In the market for a shotgun to add to the armory so tell me, what shotgun do you prefer, with which attachments and why?
Mauler S6 with extended mags. I like the accuracy and fast reload. Personally, I think there's no wrong choice here. But whatever you choose, you should probably get extended mags.
Here's a quote on the TR shotguns from one of the SOE employees: So for NC: it's Mauler, Sweeper, and Piston following that same order. Thus, the mauler probably has better chances at longer ranges. However, a range of 20 meters+ means shotguns are doing minimum damage, so don't expect too much in the way of "longer effective range."
It was the piston but then over time of using shotguns I realized how random the pellet spread can be. Like I can shoot at someone with the targeting cicle dead center on their chest and only have 1 pellet hit. So I find smaller burst to be more preferable, so the Mauler is my boomstick of choice. However I'm going to wait until they get the pump-action shotguns going before I invest in anything else since they'll probably be implimented in a week or two.
personally sweeper. piston chews too quikly and recoil poorly. reload speed is fine since as LA i can retreat quickly and reload in safety. when ambushing the extra 2 bullets is useful to put down that last kill.
Piston w/ extended mags. Toss on an HS/NV 1x scope so you can see through your smoke. Piston will make you smile as you rain death from above.
I use the Mauler and I don't recall ever wishing I did more DPS, so I don't want the Piston. I also haven't had many occasions where I've run out of ammo mid-fight and would have lived if I had the 2 extra shots that the Sweeper gives (usually, in a big fight, I'm dead just as I empty the Mauler - or I'm alive and they're all dead). Still, 2 extra shots could be useful. However, I've found the fast reload time to be great for quickly running in, shooting, jetting away and reloading, then doing it all again (Sweeper might mean I'm not able to shoot for too long). I also love the smaller spread. I still wish it was smaller, but it's the smallest spread a shotgun has, so I'm fine with it. As others have said, though, there's no real wrong choice. I think the Piston might be better for taking down Heavies and MAXes (because it does a bit more DPS), the Sweeper is a bit better for taking on slightly larger groups of enemies and the Mauler is for slightly longer range (though just as good at close range) and for hit-and-runs. Also, the Mauler has a much lower CoF when jetting and ADS, if that matters to you. Overall, the differences aren't huge enough that you'll hate one shotgun and love another, at least IMO.
I will use any of the shotguns you give me; they are all devastating in close quarters, and they all do great damage with slug ammo if you should find yourself in need of a longer ranged weapon for a particular fight. what it really comes down to is preference: Higher refire? More ammo? or Faster reloads? here's the numbers extracted from the Google doc, edited into TL;DR version (things that were the same or not applicable were removed): Code: |Weapon Name|Weapon Type |Damage|short/long reload|Mag Size|Ammo Pool|COF Stand ADS still/move/jump|COF Crouch ADS still/move|~ROF |Projectile Velocity|Projectile Drop| |Piston |Shotgun, Auto| 143*6| 2.4s/ 3.8s| 6| 30| 0.1/ 0.9/ 5| 0.1/0.35|300 rpm| 300| 11.25| |Sweeper |Shotgun | 143*6| 2.6s/ 4s| 8| 40| 0.1/ 0.9/ 5| 0.1/0.35|250 rpm| 275| 11.25| |Mauler S6 |Shotgun | 143*6| 1.925s/ 3.5s| 6| 30| 0.1/ 0.9/ 2| 0.1/ 0.9|250 rpm| 300| 11.25| I left Projectile Drop in there to point out that it's misleading, @300m the sweeper actually falls about 12.27m, meaning you'll need to aim just a bit higher than the other two at long ranges with Slug ammo. It is also interesting to note that while hip fire ADS is the exact same for all three shotties, the Mauler S6 has a better COF when ADS while jumping... and a worse COF when ADS while crouch walking. these are the only places the COF is different from the other shot guns though. Edit: WE NEED TABLES, DEAR GOD!!! I mean, I had the spacing right, and even in the freaking code block it changed it, even though it was perfect in the damned preview!!
Shotguns are great newbie weapons for people with aiming issues but they are very situational and they are easy to identify so smart players will maintain range against them and abuse you.
By that you mean newbies and people with aiming issues that the shotgun user is attacking, right? Shotties are for people who like shotties and/or those who want a potential 0.2s body TTK. Less if you're in knifing range. LA's, especially, can take advantage of its CQ nature but one only has to look at the Scatmax to see how the game's close-in base cap style allows smart players to deny others the ability to maintain range.
I use the Sweeper. I've occasionally felt that sometimes the faster reload would have helped me out, and there have been times I've used all 12 shots and just scraped it out alive but I don't think I've ever felt I needed a faster refire in action. I don't know how much the spread distance affects things, though I liked the Mauler when I used it (though felt it really needed extended mags).
Using piston atm, extended ammo and night vision (I hate it, but it's just for smokes). Considering getting a sweeper as with autoshotty I need to go hunting engies more and more lately to kill and steal their ammo.
