FIELD REPORT 1002.12.0
DAYWANDERER'S RS TACTICAL GUIDE
Part3 - Weapons

RS Weapons

In this long-awaited part of my RS Tac Guide I'll go through the weapons in Rogue Spear. Note that what I write here applies to multiplayer, but not necessarily single player. I will not go into the amount of rounds each weapon takes to down a player as some people have survived thirty-round magazines of 9x19mm ammunition, where as others caught a stray bullet in the groin and went down immediately. The three different armour types also complicate it slightly.

Primary Weapons

HK MP5A4 : Your not-so-average, everyday submachinegun, designed by the good guys of Heckler & Koch. Don't let the weak 9x19mm round fool you, this is an excellent SMG. The accuracy and recoil is almost unparallelled by any of the other SMGs, and it's far better than the assault rifles. Combined with a ROF of 800RPM, it's simple a matter of aiming for the torso and/or head and squeezing the trigger. After using the MP5/10A2 for a rather long time, I was surprised to see the speed of which I could down hostiles with this firearm. If you like the MP5/10A2, you'll definitely like this. The round is slightly weaker, but the decreased recoil allows you to hit with more rounds that you would with the MP5/10A2.

HK MP5/10A2 : A superb weapon for quick multiplayer CQC skirmishes. It's accuracy is exactly the same as the MP5A4,with a tad more recoil caused by the more powerful 10mm round. This will be sufficient to take down a target quickly and without spraying rounds all over the walls.

HK UMP45 : Another surprise (not really, HK=God, remember?), much like the MP5A4. It's got a low ROF (580RPM), a limited 25-round magazine, and a slightly lower accuracy than the other SMGs. Despite these downsides, it manages quite nicely in quick CQB skirmishes, mainly because it's chambered in the powerful .45 ACP round, which has ample stopping power. The three-round burst option is also available. And if you attach the suppressor, the UMP45 becomes *the* most accurate SMG. As long as you're standing still, that is.

HK MP5K-PDW : A rather popular weapon as far as I know. With a ROF of 900RPM, this is the fastest firing SMG. It's got the same low-caliber round as the MP5A4, but just as it's larger cousin, the accuracy and ROF will make up for the 9x19mm round. I prefer going for the kneecaps with this weapon, however, steady bursts to the torso and head will also result in quick deaths.

Skorpion : Nothing spells fun like the terrorist SMG of choice when you're pretending you're either a tango or Neo from The Matrix (akimbo Skorpions in the lobby scene for those who didn't know). The Skorpion's got the best walking/running accuracy of the SMGs, but the worst stopped/strafing accuracy. The extremely puny 7.65mm round (not to be mistaken for the extremely powerful 7.62mm one) might take a magazine or two to take down an enemy, but it's practically impossible to humiliate someone more.

Uzi : With 32 rounds of 9x19mm ammunition, decent ROF and and average all-round accuracy, this might not sound like such a bad weapon. The Israelis sure were happy with it, and every now and then it's fun to whip out a "tango weapon" and wreak some havoc. It's questionable, however, just how much havoc can be wreaked with an Uzi. Like the Skorpion, this is not a weapon I would recommend using on a regular basis. Also note that neither the Skorpion nor the Uzi have zoom.

AK-47 : When the range is increasing and a SMG is no longer a practical weapon to use (although I have sniped with an MP5/10 on the 747 map several times without problems), this is what I like to use. The 7.62x39mm round it fires isn't far from the 7.62x51mm round fired from the G3 and M14, but causes less recoil (in fact, it's got the lowest recoil of all the assault rifles). It's also got ten more rounds than the afore-mentioned weapons. While also fun to go full-auto with it on Killhouse every now and then, this is mainly a long-range firearm, and best put to use on maps such as 747 and Bunkers.

AK-74 : Basically a tuned down AK-47. The 5.45x39mm round doesn't pack as much of a punch as the 7.62x39mm, but still manages to produce a larger recoil than the AK-47. Otherwise it's an average assault rifle, though AGR-S regular Noraf seems to enjoy this firearm quite a bit.

Enfield L85A1 : This appears to be the weapon of choice for several of our British members, possibly because it's the standard assault rifle of the British army. It comes with thirty rounds of the well-known 5.56x45mm ammunition, decent accuracy, average recoil, and a handy three-round burst option for those who prefer that. Multiple other guides refer to the Enfield as the best all-round RS firearm, and I must say it's quite a firearm. Versatility is the keyword here - you can go full-auto in CQC one moment and snipe folks from across the map using burst in the next. Also note that the Enfield's burst option is more accurate than both the G36k and the M16-A2, both of which offer bursts in their trigger groups.

HK G36K : One would expect more from the newest HK assault rifle. The bad stopped/strafing accuracy is beaten only be the Aug (meaning only the Aug's got a worse one), though moving accuracy is actually better than several of the other rifles. A nasty zoom and an okay recoil, and it comes with a trigger group capable of three-round bursts. I hardly ever use this, and not often do I see someone firing one either. Still, it's all in the user, not the firearm, so don't take it for granted that someone wielding a G36 won't hit you.

HK G3A3 : The standard-issue assault rifle of the Norwegian army, yay! Not too shabby, but the mean 7.62x51mm round produces a heavy recoil. Accuracy is good, but tends to decrease rapidly once you start moving around double time. With a limited twenty-round magazine, this is a weapon mainly for those who wants to snipe, but dislikes the excessive zoom and bulkiness of a sniper rifle. Just make sure you keep it set to semi-auto, unless engagements occur within a few meters.

M14 : For starters, this has got the best stopped/strafing accuracy of the assault rifles. It fires the same powerful round as the G3, but accuracy on the move is pretty shite, especially when running. It's got the worst recoil too. Most folks say that the G3 is a better choice if you want a 7.62x51mm rifle, and I agree. The colour doesn't offer much in the way of camouflage either.

M16-A2 : I used to believe that this was a nice single player weapon, but got ruined because of lag. Unlike in R6, I've never had much luck using three-round bursts in RS, mainly because they increased the wait time between each burst. After a few experimental games recently, my view has changed. With a little practice you can take down targets at all ranges with one swift burst. It's one of the most accurate assault rifles, with a decent zoom. The recoil is somewhat large, but this doesn't really matter since you won't be going full-auto with it anyway.

M4 Carbine : My current favourite as far as 5.56x45mm rifles go. Not too accurate, alright recoil, but obviously the stats doesn't matter much if you've learned to master the weapon :) There are better options for those who are newer to the game however.

Steyr Aug : This was my favourite for quite some time. I started using it because it looked cool (others say it looks like a beefed-up paintball gun, buggers), and because I heard it had the best walking/running accuracy. This is true. The reticule time (the time the reticule takes to return to maximum accuracy after you've fired or moved) is also the lowest. Downside is that the stopped/strafing accuracy is the worst, but as I seldom stop or strafe, it works fine. RoF is a bit low. Good gun.

Barrett M82A1 : How in the world the folks at RSE managed to decide to put a bloody anti-material weapon in a counter-terrorist game is beyond me, but at least it's powerful and it's got a large magazine. Best stopped/strafing accuracy, worst running (what do you expect when you try to haul ass while dragging along a 1.55m long 13.4kg heavy rifle?) accuracy, biggest recoil. The upside is that if you get in a good position, nothing will stop a .50 Browning round. You can wear several layers of groin protection, but the meaning of 'impotent' will still reach new heights if you get nailed with this one.

Dragunov : Rather average weapon, worst walking accuracy, but otherwise okay. 7.62x54mm ammunition will be sufficient to take down your target, but there are better sniper rifles.

PSG-1 : More goodies from HK. It's got the lowest recoil, which is good, as with only five rounds in the magazine you'll have to make your shots count. Not a bad rifle.

Walther WA2000 : Worst stopped/strafing accuracy, but the best walking/running one. Combined with the lowest reticule time, this could be more of a medium range rifle which you can actually use for running around in hostile territories, rather than keeping your distance. In long-range engagements, this is an excellent rifle, and the low recoil/reticule time combination makes it easy to continue firing at a hostile, should you miss your first shot.

Secondary Weapons

Beretta M92FS : Power in exchange for ammunition. With the ROF down some hundred RPM, the 9x19mm round won't be as effective as in the MP5A4. Keep shooting, and try to get in a headshot.

HK .40 USP : My favourite sidearm. Best walking/running accuracy (although standing/strafing one is worst) and lowest reticule time. Thirteen rounds of .40 ammunition is more than sufficient. And it's got the most rocking sound.

HK Mark 23 : I've always wondered why RSE picked the Mark 23. "Everybody" knows that the Mark 23 is the civilian version of the MK23. Why would a black ops team like Rainbow use civilian hardware? Anyway, one of my favourite pistols as well. Only twelve rounds, but the .45's got some good stopping power.

IMI .357 Desert Eagle : Ahh, the nostalgia. My sidearm of choice back in the day when I was using the Steyr Aug all the time. Only nine rounds per clip, but the .357 takes down folks left and right. And it's got a cool sound.

IMI .50 Desert Eagle : To quote an old saying, "When you absolutely, positively, have to kill every goddamn motherf*cker in the room..." – well, this is the thing you need. Two rounds of .50 caliber Action Express ammunition (basically the same round the Barrett use) to the torso will take down folks in level III tactical armour. It's a loud one, and it's got seven-round clips. Make them shots counts.

That sums up the firearms in RS. Keep in mind that all the weapons are deadly in the right hands. The M4 looks like crap on paper, but I've managed to rack up loads of kills with it. The Skorpion can be used for headshots with that amazing walking/running accuracy, and if you've got a good aim you can do CQB with an M14. It's all about practice and personal preference.

The MP5, MP5/10, UMP45, and all the pistols (except the Desert Eagles) may be suppressed. The SD versions tend to have better stopped/strafing accuracy, worse walking/running accuracy, and less recoil. They'll also give you a slight advantage if you're behind the enemy without his/her knowledge, or in a high ground position looking down on an unaware adversary. And there's a certain "style" to the whole suppressed weapon thing...

I didn't bother to go in-depth on pistol stats, as they're all in the Aggression Armoury, but pretty much the same IMO; you aim, you fire, you hit.

Hope this not-so-small guide helps a bit when it comes to choosing a weapon. Remember, the best weapon depends on the map. An MP5/10 might be good for Killhouse, but on 747 you'd want to have an AK-47 with you. Also, pick two-three weapons (balanced of course, mastering three SMGs won't do you much good when Bunkers are up) and play alot with them. You will eventually improve, learn when to use it, how to use it, and how to use it with maximum efficiency. Good luck :)

Daywanderer -- R6/RS Player For Hire ICQ UIN: 46676767 "Fortune sides with he who dares."