Rising Importance of Sidearms in Latest Patch

May 14, 2018

Just a post to share my gameplay experience regarding sidearms.

Before this latest patch, I never ran with sidearms. There was never a time I needed to switch to sidearms cos tactical reloading just seems faster than switching to sidearms. I primary in saiga 12 and MP5 so far (I play only Factory... yes yes I know what you think) and before the patch , even if I run into Scavs or players in UNTAR, they go down real quick due to the volume of fire from these weapons so I never find myself running out of bullet before the kill either.

However, after this latest patch, I never ran WITHOUT a sidearm. I always carried one.

Why?

Cause after the armor boost, my buckshots and 9mm pallets just don't seem to kill armored targets that effectively anymore. In fact, I would sometimes empty an entire mag into an armored target and that person was still standing and killed me. This patch also made switching to sidearms a lot faster (about 1.5 seconds) Those times, I wished I could switch to a sidearm instead of running dry and having to do a 3 seconds reload and die.

That's when I begun testing bringing along a cheap PM with my raid.

Twice today, I literally ran out of bullet killing waves of Scavs pouring onto me and I was able to in the end whip out my PM and killed an extra 1 more enemy before I go down. So, 2 extra kills which I won't have gotten otherwise. Not bad... but I thought, if I had more than just 8 rounds in my sidearm, I could have killed that final guy in both raids and actually SURVIVE!

In one instances, I emptied one whole magazine of buckshots into a Scav and he survived to shoot back at me.. I drew my PM and headshotted him dead. Thanks to the PM then! I then checked the body to see if its desync but no, I found a UNTAR that was badly shot up but still not penetrated.

So, I started to keep the Grach or P226 I get on my Scav run instead of selling them and using them for the 18 rounds or 15 rounds magazine. Their effectiveness compliments my style of play so much it didn't take me long (all happened within 1 day , LOL!) to upgrade myself to a fully modded Glock 17 with sights and everything (cos I got euros and dunno what to do with them).

Hence was my journey in this patch from someone who never believed in sidearms to using a simple PM to now using fully modded Glock 17 and really enjoying it!

For the first time, I can say, having a sidearm increases my chances of survival and is worth the price.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Pr8Dator

May 14, 2018

Why I play only Factory? Cos I love the intensity of having enemies from all sides where you literally have to watch where you step, how fast you look around when crouched as the littlest noise matters, check around corners, master your weapon switching, stance switching etc. (Feels like a realistic RB6S setting) Very little room for mistakes and with so little loot to get, not many hackers as well!

Edited May 14, 2018 by Pr8Dator

May 14, 2018

6 minutes ago, Pr8Dator said:

(cos I got euros and dunno what to do with them).

How about you buy yourself containers ? Like icase(12k eur) or weapon case (8k eur)?

May 14, 2018

1 minute ago, Znajka29 said:

How about you buy yourself containers ? Like icase(12k eur) or weapon case (8k eur)?

don't have access yet. Level 15 here and PLENTY of stash space to spare. I don't hoard weapons as well. I only keep what I use and I expect to lose them.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Pr8Dator