From personal experience and from a lot of the community what I've noticed is that there is almost no difference between first and second generation pump actions. The play style using either is identical, the additional 1 pellet doesn't noticeably do more for the second gen shotguns. Hypothetical situations where the one pellet could actually come into play are easily tossed due to the spread factor. between the 6 shotguns available to all factions, their stats are all baselined (vanu have no drop, which doesn't really come into play in cqc). Different playstyles arise between shotgun classes rather than factions, which is fine for balance reasons, but leaves nothing for faction flavor. I suggest either giving the second gens some kind of significant overhaul to change their core mechanics, as their function is identical to first gens, but the first gens appear to be taken more preferentially (technically a faster rechamber time, still is going to OHKO at approximately the same range, tigher spread which the practical application is debatable). It may be used as a platform to add faction traits (being newer models and all). Before I start posting more ideas, does anyone else think the same?
I've been brewing a few shotgun-related ideas: break-action reload shotgun double barreled pump action shotgun (fire two shots before pumping) I believe devs also wanted to make a magazine fed pump shotgun at one point super smart choke (fires a slug when ADSed, buckshot when hip fired) But those are mostly about new weapons or attachments. I'm not sure what could be done to 2nd gen pump actions. Just how different can two shotguns be? Currently, they're both OHK capable and very long recycle time. What if they were a bit further apart? Let 2nd gen remain where it is, and massively reduce pump recycle time and damage for the 1st gen. Make, it for example, 100 damage per pellet, 10 pellets, 0.6 seconds pump time. It's still somewhat OHK capable on wounded targets, enemies at close range without nanoweave, and/or if some pellet headshots are involved. That could be a band aid fix, but the whole shotgun weapon class is in dire need of rework, to make them less cheese up close, and less **** at range, and introduce some skill instead of relying on random.
