Rifles
All rifles from Call of Duty are back with better-looking models, more realistic sounds and, most importantly, a huge revamp of their iron sights. While still laser accurate in COD2, rifles are now generally much easier to use than their COD1 counterparts.
COD2 retains all of the rifles from United Offensive, including both bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles. The Russians and Germans retain their bolt-action and semi-automatic options, while the Americans have heavy and light semi-automatic rifles to compensate for its lack of a non-scoped bolt-action rifle. The British, on the short end of the weaponry stick in COD1, are now given the American Garand to supplement its Lee-Enfield.
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M1A1 Carbine
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Name: M1 Carbine
Country of origin: USA
Avaiable for: American
Calibre: .30in (7.62 x 33mm)
Magazine capacity: 15 rounds
Firing mechanism: Semi-automatic, gas-operated
Weight: 2.36kg without magazine
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Historical Background
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The First World War brought forward the need to equip rear units and auxillary forces with an effective weapon. This group basically involved anyone whose primary purpose was not to fire a rifle. A rifle, such as the M1 Garand, was too large and too powerful, while a pistol required too much training and was too ineffective. After the German war machine kicked into action, the project was quickly implemented. Starting on June 15 1940, various rifles were tested without success. In August, Winchester submitted a simple model, and it was accepted on September 30 and was immediately put into production.
Despite the remarkable speed in which the design went through, the M1 Carbine was an excellent weapon that not only equipped supporting arms, but also front line troops, becoming almost as widespread as the M1 Garand. The firing mechanism is different from the Garand. The gas piston is curved under the barrel and becomes a flat extension with a slot cut in, which rotates the bolt and opens it, ejecting the spent case and loading the next round. A short handle allows the firer to clear jams and manually load rounds.
The M1 Carbine was modified for paratroopers by replacing the stock with an iron folding stock and pistol grip, as well as providing a socket to attach a bayonet and designated the M1A1. However, despite its ideal design, the M1A1 was not manufactured in the same numbers as the M1 model.
A generally good weapon, it is important to note that the M1 Carbine was a close range weapon and not a full rifle. At short distances it was a solid and effective weapon, but at longer ranges it was extremely poor due to the low muzzle velocity. The bullet begins to lose accuracy and power at around 300m, and there have been reports of M1 Carbine rounds being deflected by a mere jacket. As long as the weapon is used in its optimum range, it was effective enough to be preferred by troops from all arms.
Production was cut after the war, and the M1 Carbine was rendered obsolete by the introduction of the M14 Rifle. However, many weapons were distributed amongst friendly countries and were still used in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the latter in particular due to the close ranges and rough jungle terrain typical of the war.
A brief variation of the M1 Carbine was the M2, which was the same weapon combined with a select-fire feature and 30-round magazine. A further variant was the M3, which was the M2 designed for night sights, and was used in Okinawa and later in the Korean War.
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Call of Duty 2 notes
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Dubbed the "peashooter" in COD1 due to its poor damage and pathetic firing sound, the Carbine is back with a vengeance. The weapon is now comparable to the Garand and the other semi-automatic rifles, and handles almost the same way. The key difference between the Carbine and other rifles is that the Carbine is substantially lighter, making it more suitable for close-quarters combat than the Garand, and its 15-round magazine allows for more sustained fire and suppression.
The iron sights are now a LOT larger than they were in COD1. The sights consist of a rear aperture sight and three forward pins, with the prominent centre pin marking the point of impact. While the Carbine is statistically less accurate than the Garand according to the weapon menu, the Carbine has the same first-shot accuracy as the Garand. The weapon can kill in one headshot and 3-4 torso shots.
Like the COD1 version, the Carbine reloads much quicker from a partially full magazine rather than an empty one, in which case the player has to pull the bolt handle back, which takes additional time to the already sluggish act of slamming in the magazine.
Curiously, the Carbine seems to have slightly more recoil than the Garand, unlike the almost recoilless COD1 version. This may have been done to balance the Carbine with the Garand, but the Garand`s lower recoil may render the Carbine redundant when combined with the Garand`s superior damage.
On a historical note, surprisingly Infinity Ward has given the Carbine the wrong designation. The Carbine in COD2 is the M1 Carbine, not the M1A1 Carbine. The M1A1 Carbine was the paratrooper model with skeleton folding stock, while the M1 was the original model with wooden stock. The M1A1 Carbine was featured in COD1.
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M1 Garand
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Name: M1 Garand
Country of origin: USA
Available for: American, British
Calibre: .30-06 (7.62 x 63mm)
Magazine capacity: 8 rounds
Firing mechanism: Semi-automatic, gas-operated
Weight: 4.32kg
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Historical Background
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After the First World War, America realised the need to provide an automatic weapon as a standard weapon for their troops. The M1903 Springfield, despite its power, accuracy and reliability, did not provide a large volume of fire. This was the requirement under which John C. Garand designed the Garand rifle. Operated by a gas piston underneath the barrel, which rotated the bolt after each shot, the Garand was able to fire as fast as the soldier could pull the trigger. The only flaw in the design came with the fact that the Garand could only be loaded with a full clip, preventing the firer from topping up.
Also as a result of en-bloc clip, the rifle made a characteristic "ping" sound when the final round in a clip was fired. Japanese soldiers used this to time their charges, and later the Chinese and North Koreans did the same in the Korean War.
Officially adopted by the American army in 1932, America started the war as the only country with a semi-automatic weapon as a standard-issue weapon. Despite a shortage in M1 Garands, the weapon was issued to all frontline riflemen, proving to be an effective weapon by providing fast and accurate fire, giving Americans the firepower advantage over German riflemen. Indeed, the M1 Garand is one of the best battle rifles ever designed, and remained in use in the Korean and Vietnam Wars in both its original and its M1C/M1D sharpshooter variants.
The Garand was eventually replaced by the M14 rifle, which was heavily based on the Garand design; its prototypes being little more than a Garand with a box magazine.
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Call of Duty 2 notes
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While powerful and accurate in COD1, the M1 Garand was the underdog rifle due to many players finding it difficult to master and preferring the one-shot-kill bolt-action rifles instead. COD2`s changes to semi-automatic rifles have made the Garand a very potent weapon, now with larger iron sights and almost no recoil, allowing players to place numerous shots into a point target much easier than in COD1.
The Garand`s ghost ring sight is now slightly raised above the rear block, and the forward pins are now much larger and clearer. The centre pin, used to designate the point of impact, is a very clear and obvious marker. The low recoil and low muzzle flash means that the sights won`t shake much after each shot, allowing very precise fire from the semi-automatic rifle.
As in COD1, the Garand cannot be reloaded in the middle of a clip. Reload time is very quick, so players might want to fire off one or two loose rounds to force the reload rather than running around with a near-empty clip.
As mentioned in the M1A1 Carbine section, the M1 Garand seems to have less recoil than the Carbine, making it a more potent weapon for both long range and short range.
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Kar98k
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Name: Mauser Karabiner 1898 Kurz
Country of origin: Germany
Available for: German
Calibre: 7.92 x 57mm Mauser
Magazine capacity: 5 rounds
Firing mechanism: Bolt-action
Weight: 3.92kg
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Historical Background
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A household name in arms production, Mauser`s success began with the German adoption of a Mauser rifle in 1871, which eventually culminated in the Gewehr 98. The Gewehr 98 proved to be the most powerful yet safest bolt-action rifle of its time, and was used for civilian purposes such as sport. One of its features was the inclusion of a fully internal magazine, which held 5 rounds and was contained perfectly in the wooden furniture, making it comfortable to sling. This later proved to be quite restrictive due to the low amount of ammunition, but was welcome nonetheless. The Gewehr 98 was also manufactured from the finest materials with precision gunmaking techniques, setting it apart from other weapons of its kind. It was during this time that military enthusiasts did away with the separate long rifles and carbines and used a medium-length rifle for all units. This led to the shorter Karabiner 98 model, and it was gradually refined to the standard-issue Kar98k model. Due to its exceptional accuracy, many Kar98k`s were issued with scopes as a standard sniper`s weapon.
The Kar98k`s power and accuracy came from the locking mechanism. It consisted of three locking lugs: two at the front of the bolt and one at the rear, giving maximum power. The catch was that the bolt-action was somewhat awkward, requiring a 90 degree rotation utilising the firer`s right arm. Due to this action, the Kar98k could not match the fast rate of fire of the Lee-Enfield, which only required the use of the firer`s wrist. Despite this, the Kar98k proved to be extremely reliable and remained the standard infantry weapon of the German army, especially with the shortage of Stg44`s.
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Call of Duty 2 notes
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Despite its learning curve, the Kar98k was one of the most popular weapons in COD1 due to its power and ease of snap-shooting. The Kar98k hasn`t changed much in COD2, still being a powerful rifle that is pinpoint accurate and can kill in one hit to the head or torso.
The main change is its iron sights. Rather than the open sights of COD1, COD2`s sights use the hooded model, which has an elliptical ring around the front pin. While some COD1 veterans may be put off by this change, the weapon handles exactly the same as the COD1 version, and the hooded sight reduces the learning curve encountered by new players.
As with all bolt-action rifles, the Kar98k has a slow rate of fire, and the 5-round clip can be emptied unknowingly after sustained fire. The weapon is fast to reload, however, and can be topped up at anytime with another 5-round charger.
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Gewehr 43
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Name: Gewehr 43
Country of origin: Germany
Available for: German
Calibre: 7.92 x 57mm Mauser
Magazine capacity: 10 rounds
Firing mechanism: Semi-automatic, gas-operated
Weight: 4.33kg
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Historical Background
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Armed with bolt-action Kar98k rifles and the fearsome MG34 and MG42, the German army had little need for semi-automatic rifles, and as such the concept did not attract much interest. In 1941, two famed designers, Walther and Mauser, submitted separate designs for self-loading rifle, designated the Gewehr 41(W) and Gewehr 41(M) respectively. Both were quite similar in appearance and operation, and featured a propietary "Bang-type" gas piston system, which ended up causing immense trouble in operation. As a result, the weapon was unsuccessful.
In 1943, the G-41 was combined with the successful gas system used in the Soviet SVT-40, resulting in a highly workable weapon and designated as the Gewehr 43. In 1944, the G43 was redesignated as the Karabiner 43, although no changes were made to the weapon itself.
The G43 was often issued as a specialist sharpshooter weapon, and could accomodate an optical sight. However, as with many other German weapons manufactured late in the war, the finish was rough and quality was lacklustre, and there are reports of malfunctions and even magazines falling out.
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Call of Duty 2 notes
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If the Garand was improved in COD2, the Gewehr 43 and the Russian SVT-40 have received massive overhauls. The G-43 model looks thinner and more like the carbine it actually is, and handles similarly to the American M1 Carbine. The weapon`s power has been increased to almost the same level as the Garand. One headshot can kill, while a torso shot requires 2-3 hits to take down a target.
The iron sights have been changed from UO`s oblong hood and block pin to an elliptical hood and larger, sharper pin, making aiming much easier with pinpoint precision. The G-43 has very little recoil, and like the Garand can place numerous shots into the same target very quickly and accurately.
As it is practically as accurate as the Kar98k, some players may prefer the G-43 over the Kar98k due to its semi-automatic capability and larger magazine size, allowing for a faster kill rate than the bolt-action rifle.
On a side-note, the G-43 has probably one of the smoothest reload animations in the game, which incidentally removes the unsynchronised reload glitch in CODUO. Also, reload times are now consistent regardless of ammunition, whereas in CODUO the G-43 reloaded faster from an empty magazine.
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Lee-Enfield
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Name: No. 4 Rifle, Lee-Enfield
Country of origin: Great Britain
Available for: British
Calibre: .303 British
Magazine capacity: 10 rounds
Firing mechanism: Bolt-action
Weight: 4.11kg
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Historical Background
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Designed by James Paris Lee and manufactured at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield, the Lee-Enfield rifle was the standard infantry weapon from 1895 to 1957. The design was based off the Lee-Metford rifle, but was configured to fire smokeless powder. The SMLE (Short Magazine, Lee-Enfield) was the most common model, which was later simplified to form the Number 4 rifle.
Due to the British army`s doctrine on musketry, accurate shooting was stressed in British training, and the Lee-Enfield rifle provided both the accuracy and the necessary rate of fire. One of the tests was the "Mad Minute", in which the firer had to put 15 rounds into a target at 300 yards, and many could achieve 25 hits. Although slightly on the heavy side, the Lee-Enfield was a reliable weapon and loved by the troops.
Several variations were designed, including the Jungle Carbine, which featured a shorter length, flash-hider and rubber recoil pad in the butt. However, it was a beast to fire and had excessive recoil and blast, making it unpopular with the troops. In contrast, the most accurate Lee-Enfield rifles were modified to become sniper rifles, becoming renown in the field of sniping.
The unique feature of the Lee-Enfield was the setup of its firing mechanism. The Lee-Enfield had its locking lugs at the rear of the bolt, differing from the conventional setup of locking lugs at the front and rear. Although experts questioned the accuracy of this mechanism, firing tests and experience proved them wrong, and the ability to fire 30-aimed shots a minute more than made up for that doubt.
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Call of Duty 2 notes
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The Lee-Enfield was probably the least liked rifle in COD1. Despite its 10-round magazine and solid power, the iron sights were just too small and too difficult to use, compounded by the fact some British maps took place at night, which did nothing to make it easier to use. COD2 rectifies these problems by increase the size of iron sights in general, and enlarging the aiming pins on the Lee-Enfield drastically. Players who went through the single player demo were stunned at how utterly awesome the Lee-Enfield was.
The iron sights are similar to COD1`s. The rifle features a rear aperture sight, although the COD2 version is raised rather than drilled through a block. The front sights have two pillars on either side, while the centre pin (it`s the pointy one, if you`re not sure) is used to mark the point of impact. The rifle is laser accurate, so the shot will land at exactly that point.
As with all bolt-action rifles, the Lee-Enfield can kill with one shot to the head or torso. With its 10-round clip, players can sustain fire longer than other bolt-action rifles. However, now that the Garand is available for the British team, players may prefer using it as it provides the same amount of accuracy and a much faster rate of fire for only a marginal drop in power.
Note that the Lee-Enfield can only be reloaded five rounds at a time, so you cannot reload until your ammunition drops below 5.
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Mosin-Nagant
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Name: Mosin-Nagant M1891/38
Country of origin: Russia
Available for: Russian
Calibre: 7.62 x 54mm R
Magazine capacity: 5 rounds
Firing mechanism: Bolt-action
Weight: 3.45kg
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Historical Background
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Designed by the Russian S.I. Mosin and the Belgian Emil Nagant, the Mosin-Nagant was developed to bypass costly patents and licenses by creating a new weapon rather than borrow from already existing parts. The result was a three-part cylinder bolt and a locking latch in the magazine compartment, holding down the second and lower rounds. Although quite complex, these features helped increase the robustness and reliability of the Mosin-Nagant, especially with the Russian rimmed 7.62mm round, which would certainly have jammed it if wasn`t for the locking latch. Although crude compared to other rifles, the Mosin-Nagant was exceptionally reliable, otherwise the Russians would not have kept it.
As time passed, the Mosin-Nagant was refined and perfected. Changes include the switch to a `short` rifle, reconfiguring the sights due to a change in the Russian measurement system and the inclusion of a folding bayonet. On a similar note, early models were configured with a bayonet in mind, with sights tuned to compensate for its imbalanced when attached. Due to its exceptional accuracy, the Mosin-Nagant was the preferred sniper`s weapon and was issued with a scope.
The Mosin-Nagant remained in Russian service from 1891 to 1945, and was used by Eastern Bloc countries throughout more recent conflicts such as the Vietnam War. Simple to operate and incredibly reliable, the Mosin-Nagant was preferred by Soviet troops over more complex rifles such as the SVT-40.
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Call of Duty 2 notes
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If the Lee-Enfield was one of the most hated rifles, the Mosin Nagant was probably the most liked. While not as easy to snap-shoot with as the Kar98k, the Mosin-Nagant`s simplistic iron sights were incredibly easy to use. With only a front ring and pin, it was as close as you could get to hitting exactly what you point at.
Thankfully, the Mosin-Nagant is still just as easy to use, if not easier. The iron sights are much larger in COD2, and the front pin now has a sharp point to precisely mark the point of impact. However, as all rifles get the same benefit, the Mosin-Nagant is no longer the clear-cut best rifle, but it is still a favourite among many.
The Mosin-Nagant kills with one shot to the head or torso, and like all bolt-action rifles, has a slow rate of fire. Like the Kar98k, the Mosin-Nagant can be topped up at anytime.
On a side-note, the Mosin-Nagant has a new reloading sound, which does sound more catchy than the old reload sound. It`s a bit inconsistent though, as the sound of the bolt being pulled back during reload is different from the normal sound of ejecting the cartridge.
COD2`s Mosin-Nagant model is now correct, unlike COD1`s model. The Mosin-Nagant had a straight bolt handle, while sniper versions had curved handles.
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Tokarev SVT-40
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Name: Samozaryadnaya Vintovka Tokareva 1940
Country of origin: Russia
Available for: Russian
Calibre: 7.62 x 54mm R
Magazine capacity: 10 rounds
Firing mechanism: Semi-automatic, gas-operated
Weight: 3.85kg
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Historical Background
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While not the first Russian semi-automatic rifle (previous rifles include the Siminov AVS-36 and the Federov Avtomat, the latter being the first select-fire rifle in the 1920s), the SVT-40 was an improved version of the previous SVT-38, and was a good-quality weapon all around.
Using 10-round steel magazines, the SVT-40 had a rather simple design. In contrast, its barrel extension is quite complicated. Featuring a muzzle break, the front iron sight and a 5-position gas regulator, the extension could be used to adjust gas settings according to different fighting conditions. The SVT-40 could be reloaded by replacing the magazine, or by using 5-round
stripper clips used by the Mosin-Nagant.
The actual performance of the SVT-40 varied greatly. The Red Army itself was not fond of the SVT-40, mainly because of the low education levels of the conscript troops. Experience showed that conscripts were generally unable to set the gas regulator to the correct position, resulting in poor performance and damaging the rifle. In contrast to this, the Russian Marine Infantry, consisting of well-trained volunteers, used the SVT-40 to great success. Furthermore, the Germans saw the SVT-40 as a superior weapon and often re-issued captured weapons to their own troops, and based their G43 design on the successful SVT-40 gas system.
The SVT-40 was replaced by the SKS carbine after the war, but remained in issue in Eastern Bloc countries. A rare modification, the AVT-40, was also developed and featured full-automatic fire.
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Call of Duty 2 notes
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Known as the "Tok" among players, the SVT-40 had mixed reactions when it was introduced in United Offensive. While it gave the Russians a powerful semi-automatic rifle, its iron sight and handling were too difficult compared to the relatively stable Gewehr 43, and the Mosin-Nagant provided more precision than the rather clumsy SVT-40.
Thankfully, that`s changed in COD2. The SVT-40 has lost its blunt iron sights and now sports an iron sight that is very similar to the Mosin-Nagant, featuring a plain iron ring and a sharp pin to mark the point of impact.
While the SVT-40 has more recoil than the other semi-automatic rifles, it is nowhere near the amount of recoil in CODUO, making it easily controllable. Like the G-43, the SVT-40 can kill in one headshot and 2-3 body shots, and has a 10-round magazine to chew through. Reload time is a bit slow, but it reloads consistently, unlike the CODUO version which reloaded faster from an empty magazine.
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General Rifle Tactics
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In United Offensive, the general introduction of semi-automatic rifles divided riflemen into two distinct playing styles, with one focusing on pure accuracy and power while the other relied on second-hit probabilities. This provided an interesting alternative to riflemen, albeit an unpopular one.
COD2`s rifles are fairly similar to each other regardless of bolt-action or semi-automatic. While the weapon types focus on either accuracy/power or firing speed, the line that divides their capabilities has been substantially blurred. With the semi-automatic rifles being able to kill in one hit to the head and having a fast rate of fire without much movement penalty, semi-autos can stand toe-to-toe against bolt-action rifles. Of course, the bolt-action rifles are still generally better at long range for their superior power and semi-automatics are better at close range due to their faster speed, and that characteristic alone will determine which rifle to use.
Regardless of which rifle is used, the tactics are fairly similar for both. While rifles have good stopping power, they are no match for automatic weapons at close range, and at long range they are threatened by snipers and automatic support weapons. Due to the low ammunition capacity of rifles, riflemen should not be the first ones to assault an enemy position or steal a flag, as those roles are much better suited for submachine gunners. Rather, riflemen should stay a bit further back from the frontline, taking vantage points such as rooftops and long alleys to pick off targets instead of getting up close and personal.
Rifles are powerful weapons, and can kill in one or two shots. Consequently, there isn`t a huge need to reload between shots, as a rifle with 2 rounds can still kill two enemies, so be conservative with reloading and make each shot count for maximum effect.
Semi-automatic rifles have a distinct advantage in being able to suppress targets with rapid fire, something the bolt-action rifle cannot do. Bolt-action rifles, on the other hand, are capable of a higher takedown probability when a target pops up.
Riflemen should also relocate often. While not as vulnerable as snipers, riflemen are unable to defend themselves at close quarters, so it would be a good idea to swap the pistol for a submachine gun and move around often rather than remaining at one vantage point, as enemies will eventually flank that position or put it under heavy suppression. Riflemen need to adhere to survival tactics more than regular assault players, and are more useful picking off targets for assaulters to advance rather than taking point themselves.
The number of grenades issued depends on the type of rifle selected. Bolt-action riflemen start with three frag grenades, while semi-automatic riflemen start with 2 frag grenades. Riflemen are not issued with smoke grenades.
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