How do you guys use the AF-4 Cyclone or any other SMG in this game?

I recently bought the AF-4 Cyclone and its really good honestly, but it is a rather difficult gun to use. Not sure what is it, but I always fall short against other weapons and when I don't I got lucky.
Attachments: 1x reflex sight, suppressor, forward grip/ext mags, and soft point ammo. I would like advises on Light Assault use only as it is the class I am having problems using it.

LA is the vertical ambush class, you should probably consider using a carbine for the range advantage over a SMG. You can deal more damage with a carbine sitting up in that tree or on a rooftop.

SMGs are very close range weapons designed to kill fast pretty much at shotgun range only.

SMG Infiltrators are a thing because they can easily get up close and then escape thanks to the cloak.

Most other classes are probably better off with their dedicated weapons.

I've tried the Cyclone on an alt and that SMG requires very good aim because of its low rate of fire and high recoil.

I recommend using the optics of your choice, extended mags, and leaving it at that. Can't speak for everyone, but using suppressors tends to damage my performance with SMGs more often than not. Maybe that's just TR's SMGs being bad.

Cyclone is interesting. Its a SMG you can get a decent ADS with. And its a 167 dmg weapon that can be used like a short range carbine. Think of it as a Carbine/SMG hybrid. When you do ADS with it, go for the chest and head. But this is only going to really work if you've got the drop on someone.

In a straight up firefight.. you're going to have issues unless you're close enough to hip fire. SMGs require a very aggressive and sneaky playstyle, but they can be rewarding. The Cyclone is a good weapon, but as I said its more like a SMG/Carbine hybrid and can be tricky to use. I used to use it on my Engy and Medic for close range engagements where I didn't feel like a shotgun would be good.

Cyclone goes through ammo fast. So reload whenever you can. It has a very short in the chamber reload (aka short reload), but the long reload is much longer.

You might want to take off the suppressor... that really hampers your damage at range.

I used to run with suppressors on everything but then I realized that it was causing me to lose lots of fights that I should have won. Most enemies won't keep a good eye on the minimap, and if you're running with a squad that's "going loud" it doesn't matter at all.

You might also want to try the IRNV sight. While the downside is a little sway, limited range, and slower ADSing speed, these are usually not as important at close range. The main benefit of the IRNV sight is that you will actually shoot where the sight tells you because the other reflex sights can be lying to your face if you're shooting and moving.

I take the Advanced Laser Sight over the Extended Magazine, because having tighter hipfire makes spraying down the enemy at close range pretty easy. That's great for moments when you turn the corner and run into someone at point-blank... you can hose them down quickly.

Yeah I used to play TR with a suppressed Armistice and it felt like a peashooter beyond 10m because of the increased damage drop--off.

The main advantage to SMG's is that you can hip-fire them pretty accurately, meaning you can land shots accurately without the ADS speed debuff. Use the jumppack to find an area to close in on your enemies where they won't be looking, get up close and unload.

I'll try to use my carbines without suppressors to see how it goes. Also, yeah it is a rather difficult weapon to use

A suppressor is something I use on ALL of my loadouts because I like it so much. But I think I'm going to make some changes

Never use a suppressor on a gun with multiple tiers of damage dropoff

ESPECIALLY never use it on a gun whose whole schtik is bullet damage like the Cyclone.

I auraxed the normal Cyclone with a suppressor and wasn't impressed, and now I'm working on the golden Cyclone but I'm not using a suppressor and it's a monster

Lol in my server that is pretty difficult, if I get lucky and not get spotted.

I will try that then, but I have a question. I read a response from you on someone else's thread about you using the AC-X11, did you use a suppressor, if not then why?

The Cyclone IS a very impressive weapon indeed, it just takes a little learning to be good with it.

I was using forward grip because it was just a pain to control that damn recoil.

Fixed.

I never use a suppressor, under any circumstances. While it's useful in theory, the fact is that there's about a thousand ways to pop up on the minimap that aren't in your control (recon darts, spotting tool, prox radar, scout radar, being spotted, tracers, firing noise, etc etc) so the dramatic reduction to lethality just ain't worth it. The suppressor reduces the max damage range by 5m and the minimum by 25m. On a carbine or SMG this means you're pretty much throwing spitballs >20m.

It's just way too much damage being sacrificed for a situational benefit.

Well for cyclone... It's 600/167 damage model.

Things a Carbine plain and simple, you just gotta get used to its low bullet velocity,which you will notice at any sort of distance. and since it's technically an SMG, technically... it's got great hipfire as well.

Mustarde's video is still relevant:

He covers a lot of useful tips. I'd add:

• Pay attention to his cloak timing to learn exactly how he's weaving in and out of cloak to only be visible while actively killing someone.
• Pay attention to his usual engagement ranges, which are nearly always inside the very short 8m max damage range
• Defensive Slot
  • Advanced Shield Capacitor is still a solid choice (and maybe it's still what he runs?)
  • I run Adrenaline Pump (his vid was made before this was an option for infils.)
  • Nanoweave isn't too much worse off...it's a step behind, but it optimizes for burst-survivability (good for players with less than 1.5 K/D) as opposed to sustain (good for players above 1.5 K/D)
• I would suggest never using an SMG except on infiltrator. I think they probably have very limited potential on Light Assaults, but generally each class has better weapon types to use (LMG, carbines, etc)

He does a ton of infil videos so it's entirely possible this isn't his latest one, so maybe dig around his channel if you need more (you can get there by mousing over the video above and clicking the title text, then clicking his username.)

Idk about light assault, but It's my favorite weapon to pair with a maxed adren shield. Usually run it with a flash sup, extended mags, and soft point. As long as you can limit your engagements to 1 person at a time it will do fine.

Adv laser with soft point never ADS and spray for the head.