The Best MW2 556 Icarus Loadout | A Mobile LMG

The 556 Icarus is the lightest of the LMGs, and almost has the mobility and handling of an AR. We think a great many players will enjoy using it, and if that sounds like you, here's the best attachments and loadout for the 556 Icarus.

556 Icarus PNG
Teep was loving this LMG during the beta. | © EarlyGame

The 556 Icarus is the fast LMG. Think of the Bruen from MW2019; a kind of hybrid AR/LMG. And for that reason, we expect it to be very popular. It's certainly strong enough to be viable against the other ARs. So let's cut to the chase: you can find a complete loadout guide below, with our choice of attachments, perks, and grenades.

You can check out our complete tier-list of LMGs here for more details.

556 Icarus Attachment Setup

556 Icarus
We're going to make it as fast as we can. | © Activision / EarlyGame
Attachment Slot

Attachment Name

Unlock Level
MuzzleEcholine GS-X SuppressorM4 Level 3

Laser

4MW Laser BoxM4 Level 12
StockDemo Fade Pro StockM4 Level 19
Rear Grip

X10 Grip

M4 Level 16
UnderbarrelFSS SharkfinM4 Level 6

These are all low-level unlocks, so you could get this whole weapon built after about an hour or so of playtime. What we're doing here is simple: we're trying to gain as many benefits as we can without harming either recoil control or mobility. Usually you have to pick whether you want more recoil or more mobility, and the attachments that give you one will often detract from the other. But in this case, we want a mobile LMG, that is also capable at range. Hence, the constellation of attachments here might seem a bit odd or underwhelming. But in ever case, these attachments are giving you a little something without slowing you down or making the gun uncontrollable.

Note: We aren't using Overkill in this class, so you'll need to take a secondary. We advise the X13, but if you want something else, here's a ranking of all the sidearms in Modern Warfare 2.

556 Icarus Loadout: Best Perks & Equipment

Perks (Base, Bonus & Ultimate)

Here's our favorite perk choice for a weapon like this:

Base Perks

Battle Hardened, E.O.D.

Bonus PerkFast Hands
Ultimate Perk

Ghost

Battle Hardened and E.O.D. are simply the best perks when you don't need Overkill, because they'll be helping you out almost every time you respawn. While Fast Hands is key because it's going to make the otherwise slow reload times more manageable. And Ghost is a natural Ultimate choice because UAV-spam is a constant problem in CoD titles where they remove the classic minimap.

You can find a complete list of every perk in MW2 here, in case you want to see what else is on offer.

Equipment (Lethals, Tacticals & Field Upgrade)

Here are our favorite grenades and one of the best Field Upgrades:

LethalSemtex
TacticalStuns
Field UpgradesPortable UAV

How dull, Stuns, Semtex and a Portable UAV. We promise to mix it up with more irregular weapons, but when you're just looking for solid general options it's hard to beat this trio. Semtex is a very easy-to-use lethal, Stuns are great for checking corners and giving yourself an advantage on the push, and Portable UAVs can help you hold down strong points with confidence.

We hope you'll enjoy the 556 Icarus. But if you want to see which other weapons are available in Modern Warfare 2, we have a complete list of weapons here.

Check out what else is coming in MW2:

Jon Ramuz

Jon has a BA and an MA in English Literature, and as Content Lead for EarlyGame has written over 1,500 articles. He focuses on shooters, but also writes about entertainment and gaming in general....