I can confirm this. The Serpent is awful at longer ranges. I can easily hit people at medium and longer ranges with my Flare but I had difficultly with the Serpent. It could just be because I haven't used it much but I have doubts.
"long ranges, get a manticore" You snipe with that repeater, don't you? the intelligence is strong in this one.
I use the vx over the serpent on both engi and LA, seems the perfect gun for my style. Suppressor, advanced laser sight for CC and suppressor and fore grip mid range, did try the serpent but struggled mid range hitting anything. I have most of the vx now unlocked, advanced laser is great for cc as long as you remember to turn it off when running about!
There is no clear winner - but I can say this: Serpent is the clear winner for ADS shooting (faster RPM and lower recoil by far). However it has a much much longer reload that will get you killed in fast multiple-target combat. It also has slightly worse hipfire than the VX6-7 but it is still very good by all means... the VX6-7 is just even better at it. If using the Serpent is it paramount that you control your ammo-usage and try to never run it completely dry as the long-reload is punishing. You also need to be very careful about not spraying the Serpent, because your ammo will be gone in a flash. Don't fire until you have the target lined up. The Serpent needs a bit more fire-discipline overall. The VX6-7 is better suited for multiple targets as the reload is fast enough to reload in most cases to quickly re-engage, and even the long-reload is "ok" if you happen to empty the mag. Slightly better hipfire, making it a hipfire death-machine with the laser attachments. it is accurate enough up to medium-ish range, but beyond that the fairly high recoil will make it hard to drop targets fast. I run the XV6-7 myself right now but I certed both and they are both very capable carbines. If you think you can control the extra recoil on the VX6-7 then the much faster reload really helps you in tough situations. Don't worry too much about the 45RPM lower firerate. In actual gameplay that small difference is usually not what determines if you win a shootout or not.... its a couple of ms difference in TTK after all. Hope that helps. Just remember that both guns are good so you don't really make a mistake either way you choose. Also, remember to trial them both to get a good feel for them before you buy. -Stigma
With vx6-7 I was feeling that I lack in medium-long range, serpent has lowest recoil of all carabines in game and has lower first shot recoil then vx6-7. I think most of you used trial of serpent with not shows potential of weapon, because you need to get used to recoil to left and lower bullet velocity, vx6-7 has tighter hipfire by default and recoil pattern similiar to solstice so within 30 min of trial you can archive feel of upgrade. Reload time is annoying at first, because of other VS carabines fast reload, but after some time you don't give a sh*t about it. Long reload forces you to make retreat and flank enemy and this is good lesson because it's better than sitting behind barrel even if you have fast reload.
I primarily used the VX6-7 on my main soldier, just bought the Serpent early this morning to try it out. Holy crap what a difference. I'm absolutely in love with this carbine and am going to purchase it on my other VS soldier as well. Maybe my hand just naturally pulls down and right when I'm ADS but I find that I'm MUCH more accurate at all ranges using the Serpent.
For the about 90% of combat the Serpent is the best gun in the game. Until it runs out of ammo. I would use the Serpent.
It will depend on personal preference. The VX6 has 800 RPM, the serpent has 845 RPM. The VX6 has a projectile velocity of 465, the serpent is 420. The two guns have identicle ADS accuracy, the serpent has worse hip-fire while still and hip-fire while moving accuracy. HOWEVER, both access the same attachments and can access double-laser-sight, so that may not be such a big deal for you. Really, their DPS is similar. 800 RPM compared to 845 RPM is not a big difference. What I will note is the projectile velocity difference. Use this formula: Slower projectile velocity = fight closer range. Faster projectile velocity = more suitable from farther away. So! Do you engage close-range exclusively? Maybe you'd prefer the serpent. But, why not get a shotgun? Do you need that suppressor in order to be stealthy? That'll further reduce projectile velocity. The rule of thumb is slower projectile velocity = use in close quarters. The problem with the serpent is it starts to gloss into shotgun territory. It has the highest DPS / fire rate of all VS carbines, but not by much, because 800 compared to 845 isn't a big difference. You can cancel out its reduced hip fire accuracy, but so can the VX6, so the VX6 is still more accurate. Personally, I would stick with the VX6. If you trade the VX6 and obtain the serpent instead, your tradeoffs are as follows: 800--->845 RPM 465--->420 Projectile Velocity reduction to hip-fire and hip fire while moving accuracy increased reload time Really, you're not offered a great deal to the all-around effectiveness of the weapon. IF you plan to work with the serpent, slap a double laser sight on it, and thus nullify the accuracy loss (well, the VX6 will still be more accurate, but it's not that big a deal if you have a double-laser) eh, maybe you can work with it. But it's for close range only, and you'll be near shotgun range. I don't personally think it's a very good deal, but ultimately, that isn't the point. Weapons in this game are about what feels right for you. The stylistic difference. If the weapon feels right, if you trialed it and you're happy with it, you should use it, doesn't matter what the stats are. You do get an on-the-whole poor stat trade, but it's the same with the NC rebel pistol vs the magshot. If the style suits you, the stats not being as good a deal isn't really the main point. So, if you tried the serpent, you like it, it feels right, it feels better than the VX6, then take the serpent. Ya play the game to have fun, do what feels right. Some people will personally enjoy the bonus DPS of the serpent and be willing to trade the other stats to make it happen, so deal values are subjective, really. If the serpent feels good, take the serpent. Lots of people are happy with it.
L key. The accuracy bonus still applies when the laser is not visibly on. To the original discussion, I feel the VX is better all around. The TTK is slightly higher than on the Serpent, that much is true, but it's not enough to really matter in most infantry fights (eg, your standard HA will not get another shot off during the time difference). CQC hipfire performance is the major component of why you should be considering either the VX or the Serpent to begin with, and the VX simply outperforms in accuracy at this range. Even out to relatively medium range (30-40m or so), the ADS accuracy of the VX is perfectly controllable at full auto. If you want to shoot longer ranges than that, you shouldn't be packing either of these two guns. And per what others have said, the Serpent long reload will get you killed. The VX long reload is slightly annoying, but you'll rarely die to it.
I love my serpent. It takes down nanite-shield-boosted Heavies in close quarters before they can even hit you more than a few times
You like hit and run? Serpent. It rips up an enemy in 0.5 seconds flat up close. You want to be able to kill more than 2~ people per attack? Get the VS. I prefer the serpent.
Pick the recoil pattern you like more. That is going to be the thing you're controlling directly while shooting. If you pick the Serpent, be prepared to practice with the left side recoil and understand you're still going to have to remember to be controlling a right side recoil pattern with other guns on other classes. Personally I don't like the idea that I may mentally still be in "Serpent mode" even though I'm not using the gun currently.
