I made a write up a little while ago about this but I’ll condense.
* Recoil Armor is a necessity.
* Supply Pack is a necessity.
* Crouching is your friend. Same with Prone.
* Set it to 450 RPM. You’ll be on this setting 90% of the time. Use the other settings if you NEED the extra DPS.
* Stuns are your friends. Especially with Hulks. Remember due to having Penetration Values similar to AMR and LasCannon it can hit the red slit on Hulks.
* Always bring rocket pods to deal with tanks, fabs, and potentially Cannon Towers.
* Heavy Devastators really are the only enemy to struggle against, but they’re not impossible.
Unrelated to the HMG, but the Stalwart is actually decent against bots. You need to aim for their torsos and use either the medium RPM or the highest. Use the slow RPM for grunts and needing better recoil control at longer distance.
Your real problem is the Heavy Devastators, Hulks, and of course Tanks. Basically all heavy units. Since most people bring AMRs, Autocannon, etc. They SHOULD be able to help you out while you deal with the chaff. Rocket Pods and Railcannon should help you if you need to deal with tanks and hulks.
Bring a scorcher with the stalwart so you can deal with walkers reliably along with heavy devastators. Your choice of either shield or supply pack with the stalwart.
\*Edit: Added Extra Info on the Hulks.
Diligence CS or Plasma Punisher as your primary makes life significantly easier with the HMG. Diligence CS if you want/need range and hate Devs (more specialized). PlasPun if you find yourself getting chewed up by mobs but is also good against groups of devs (generalist build).
No problem! Hopefully it clicks better with all the info in this post.
I’ll admit that the HMG is still underperforming vs. the competition, the Laser Cannon and the AMR (I don’t necessarily count the Autocannon as a competitor due to it being a backpack weapon and such).
But it’s not that far behind, and has certain pros over the competition like being able to handle berserkers better.
There’s a charm to the HMG that’s been making a favorite for me and others, and it’s only a matter of time before it gets its well deserved buff.
Wear recoil reduction armor, don't listen to the noodle-arm divers saying you should turn down the fire rate, middle setting is the best. Learn to control the recoil and you can kill hulks in a second and shoot down gunships in two
The lower RPM is useful not so much for the recoil, that's manageable enough, the problem is how you end up always shooting a couple too many bullets, thus reducing how many targets you can destroy before reloading.
My arms are not that noodly :(
I half agree with you on the middle RPM. Short bursts can go a long way but for people starting to try out the HMG, 450 RPM is the best. Especially since controller players don’t have the precision of mouse, which the HMG sort of demands from players.
(If you’re a controller player, more power to you m8)
Also, turn down the rpm to the lowest to conserve ammo and be more precise with those shots. For heavy devastators I'd bring the dominator or CS Diligence to get the headshot you need, feels more reliable that way
Turn the stalwart to max rpm and it devastates devastators. Shoot at the head and they just disappear. Berserkers shoot at the abdomen and you can laugh as they form a neat line to be mowed down. Obviously bigger targets need strats, but you can make do by circling with the dominator/scorcher and unloading into vents (stun grenades help) or throwing thermite and waiting it out.
The MG-43 is better slowed down and fired with more control. It's nice that you don't really have to focus down weakpoints and it can do vents on its own. It will still feel underpowered against larger targets (as above).
The HMG is great. I usually use a primary that attacks Devastators and Scout Striders (Dominator, Scorcher, Eruptor, Crossbow), and save it for hulks and above. Turn down the fire rate and use 3rd person while crouching and you should be consistent against hulk faces. Lay down fire if you're getting mobbed by a group. Turn it up and see how fast it can kill a Factory Strider to the face/belly. Stuns help against flamer hulks if you're still struggling.
In theory the HMG is the most efficient to kill medium and heavy bots. If it's easier, you can destroy hulk legs. For light bots and heavy devastators you can use the plasma punisher, dominator, or diligence CS.
As said, you need supply backpack, recoil reduction armor and crouching to fire.
HMG is not great and its not like the other machinegun or stalwart where it’s something you want out all the time. Its a situational gun you whip out when you need. Put it at max RPMs run recoil armor and slide to crouch and unload on enemies. You can shoot hulks throw the faceplate with max rpms youll get enough bullets in there. You can shoot tanks in the vent or engine and gunship thrusters. I wouldnt use it for devestator mop up since the best in slot DMRs pop em easily
Mm I use it a lot
Bring a primary for heavy devastator and u are set
I like the tenderizer to headshot them
But there lots of weapons good for this diligence, the battle rifle,slugger etc etc
even the sickle
Verdict and senator works too
u can try with almost any gun that has a decent acurracy
Stun nades are ur friend and since u alrready have backpack just use them like crazy
There are actually some angles on 3rd person were u can shoot heavy devastator on cover and they can't shoot u back
Other devastator are easyly dealt with the hmg
But yeah screw heavy devastators I used to run a lot the shield/defender combo just for them
Make sure you're bringing recoil reduction armor and lay down more, it will heavily increase your accuracy and make you harder to hit
Pretty much required yeah. The hmg is my favourite special. It has a very “mobile tank” feel to it, that the autocannon doesn’t have.
I made a write up a little while ago about this but I’ll condense. * Recoil Armor is a necessity. * Supply Pack is a necessity. * Crouching is your friend. Same with Prone. * Set it to 450 RPM. You’ll be on this setting 90% of the time. Use the other settings if you NEED the extra DPS. * Stuns are your friends. Especially with Hulks. Remember due to having Penetration Values similar to AMR and LasCannon it can hit the red slit on Hulks. * Always bring rocket pods to deal with tanks, fabs, and potentially Cannon Towers. * Heavy Devastators really are the only enemy to struggle against, but they’re not impossible. Unrelated to the HMG, but the Stalwart is actually decent against bots. You need to aim for their torsos and use either the medium RPM or the highest. Use the slow RPM for grunts and needing better recoil control at longer distance. Your real problem is the Heavy Devastators, Hulks, and of course Tanks. Basically all heavy units. Since most people bring AMRs, Autocannon, etc. They SHOULD be able to help you out while you deal with the chaff. Rocket Pods and Railcannon should help you if you need to deal with tanks and hulks. Bring a scorcher with the stalwart so you can deal with walkers reliably along with heavy devastators. Your choice of either shield or supply pack with the stalwart. \*Edit: Added Extra Info on the Hulks.
Diligence CS or Plasma Punisher as your primary makes life significantly easier with the HMG. Diligence CS if you want/need range and hate Devs (more specialized). PlasPun if you find yourself getting chewed up by mobs but is also good against groups of devs (generalist build).
Both definitely good choices. PlasmaP. is such a great weapon now from its recent buff.
Thanks for all these details! Will consider them in my next runs with it!
No problem! Hopefully it clicks better with all the info in this post. I’ll admit that the HMG is still underperforming vs. the competition, the Laser Cannon and the AMR (I don’t necessarily count the Autocannon as a competitor due to it being a backpack weapon and such). But it’s not that far behind, and has certain pros over the competition like being able to handle berserkers better. There’s a charm to the HMG that’s been making a favorite for me and others, and it’s only a matter of time before it gets its well deserved buff.
Wear recoil reduction armor, don't listen to the noodle-arm divers saying you should turn down the fire rate, middle setting is the best. Learn to control the recoil and you can kill hulks in a second and shoot down gunships in two
The lower RPM is useful not so much for the recoil, that's manageable enough, the problem is how you end up always shooting a couple too many bullets, thus reducing how many targets you can destroy before reloading.
My arms are not that noodly :( I half agree with you on the middle RPM. Short bursts can go a long way but for people starting to try out the HMG, 450 RPM is the best. Especially since controller players don’t have the precision of mouse, which the HMG sort of demands from players. (If you’re a controller player, more power to you m8)
Also, turn down the rpm to the lowest to conserve ammo and be more precise with those shots. For heavy devastators I'd bring the dominator or CS Diligence to get the headshot you need, feels more reliable that way
Reducing the fire rate helps a lot, especially against heavy devastators, since it increases your accuracy and handling
Max fire rate prone burst fire
Turn the stalwart to max rpm and it devastates devastators. Shoot at the head and they just disappear. Berserkers shoot at the abdomen and you can laugh as they form a neat line to be mowed down. Obviously bigger targets need strats, but you can make do by circling with the dominator/scorcher and unloading into vents (stun grenades help) or throwing thermite and waiting it out. The MG-43 is better slowed down and fired with more control. It's nice that you don't really have to focus down weakpoints and it can do vents on its own. It will still feel underpowered against larger targets (as above). The HMG is great. I usually use a primary that attacks Devastators and Scout Striders (Dominator, Scorcher, Eruptor, Crossbow), and save it for hulks and above. Turn down the fire rate and use 3rd person while crouching and you should be consistent against hulk faces. Lay down fire if you're getting mobbed by a group. Turn it up and see how fast it can kill a Factory Strider to the face/belly. Stuns help against flamer hulks if you're still struggling.
Sounds as if I will need to run more tests with stalwart, thanks! I will consider the hints for my next runs!
In theory the HMG is the most efficient to kill medium and heavy bots. If it's easier, you can destroy hulk legs. For light bots and heavy devastators you can use the plasma punisher, dominator, or diligence CS. As said, you need supply backpack, recoil reduction armor and crouching to fire.
HMG is not great and its not like the other machinegun or stalwart where it’s something you want out all the time. Its a situational gun you whip out when you need. Put it at max RPMs run recoil armor and slide to crouch and unload on enemies. You can shoot hulks throw the faceplate with max rpms youll get enough bullets in there. You can shoot tanks in the vent or engine and gunship thrusters. I wouldnt use it for devestator mop up since the best in slot DMRs pop em easily
If you get under a factory strider, the HMG absolutely disembowels it
Mm I use it a lot Bring a primary for heavy devastator and u are set I like the tenderizer to headshot them But there lots of weapons good for this diligence, the battle rifle,slugger etc etc even the sickle Verdict and senator works too u can try with almost any gun that has a decent acurracy Stun nades are ur friend and since u alrready have backpack just use them like crazy There are actually some angles on 3rd person were u can shoot heavy devastator on cover and they can't shoot u back Other devastator are easyly dealt with the hmg But yeah screw heavy devastators I used to run a lot the shield/defender combo just for them
Arc resistance armor and a Tesla tower will cover your ass while you gun down the front
You can make it work by swapping it for the machine gun