As the title says, I'm curious what shotguns people like to pair up with their jump jets. I'm in a big pump-action phase at the moment, mostly for the satisfaction of one-shotting smug heavies in close quarters. Such kill potential seems overall well-suited to a class based on ambush and hit-and-run tactics. I generally prefer the narrow shot pattern option (Phobos, Uppercut, and I forget the NC's) for the marginal increase of effective range and faster reload. I used the Phobos on a low-spec machine with crappy FPS, but now I'm a TR convert on a [borrowed] high-spec rig and my effectiveness with the Uppercut is considerably higher. So, which is your favoured shotgun for light assault, and why? [P.S. I guess the Nighthawk/Piston/Pandora are options too, but honestly I don't remember the last time I saw a light assault using one]
In my opinion I feel like semi autos are better. For example the thanatos is much more forgiving than the pumps, if you miss with the pump you are more than likely dead, wheras a semi auto you can miss a shot but still have a chance at surviving.
I've only used the default TR shotgun (I think it's the Barrage?), but from that I can say that I would not invest into a pump-action. At close quarters it can still one-shot, so I'd prefer to keep the fire rate (reliability).
Good point about the semi-autos, you can afford to miss that first shot, and they are generally more forgiving. There are players that consider the pumps an easy option for CQ (I've received tells from guys I've downed amounting to as much), but fact is you really do gotta make each shell count. It's a bit of risk-vs-reward I think. I will say a low frame rate makes them much harder to use effectively. I think an infiltrator will go down with one headshot from the Barrage or Haymaker but everything else will take two. Though as you say that follow-up shot comes quick enough. I've used the Thanatos, Barrage and Haymaker and they work great too, guess pumps are just more my thing.
I prefer the semi-autos. In an ambush scenario, either one will kill before the target can react. In a 1v1 duel, the semi-auto is more forgiving, since a miss/partial hit doesn't matter much, although the pump-action seems generally superior here if you've got excellent aim. I feel like it's easier to deal with multiple targets with a semi-auto, too.
Even so, I can slam off two or three shots before you can probably kill me with an automatic weapon, so it doesn't matter all that much. Plus in CQC it seems to be pretty hard to get all the shots on target with an auto, so you don't need that instant kill (I recall one occasion in which I lasted long enough to use all 6 shotgun rounds and empty my TX1 against a carbine without dying).
the semi-auto's are generally head and tails above the pump's i find due to having more range more rof, the 1 shot potential of pump's i find are finicky and unreliable the free gifted shotgun i find is actually the best of the 2 types i find, fast reload, tighter spread and can have 10 shells for free sounds great. p.s. the auto shotguns are ridiculously fun though inaccurate weaker damage per pellet but too much fun.
TBH I think both semi-auto and pump-action buckshot shotguns are terrible. PA buckshot is a one trick pony: your only option with it is to close in as much as possible and OHK the target. It's by far not always possible, and this lack of versatility hurts the weapon. SA buckshot is just too inconvenient to use. People say it has higher margin for error, but it's not really true. You still have to carefully line up each shot, and you can't afford to spam click it in general direction of the enemy. I consider truly optimal only two shotgun setups: full auto buckshot and PA slugs. Full auto is the most shotgunny shotgun of all shotguns, and I consider it the best buckshot option by far. It's much easier to use, its firepower is overwhelming, and unlike with PA buckshot, you're not screwed if enemy HA managed to get overshields up. Technically, it has shorter range due to weaker pellets and much larger pellet spread, but in practice it doesn't matter, it just sends THAT much lead down range. Full Auto is way more effective and cheesy than PA buckshot. PA slugs is very hard to use, yet extremely effective, because you can OHK a target on a headshot within 20m with it, and 2 shot body hit within 22m against full nano targets. You need a superb aim and reflexes, but PA slugs has one of the highest potentials in the game. This essentially increases PA shotgun's range from 3m to 22m, making it way more versatile, but at the cost of higher skill requirement.
Iridar, i agree with you on the sub-optimal choice that SA buckshot and PA buckshot are, but i'm surprised that you consider good the PA+slug option. I get your point on the headshot potential which is exploitable with a positioning advantage, but isn't that all but condemning you when you can't take advantage of it? Considering the number of buildings, objectives in them, possible pressure outside (ESF, sniper, whatever...), there's a significant amount of situations where a LA has to revert to a standard infantry procedures he's not advantaged at (fights between 0-10m, no 3rd dimension available), but may still win. In these conditions isn't a PA+slug loadout virtually suicidal? I like the auto+slug solution a lot myself as a LA though i've not played it much(~200kills), what little gameplay i've had with this setup worked out really well. Lately as a non-LA i've started experimenting with the Nova(8 rounds VS shotgun)+slug+laser sights, whose concept that i find somewhat appealing: it's a bit like an improved Underboss (similar RoF&velocity, larger clip, more damaging), allowing both efficient close range hipfire and slightly longer ranged ADS slug gameplay.
With PA slugs you don't stop standard infantry procedures, you play with it normally. I'm not talking about some sort of perching with PA slugs in a hidden position. It wouldn't work anyway, because your effective range is only 20-22m, just like it doesn't really work with SA slugs. Have you seen [NUC]elusive1's videos, where he takes BASR in super close range? Well, PA slugs are the same, but better in so many ways: faster and different reload, faster rechamber time, 75% ADS speed, slightly higher damage up close, ways better hip fire and most importantly you're not stuck playing infiltrator, which is, let's be honest, quite lackluster in close quarters. Mastering PA slugs is quite hard, and it's certainly not everyone's loadout. It will take time and dedication, but reward is huge. I'm not saying I was able to master it, I only played with ~600 kills with it, and I can't honestly say it wasn't a huge pain in the ***. But there were also incredible moments where everything would align just right, and I would OHK BR100s left and right. What I learned from it I laid out in my guide, here. Scroll down a bit for PA slugs section.
I've watched and loved Elusive1's video and and liked yours too with slugs PA, and Elusive1's inspired me to do the same, with reasonable success (really loved every second of it though). Yet the CQC action he pulls off...My aim is above average, but not that good (+his frantic moves, which i suppose trick the enemy's client display of him). I've not dared the slugs PA gameplay after watching yours yet though. I've been quite troubled with non-HA PA buckshotguns against enemy HAs, because that mostly signed my death warrant, yet here the situation seems even worse on paper (3 shots kill... urgh...). You're probably right in that it's a question of perspective though. Do HS with the slug PA OHK a HA with shields on, like a BASR does?
I've heard bits and pieces of contraversive information, but I haven't tested it myself. It's possible that single sources of high damage, like BASR shots and PA slugs, penetrate through at least one of the HA's overshields, not sure which one. If PA slugs don't penetrate shields, then a headshot with them isn't enough to OHK a HA with overshields. PA slug headshot does up to 1200 damage, (800 * 1.5 headshot multiplier), HA with Resist has up to 1818 health, or up to ~1900 with NMG / adrenaline. But in my video you see me OHKing HAs with what looked like active overshields so I'm not sure. If PA slugs indeed go through shields, then PA slugs may be one of the best tools to deal with them, as using the overshields slows them down, making it easier to line up a headshot. But body hits through overshields are suicide, yes. You'll have more of a fighting chance with other weapons, but overshields are OP regardless. The only reliable way of getting through them is full auto buckshot, or to a lesser degree weapons like GD-7F and Serpent.
I think full auto shotgun with extended mag is the way to go.. Why bother to aim when you can just hold mouse 1 and know they are going to die. 14 kill streak as light assault is good for me, as I am a bad. ↓
Yeah they are more common on light assaults than I initially thought Don't know why I thought they weren't. They are a good option.
I've never tested PA slugs, but auto/semi-auto slugs don't penetrate any of the 3 HA Overshields. BASR rounds used to bypass Resist Shield specifically. However, they no longer appear to do so. I have no idea when this got changed and only just noticed it a few weeks ago when I started using Resist again. OT, my choice is auto + slugs + ext mag. It's a 2HK at any range, fires fast enough to melt enemy HA's point blank (it kills Overshielded HAs in 3 headshots / 4 body shots), and slugs give you an effective range of 70-80m or greater, depending on how well you can lead targets and deal w/ the horrendous drop.
Just don't cheese and use carbines instead? I use the serpent on my VS (in case you throw the "HA primary crutch" card) and I do better with it than I do with the thanatos.
I still don't really know what cheese means in a gaming context But yeah, if the mood takes, or if a little more versatility in range is required, I'll grab me Lynx. Serpent is fun, very good hipfire I remember, but not one you want to get caught reloading with.
