Advice please. SMG is a huge cert investment.

I'm in TR. I feel that NC SMGs are superior, but I can't betray my faction. I usually use close-mid range weapons on this class as opposed to long range sniper rifles beyond the KSR-35.

The MKV suppressed or the Armistice look to be my best bets I think. Suggestions?

if you really mean close to mid you want the ns7. the ES smgs are better for pure cqc

The RoF is so low on that though isn't it? I mean my carbines and LMGs have the same RoF of 750 and those atleast have 143 damage instead of 125. I figured the MKV suppressed had 179 RoF which could compensate for the lower damage, while still having superior range with a suppressor than the ES SMGs provided to the TR.

The NS-7 PDW is as much carbine/range as you can get out of an SMG. It feels like a crippled pistol compared to all other wepons, but so do all SMGs.
For all classes there are better alternatives. For the Infiltrator Id suggest taking a look at the 652 RPM 143 DMG Automatic Scout Rifle. (Personally never used it so dont quote me on that) Its your best bet for medium-closer range.
Otherwise the Failstorm SMG (60 rounds, 800 RPM) and the NS-7 do have the most range, but the Armistice is the better alternative.

Depends entirely on you and your playstyle. Try them out in VR at difference ranges, ADS, hipfire, start with your back turned to the target, etc. to get a feel for how they perform in each situation.


NS-7 PDW
Low rate of fire, but extremely controllable with decent accuracy makes this the preferred 'pseudo-carbine' for the infiltrator. Less potent but easier-to-use SOAS-20. Less RoF but landing more shots at range keeps the mid-range DPS up.

MKV
Best suppressor performance, but that's a very low bar for SMGs. Use it if you value not appearing on the mini-map.

Armistice
Best TR CQC option, but short clip leaves very little room for error. Will win face-to-face engagements often but is basically one clip, one kill.

Hailstorm
Often called the Failstorm because it's worse in head-on fights than the Armistice but the clip lets you go through multiple targets. This is actually the better option if you use an ambushing playstyle to counteract the lowest ES DPS of SMGs.

I actually just came to a revelation about what I'm trying to do. The automatic scout rifle is fast firing automatic, but the magazine is too small. The SMGs have larger magazines, but even the NS-7 PDW leaves me wanting in range.

What I want is the TRAP. It has the versatility to engage at any practical range provided with a 4x scope. The burst firing takes care of my need to conserve ammo and spit a ton of bullets down range. It's not quite as comfortable as the Medic's SABR, but medics can't cloak.

Personally, I would go with one of the NS SMGs, if you're looking to purchase one. 750 RoF Doesn't feel THAT low, at least to me. The damage on the NS7 and MKV don't taper off nearly as hard as every other SMG in the game, and are extremely accurate controllable that you could reliably hipfire headshots out to 20-25 meters with some practice.

The recoil on the NS SMGs differs slightly from ES SMGs, but it's so small that you'd barely notice it. If you get NS, run Ext. Mags.

Also, if you choose NS, I'd recommend the NS7 over the MKV, for that extra versatility.

EDIT: For your TRAP, that's more ideal if you want to stick with medium range engagements. Anything outside of that and it gets beat; It's fire-modes only assist in those ranges.

Use it as a beefy AR in conjunction with your scans

It is really good and underrated. Crap if used as a sniper though yeah.

TR has horrible options for SMG compared to others. Armistice is pretty close but I don't know why it can't be a 912 RPM and the Hailstorm a 909 or 896.

You're probably better off going with a class that can use a Carbine and go with the Lynx.. its closer to a SMG than any non-NC SMG.

Stay clear of the Failstorm, it doesn't spray bullets fast enough for the extra rounds to matter. That's all I'm going to say.

I'm not sure which it is but get the one with the larger magazine. Having a large mag SMG means that you don't have to get extended magazine and can instead use advanced laser sight, which is a huge advantage. Also, keep on TR, they seem to have the best equipment from my experience as a Lvl 97 VS and a level 19 TR.

You just said to use a .53s TTK weapon in close range. What do you think is going to happen when facing a shotgun or Cyclone (.46s TTK)?

There's a reason for it being called the Failstorm. It has higher or similar TTK's to marksman weapons (AMC, Bull, ect) but is not good at long range (no SMG is).

i dont get why people hate on the hailstorm. if you cant use it effectively thats your own fault, dont blame the gun. i find the hailstorm to be extremely effective in ****fests with lots of unaware targets. slap a suppressor on and go at it. you can drop a few targets, find a lil hidey hole, reload, then go again. its not a bad gun by any means.

whats bad is if youre an infiltrator trying to go head to head without any element of surprise, the entire point of the class.

The auto scouts are a very niche weapon. They shine in a very small range, otherwise other weapons far outperform them.

Your defense of it is that its a zerg killing weapon? You know, the default repeater can do the same thing.

TTK is .53 vs .46 of a cyclone, or .48 of a Guass SAW or Orion.

In that amount of time.. especially since your accuracy is likely going to be less than 40%, those heavies are going to flip on their shields and take you down. Enemy infils are going to drop you in straight up fights. I know this because I used to do it to TR infils all the time.

If the Hailstorm had a damage profile of 100 after its max range instead of 84, you'd have a point. It'd be a great weapon, it'd be a mini-AMC. But its not. Its damage drops off alot, its velocity is low, and its dps is atrocious alongside its TTK.

In fact because of the repeater.. I can't justify using the Hailstorm. Repeater's TTK is .56s, which isn't much higher than the Hailstorm. And you can use the Stalker Cloak with it. From my experience fighting TR infils, they only get a little scary when the repeater comes out.. not any SMG. Even the NS ones are crap.

Honestly, because I have the Sirius and it's gotta be one of my favorite guns, and the hailstorm is the TR version of that. Also, you won't go head to head with a shotgun or another smg if you're going SMG infiltrator, and if you're playing another class then there's always access to better guns than the SMGs. And the main point isn't ttk, it's hip fire accuracy. Being able to strafe quickly while remaining accurate in close-mid range is very valuable. Having a large magazine complements this, too, cause being able to spray for a bit is pretty useful when you're moving around a lot in close range.

The issue comes down to the Hailstorm still being inferior to the Armistice. Both inferior to the Lynx if playing LA or Engie.

However the Cyclone and Blitz are good on any class for the same range bracket.

The strength of the Hailstorm is its mag capacity. That's not really needed on the Infiltrator trying to get a backdoor kill. And the Armistice is great in the fact that.. well what else will you use?

And I have to defer to personal experience. When playing NC, I didn't see the Hailstorm as a threat, nor used very often (that I could tell). Armistice is a weapon I've seen pop up. Playing TR, I dread facing the Cyclone. And having used the Cyclone myself, I understand why. It drops most before they can react to fire a single shot. And even in straight up fights, it usually comes out on top. I just don't see the Hailstorm doing the same thing.

I don't understand why TR SMG TTK's are so high. I really don't. They're used at ranges that enhanced recoils or CoF isn't a factor. That's probably why the Cyclone IIRC places so well statistically.

Maybe it's the other way around, and NC SMG's TTK is too fast? For a weapon balanced around being available for the Infiltrator, it has insanely high DPS.

DON'T BY THE TRAP! IT'S A.... TRAP!

Seriously that gun sucks.

The Armistice is pretty nice with extended mag. But the NS-7 PDW is a monster with an advanced laser sight, good aim and positioning.

You know you are arguing about .05 seconds? A time we as humans cant even realize?