Yesterday, Treyarch tweeted a picture of a blueprint of the current Blackout map. In this blueprint, you can see multiple red X’s, dots, circles, and other indicators suggesting the first major upcoming map changes since the release of the game. Since the last update, as I’m sure many have noticed, there have been dozens and dozens of survey posts spread across the map. These usually indicate where new buildings or structures will be built, and sure enough these posts are almost exactly mirroring the blueprint markings. I strongly encourage interested readers to do additional research on YouTube, where there are many excited content creators buzzing about all the possibilities. Personally, I would really like to see another island added out into the ocean part of the map, as well as a possible “old west” style town in the open desert. From the content I’ve seen via YouTube, it would appear both of these could be possibilities, and anything after that is just a bonus to me.
Top 5 most underrated weapons in Blackout
As the game progresses, and more and more people begin to play, certain weapons in Blackout seem to get all the love. Everyone is always looking for sniper rifles, ABR’s, SWAT’s, Spitfire’s, and so on so forth. That being said, there are a lot of great guns in this game, both that serve as primary weapons and secondaries. I’m going to share with you what I believe to be the top five weapons that people seem to overlook.
5) Mozu Tactical
I know what you’re thinking. How did a crummy little revolver make this list? Truthfully, I never pick one up myself unless it is the golden tactical version. If it is, however, the thing can absolutely shock both you and your opponents up close and personal. Think of it as a fast firing shotgun with strong range capabilities. With full attachments, the gun shoots fast, reloads fast, kills fast, and lets you be hyper mobile. While it can still be difficult to use (hence why it’s #5), it is certainly a weapon that, in the right hands, should never be underestimated.
4) Swordfish
While this gun doesn’t have any true advantages at real range over it’s big brother the ABR, the Swordfish can be something of a monster up close or at medium ranges. Up close, assuming you land all your shots, you can consistently two-burst players and shock them. The base scope that comes with the gun is clear and user friendly, and although there are far better weapons to use in your primary slot, the Swordfish isn’t half as bad as people make it out to be.
3) VAPR XKG
The VAPR is a gun a lot of people seem to avoid, which I find mind boggling. Statistically, this weapon has one of the fastest time-to-kills (TTK) among the assault rifle category, only beat out by the Rampart at range and the SWAT.. well, at most ranges. That being said, I use the VAPR all the time, generally as a close/mid range secondary weapon while sniping. It is versatile and hits hard. The big downside to it is that it has a lot of idle sway, odd recoil, and is mostly outclassed by the new DLC weapon the SWAT. That aside, it is a great gun worthy of your time.
2) Daemon 3xb
This little firecracker is nuts. I mean NUTS nuts. While it’s TTK up close and personal isn’t quite as ludicrous as the Spitfire’s, it is far more versatile and fun to use. Generally speaking, when I see people using SMG’s as secondary weapons, everyone is drawn to either the Spitfire for it’s fire rate, or the SAUG 9mm for it’s user friendly nature. I STRONGLY encourage trying out the Daemon more. It is without question my favorite backup weapon in the game for multiple reasons. It has very little recoil, it is surprisingly user friendly, it fires incredibly quickly, and the attachment options (particularly optics) are fantastic. Try this thing out with a 2x or 3x scope. Sounds stupid, I know, but it is hilariously effective. Since both of these scopes reduce recoil in Blackout (look it up on YouTube, it’s true!), it turns this gun into a fast firing pocket assault rifle, which just feels beyond fun to use. Practically speaking, it is unnecessary, and I will usually run it with a red dot, elo, or holographic sight for up close. But that being said, if I have a mind to do so, I can run the Daemon as a primary weapon and do WORK with it.
1)Auger DMR
This one may surprise a lot of people due to the shade a lot of the community throws at the Auger. This weapon is an absolute monster, don’t let anyone tell you differently. Especially now with the recent armor rework, this weapon can pump out an absurd amount of damage in very little time. Out to medium range, depending on the enemy player’s armor, this gun is a consistent 3-4 shot kill. With how quickly you can spam fire those shots, the TTK on this gun if you maintain accuracy is mind mindbogglingly fast. Personally, I prefer using a 2x on it. It helps reduce some of the odd recoil the gun has while also helping me stay on target in closer range gun fights. I personally feel that most people use this gun incorrectly and try to do damage at long range. While it can certainly be done with this gun, I’d rather have a sniper rifle or an ABR for that job. I feel that the Auger really shine at close to medium range, hence why I prefer the low zoom 2x scope with it. It allows you to spam fire shots at this range and do shocking damage to your enemies. I’ve personally gotten a lot of cheeky kills with this gun. While I feel that the ABR does it’s job more accurately and consistently at range, I think the Auger DMR may be the best mid range weapon in the entire game with the right setup. Give it a shot.
Zombie Weapons in Blackout
The game has been out nearly four months now, and although I think the team at Treyarch has done an exceptional job, I believe there is a part of the game that is being completely ignored, and that is the problem with the zombie weapons.
These are weapons that you can find on the ground or in the mystery box at marked Zombie locations across the Blackout map. The issue is simple, none of these weapons can have any attachments. this put every player using these weapons at a noticeable disadvantage in late game situations.
My suggestion is to rework these guns to allow for attachments. None of these weapons are statistically over powered by any means, so the attachment restrictions currently in game feel senseless.
Blackout: Your First Win
Your parachute deploys, and the sounds of enemy chutes surround you. Your feet hit the ground and you take off in a mad dash for loot and weapons. You’ve landed here numerous times now, you know the area well. You burst into the first building, hoping to find anything to defend yourself with. You can hear footsteps, and a lot of them, very close. You open the first door you see and grab a sub machine gun and it’s corresponding ammunition laying on the ground. Good, now you have a chance.
The footsteps are right on top of you. You turn and aim, and a moment later your first enemy sprints into your room. You open fire and drop him before he can react. You stay motionless for a moment, listening intently to your surroundings. Gunfire pops and echoes in the distance, but as far as you can tell you are alone for the time being. But you know it won’t last.
Over the speakers, a familiar voice booms “Circle collapse incoming, get to safety”. You check your map and cringe. You have a long way to go and a short time to get there. You loot your first kill and find armor and a backpack, along with a few meds and an assault rifle. Nothing fancy, but it will suffice for now. Running back outside, you quickly spot a four wheeler and race to the next circle.
As the game progresses, you lay low. Looting small and obscure areas, gathering throwables, attachments, and ammunition. By mid game, you feel confident and well equipped. You abandon your vehicle, figuring you can outrun the circle collapse and it’s best to stay quiet. Gunfire continues to pop off in the distance, but nothing too close. After checking the global head count, you see only fifteen players remain out of the initial one hundred to deploy. You’ve only made it this far once. Deciding to play it safe, you rush to the middle of the circle and hold down a small barn on the outskirts of a farm.
The final two circles are all that remain now, along with six enemy players. You’re so close, and excitement and adrenaline keep you alert. Footsteps are close, probably just outside the barn. You have an advantage here, as you hold second story high ground and there is only one entrance to cover. You wait silently as the footsteps grow louder, and you can feel the sweat on your hands and brow. The enemy player finally peeks the corner, and you fire. You land a few bullets but this guy is smarter, he slides around the corner. You wait, and a moment later the area only feet to your left burst into flame as he begins throwing molotov cocktails at you, forcing you to move. He lands a few shots on you as you reposition, and you realize you’re dangerously low on health. As you pop a med kit, you can hear him rushing you, taking advantage of your weakened state. Deciding to meet him head on, you rise from your cover and return fire. Trading bullets back and forth for a few seconds, you finally down him. In the process, he dealt enough damage to completely destroy your armor. This leaves you at a disadvantage going into your next fight, and you know it.
You glance at the global head count.. there is only one player left. It is you against him, a 1v1 for the win. You quickly heal up and loot a few throwables from the last guy’s stash. The final circle is about to close in. This is it.
You cautiously exit the barn, and all that remains in the vicinity within the circle is a small shed and a section of corn. He has to be in one or the other. You quietly flank to the shed, staying low. No sign of him, he’s got to be in the corn. You peek the corner and aim your rifle. You see nothing. You hear nothing. You realize the only way to flush him out is to force his hand, and so you do just that. From a safe distance, you lob grenade after grenade into the the dark depths of the cornfield. Shrapnel flies and ground explodes into the sky. Finally, you land a hitmarker on him. You can’t see him, but you know he’s weak. Lobbing one final cluster grenade into the void of crops, he finally emerges, shooting wildly in your direction. He lands a couple of shots, but the advantage is yours now. You unload into him, sending hot lead and a prayer downstream, and he drops.
The screen fades away, and finally, after days of playing, you see it. “#1, Victory”.
Call of Duty’s new battle royale mode, Blackout, is taking the gaming community by storm. A first person shooter that brings elements of both COD and The Hunger Games straight to the player’s hands. While other battle royale games such as Fortnite or Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds have found huge success, Blackout is the new kid on the block that is quickly gaining popularity. The player base is growing tremendously fast, and for good reason. It plays much smoother than PUBG, and is a far more realistic shooter than Fortnite. Personally, I can’t wait to hop into a lobby on a nightly basis, hunting for the high of a 1% chance at a win. It is a game that truly keeps you coming back for more, time and time again. It will be a lot of fun seeing what changes are to come and what additions will be made, and seeing just how much this great game will grow in the coming months.
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