Call of Duty: Vanguard is a shooter, and so quite naturally, it's going to be judged on its guns. Besides the normal rollcall of WWII weapons though, we're also getting some more exotic hardware in this game. But how good are any of these new weapons? Here's our tier ranking of every weapon in Call of Duty: Vanguard.We're judging these weapons from the perspective of the average gamer - so weapons that are easy to use (like the Krig 6 or the Kilo) will be rated highly even if they don't necessarily have the fastest TTK.We're also judging these weapons for a multiplayer environment, a Warzone list would look different. But for multiplayer high capacity mags, suppressed fire, and range, and aren't as essential.
The Weapons In CoD: Vanguard
S-Tier
These are the best weapons in the game and will make up our starting meta.
- Volk - Short-Range AR. The Volk is the fastest AR and is in that perfect sweet spot between ARs and SMGs that works so well in MP. In Warzone it might see use as a Sniper Support - but that's a different list.
- MP40 - Versatile SMG. This old warhorse is still just as strong as ever; it has a great TTK and a good balance between handling and accuracy.
- DP27 - Long-Range LMG. This weapon has a fantastic TTK, it also has relatively controllable recoil and decent handling for an LMG.
- STG44 - Versatile AR. This is the M4 of Vanguard - it's not quite as popular (remember MW 2019's launch?), but in the same way as the M4, it can be pressed into almost every combat role, and do the task well.
- Machine Pistol - Machine Pistol. Unlock the 40-round mag attachment for the Machine Pistol and you've got a pocket SMG with a shockingly strong TTK. Even if you run it as a primary weapon, with 40 rounds in the mag, it's perfectly viable - and it's only a sidearm.
A-Tier
There are all strong, relatively easy-to-use weapons.
- MG42 - Very High RoF LMG. This LMG has 125 rounds in the mag, which is huge, a fantastically fast rate of fire, and it handles surprisingly well for an LMG. It misses out on S-Tier because its per-shot damage is just a touch too anemic.
- NZ41 - Versatile AR. This AR is on the quicker side and may actually place higher on the list after further testing.
- M1928- Short-Range SMG. It's very range-restricted, and it's hard to control, but it dominates on the smallest maps.
- Kar98k - Aggressive Sniper. Even faster than its 2019 counterpart - obvious meta potential in Warzone, and the better choice for Multiplayer.
B-Tier
Just on the edge of viable, but there are better options.
- BAR - Long-Range AR. People might expect to see it higher up because it has such a strong damage profile, but it's hard to control and very slow for an AR.
- Bren - Heavy LMG. The sluggishness of this beast can't be compensated for with attachments, it'll always be slow. But it makes a decent support option with 100 round mags.
- Sten - Fast SMG. A great SMG and the most mobile primary weapon in the game but not the strongest TTK compared to the other SMGs.
- 1911 - Semi-auto pistol. It packs a decent punch but we had a hard time wondering why you wouldn't take Machine Pistol with 40 round mags instead.
C-Tier
You're putting yourself at a deliberate disadvantage with these weapons.
- Revolving Shotgun - Semi-auto Shotgun. Definitely the nicer of the two shotguns but not strong - it'll always require two-tap to down and it's got (at seven shell mags.
- 3-Line Rifle - Slow Sniper. Effectively the same damage profile as the Kar on multiplayer - one shot to the upper chest - but it's far slower, so there's really no reason to use it.
- Itra Burst - Burst-fire AR. They need to allow this thing to be a lot faster to tempt people into abandoning full auto for burst. It also needs to be able to kill on three shots to center-mass, not four.
- M1 Garand - Marksman's Rifle. This should and will be higher, it's iconic, but at the moment the M1 is just a bit too slow for multiplayer to compete with the weapons higher on the list.
- Ratt - Semi-auto pistol. There's just no reason not to use something else, it's a forgettable pistol with little going for it.
- Panzerschreck - Ground-targetting Launcher. If you really want to use a launcher in MP then this is your go-to but it isn't nearly as fluid or easy to use as an RPG.
The Shadowrealm
Never use these weapons, not in their current state.
- Auto-Loading Shotgun - Semi-auto Shotgun. The Auto-Loading shotgun is a shockingly poor weapon with laughably weak damage. It was a chore to level. Easily the worst weapon of the lot.
- Bazooka - Anti-vehicular launcher. A very weak weapon, even for a launcher. Just use the Panzerschreck, then you can go for enemy players as well as vehicles. Or try to.
Like keeping up to speed with all things Call of Duty? Then you've come to the right place, here are some of our recent articles:
- Ranking Every Weapon From The CoD: Vanguard Alpha
- Leak: Warzone Pacific Map Release Date
- Warzone: The Best MAC-10 Setup & Loadout
What About The Equipment & Perk Meta In Vanguard?
From what we've played so far, the meta loadout will look something like this:
- Primary Weapon: An S-tier or A-tier weapon from above.
- Secondary Weapon: Machine Pistol / Panzerschreck
- Lethal: Thermite
- Tactical: Stuns
- Perk 1: Ghost / Fortified
- Perk 2: Radar
- Perk 3: Demolition / Overkill (Overkill is good for LMGs or Snipers, so they can take a stronger backup)
- Field Upgrade: Armour Plates
The above will almost certainly be the multiplayer meta unless they make serious balance changes. The Armour Plates in particular are in need of a nerf, but whether one comes, we'll have to wait and see.
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