21 has no iron sights.
 * This weapon is never found with iron sights in the campaign.