>>> Posted at Iridar.net <<< This isn't something I originally wanted to do, but ultimately decided to cater to popular demand. This is a very basic list of Assault Rifles with their stats and short descriptions. Yes, LMGs and Scout Rifles will be coming too. Soontm. Playing Combat Medic doesn't exactly blow my mind in terms of entertainment, so I don't have much experience with Assault Rifles, especially non-TR ones. If you are a seasoned Combat Medic, and have tips and reviews for Assault Rifles, please speak up. Help me improve this guide to actually contain meaningful and useful information.
So there is an AR guide after all. All I can say from the NC side of things, is that the Gauss Rifle is the only true multi purpose AR this faction has. Sadly the damage at range nerf is very noticable, which makes it feel like a pea shooter at min. dmg. range, combined with "only" 600 rpm. Its still the best NC AR overall. On GR-22 vs Carnage, I personally prefer to use the GR over the Carnage at mid-range, because I'd rather have a 3x 1st shot, but afterwards rather predictable recoil than the unwieldy left-right shake the Carnage has to offer. Both are still pretty bad guns in my opinion compared to CQC-mid options such as the Cycler and Terminus. The Reaper DMR feels nice to use, if not for Nanoweave Armor hardcountering it at CQC. The limiting magazine size might be an isue for some too. And the A-Tross should be renamed "The Typewriter" for its RoF and shooting sounds. (=> Credit to Nico101) (Edit: I'd personally recommend using forward grips on the GR-22 and Carnage. Without it you're fodder at mid-range, unable to reliably shoot back and at CQC, you already have .75x ads movement speed and pretty good hip fire out of the box. While some might like the laser, I see no reason to use it.)
When are you going to do a guide to reading a guide? Seems to me the latest generation cant think for themselves, they might need one soon.
Good guide. Although I, for one, prefer the TRV to the TAR. From my brief experience with both (~600 kills with TAR, ~250 with TRV) I found that I can push the TRV outside of that 30 ish meter range where it is godlike and into the 60m ranges where it can still be serviceable with micro bursting. Can't do that with a TAR though since the first shot recoil on it is jittery as all hell and extremely punishing to short bursts. Basically both are great at close quarters, but with good recoil compensation and trigger discipline you can push the TRV to do good work for you at mid ranges whereas TAR is more limited.
If you can learn to work with the SABR-13, I would highly recommend doing so. It, along with the nearly identical Gauss Burst on the NC, are two of the most potent ARs available if used well. The burst mechanic means that your CoF stays super tight, and you can land sustained headshots very well (moreso than other rifles, which force you to let up on the trigger and let your CoF reset, decreasing your effective DPS). With good trigger discipline and calm, steady aim, I have, in the past, been able to melt 3 overshielded Heavy Assaults with a single 30-round magazine, while maintaining nearly the full 600rpm the whole time. (Making for very fast TTKs) The SABR-13 is also by far the best TR AR for ranged engagements, no contest. Just focus on keeping your crosshair on target. Don't mash the trigger if doing so prevents your aim from staying true. The accuracy of the bursts means you will out-DPS your opponent, even if you pause between bursts, provided your aim stays on-point.
Another good guide! My personal experience echoes what Iridars guide says, other than the fact that I have never felt the need to use a compensator and for the ARs I've used it is that: the starter ARs are all good at close to medium range if you have reasonably good recoil management and burst control although the Gauss Rifle lower RoF than the other two means, like other NC primaries, I need better accuracy/head shot ability to get the same kill. The ARs that have a big enough advantage over the starters to be noticeable are the TORQ9, Carnage and Terminus mainly (I suspect) because they all have higher RoF than their factions starter AR and access to special ammo. Short bursts will drop enemies at surprisingly long range. I find the TORQ especially useful as a general purpose weapon. The CQC ARs (I have only used the GR22 and the HV 45) both became disappointing to use beyond very close range after the change to damage tiers. I run laser sights on my close/medium range ARs instead now to give them a bit more help in CQC. With RoF between 750 and 857 they are plenty good for me. The burst carbines are medium range beasts since they were buffed (and the SABR13 is the apex predator, as mentioned above). I used to alternate between burst ARs with 3.4x sights and the CQC ARs with 2x before settling eventually on more regular use of the general purpose models (TORQ, Carnage, Terminus). I haven't used TAR, TRV, CME or Equinox though, so my experience is incomplete.
I would say (somewhat contrary to the guide as well) that the burst variants are the longest-effective-range ARs by a long shot, no pun intended. Potentially even the longest effective range automatic weapons, period. Even the slow-firing, 200->167 dmg ATross, which is exceptionally good at range (that's its intended role, after all) feels outclassed by the Gauss burst in my experience. Not to preclude that they can be absolutely devastating at medium range, because they most certainly can, but I'm surprised no one ever mentions their other strength, which is long-range engagements.
