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===| RESIDENT EVIL: OPERATION RACCOON CITY |===
===| WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT GUIDE |===
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Copyright 2013 Jaimas.
Version 1.01
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| TABLE OF CONTENTS |
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|1. Equipment Introduction ........................................... [Part 1]|
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|2. What the Stats Mean .............................................. [Part 2]|
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|3. Pistols .......................................................... [Part 3]|
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|4. Assault Rifles ................................................... [Part 4]|
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|5. Submachine Guns .................................................. [Part 5]|
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|6. Machine Guns ..................................................... [Part 6]|
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|7. Shotguns ......................................................... [Part 7]|
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|8. Sniper Rifles .................................................... [Part 8]|
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|9. Heavy Weapons .................................................... [Part 9]|
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|10. Throwables .....................................................[Part 10]|
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|11. Character Abilities .............................................[Part 11]|
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|12. Equipment Tactica ...............................................[Part 12]|
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{13. Miscellaneous Legalese ..........................................[Part 13]|
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|14. Contact Information .............................................[Part 14]|
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|DISCLAIMER/FOREWARD: In this guide, I will be giving you information about the|
|various - and diverse - weapons in Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. The |
|idea behind this guide is that it encourages you to experiment with the guns |
|you find in the game, and, god willing, find new value in weapons you may have|
|Overlooked. Note that I will not be giving you basics of game mechanics, or on|
|how to play the game, as I am assuming that you're already at least partly |
|familiar with how the game plays and how to use the various classes and their |
|abilities. In-depth guides on Operation: Raccon City can be found on GameFAQs |
|and I wholeheartedly recommend them. That said, enjoy the guide. I hope that |
|you find it useful as you play RE:ORC. |
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=== EQUIPMENT INTRODUCTION ===
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[Part 1]
There is a lot of different weapons in Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.
A major problem I had with it is that a lot of advantages and disadvantages of
various weapons are not readily apparent through their stats, and in a game
where weapons are such an integral part of gameplay, I always felt that was a
travesty. Many of the overlooked guns are perfectly viable - even in versus
modes - and in an effort to shine some light on some unsung gems and show some
interesting insight on the various weapons, I decided to write this guide.
In general, each weapon class excels at something:
Pistols: Auto-Aiming, Backup Weapon, close-range combat
Assault Rifles: General-Purpose, mid-range-to-long-range combat
Submachine Guns: Extreme rapid-fire, close-range-to-medium-range combat
Machine Guns: Rapid-fire and high damage, short-to-long-range combat
Shotguns: High damage, spread shot, close-range combat
Sniper Rifles: High damage, extreme accuracy, long-range combat
Heavy Weapons: High damage; varies in effect
Throwables: Secondary explosive charges/support devices
These are not hard-and-fast rules, of course. The Burst Rifle is extremely
long-ranged, for example, and the Tactical SMG is effective at a much longer
range than other SMGs. To help players determine what weapons might be best
for them, this guide has been created.
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=== WHAT THE STATS MEAN ===
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[Part 2]
Every weapon in this guide has a number of statistics listed.
These are as follows:
Cost: This tells how much the weapon costs in XP to purchase. If a weapon is
already unlocked by default - such as the Assault Rifle or Submachine Gun -
that will be listed as well. Weapons available through DLC, such as the
Matilda, will also be listed as such in this entry.
Real-Life Counterpart: Literally every single gun in Operation: Raccoon City
is based on a real-life weapon. How much it's based on it is somewhat of a
subjective issue - the Perforator, for example, is based on the Neostead,
but has a very different layout, whereas the Precision rifle is an Vintorez,
but has a heavily-altered barrel layout. Other guns are much more obvious -
the Assault Shotgun is obviously a Franchi SPAS-12, for example. Purely for
weapon nerds, the closest real-life equivalent of the weapon is listed here.
Max Ammo Stock: Simply put, how much ammo the weapon holds at full ammo.
Ammo Per Magazine: Also pretty simple, how much ammo the weapon holds per
magazine.
Special: Many weapons in the game have a special feature, such as a laser
sight, compensator, or zoom scope. If a weapon has this feature, it will
be listed here, along with what that upgrade does. This is all extremely
straightforward, with one exception: In the case of a weapon with an (*)
asterisk, such as some of the assault rifles, this indicates that the weapon
only has that upgrade when started with, and will lose it if the weapon is
dropped or switched out. To the best of my knowledge, this happens only with
Assault Rifles.
Damage: Numerical stats are all taken from in-game text. Damage indicates how
much damage the weapon does. It is not necessarily per bullet (though it often
is). Higher numbers means more damage.
Blood Frenzy: Another Numeric stat taken from in-game text. Blood Frenzy shows
the chance that the weapon will cause uncontrollable bleeding in the target,
inciting the infected to swarm the target and reduce their visibility and
running speed for the duration. Higher number means higher chance of causing
Blood Frenzy.
Accuracy: A numeric stat, but much more nebulous and not necessarily accurate
when taken from in-game text. Accuracy typically - but not always - determines
a weapon's divergence - or how much the shot varies from where you were
pointing it. In some weapons, Accuracy covers stability instead, or the
ability of the weapon to be held on-target. For Shotguns, Accuracy determines
the width of the firing cone. Higher numbers mean better accuracy.
Range: Almost every weapon that isn't a Sniper Rifle or Grenade Launcher in
Operation Raccoon City suffers what's known as damage fall-off - weapons will
do less damage, the further and further a bullet tavels, until the weapon
fails to do damage altogether. The higher the range number, the longer the
bullet will travel before being affected by damage fall-off, and the less
fall-off it will actually recieve.
Rate of Fire: Simple enough - the higher the number, the faster the weapon
fires. pretty basic.
Ammo: Shows how much stock ammo and magazine capacity it has. Somewhat of a
misnomer as the number is not always necessarily accurate.
Throwables use a slightly different system, since they can't be rated using
the conventional system.
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=== PISTOLS ===
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[Part 3]
Pistols are primarily sidearms in Operation Raccoon City - everyone has one by
default, if only the default handgun. Their performance, by and large, is often
stunningly sub-par, but they are excellent in close-combat and great for when
ammo runs out for your main weapon. At close-range, the quick-aim will cause
you to automatically aim at enemies' weak points, ensuring quick and heavy
damage, which is extremely helpful.
As there's only a few pistols in the game, it's up to you to find which ones
work for you or not. Whilst many simply point to the Samurai Edge as the end-
all, be-all of pistols (especially for multiplayer), in practice, most of
them are pretty usable and effective, meaning it's up to you to get the most
out of them.
===========================UBCS STANDARD ISSUE==================================
================================HANDGUN=========================================
Cost: Initially Available
Real-Life Counterpart: SiG P226 (UBCS), Beretta M92F (SpecOps)
Max Ammo Stock: 120
Ammo Per Magazine: 15
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Pistol (Auto Aim with LB)
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 5
Accuracy: 4
Range: 3
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 4
Though these two weapons have different names, models, and descriptions, they
are, in fact, identical - one used by the USS, the other by the SpecOps. The
Handgun is the basic sidearm of the game, with balanced overall peformance
statistics. It doesn't really excel at anything, but its high ammo capacity
and utilitarian operation makes it a handy little weapon to have at your side.
The standard Handgun does offer a few advantages. It has the default fire-speed
when auto-aimed, so it suffers literally no performance difference between
regular and auto aiming firing speeds - unlike virtually every other pistol in
the game. Ultimately it tends to be somewhat overlooked; as players get more
weapons, the Handgun tends to fall by the wayside in favor of more specialized
weapons, though its sheer utility makes it handy to have along.
When auto-aimed, several of the other pistols begin to lose their shine in
contrast to one another - the Samurai Edge, for example, will not show its
high fire rate if auto-aimed, whereas the Lightning Hawk can't exploit its
ability to land high-powered critical hits at long range when auto-aiming. The
standard Handgun, however, shows no performance loss from doing so, which makes
it a bit better than its unspectacular performance lets off.
===========================UBCS SILENCED ISSUE==================================
==============================HANDGUN SP========================================
Cost: 4000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: SiG P226 (UBCS), Beretta M92F (SpecOps)
Max Ammo Stock: 120
Ammo Per Magazine: 15
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Silenced Weapon (firing does not make you show on enemy minimaps)
Pistol (Auto Aim with LB)
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 5
Accuracy: 5
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 4
Like the Handgun, the Handgun SP is a ubiquitous gun, and is functionally the
same gun as the Handgun - only it's more accurate, has worse damage falloff,
and is silenced. This makes it a handy sidearm for stealthy characters, as it
can auto-aim for critical hits at close range without revealing your position.
This aside, it's identical to the Handgun, though its higher damage falloff and
negligably weaker firepower means that it tends to rely more on finesse. That
said, the difference is miniscule, and the Handgun SP is a respectable pistol,
especially for someone who wants to keep a low profile.
===============================HANDGUN HP=======================================
Cost: 4500 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Browing Hi-Power
Max Ammo Stock: 104
Ammo Per Magazine: 13
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Pistol (Auto Aim with LB)
Damage: 6
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 4
Range: 4
Rate of Fire: 3
Ammo: 4
The Handgun HP is a higher-powered Handgun with an emphasis on range and Blood
Frenzy chance. It holds less ammo per mag, and less ammo in reserve than the
basic handguns, but does a lot more damage per shot, has much better range and
accuracy, and is much more reliable at longer ranges than the other handguns.
It does, however, fire slower.
The Handgun HP fires a tiny bit slower than the Handgun, though this is offset
by using the Handgun HP to auto-aim. By far its biggest advantage is its high
precision - in spite of stats, the Handgun HP kicks less and allows for more
accurate targetting than the Samurai Edge, Matilda, or Lightning Hawk, which
makes it extremely handy for picking off Zombies and V-ACTs at longer ranges
than its counterparts.
With its high Blood Frenzy chance and faster firing than the Lightning Hawk,
the Handgun HP makes a damned fine support pistol, A bullet here or there can
induce a frenzy, allowing you to press the advantage, and the quicker
response time it has than the Lightning Hawk makes it borderline-ideal for
this. A solid sidearm, through and through.
==============================LIGHTNING HAWK====================================
Cost: 27500 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: IMI Desert Eagle
Max Ammo Stock: 70
Ammo Per Magazine: 7
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Pistol (Auto Aim with LB)
Damage: 9
Blood Frenzy: 8
Accuracy: 3
Range: 3
Rate of Fire: 2
Ammo: 3
Something of a brute, the Lightning Hawk does massive damage per shot (for a
handgun, at least), and has decent long-range accuracy. However, it fires
sluggishly, has a small magazine, and kicks extremely hard.
It's also the single most expensive weapon in the entire game.
That said, this powerful weapon is ideal for dealing with enemies quickly,
and is a solid pistol for engaging B.O.W.s or finishing off injured foes. It
can even double as a source of major damage in its own right if used to score
a headshot. This makes it quite handy in close-combat, since an auto-aimed
headshot can deal a heavy amount of damage, but the heavy kick of it means
that the Lightning Hawk often fails to connect with auto-aimed headshots at
ranges that most other handguns wouldn't.
The main drawback of the Lightning Hawk is its slow refire rate and hard kick,
which necessitates careful aiming. Players who make use of handguns typically
choose other designs over the Lightning Hawk, in no small part due to this,
though the Lightning Hawk's raw damage gives it an edge against its various
competitors - especially in terms of DPS.
===============================SAMURAI EDGE=====================================
Cost: 25000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Beretta M92F/S Custom
Max Ammo Stock: 120
Ammo Per Magazine: 15
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Pistol (Auto Aim with LB)
Damage: 7
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 5
Range: 4
Rate of Fire: 6
Ammo: 4
Easily the most common pistol seen online, the Samurai Edge is comparable to
the Handgun HP, though its range is slightly shorter. What it has instead is
speed - when aimed normally,it can deal more DPS than any other pistol,
rendering it an impressively deadly weapon. Its raw stats alone ensure it is
used extensively, and when used as a primary weapon, it can easily cut down
foes from a slightly longer range than the Handgun and Handgun SP.
The Samurai Edge has a few problems, however. It costs a fortune - 25000 XP -
and it does not have the benefits of its increased fire rate when auto-aimed.
As a result, it isn't as good a support pistol, since it does not offer any
increased performance over the other pistols. Because of this, it actually
makes a relatively poor auto-aim weapon; if you find yourself using auto-aim
a lot, one of the other pistols is most-likely a better choice. If you're
looking for a pistol you can use as a backup weapon, however, the Samurai Edge
has few - if any - real equals.
==================================MATILDA=======================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: Glock 18C
Max Ammo Stock: 120
Ammo Per Magazine: 15
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Pistol (Auto Aim with LB)
Burst Fire (Fires 3-Round Bursts)
Damage: 4
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 3
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 5
Ammo: 4
Volume of fire sometimes has its benefits, and the Matilda is a great example
of this. Though its damage is sub-par, and it's the least accurate handgun, it
fires in 3-round bursts, even when auto-aimed, which makes it an incredibly
potent handgun by simple virtue of the fact that it can lay down a barrage of
rounds in the same time it takes other pistols to fire off more than a few.
This gives it an impressively high level of damage, far in excess of what its
stats suggest.
On the downside, the Matilda is not terribly accurate (especially outside of
auto-aim), and burns through ammunition at an incredible rate - each magazine
holds only enough ammunition for five bursts. It also has the same high
damage fall-off as the Handgun SP. If you want a weapon for acting as a
follow-up to another weapon at close range, however, the Matilda makes for a
damned solid choice.
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=== ASSAULT RIFLES ===
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[Part 4]
If you want balanced performance, then chances are, you want an assault rifle.
Offering the best blend between speed, power, range, and peformance, assault
rifles have many advantages and few drawbacks to speak of, and there's a
wealth of different models to choose from in the game. A weapon class that is
hard to go wrong with, the rifle class will always see use, and is advised for
anyone who does not wish to go with a more specialized fare.
==============================ASSAULT RIFLE=====================================
Cost: Initially Available
Real-Life Counterpart: Colt M4A1
Max Stock Ammo: 150
Ammo Per Magazine: 30
Special:
Laser Sight* (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 3
Accuracy: 5
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 5
Ammo: 5
The Assault Rifle is the baseline weapon of the game; it has a blend of power,
range, and accuracy that makes it a fine weapon in general, and quite effective
in most situations. With its relatively high fire rate, it can be fired in
short bursts at long range, or can fire a hail of ammo at closer ranges.
Note that in spite of what the Assault Rifle's stats indicate, it actually
fires a bit faster than its stat-block suggests; indeed, all other rifles fire
slower than it does, making it the "speed" assault rifle. This means it out-
damages most rifles up-close, but it doesn't do quite as well from a distance.
Note that it discharges its mag about 75% the time of other rifles as well.
Because of this, it actually inflicts better damage in the long-term than its
counterparts, but is somewhat prone to ammunition shortages as a result, and
doesn't do quite the damage of its counterparts per-bullet.
The Assault Rifle is an excellent overall weapon when starting out, though it
tends to get eschewed for better weapons as time goes on and a player's armory
gets stocked up. With practice and patience it can stand against most weapons
with few problems, though this takes considerable skill to accomplish.
Large teams with Assault Rifles can be deceptively dangerous. Because it has
very accurate full-auto fire, a team with several can easily identify what
teammates are shooting at, and direct their ammo spray accordingly, resulting
in damage accruing extremely quickly.
===============================BURST RIFLE======================================
Cost: 7000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Colt M16A3
Max Ammo Stock: 105
Ammo Per Magazine: 21
Special:
Zoom Scope (Allows Precise First-Person Aiming)
Burst Fire (Fires 3-Round Bursts)
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 4
Accuracy: 7
Range: 7
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 4
The Burst Rifle is an unusual, oft-overlooked weapon that effectively blends
sniper rifles with assault rifles. It features a low-power zoom scope, 3-round
burst capability, and higher firepower than other rifles, but does not have
full-auto capability and is thus not as good at close-combat as a result.
Taking more time and finesse to get the most out of when compared with the
other rifles, the Burst Rifle makes an excellent countersniper weapon and does
a swimmingly good job of handling mid-range fights without the scope. This
weapon is at its best when fighting at longer ranges, where its scope and
comparatively high accuracy let it pick off foes from a much longer distance
than standard assault rifles or SMGs.
Do not go by the Burst Rifle's base stats; it has a little more punch, per-
bullet, than the Militia Rifle, making it fairly potent. It does not, however,
have the brutal efficiency of the other rifles, due to a short cooldown after
each burst fired, so you trade range and precision for rapid-fire and DPS.
All in all, not a bad trade, considering it can drop even other players in
versus with only a few head-shot bursts.
Burst Rifles are excellent for rounding out a team payload. Sniper Rifles can
be difficult or even a liability in fights that get too close; on these maps,
sniping spots are rare and precious, and players will have to get creative.
Burst Rifles allow a squad to extend its combat range dramatically, allowing
the user to pick off foes from a distance without necessitating sniper rifles.
==============================MILITIA RIFLE=====================================
Cost: 8000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Kalashnikov AK-74
Max Stock Ammo: 150
Ammo Per Magazine: 30
Special:
None
Damage: 6
Blood Frenzy: 4
Accuracy: 5
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 5
Ammo: 5
The angry Russian cousin of the Assault Rifle, the Militia Rifle seems, purely
from a stats standpoint, to be a flat upgrade from the Assault Rifle. This is
not, in fact, the case, though the Militia Rifle does have a number of upsides
over its western cousin.
The Militia Rifle is a "firepower" rifle. It does much more damage than the
Assault Rifle over the long-term, and, fired in 2-round bursts, has better
accuracy than the Assault Rifle. Because it uses less ammo, it's more reliable
than the Assault Rifle in extended combat situations, and many veterans of the
game swear by it due to its heavy punch and balanced performance.
Unfortunately, stats do not tell the whole story. The Militia Rifle has a hard
kick when it fires, meaning that whilst its individual rounds and short bursts
are quite accurate, its full-auto accuracy sprays quite hard - more so, in fact,
than the other rifles in this category. Whilst it doesn't recoil as hard as the
Hammer, its sheer kick tends to turn newer users off to it.
With practice, the Militia Rifle is a hard weapon to not like. It does notably
more damage than the Assault Rifle, and has a better DPS than every other
assault rifle save for possibly the Hammer. which it holds significantly more
ammo than. A weapon that takes some getting used to, it's nonetheless useful
and just as versatile as its standard-issue cousin.
============================SUPPRESSED RIFLE====================================
Cost: 8000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K G36
Max Stock Ammo: 150
Ammo Per Magazine: 30
Special:
Silenced Weapon (firing does not make you show on enemy minimaps)
Laser Sight* (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 4
Accuracy: 5
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 5
Ammo: 5
Often overlooked, the Suppressed Rifle is silenced, which means that it offers
you the chance to fire on enemies whilst never showing up on enemy minimaps -
a vital trait for anyone who wants to stay hidden during combat, and a godsend
during Versus modes. As there are only 4 silenced weapons in the game, this
makes it something of a useful commodity, but there is more to this rifle than
just being a covert ops weapon.
The Suppressed Rifle is squarely a halfway point between the Assault Rifle and
Militia Rifle. It fires slightly faster than the Militia Rifle, but does more
damage than the Assault Rifle. However, it has a shorter effective range, due
to the silenced rounds having a slightly slower velocity, resulting in higher
damage falloff. This is especially noticable at long distances, So whilst it
can damage enemies at long range, it does less damage at said range. This
aside, it handles like the Assault Rifle, with all the upsides and downsides
that this comes with.
The Suppressed Rifle is excellent for anyone who needs a silenced weapon,
since it can help you avoid giving away your position to enemies. It's also a
solid-performance rifle in its own right, so it's worth looking at for that
reason as well.
==================================HAMMER=======================================
Cost: 8500 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K M412
Max Stock Ammo: 100
Ammo Per Magazine: 20
Special:
None
Damage: 7
Blood Frenzy: 5
Accuracy: 5
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 4
The brute force rifle, the Hammer is anything but graceful, and is the slowest
firing rifle, as well as hardest-kicking, making it hard to keep on-target. On
the other hand, it does the heaviest damage per-bullet and Offers phenomenal
peerless DPS. Only some of the Machine Guns, at close range, offer the kind
of close-combat power that the Hammer has in terms of DPS. It also has the
second-highest chance of Blood Frenzy of all the rifles.
The Hammer makes serious concessions to gain its raw power - it's the slowest
of all the rifles, and though it's accurate, it kicks extremely hard and has
the lowest ammunition capacity - it's all-too-easy to run out, especially in
a pitched firefight against tougher foes.
The Hammer offers great promise against both players and creatures alike, but
comes with the caveat of its harsh kick and low ammo count. Whilst it will
devastate enemies in range, it also will tend to run out of staying power very
quickly.
Players who like the Hammer often agonize over the choice of it over other
weapons with similar roles, such as Shotguns and Machine Guns. In general,
the Hammer compares favorably with both at longer ranges, but lacks the
raw punch of the former and high ammo count of the latter. Play the Hammer
to its unique battlefield role - medium range firepower - and you'll find it
an incredibly useful asset... Whilst the ammo lasts.
================================RAVAGER========================================
Cost: 9000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: SiG 556
Max Stock Ammo: 125
Ammo Per Magazine: 25
Special:
Laser Sight* (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Damage: 6
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 6
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 4
The "Balance" rifle, the Ravager boasts the most balanced peformance, with
firepower almost equal to the Militia rifle, whilst being more precise and more
controllable, and backing this with the highest Blood Frenzy chance among the
rifle family. All of this makes the Ravager an intimidating weapon - one that
lacks many discernable weaknesses.
Unfortunately, the Ravager does have a few downsides. It kicks harder than the
Suppressed Rifle, meaning it's not as good at medium-range sustained fire
(though it is certainly better than the Militia Rifle and Hammer). It has a
smaller-than-average clip, and its "in-between" size and power means that while
it does very well in general, it doesn't really excel at anything - DPS-wise,
it is out-done by the Militia Rifle and Hammer, whereas it's nowhere near as
accurate as the Assault Rifle, Burst Rifle, and Suppressed Rifle.
This said, the Ravager is still a potent force. Use it correctly, and it can
be brought along on almost any class or mission without becoming a liability.
Note, however, that a more-specialized weapon - even in the rifle family - can
prove more effective than the Ravager when played to its strengths.
================================================================================
=== SUBMACHINE GUNS ===
================================================================================
[Part 5]
Submachine Guns are an unusual weapon choice in Operation: Raccoon City. They
have, in general, faster fire rates and larger clip sizes than rifles, but do
less damage and are less accurate. Their damage falloff is also worse, meaning
they do less damage from afar.
The advantages they have over rifles are damage through fire rate, rate of
blood frenzy, and ammo capacity. SMGs are better at suppressive fire, but they
lack overall punch and are thus best-used to deal with single enemies or
clusters of lighter targets from afar. Better at closer ranges, Submachine
Guns are solid weapon choices whose primary drawback is the rate at which they
chew through ammunition and comparatively low damage-per-bullet.
=============================SUBMACHINE GUN=====================================
Cost: Initially Available
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K MP5A3
Max Stock Ammo: 210
Ammo Per Magazine: 42
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Damage: 3
Blood Frenzy: 5
Accuracy: 3
Range: 4
Rate of Fire: 7
Ammo: 6
The Submachine Gun is another initial unlock; it's something of a paradox in
that it's the "Balance" version of the SMG; all of the other SMGs are either
high-damage versions, high-accuracy variants, or high fire-rate versions,
making the standard Submachine Gun somewhat unique. Whilst not terribly
accurate, its reasonably high stability backed with its large mag size and high
fire rate mean that it can often hold up in situations where other SMGs would
be markedly worse. The laser sight it has only improves this.
The Submachine Gun is great for close-combat situations, due to its high
fire rate and high rate of Blood Frenzy. Whilst there are other SMGs with
this particular trait, the Submachine Gun is both the most accurate and most
stable of all of these. Indeed, in most combat situations, it compares well to
most other SMGs, holding its own in most categories.
The Submachine Gun is an excellent weapon for a point man; their large clip-
size means they can be used as support weapons, firing into a crowd to inflict
blood frenzy or to provide extra damage. Whilst its damage is not superb, it
is significantly better than the fire-rate focused SMGs in terms of accuracy,
which more than makes up for this shortcoming.
===============================TACTICAL SMG=====================================
Cost: 5000 EXP
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K UMP-45
Max Stock Ammo: 175
Ammo Per Magazine: 25
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases Aiming Accuracy)
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 4
Range: 5
Rate of Fire: 6
Ammo: 5
The Tactical SMG is the most powerful SMG per-bullet, and arguably one of the
best-balanced weapons in the game, offering a good mix of performance stats
with above-average performance in most categories. In contrast to most SMGs,
the Tactical SMG handles more like an Assault Rifle, though it maintains the
usual advantages of weapons of this class - higher-than-normal blood frenzy
chance, better-than-average rate of fire, and excellent reserve ammo. That it
has a Laser Sight atop this is just gravy.
The Tactical SMG's primary drawback are that it isn't anywhere near as stable
as an actual rifle, meaning that accuracy is actually remarkably hard for the
Tactical SMG to maintain for long - though it is infinitely better than that
of any other SMG. It also has a relatively small clip for a rifle, let alone
for an SMG.
The Tactical SMG is best-used as a go-to weapon, much like the Assault Rifle,
Militia Rifle, and Ravager. You can take it anywhere without it becoming a
problem, and it can fight pretty much anywhere with some degree of success. Its
high chance of Blood Frenzy makes it solid for provoking infected groups, and
its unique combination of accuracy, speed, and power makes it an excellent
weapon in general - just don't rely on it at long range.
=================================MINI SMG=======================================
Cost: 4000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Ingram MAC-11
Max Stock Ammo: 224
Ammo Per Magazine: 32
Special:
Compensator (Reduces muzzle climb)
Damage: 2
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 2
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 10
Ammo: 7
The Mini SMG is a curious little beast that boasts the highest rate of fire of
any weapon in Operation Raccoon City. It holds a fair amount of ammo, and has
a high Blood Frenzy chance, but its effective range is woefully short, it does
little damage per-bullet, and it has relatively wide scatter, even with its
compensator fighting muzzle climb.
What the Mini SMG has in its favor is its ability to spray lead (and cause
blood frenzy easily) very, very quickly. This enables it to deal quick-and-
heavy damage to targets at closer ranges, in spite of its low damage. Because
of its minimal muzzle climb, there's little need to force the gun to remain
on-target, which means it is a great weapon for close-combat scenarios. Because
of its relatively large magazine, it has remarkably high staying power for a
weapon with the fire rate it possesses.
Unfortunately what the Mini SMG has in speed and suppression, it lacks in other
areas, especially range - it suffers from frankly shotgun-worthy damage fall-
off, and its accuracy is exceedingly poor even with its relatively high
stability. An excellent weapon for close-combat scenarios, but it needs to be
played to its strengths. Use it carefully, and it's an excellent tool for CQC
that boasts a better effective range than a shotgun.
==============================SUPPRESSED SMG====================================
Cost: 4500 EXP
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K MP7
Max Stock Ammo: 210
Ammo Per Magazine: 35
Special:
Silenced Weapon (firing does not make you show on enemy minimaps)
Laser Sight (Increases aiming accuracy)
Damage: 3
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 4
Range: 3
Rate of Fire: 8
Ammo: 6
One of the best Suppressed weapons, the Supressed SMG handles very similarly
to the Submachine Gun, but fires slightly slower, has a shorter effective
range, and is considerably more accurate at close-range. This makes the
Suppressed SMG an extremely handy covert weapon, though it suffers from
painfully short range due to damage fall off and a tendency to spray on
automatic.
Because of its improved accuracy, it is best used as as a stealth Blood Frenzy
inducing weapon; a quick burst or two will usually provoke the undead hordes
into mauling a weakened target. It also doubles as a short-range weapon,
being both a little stronger and little more accurate than the Mini SMG, it
can reliably hose down a target at close range. Bear in mind, however, that
it relies on speed and precision to bring foes down - you can win a damage
race by firing a barrage of headshots with it, but not with body shots.
The Suppressed SMG is a great weapon for close-combat, especially against
teams lacking dedicated surveillance classes. It does, however, suffer from
a short effective range - only the Machine Pistol and Mini SMG are Worse. As
with all SMG designs in Operation Raccoon City, it's a solid weapon for
close-combat. Use it well.
===============================ADVANCED SMG=====================================
Cost: 5500 EXP
Real-Life Counterpart: TDI Vector
Max Stock Ammo: 245
Ammo Per Magazine: 30
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases aiming accuracy)
Damage: 4
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 3
Range: 5
Rate of Fire: 8
Ammo: 7
The Advanced SMG is a high-performance weapon, effectively blending firepower
and speed to make for a high-quality weapon for close-combat. Whilst it isn't
quite as fast as the Mini SMG or Machine Pistol, nor is it as accurate as the
Submachine Gun, Suppressed SMG, Combat SMG, or Tactical SMG, the Advanced SMG
has a little of both, making it directly comparable to the Ravager - good in
most categories that an SMG is good at, whilst not really excelling at any of
them.
The Advanced SMG is a great close-combat weapon, and can engage out to medium
range effectively with a little practice - accuracy-buffing abilities allow
accurate mid-range fire, whilst firing in bursts can accomplish similar. It
does, however, have relatively poor stability, meaning it can be hard to hold
on-target for the inexperienced.
The biggest advantage the Advanced SMG has is its combination of speed, power,
and high Blood Frenzy rate. Whilst other weapons try to blend this combination
in a similar fashion, all are either less-stable, less-accurate, have shorter
range, or all of the above. Its ubiquitous nature is truly something different,
and helps the Advanced SMG stand alone among its peers as a useful weapon.
==============================MACHINE PISTOL====================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: Steyr TMP
Max Stock Ammo: 224
Ammo Per Magazine: 32
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases aiming accuracy)
Damage: 1
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 2
Range: 1
Rate of Fire: 9
Ammo: 7
At a glance, the Machine Pistol seems like a toned-down Mini SMG; it does less
damage, with similar accuracy, at an even worse range. Thankfully stats don't
tell the whole story for this little handheld-buzz-saw. It's only negligably
weaker per-bullet, and is slightly more accurate as well, though it does have
worse damage fall-off and scatter than the Mini SMG and thus worse range.
The Machine Pistol is a wonderful Blood Frenzy inducer that boasts a lot of
CQC potential when things get scary. Its blisteringly-fast fire rate allows
it to quickly down close-range threats, and it boasts better accuracy when
burst-firing than the Mini SMG, in spite of the latter's compensator.
The main drawback of the Machine Pistol is the same as the Mini SMG: Poor
per-round firepower, offset by its blistering fire-rate and high Blood
Frenzy chance. If you plan to be doing a lot of indoor fighting, especially
against enemy soldiers, the Machine Pistol may be an ideal weapon for you,
though you may be disappointed if you want a more versatile weapon.
================================COMBAT SMG======================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: KRISS Vector
Max Stock Ammo: 210
Ammo Per Magazine: 30
Special:
Laser Sight (Increases aiming accuracy)
Damage: 4
Blood Frenzy: 5
Accuracy: 4
Range: 4
Rate of Fire: 7
Ammo: 6
The Combat SMG is a much more reasonable SMG, with balanced overall performance
rivalling that of the Submachine Gun. Like the Militia Rifle to the Assault
Rifle, the Combat SMG seems to be a unilateral upgrade, matching or improving
on every stat the Submachine Gun has. In practice, however, this is not the
case; it is closer in performance to an Assault Rifle in SMG format than it is
a unilateral upgrade. It does more damage per shot and is more precise, but
fires slightly slower, holds less ammo, and has a negligably shorter effective
range than the Submachine Gun.
The Combat SMG, like the Submachine Gun and Tactical SMG, is a versatile tool,
but unlike the latter two, excels at a much narrower spectrum of combat styles.
Whereas the Submachine Gun offers a big magazine, decent medium-range accuracy,
and a blistering fire-rate, and the Tactical SMG a blend of speed, power, and
range, the Combat SMG handles like the crossbreed of the Advanced SMG and
Submachine Gun, focusing more on short-range combat but having both better
accuracy and range than the Advanced SMG, at the cost of a slower fire rate
and lowered blood frenzy chance.
With its balanced performance, the Combat SMG is an excellent overall weapon
with few drawbacks to speak of outside its "power" ranges - close-to-medium.
It will lose to rifles at longer ranges, and to shotguns and high-fire-rate
SMGs up-close - but in its sweet spot, it has few equals, and can surprise
you with how effective it can be.
===============================MOB SPECIAL======================================
Cost: 25000 EXP
Real-Life Counterpart: M1A1 Thompson
Max Stock Ammo: 250
Ammo Per Magazine: 50
Special:
None
Damage: 4
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 2
Range: 4
Rate of Fire: 8
Ammo: 8
The Mob special is, for reasons unknown, placed amongst the Machine Guns in the
equipment list, despite being an SMG. The Mob Special is one of the most
expensive guns in Operation Raccoon City, costing more than the entire Machine
Gun family in this game put together. On the other hand, at least as far as
raw damage and power goes, you get what you pay for; it has the biggest clip
of any SMG, does more damage than most of the other SMGs - and out to a
better range than some of the other SMGs as part of the bargain. Throw in
a very high Blood Frenzy chance, and the Mob Special truly comes into its own
as a formidable weapon.
Unfortunately, despite its high firepower, high fire rate, and high Blood Frenzy
chance, the Mob Special has relatively poor range and a very wide scatter,
owing to an extremely harsh kick and high firepower that makes it extremely hard
to control on full-auto. It also tends to burn its sizable magazine off quickly,
given its relatively poor accuracy. Even still, its power tends to give it few
detractors, and it's a very popular weapon online - expect to see it often.
Whilst undeniably powerful, the Mob Special demands that a player keep a careful
eye on how to use it. Fire short bursts to keep accuracy under control,
reserving full-auto for closer ranges, where the Mob Special's huge magazine,
high firepower, and high Blood Frenzy rate can be brought to bear. At longer
ranges, or when precision is needed, you are probably best-served by another
weapon, such as a rifle.
================================================================================
=== MACHINE GUNS ===
================================================================================
[Part 6]
Machine guns are all-or-nothing weapons - They have huge magazines, relatively
high rates of fire, long range, and high damage, but they have poor accuracy,
relying mostly on volume of fire to bring enemies down. No weapon holds as much
ammo - or has quite as much raw punch - as a machine gun, though their poor
stability means they are very hard to use for the uninitiated. Not a weapon for
the faint of heart, the Machine Gun relies heavily on the user to get the most
out of, making using them to their fullest more of an art than a science.
============================LIGHT MACHINE GUN===================================
Cost: 7000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K MG4
Max Stock Ammo: 250
Ammo Per Magazine: 50
Special:
None
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 4
Accuracy: 3
Range: 5
Rate of Fire: 5
Ammo: 8
When you need a weapon that can do a lot of damage in a hurry, the Light Machine
Gun is a decent choice - provided you're fixing to deal said damage from afar.
Boasting a better range than most SMGs, but a similar performance profile, the
Light Machine Gun is the most user-friendly MG, having a modestly good punch
and a high rate of fire. Like the Militia Rifle, this is offset by a harsh kick
that makes it slightly hard to control, necessitating bursts to maintain
accuracy, but allowing full-auto when suppressive-fire or close-combat is what
you need.
The Light Machine Gun is somewhat of an under-achiever when first analyzed;
whilst it has a large magazine, high rate of fire, and excellent suppressive
capability, it also does roughly the same damage of a rifle whilst not being
as accurate. Again, stats do not tell the whole story; the Light Machine Gun
offers the best sustained accuracy of all of the machine guns, as well as the
best close-combat peformance. Additionally, its large mag size means can
handle multiple foes in the same clip much easier than any rifle.
Again, the Light Machine Gun is a fine weapon with good performance, but, like
all machine guns, it requires patience and practice to get the most out of.
With a skilled operator, it will reliably distinguish itself out to medium
range with no loss in peformance, which is truly unique among the machine gun
family.
===========================MEDIUM MACHINE GUN===================================
Cost: 8000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: FN Minimi
Max Stock Ammo: 300
Ammo Per Magazine: 60
Special:
None
Damage: 5
Blood Frenzy: 5
Accuracy: 2
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 9
For the sake of its entry and to reduce confusion, this weapon will be
referred to as the Medium Machine Gun in this guide.
Bigger and heavier than the Light Machine Gun, the Medium Machine Gun takes
things a step further - it does more damage per bullet, has longer range,
has a higher Blood Frenzy chance, and holds more ammunition, but kicks even
harder and fires slightly slower. All in all, this is a decent trade, since
the Medium Machine Gun has basically the same profile whilst at the same
time being a bit stronger in its strengths.
Again, play the gun to its advantages - fire bursts at longer ranges, and
save full-auto for close-range targets. Because it fires a little slower,
does more damage, and has longer range, the Medium Machine Gun benefits
more from precision than the Light Machine Gun, and though its little
brother offers much better close-range performance, the Medium Machine Gun
dominates longer ranges than its smaller cousin.
With a very large mag, the Medium Machine Gun is a damned fine weapon
for handling clusters of enemies quickly. It can lay down suppressive
fire, cut through a crowd of Zombies in a hurry, induce blood frenzy at a
longer range, or quickly whittle down a single target's health. So whilst
it isn't as stable as the Light Machinegun, the improved peformance
elsewhere compensates nicely.
============================HEAVY MACHINE GUN===================================
Cost: 9000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: US Ordnance M60E4
Max Stock Ammo: 450
Ammo Per Magazine: 150
Special:
None
Damage: 6
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 1
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 10
The Heavy Machine Gun is a rough beast - it kicks extremely hard but does
very high damage per-bullet, and it boasts the single largest magazine
capacity of any weapon in Operation Raccoon City, as well as the largest
stock of reserve ammo by a considerable margain. One of the (very) rare cases
In which a slow fire rate works for you rather than against you, the Heavy
Machine Gun fires slower than the Light Machine Gun and Medium Machine Gun,
but is more controllable because of its ratcheted-down fire rate. This said,
it still has a huge kick, and has poor stability, so it remains relatively
poor unless firing in bursts (unless at close range), in spite of its
notably slower fire rate.
The Heavy Machine Gun's reliance on high firepower and good range makes it
a solid weapon for most combat situations - it can deal sustained heavy
damage at closer ranges, and it can reliably fire bursts on-target from
afar, which will leave you less-vulnerable to enemy counterattacks than
other medium-range weapons will. Its huge magazine size means few reloads
in the face of enemy aggression, and its massive stock ammo means it's going
to stay in the fight when other weapons would have long since ran dry of ammo.
On the downside, it suffers from a wide scatter at long-range, necessitating
bursts to get the most out of.
The Heavy Machine Gun is an amazing tool for handling B.O.W.s - especially boss
B.O.W.s, like Nemesis and the T-002 - and, with practice, it easily handles
groups of low-powered enemies and single human foes. Its main drawback is its
wide scatter and the need for proper trigger discipline to get the most out of,
but once you're dialed in, it's one of the most devastating weapons around,
one that drops players in a barrage if you use it correctly.
================================================================================
=== SHOTGUNS ===
================================================================================
[Part 7]
Shotguns are a staple of any Zombie Apocalypse. They offer massive damage at
close range, harsh knockback, and a wide spread, enabling them to deal with
foes in a quick, efficient fashion. This is extremely nice to have in Operation
Raccoon City, as many players attempt to go for instantly-fatal knife kills,
and a Shotgun can make a profound argument for why this isn't always a good
idea. Often loudly, exploding the subject's head in the process.
Shotguns are also handy when dealing with infected. Zombies and V-ACTs have to
get close to deal damage, which is the range that a Shotgun happens to be best
at. The urban terrain of Raccoon City often means that your combat will be at
close range, whether you like it to be or not, and the heavy punch of a shotgun
means you'll be much more likely to bring enemies down at this range.
Unfortunately, Shotguns in general have slow fire rates, wide scatter, and
laughably bad damage fall-off; by medium range, they are basically dealing
only token damage, if any at all, and their huge scatter means they lose
basically all effectiveness at long range. They also have poor ammo counts and
small magazines, as well as slow reloading. They excel at their "power" ranges,
but are very poor outside of them.
===========================PUMP-ACTION SHOTGUN==================================
Cost: Initially Available
Real-Life Counterpart: Benelli M3P
Max Stock Ammo: 36
Ammo Per Magazine: 6
Special:
None
Damage: 7
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 2
Range: 4
Rate of Fire: 1
Ammo: 2
For an initial unlock, the Pump-Action Shotgun is incredibly reliable, offering
excellent performance. Its combination of high damage, high chance of Blood
Frenzy, and cone-shaped firing range makes it extremely useful for dealing with
enemy creatures, quickly taking down charging human foes, and discouraging
other players from engaging in CQC with you or allies. With the kind of power
that drops Zombies and V-ACTs in one shot at close range, it's a weapon to be
respected in practiced hands.
Unfortunately, its baseline peformance leaves a bit to be desired. Like all
shotguns, it has a very wide scatter pattern, fires slowly, holds relatively
little ammo, and is functionally only half as powerful by medium range. Using
it up-close is definitely the way to go, ideally aiming for head-shots.
The Pump-Action Shotgun has a number of advantages over other Shotguns,
however. It does more damage than all of the other shotguns barring the Cowboy
Shotgun and maybe the Perforator, and it has better damage fall-off as well,
meaning its wide shots are still likely to cause something resembling damage
at medium range, whereas other Shotguns will simply sting at that range. This
makes it a bit more ubiquitous than the other shotguns.
=============================ASSAULT SHOTGUN====================================
Cost: 7000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Franchi SPAS-12
Max Stock Ammo: 54
Ammo Per Magazine: 8
Special:
None
Damage: 7
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 4
Range: 3
Rate of Fire: 2
Ammo: 3
Semi-Automatic and a bit more advanced than the Pump-Action Shotgun, the beefy
Assault Shotgun is something of a brute. It does slightly less damage per shot,
with a lower Blood Frenzy chance, and has worse damage fall-off, but has a
much tighter cone, fires a bit faster, and holds a bit more ammo. All of this
conspires to make the Assault Shotgun a bit more effective than the Pump-Action
Shotgun, especially at close ranges where its tighter firing cone and better
firing rate allows it to pick foes off quicker, especially in the case of
larger B.O.W.s, where the extra DPS is what matters most.
On the other hand, the Assault Shotgun does less damage than the Pump-Action
Shotgun, and it shows in combat situations with V-Acts and Zombies, where the
combination of lowered damage and heightened damage fall-off makes it a bit
more wonky; you will often need 2 shots to do what used to take one for the
Pump-Action. On the other hand, the increased rate of fire and magazine size
means that this isn't a huge issue. with practice, the Assault Shotgun is
easily one of the better options for CQC.
Players often find themselves at odds in regards to which Shotgun is the
best for the job; the choice is generally between damage-per-second (The
Assault shotgun, Riot Gun, and Juggernaut), or high per-shot damage (the Pump-
Action Shotgun). In this regard, the Assault Shotgun is easily the most well-
rounded choice, striking a balance between the rapid-fire fury of the
Juggernaut and the raw force of the Pump-Action Shotgun.
=================================RIOT GUN=======================================
Cost: 7500 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Benelli M1014
Max Stock Ammo: 42
Ammo Per Magazine: 7
Special:
None
Damage: 7
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 3
Range: 4
Rate of Fire: 3
Ammo: 2
The Riot Gun is, perhaps, the most reasoned shotgun in Operation Raccoon City,
offering a good blend of firepower, speed, range, and accuracy - it has the
second-tightest firing cone of all shotguns, as well as the second-highest rate
of fire, and has a much better effective range than the Assault Shotgun or
Juggernaut. It does less damage than the Assault Shotgun, but not so much so
that the difference is overwhelming.
The Riot Gun excels in situations demanding quick response. It does high DPS,
which means it's superb against B.O.W.s, groups of Zombies, or enemy players
at close-range. It does, however, have a lower ammo count than the Assault
Shotgun, and tends to burn through its ammo stock significantly faster due to
its relatively high rate of fire, and it has a slower reload speed than the
Pump-Action or Assault Shotgun, which means that you're a bit more vulnerable
during the reload.
Of all the various shotguns, the Riot Gun is probably the most versatile. Its
high DPS and better-than-average range means that it works a bit more reliably
outside of its comfort zone, something a lot of Shotguns cannot boast. Its
main drawback is that, like the Juggernaut, it tends to go trough ammo very
quickly.
================================JUGGERNAUT======================================
Cost: 8000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: Daewoo USAS-12
Max Stock Ammo: 60
Ammo Per Magazine: 10
Special:
Automatic (Fires automatically when trigger is held down)
Damage: 6
Blood Frenzy: 8
Accuracy: 2
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 4
Ammo: 3
The Juggernaut is the "fire rate" shotgun of the game, firing the fastest, and
holding by far the most ammo of the non-DLC shotguns. It has a wide scatter,
bad damage fall-off, and is by far the least powerful shotgun, meaning that
it's extremely bad outside its chosen combat environment (close range). All
of its downsides are covered by the fact that it boasts one of the highest
DPSes of any weapon at close-range, reliably putting down even large-scale
B.O.W.s in a hurry. Crowds of Zombies and even V-ACTs are no match for the
Juggernaut, which will tear through them with brutal efficiency, and even
players can be brought low from a barrage of buckshot at close range.
For all of its power, however, the low damage, wide scatter, and high damage
fall-off makes it a risky weapon - a case of risk versus reward. It offers the
promise of immense damage at close-range, but its lower per-shot firepower
ensures that it's that much weaker outside of its "Power" range, though it can
sometimes manage to bring foes down through volume of fire, owing to its large
magazine and high fire rate.
The Juggernaut makes a good ambush weapon, and is probably one of the game's
better choices for discouraging enemies from engaging in close-combat. The
sheer amount of stagger it causes and the heavy amount of lead it sprays out
can bring down enemies in a shockingly short time, and makes it extremely
handy against knife spammers.
================================PERFORATOR======================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: Tuvelo Armory Neostead
Max Stock Ammo: 60
Ammo Per Magazine: 10
Special:
None
Damage: 7
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 3
Range: 3
Rate of Fire: 1
Ammo: 3
The first of the DLC Shotguns, the Perforator, at a glance, seems like an
under-achiever through and through; it has stats basically identical to the
Assault Shotgun, but has a wider cone and slower fire rate. What stats don't
tell you is that it's a pump-action weapon, ergo meaning it does more damage
than the assault shotgun. It also has a very large magazine and large stock
ammo capacity, meaning that it's a great weapon for extended operations.
The combination of high damage, high mag capacity, and good sustainability
makes the Perforator a solid weapon for when you need to fight on the move.
It doesn't need to reload often - a trait which is highly beneficial for
a shotgun, since they tend to have sluggish reloads. Pair this up with
a high max ammo, and almost equal damage to the Pump-Action Shotgun, and you
have a weapon that is actually shockingly effective, and has slightly better
engagement range than any of the semi-auto shotguns save for the Riot Gun.
The Perforator is a solid, utilitarian shotgun, though it is kind of an odd
duck out in terms of stats - it's not quite the Assault Shotgun, not quite
the Pump-Action Shotgun, but it effectively blends traits of both combat
styles into a very effective shotgun, and that's kind of unique.
==============================COWBOY SHOTGUN====================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: Baikal IZH-43
Max Stock Ammo: 30
Ammo Per Magazine: 2
Special:
None
Damage: 8
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 2
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 3
Ammo: 1
An all-or-nothing weapon boasting serious firepower, the Cowboy Shotgun holds
only 2 shells, which necessitates constant reloading, and boasts both a wide
scatter and huge damage falloff at long range - but all of this is made up for
by the fact that it's easily the most powerful shotgun per-shot and fires
fairly quickly in spite of its ammo limitations.
The Cowboy Shotgun is a perfect weapon for thwarting players trying to engage
in close-combat - a few solid shots from this thing will down a foe with ease,
and even tougher monsters can't take too many hits at close range from this
beast of a weapon. On the other hand, it has to reload a lot, goes through
ammo surprisingly fast, and has the second-widest scatter of any shotgun, as
well as the worst damage fall-off of any of them as well. A common comparison
is likening this weapon to Doom 2's super shotgun; very powerful, but with a
short range and laggy load time.
The Cowboy Shotgun's constant reloading - even though said reload is actually
fairly quick - is its major drawback. There is a half-second period between
2-round flurries during which you cannot fire, which means it can't keep an
enemy pushed back or locked down as effective as other shotguns.
==============================COMBAT SHOTGUN====================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: Reutech Protecta
Max Stock Ammo: 60
Ammo Per Magazine: 12
Special:
Wide-Angle Sight (Shows crosshair with markers indicating scatter at range)
Damage: 6
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 1
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 3
Ammo: 3
The Combat Shotgun is a bit of an oddity; it seems to be, purely based on its
stats, an inferior Juggernaut, when this is not, in fact, the case. The Combat
Shotgun is an unusual weapon, designed with an intentionally-wide scatter,
but pairing it with a longer effective range than most shotguns, fire rate
almost equal to the Juggernaut's, and the largest clip-size of any shotgun.
Even more interesting, the Combat Shotgun has a unique crosshair that shows
how wide the weapon's scatter is at short, medium, and long range, which
makes it surprisingly versatile given its relatively short range.
The Combat Shotgun is a little stronger than the Juggernaut, but does not
fire as quickly, and is not full-auto. This works in the shotgun's favor,
since it doesn't need as much lead to put down the same target, and, even
though it has a wider scatter that's easier to read, the damage falloff is
less, which means you can more reliably volume-fire to put down foes.
Make no mistake, the Combat Shotgun is a powerful force, and one well-suited
to close-combat scenarios. If the Riot Gun doesn't have the speed you need,
and the Juggernaut's low per-shot firepower isn't doing it for you, the
Combat Shotgun may very well be the best choice for you.
================================================================================
=== SNIPER RIFLES ===
================================================================================
[Part 8]
Sniper Rifles are all about massive damage at long range - they are the most
precise, accurate, and powerful weapons in Operation Raccoon City, and are
capable of dropping most foes in one shot. Even the weakest Sniper Rifle does
heavy damage per-bullet, and the strongest ones can drop a player in a single,
satifying headshot. When in a fire-fight, Sniper rifles offer the prospect of
ending a fight quickly and decisively.
Unfortunately, what they have in range and punch is offset by poor fire rates,
slow reloads, and being borderline-useless in close-combat. Most of the Sniper
Rifles have very powerful Zoom scopes, which means they zoom far too close to
be useful at closer ranges. They rely on precision to do damage, and it takes
both time and patience to pull off a proper shot - things which are not in
good supply when in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.
============================BOLT-ACTION RIFLE===================================
Cost: Initially Available
Real-Life Counterpart: Remington M700
Max Stock Ammo: 25
Ammo Per Magazine: 5
Special:
Zoom Scope (Allows Precise Aiming)
Damage: 8
Blood Frenzy: 6
Accuracy: 9
Range: 8
Rate of Fire: 1
Ammo: 1
Typical of most Sniper Rifles, the Bolt-Action Rifle has fierce stopping power
and heavy punch, reliably putting down enemy soldiers and creatures alike with
a single headshot from a considerable distance away. Even a player will go
down from 1-2 precision headshots from a distance. The problem, of course,
is that the Bolt Action Rifle has a long lag between shots and poor close-range
performance.
One major advantage the Bolt-Action Rifle has over other Sniper Rifles is
sheer precision. It's the most accurate rifle, and will hit where you aim it
when you fire it. It also has a mid-power zoom scope, which means it's much
easier to aim follow-up shots. Unfortunately, it also kicks very hard, which
means it will take inexperienced shooters a brief moment to recollect their
aim when firing at longer ranges. Moreover, the slow recycle rate means that
each shot is precious - it *will* teach you to be a better shot.
The Bolt-Action Rifle is not a weapon for fighting multiple foes or for
quick response. Time and patience is needed to line up a shot, and that is not
something that is easy to show in the environments of Raccoon City. Get to
better terrain and use the weapon carefully, and you will find this an
excellent weapon for battlefield control.
The Bolt Action Rifle isn't entirely useless up-close, though it is a poor
Weapon at this range. Using the Bolt Action rifle at close-range demands you
do so using the on-screen crosshairs, and not using the scope. The Bolt
Action Rifle still has good stopping power, and the fact that you don't
have to scope to use it can save your life, so bear this in mind.
=============================SEMI-AUTO RIFLE====================================
Cost: 5000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K G3A3
Max Stock Ammo: 40
Ammo Per Magazine: 10
Special:
Zoom Scope (Allows Precise Aiming)
Damage: 7
Blood Frenzy: 7
Accuracy: 7
Range: 8
Rate of Fire: 3
Ammo: 2
The Semi-Auto Rifle is a gentler rifle that is much kinder to newcomers to
sniping than the other rifles in this family. Boasting better solid firepower,
a good max range, and a decent rate of fire, it allows for sustained fire on
one target, or quick reactions against a small group at long range. Even
better, its report is easily mistaken for that of a member of the Assault Rifle
family of weapons, so it's much less likely that a player will be immediately
noticed from a sniping attempt.
The Semi-Auto Rifle is the best of the rifles at close-range. Between solid
stopping power and excellent fire rate for a sniper rifle, it easily handles
the errant Zombie or V-Act that gets too close.
Unfortunately, what you get in speed, you lose in firepower. The Semi-Auto
Rifle does less damage than the other Sniper Rifles, and as such, the Semi-Auto
Rifle heavily relies on precision to deal its damage. Worse, the Semi-Auto
Rifle is the only rifle with scatter - though this is extremely minimal, it
is noticable at extreme ranges and could cause you to miss a shot at long
range.
You can see this especially clear on the USS Campaign level "Expendable,"
where you can acquire a Semi-Auto Rifle for dealing with the SpecOps Snipers
on the hotel roof. Rifle divergence at this range can cause the shot to stray
slightly, hitting the sandbags or missing the snipers' heads, though it happens
much less often as of the patch, which fixed the Semi-Auto Rifle's divergence
range (originally its divergence range was bugged).
=============================PRECISION RIFLE====================================
Cost: 6000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: VSS Vintorez
Max Stock Ammo: 25
Ammo Per Magazine: 5
Special:
Powerful Zoom Scope (Allows Precise Aiming, with high zoom)
Damage: 9
Blood Frenzy: 8
Accuracy: 10
Range: 9
Rate of Fire: 2
Ammo: 1
The Precision Rifle is the first of the two "high precision" rifles in the
game, the other being the Arbiter. These rifles have extremely powerful scopes
that are intended to allow for maximum aiming - they also allow these rifles
to nicely exploit their extensive range. All three are also semi-auto, which
allows for follow-up shots. It does, however, hold little ammo.
The Precision Rifle is the single most accurate firearm in the game, though
the areas one can exploit it are few and far between. Like the Bolt-Action
Rifle, it can kill in 1-2 rounds given quality shots, and with its ability to
make follow-up shots, it can easily provide ranged fire support.
Unfortunately, the Zoom is so strong that it makes the Precision Rifle very
hard to use outside of extreme-range sniping. No-scoping still works for
closer ranges, but without the extra precision, you may as well be using the
Bolt-Action Rifle. Still, a deadly support weapon through and through.
=================================ARBITER========================================
Cost: 7000 XP
Real-Life Counterpart: H&K MSG-90
Max Stock Ammo: 40
Ammo Per Magazine: 10
Special:
Powerful Zoom Scope (Allows Precise Aiming, with high zoom)
Damage: 8
Blood Frenzy: 9
Accuracy: 9
Range: 9
Rate of Fire: 3
Ammo: 2
The Arbiter is the second "high precision" rifle, and is the Semi-Auto Rifle
to the Precision Rifle's Bolt-Action Rifle - less precise and powerful, but
with a faster fire rate and better ammo capacity. It also is much better at
follow-up shots and has a better Blood Frenzy chance, which makes it a better
weapon for ranged support, as opposed to the Precision Rifle, which is better
at kill shots.
Dealing only slightly less damage than the Bolt-Action Rifle, the Arbiter
is, in several ways, a better sniper rifle than the Semi-Auto Rifle, but
it doesn't fire as fast, and its powerful scope means that you can't rely
on it for medium-range combat without some serious moxie.
The Arbiter shares many of the same upsides - and downsides - of the Precision
Rifle. It has the same strong scope, similar performance at long range, and
similar rapid-fire capability. The main difference is that the Arbiter fires
faster, does a less damage, and has more ammo at its disposal. Players who
like the Semi-Auto Rifle, but want more out of it will be well-served by this
powerful weapon.
============================ANTI-MATERIAL RIFLE=================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: Barret M82A1
Max Stock Ammo: 25
Ammo Per Magazine: 5
Special:
Powerful Zoom Scope (Allows Precise Aiming, with high zoom)
Deafeningly Loud Report (Every enemy on the map can hear this thing fire)
Damage: 10
Blood Frenzy: 10
Accuracy: 9
Range: 10
Rate of Fire: 1
Ammo: 1
The Anti-Material Rifle is the most powerful weapon in Operation Raccoon City,
per-bullet; 2 Headshots can reliably kill a character on Heroes mode, and a
dead-on shot from the Anti-Material Rifle can stop even a Hunter in its tracks!
Even better, it's the longest-range weapon in Operation Raccoon City.
However, it suffers a few problems. It is the slowest Sniper Rifle by far, is
extremely loud (every enemy will know someone is using it the moment you pull
the trigger), and is, like all the "high precision" sniper rifles, exceedingly
bad at close range.
The Anti-Material Rifle excels at assassination missions in Multiplayer, and
is an excellent weapon against B.O.W.s and as a countersniper weapon. Against
Zombies and non-player enemy personnel, it's almost overkill, reliably one-
shotting such foes from extended range with body shots.
================================================================================
=== HEAVY WEAPONS ===
================================================================================
[Part 9]
Heavy Weapons are a rarity in Operation Raccoon City - they are found only a
few times, and, with the lone exception of the Flamethrower, cannot be reloaded.
Only one can be brought with you as a starting weapon (the Classic Launcher),
and they are mostly useful for taking down crowds of weak enemies, damaging a
single powerful target, or dealing with a powerful B.O.W., like Nemesis.
In multiplayer modes, Heavy Weapons are rare and precious; they will be hotly
contested and can provide immense power when available.
=============================GRENADE LAUNCHER===================================
Cost: N/A
Real-Life Counterpart: Penn Arms L1
Max Ammo Stock: 10
Ammo Per Magazine: 10
Special:
Cannot Restock Ammo
Damage: 10
Blood Frenzy: 9
Accuracy: 2
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 1
Ammo: 1
You can't start with this one, but the Grenade Launcher is a powerful weapon
that is a solid choice for dealing with clusters of enemies or single strong
targets. You won't see it often (if at all) in multiplayer, but in the campaign
You can expect to see it in quite a few areas. In the SpecOps Campaign, you
can run into USS soldiers using this weapon; you can also find SpecOps troops
using it in the USS Campaign. These enemies should be prioritized immediately.
The Grenade Launcher does a lot of damage over an area, but cannot be reloaded.
In spite of its power, it actually doesn't do all that much damage; the blast
damage is roughly equal to a Frag Grenade. It is best to use Grenade Launchers
as they become available; use up the ammo, then switch to another weapon.
=============================CLASSIC LAUNCHER===================================
Cost: DLC Weapon
Real-Life Counterpart: Springfield M79
Max Ammo Stock: 10
Ammo Per Magazine: 10
Special:
Cannot Restock Ammo
Damage: 10
Blood Frenzy: 9
Accuracy: 2
Range: 2
Rate of Fire: 1
Ammo: 1
The Classic Launcher is virtually identical to the Grenade Launcher, but with
two notable distinctions: It does less damage, and you can start with it in
your inventory. Like the Grenade Launcher, it cannot re-stock ammo from ammo
boxes or drops, so the second the ammunition is spent, the gun is effectively
dead weight. Making it worse, you generally only have 5 rounds for it when
you first spawn with one.
The fact that you can start with it loaded up, though, makes it handy in
versus mode, where it's just about the only explosive weapon you can reliably
get that doesn't come from a weapons crate. It's the weakest explosive weapon
by far, however, and tends to make the firer a priority target, so bear this
in mind.
Note that like the Grenade Launcher, the Classic Launcher is actually mediocre
against players. Its damage is only moderately high, and though it has the
power to knock enemies down, it often takes most of a mag to actually kill
a player. As such, it's better as a support weapon, one to punch through crowds
and incapacitate enemies so a teammate can deliver the coup de grace.
==============================ROCKET LAUNCHER===================================
Cost: N/A
Real-Life Counterpart: FGM-148 Javelin
Max Ammo Stock: 3
Ammo Per Magazine: 3
Special:
Cannot Restock Ammo
Damage: 10
Blood Frenzy: 9
Accuracy: 4
Range: 6
Rate of Fire: 1
Ammo: 1
Seen very rarely - only in the SpecOps Campaign, for the most part - the Rocket
Launcher is the big brother to the Grenade Launcher, dealing even more damage
and boasting a much better range due to being direct-fire. Its raw punch lets
it deal heavy damage to even the likes of the T-02 without too much trouble,
and its firepower makes it the great equalizer against enemy heavies.
In general, the Rocket Launcher operates like a bigger, heavier Grenade
Launcher that does more damage and fires directly. Use it as such. It's quite
useful against sizable enemy packs and taking a serious chunk out of a larger
enemy's health.
It's extremely rare, however, so use it when it's available.
================================FLAMETHROWER====================================
Cost: N/A
Real-Life Counterpart: Custom Flamethrower
Max Ammo Stock: 50
Ammo Per Magazine: 50
Special:
Incendiary (Lights Enemies On Fire)
Damage: 8
Blood Frenzy: 1
Accuracy: 3
Range: 1
Rate of Fire: 10
Ammo: 3
The Flamethrower deals fantastic damage at close range and is the only Heavy
Weapon you can reload. Found rarely in weapon crates, and occasionally on USS
Soldiers in the campaign, you won't get to use it much in multiplayer, but in
the campaign, it's probably the most powerful weapon in the game in terms of
damage-per-second. It also lights foes on fire, which only exacerbates the
damage it can deal to enemies.
Its main downside is that it has a pitifully short range that even Shotguns
have a better effective range than. When using the Flamethrower, your only
long-range option will be your pistol and grenades.
Like all the Heavy Weapons that aren't the Classic Launcher, the Flamethrower
is virtually never seen outside of the campaign, but is a daunting weapon when
available. If you get one, use it - the damage it can deal more than makes up
for its relatively poor range.
================================================================================
=== THROWABLE ===
================================================================================
[Part 10]
Throwables are universal - every character can carry a number of different
models, from various grenade types to flares. Primarily useful for forcing foes
out of cover, dealing with clustered enemies, and support, throwables are quite
useful, if limited in both role and ammo.
===============================FRAG GRENADE=====================================
Frag Grenades are basic explosive grenades. Their damage is middling, but they
have strong knockback, a fairly big blast radius, and you start each new life
with two of 'em. Best used for flushing enemies out of cover, they're also very
useful for handling clusters of minor infected, such as Zombies and V-ACTs.
Hard to use against players due to the fact that players get a warning icon
when a live grenade is pitched near them.
You can carry up to three frag grenades.
============================FLASH/BANG GRENADE==================================
Flash/Bang Grenades explode in a blinding flash, sending enemy accuracy into
toilet and thwarting enemy detection for a short time. They also make it hard
for the enemy to hear for several seconds. Even better, they also stun enemies,
including some infected. A bit more useful than Frag Grenades against players,
they are extremely useful when clearing rooms, but do no real damage.
You can carry up to three flash/bang grenades.
============================INCENDIARY GRENADE==================================
The best grenade against the infected, Incendiary grenades are intended for
area denial. They explode into pools of flame that burn anyone caught in the
radius, and making them even better, they light anyone who gets in the area
on fire, for protracted damage. This means they can cause enormous damage to
anyone caught at ground zero, and can even deal serious damage to large
infected targets, like Nemesis and the T-02.
You can carry up to three Incendiary Grenades.
==================================FLARE=========================================
Flares are usable as weapons, dealing minor damage and lighting flammable
materials (such as chemical puddles) on fire, but for the most part, they are
intended for lighting your way in the darkness. Seen only in the SpecOps
campaign levels - and supposedly on a few of the DLC multiplayer maps - Flares
come in boxes of 9. They're pretty damned handy for providing light, so make
sure you keep a few handy in the areas they're available. Canny players can
get a lot of mileage out of flares by using them to light fires, so keep this
in mind when using them.
You can carry up to nine Flares. They appear only in some DLC levels and Maps.
================================================================================
=== CHARACTER ABILITIES ===
================================================================================
[Part 11]
More of a general set of hints than a dedicated weapon entry, this section will
cover the various character abilities, how they either act as or interact with
existing weapons, and their uses in both single and multiplayer modes.
==============================ASSAULT CLASS=====================================
BODY ARMOR:
One of the two Assault passives, this cuts damage taken from firearms by a
substantial degree; nothing else really need be said. In both SP and MP, this
is an outstanding ability, since it will cut the damage taken from enemy
personnel, who are almost invariably a bigger threat than the monsters.
QUICK RELOAD:
This ability improves your reloading speed, ergo increasing how quick you
can get your weapon ready after exhausting a clip. This is especially nice
when wielding slower-to-reload weapons like Machine Guns or Shotguns.
INCENDIARY ROUNDS:
A handy Assault Class ability that is criminally-underused in multiplayer,
Incendiary rounds is the quickest-recharging Assault ability. Incendiary
rounds simply adds an ignition effect to your bullets, exactly like that of
an Incendiary Grenade. This means that the bullets light the target on fire
and cause afterburn damage, which means that even a single Incendiary pistol
round can potentially decimate a sixth or more of an enemy's life bar. The
effects are not culmanitive, but are quite handy for dealing with priority
threats, regardless of their source, and this ability is immeasurably useful
on Heroes mode. Infected targets take even more damage, and burning targets
make for nice, bright, visible targets for your teammates. Note that due to
balance issues, Incendiary Rounds will not work with explosive weapons, such
as the Classic Launcher, and the flame effect it adds to your ammo means
that it will also give away your position easier. In spite of these issues,
Incendiary Rounds is an incredibly useful ability overall, and can be deadly
effective in skilled hands.
GUNS A'BLAZIN:
The first of the Assault abilities, Guns A'Blazin has threefold advantages in
combat: it gives you unlimited ammo (you still have to reload, but the ammo
is not deducted from your supply), dramatically kicks up your accuracy, and
dramatically reduces your recoil. This ability helps almost every weapon,
from the Assault Rifle (tighter firing groups and less recoil) to Shotguns
(tightens up the cone for more damage), and is especially nice when used with
Heavy Weapons: You can fire Grenade Launchers or the Rocket Launcher for as
much as you want with this ability active, and it recharges rather quickly,
to boot. Where this ability truly shines, however, is on fast-firing,
inaccurate guns - the Militia Rifle, Machine Gun and SMG family coming to mind.
Using these together can make this ability extremely effective, and the lack
of any ammo restrictions means you can generally spray your way to victory.
Definitely worth using, regardless of game mode.
SUPER SOLDIER:
The final Assault Ability is the slowest to charge and the most potentially
useful. It gives an accuracy boost (though not a recoil cut) like
Guns A'Blazin, but instead of infinite ammo, makes you completely invincible
for several hits. At max level, it completely negates five impacts. It goes
without saying that this ability can completely change the playing field when
fighting Snipers, dealing with Knife-Fighters, or fighting past a chokepoint.
Rapid-fire weapons, however, will tend to end Super Soldier's protection quite
fast. It won't count every hit (so a single shotgun blast or barrage of SMG
fire won't be enough to instantly bring it down), but it won't last too long
when targetted directly - correct timing is everything with this ability, so
make it count.
============================SURVEILLANCE CLASS==================================
PROXIMITY DETECTION:
This ability gives you a bigger mini-map and automatically reveals all enemies
within sixty feet - including ones that wouldn't normally show up, such as
cloaked or disguised Recons or enemies in cover. Invaluable due to this,
Proximity Detection is an outstanding skill and one of the draws of this class.
ITEM DETECTION:
This ability makes all item pick-ups, including Herbs, Ammo, Guns, and Data,
show up clear as day on both your HUD and Minimap. This is incredibly handy
and is useful for both XP gathering in Single-Player and assisting allies in
multi-player. Worth noting, if you have Item Detection active, allies will be
able to see items in your range too when using Threat Scanner.
THREAT SCANNER:
Useless in Single-Player, but a godsend in multiplayer, where it will
highlight all enemies (and items, if you have Item Detection) within 120
feet, reporting them to your allies as well for good measure. It cannot be
understated just how useful this ability is; correct use of it can make
or break a team in Multiplayer, especially on Hunters. It will also
reveal enemy cloaked and disguised units, making this feature undeniably
handy.
BIOTHERMAL VISION:
This Surveillance Ability is not generally useful in Single-Player - though
it can be immensely useful in some areas. What it does is illuminate targets
that aren't yet infected like Neon Bulls-Eyes. This does work with sniper
rifles, and can allow a player to easily lock onto threats from long range
with it active, allowing for easy target acquisition. Note, however, that
it does not allow you to spot Infected very well, and hinders your ability
to see clearly, so it will need to be switched off when not in use. The fact
that it reveals enemy health makes it quite useful as well. Note that this
vision mode easily sees through Disguises, making it extremely useful for
dealing with enemy Recons.
SONAR VISION:
As is the case for Biothermal Vision, this Surveillance ability allows you
to snipe whilst it's active. It does, however, have a much shorter effective
range than Biothermal vision, and is generally harder to make out. Because
Sonar Vision sees through walls and terrain, it's handy for spotting things,
but it can make it hard to aim due to the fact that it doesn't effectively
show distance. Still excellent however, especially for finding hiding targets
during multiplayer or spotting for using a Sniper Rifle.
================================RECON CLASS=====================================
STEALTH RUN:
This Passive Recon ability is 2-fold: It lets you run faster and it makes you
not appear on enemy mini-maps when you sprint. Note, however, that this can
work against you when using Mimicry; unless you disguise as an enemy Recon,
smarter players might recognize you as a Recon by your slightly faster speed.
DETECTION AVOIDANCE:
You no longer appear on enemy minimaps when moving at full speed. You will
show up when you Sprint unless you have Stealth Run. With both abilities, you
effectively will not show up on enemy Minimaps unless you shoot a non-silenced
weapon or are detected by an enemy Surveillance class.
MOTION DETECTOR:
Somewhat underused, Motion Detector is a grenade-like ability that flings a
scanner that reveals nearby enemy units - even cloaked or disguised ones - on
all allied mini-maps. When it goes off, it also briefly stuns enemies near it.
When a Motion Detector detects a hostile, it immediately shines a red light
and emits a loud alarm, making it extremely useful as a permieter defense tool
and early warning light. The loud shriek can muffle noise as well, which can
be of excellent use in Multiplayer.
MIMICRY:
This ability allows you to disguise yourself as a member of the enemy team,
in both Single and Multiplayer. It goes without saying that this is incredibly
useful as a tactical ability: By disguising yourself as an enemy, you can
sneak through areas, get close to a target you otherwise couldn't, and work
your way into vantage points to cause some real damage. Because it lasts
roughly six times longer than Active Camoflage at max level, you can get a
lot of use out of this if you're careful. Woefully underutilized, Mimicry
can give your team a massive edge on the battlefield, especially during Heroes,
where it can allow you ambush and knife-assassinate an enemy Commander. Note,
however, that suspicious enemies will be unlikely to be fooled; consider
changing up your ability if the enemy gets wise. Note that shooting will
break your disguise, but knife use will not. Best used in multiplayer.
ACTIVE CAMOFLAGE:
The reason the majority of peoplw who play Recon do so. Active Camoflage
renders you invisible unless you shoot or attack, making you unable to be
seen with the naked eye. Enemy Surveillance classes can still spot you,
however, especially with Threat Scanner or Biothermal Vision. The uses for
this ability are legion; quick approaches or escapes, stealthed sniping, or
simply sneaking into a vantage point. This ability is so ubiquitous, in fact,
that it's largely the reason people play Recon. Useful in all modes.
================================MEDIC CLASS=====================================
FIRST AID PROFICIENCY:
Allows you to carry more First-Aid Sprays. 'Nuff said, really. Vital for
keeping both yourself and allies in the fight; make good use of it.
FIELD MEDIC:
Increases how much health you recover with both sprays and herbs. A Green Herb
(which you can easily get with your special attack kill) will heal you quite a
bit, and your First-Aid Sprays are guaranteed full-heals. This is amazing, and
is pretty much why a dedicated Medic is always appreciated in any squad.
STIMPACK:
This Medic ability is nice and quick to recharge, and is basically a version
of the Super Soldier accuracy boost that you can give to yourself or allies.
Not hugely useful in Single-Player, this ability is a godsend for organized
teams in multiplayer, since it can be used to either boost the Medic's own aim
or to help an ally, and for good measure, it gives a notable movement speed
boost, to boot. This makes it extremely useful for getting around and securing
objectives, making Stimpack quite versatile.
NEUTRALIZE INFECTION:
Hands-down, the most-common ability used by Single-Player Medics, and with
good reason: You can cure your own infections at any time, cure your allies,
or cause serious hurt to infected targets. Sadly, whilst amazing in single
player, it loses out a bit in multiplayer, since whilst it can handle infection
easily, and put serious hurt on enemy Infected, it doesn't offer much beyond
this. Still extremely handy, especially given its short cooldown, but remember
its limitations.
PAINKILLER:
It may only last for 10 seconds, but whilst it does, Painkiller reduces damage
to such an insane degree that you may as well be invincible if you manage your
health well. Heroes under Painkiller are well-nigh unkillable without serious
abuse of Infection mechanics or Fire, and even regular characters under it are
nightmarishly hard to hurt. Thankfully, it does not last very long, but when
used correctly, it can massively boost a team's survivability, in both single
and multiplayer. You can concievably see a player under Painkiller take a
barrage of hits from the Nemesis and still be standing, so its use on the
battlefield is absolutely invaluable... Whilst it lasts.
============================FIELD SCIENTIST CLASS===============================
ANTIVIRAL PROFICIENCY:
Allows you to hold more Antiviral Sprays. You also start with one. Incredibly
useful for both modes, since being caught without an Antiviral Spray and being
infected means your death is an inevitability.
BIOMETRIC VISION:
This works like Biothermal Vision, but it highlights Infected, specifically.
As is the case for Biothermal, this allows you to snipe highlighted targets
with ease, but the only targets highlighted will be infected - so the only
real help this is is against the likes of Nemesis or T-002, though it can
be handy with the Burst Rifle to line up shots on target weak-points from afar.
INDUCE INFECTION:
This Field Scientist ability is useful in single-player, and just plain awesome
in multiplayer as well. If successful, you cause Infected status in a target
soldier, causing continuous health loss, and ultimately Zombification if they
die during it. Alternately it can be used to turn Zombies into V-ACTS allies,
which you can then direct to attack specific targets. Regardless of how you use
it, Induce Infection is a great ability, and incredibly helpful in combat. Use
it well, and note that you can give orders to your own created V-ACTs by using
your crosshair and hitting the right thumbstick button when targetting a foe.
Note as well that the control you have over the V-ACT will not last forever,
and that it will eventually turn feral when it runs out.
ATTRACTION PHEROMONE:
Basically a new grenade for you, this Field Scientist ability throws a gas
that causes anyone in it to become a priority target for the infected, as well
as acting like a smoke grenade. The uses for this are legion; you can splash
a target to make it a target for local hostile lifeforms, obscure enemy vision
through a chokepoint in multiplayer, or use it for area denial, since enemies
won't be as likely to rush through a cloud of pheromone. Perhaps the best use
for it is a tactic coined by a friend of mine, who began the odious practice
of throwing a Pheromone Grenade, and then hurling an Incendiary Grenade into
the resultant cloud. Whilst tactically flexible, Attraction Pheromone does
have drawbacks. Due to the sheer size of the resulting gas cloud, it typically
splashes every single thing in a giant radius, causing enemies to start
fighting amongst themselves rather than targetting a specific unit. It's also
quite capable of splashing friendlies as well. This noted, Attraction
Pheromone comes into its own on some maps, especially in multiplayer - it can
be difficult to justify the use of in single-player.
PROGRAM INFECTED:
The final Field Scientist ability, Program Infected is arguably the best
single-player ability, as it allows you to briefly sieze control of infected
targets - even tough ones like Hunters or T-002s - and direct them to attack
what you want. Though the control doesn't last long, the fact that it can make
enemies fight one another or that you can direct them to attack one of the
hostile human threats means that Program Infected can be a godsend in a fight.
Though very resistant, it's even possible to get the Nemesis to attack whom
you want for several seconds. In Multiplayer this is somewhat less-useful, but
can still be handy; instructing a number of V-Acts or Hunters to target your
opposition can be handy, since Infected are likely to keep attacking human
targets they were assigned to go after, even after the control wears off.
However, since the most common Infected in multiplayer are Zombies, it goes
without saying that they generally do not contribute a huge amount towards
combat situations unless in big groups. Fortunately, with the ability to
program up to five zombies at a time and keep them on a leash for nearly half
a minute, Program Infected can be used to send several at a foe at once.
==============================DEMOLITION CLASS==================================
BLAST ARMOR:
As the Body Armor passive is to the Assault Class, so to is the Blast Armor
passive to the Demolition Class. It prevents you from being knocked down by
explosions, and it reduces the damage you take from them as well.
BLAST MASTER:
Rather uniquely, the Demolition class is the only class with an ability that
reduces their cooldowns. Blast Master also allows the Demolition class to
disarm enemy Frag Mines and Laser Trip Mines.
FRAGMENTATION MINE:
The first ability of the Demolition class, Frag Mines are remote-detonated
land mines that are placed on the floor - and are kinda hard to spot save for
the green light. They are harder to hit than Laser Trip Mines, as well. You
can plant multiples at high levels, and they're quite versatile; You can blow
one, or all of them at once, enabling you to deal a lot of damage, or simply
handle area denial. Only enemy Demolition classes can disarm it; anyone else
will have to shoot it, which is not always an option if you plant them well.
They deal about as much damage as a Frag Grenade, and are particularly good
when networked; blowing off three at once can deal huge damage to unprepared
enemies, infected or not. The main drawback is that they must be detonated
manually.
TIMED STICKY EXPLOSIVE:
The most ubiquitous of the Demolition class abilities, TSEs are throwable
bomblets that adhere to any surface and explode after five seconds. You
have three of them at max level, and they recharge in under 20 seconds when
you have Blast Master maxed - they are functionally a Frag Grenade on call.
The Sticky feature means they're more useful against enemy personnel -
especially in multiplayer - and that you can stick multiples to a foe for
greater damage (this only works on enemies, not players). This ability
generally means that a Demolition class is never without explosives,
since a grenade-counterpart is only 20 seconds away. Make good use of it.
LASER TRIP MINES:
The least tactically-flexible - but most potentially-useful of the explosives,
the Laser Trip Mine is placed on a wall and detonates when anything crosses
the beam. Outside doorways, blind curves, and the tops and bottoms of
staircases are all fantastic places to leave these little deathtraps, as is
any tight hallway you're expecting pursuers. Infected are not smart enough
to avoid the beam, but enemy players in multiplayer are often much more
perceptive. Correctly used, these make excellent area-denial and early-warning
devices, and can at the very least slow access to an area - canny players can
use this to make accessing an HVT (such as their team's Hero in heroes mode) a
losing proposition for the enemy. With Blast Master, these are ready to be used
again literally 10 seconds or so after you blow them all up, meaning it can
also be useful for staggered retreats.
================================================================================
=== EQUIPMENT TACTICA ===
================================================================================
[Part 12]
This is a general group of dos and don'ts for the various weapons, and some
tips to remember for when selecting the weapon that's right for you. May it
be of use to you in your Zombie-slaying!
* Every weapon in the game is usable. They may not be equals in performance
or utility, but every single weapon in the game can and will be used, and
with practice, can be used in every mode. I've been schooled multiple times by
high-level players using only the default weapons, and countless times seen
players with the most expensive weapons in ORC get utterly destroyed, so
don't think that your available weapons completely dictate the terms of how
you fight.
* Use your abilities. All the weapons in the game are good, but correct use of
your abilities can change the course of the battlefield in every mode. Make
sure that no matter what class you are, you are getting use out of your various
abilities - they're such an integral part of the game that it's stupid not to
take full advantage of them! Abilities like Incendiary Rounds, Painkiller, and
Active Camoflage are literal game-changers.
* Visual abilities, like Biothermal and Biometric vision, can and should be
used along with Sniper Weapons. The former for taking down humans and enemy
players, the former for engaging high-threat foes from afar (such as Nemesis).
* Use your knife special kill when needed; in every single case, it has a
useful secondary effect. The Demolition one causes an enemy to explode after
kicking it forward (great against Zombies and packed-up enemies); the Recon
one allows you to use Mimicry (for only 30 seconds), even if you aren't using
that particular ability. The one for the Field Scientist immediately converts
the enemy to an Allied V-ACT. The Medic's one has a high chance to cause a
Green Herb to appear; the Surveillance one sets off a Flashbang that will
immediately blind and stagger nearby foes. The Assault one does a combo that
will give you a short-lived version of the Super Soldier accuracy boost for
a time.
* Silenced weapons may be somewhat weaker and shorter-ranged, but the fact that
they do not reveal your location is a godsend, both in single and multiplayer
mode. Zombies and V-ACTs are drawn to noise, which Silenced weapons don't
cause, and they don't show your position on the minimap when you fire. They
are especially handy for Recon Classes; with Silenced Weapons, you won't show
up on Minimaps even if you shoot, meaning only a Surveillance class is picking
you up. Even the Silenced Issue/Handgun SP can be deadly effective, owing to
their silent firing and auto-aimed critical headshots.
* Avoid falling into the pitfall of thinking that expensive weapons are always
the better option. Many are the times I've seen entire teams of players with
Samurai Edges and Mob Specials, and watched them get ground down by players
with more balanced weapon loads that included Shotguns, Assault Rifles, and
Sniper Rifles. Fight to your strengths using a character and weapon that works
for you, and you'll find that your performance improves accordingly - this is
especially true if you have a competent squad at your back.
* Knife spam is a constant threat; knife attacks can kill instantly, bypass
protections, and are easy to pull off, especially for laggy players - and
this is why a huge number of players use Recon classes and try to go for knife
kills. Because lag can make knife-fighting a losing proposition, remember
that there are ways to thwart knife-users. Shotguns are the tried-and-true
way, and abilities like Super Soldier can give the Knifers pause. Knife spam
is especially common on Heroes mode, where it's one of the only ways to take
down a hero quickly. Bear this in mind and fight accordingly.
* Seriously, learn to deal with knife spammers, because they're everywhere.
Show them your face-to-face man-fighting skills, and learn to deal with them;
they have weaknesses you can (and should) exploit.
* Don't underestimate ongoing damage. Incendiary Grenades, Incendiary Rounds,
and Infection are killers in multiplayer, and one of the few things you can
count on to bring enemies down reliably - and they can seriously even the odds
in single-player as well.
* Know the critical points. They can dramatically increase the damage you do
to enemies. Humans and Zombies are vulnerable to headshots; So is Nemesis and
the T-002. Hunters are vulnerable to shots to the belly, whereas Lickers are
vulnerable in their neck and head. Cerberus are pretty much one big weakspot.
* Show patience. Operation Raccoon City is not an easy game to learn or get
into, and it takes both practice and skill to get good at. The game is most
assuredly worth it, however, as both the single and multiplayer offer depth
and tactical gameplay rarely seen in other shooters (Knife spammers aside).
* Work with friends. If you have allies, you will find your squad, properly
coordinated, can inflict significantly more damage than any uncoordinated pack
of morons. Work with teammates, and you'll find that your team comes out on
top more often than not.
================================================================================
=== MISCELLANEOUS LEGALESE ===
================================================================================
[Part 13]
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is a copyright of Capcom. All characters,
environments, etc in the game are various copyrights, also of Capcom. GameFAQs
is part of Gamespot. The Xbox 360 is a trademark of Microsoft. I'm pretty sure
I got everything on that but in case I didn't, everything belongs to their
original owners.
Oh, Right. ORC is multiplatform now. Damn it. PS3 is owned by Sony, and PCs...
Sod it, whatever, PCs are complicated copyright territory and I'm not getting
into that right now.
This FAQ is copyrighted by Jaimas. It is licensed for use by GameFAQs and
posted with permission. Should you wish to host this article, or some part of
it, on your own site, for whatever reason, drop me a line and I'll cheerfully
allow you. You can print it up and distribute it if you want, but please don't
print copies up and sell them. That would be wrong. :(
================================================================================
=== CONTACT INFORMATION ===
================================================================================
[Part 14]
Should you wish to contact the author for questions, comments, criticism, or
whatever, you can drop me a line at DarkJaimas@AOL.COM. Like all things,
this FAQ is transient, and I will, in all likelihood, be systemically updating
it at some point. Any information on any front you'd like to give me would be
greatly appreciated, as would feedback. Peace out, people.