Is anything more disappointing than a weak shotgun? Players already have to do almost everything in Call of Duty: Vanguard to get within shooting range for a shotgun. Unfortunately, they often find that when they finally do get into range, the gun takes two to three hits to work.

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Thankfully, there is one, and only one, shotgun that has the firepower to pull off a one-hit kill on body shots. The Combat Shotgun is so strong, it can kill players with limb shots, too! See how arguably the best midrange weapon in Call of Duty: Vanguard is constructed.

Operator

Call Of Duty Vanguard Padmavati Taking Out An Occupier With A Shotgun
  • Padmavati

In the process of unlocking all of the operators, Padmavati should be one of the first few available. It requires getting 200 kills with shotguns, any shotgun will do. Once she's unlocked, the Combat Shotgun is her favorite weapon and players reap the rewards.

When she's using the Combat Shotgun, she generates extra experience for the gun and the gun generates extra experience for her. Once both have been maxed out, it doesn't matter which operator is in use, but she helps unlock several attachments that are vital to the loadout

Attachments

Call Of Duty Vanguard Previewing The Combat Shotgun Before Unlocking It

Muzzle

G28 Compensator

Barrel

Sawed-Off

Optic

Mk. 8 Reflector

Stock

Wire Custom

Underbarrel

Mark VI Skeletal

Magazine

12 Gauge 5 Round Tube

Ammo Type

Slug

Rear Grip

Fabric Grip

Proficiency

Vital

Kit

On-Hand

Even the best unlocked starting weapons can't contend with the Combat Shotgun for more than one round because one round is all it takes. The slug ammo, when combined with attachments that boost damage and aiming, makes the Combat Shotgun finally feel like a shotgun.

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This loadout sacrifices firing speed and recoil at every turn. With firing so slow, recoil becomes irrelevant because players will have plenty of time to line up their next shot. This is all about stopping power at mid-range that even assault rifles can't contend with.

Secondary Weapon

Call Of Duty Vanguard Looking At The M1 Bazooka Secondary Weapon
  • M1 Bazooka

It would have been nice to be able to whip out an M1 Bazooka while getting the Ticket Please achievement, but it can wait for the multiplayer. Since the Combat Shotgun is so fantastic at killing enemies at anything less than long-range, it's good to bring a support weapon.

The M1 Bazooka will blow killstreaks out of the sky, making room for the shorter-ranged shotguns and SMGs that rely on stealth to get in close. Plus, if there is a particularly deadly piece of equipment, it's nice to be able to dispatch it before getting blown up.

Perks

Call Of Duty Vanguard Description Of The Fortified Perk 1

Perk 1

Fortified

Perk 2

High Alert

Perk 3

Tactician

At mid-range, there is always a ton of grenades going off, so limiting that damage with Fortified will help the player survive some blasts that would ordinarily be fatal. High Alert saves lives, especially for mid-range players that can't be watching their back and sides all of the time.

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Tactician is pretty important since firefights can quickly turn into stalemates, teams just shooting at each other and hoping to get lucky. Tactical weapons break the stalemate by providing debuffs and screens that help the entire team.

Lethal Slot

Call Of Duty Vanguard Reading The Lethal Thermite Description
  • Thermite

Although this is a "lethal" slot, the Thermite should be used in a non-lethal fashion. Think back to the number of campaign missions in which enemies crawled out from every direction. Being able to cut off a direction keeps the fight focused in the Combat Shotgun's favor.

The Combat Shogun negated most lethal slot items because it's a one-hit kill that doesn't benefit from damage over time or explosions. But Thermite can cut off an area for a while, preventing enemies from getting into an advantageous position.

Tactical Slot

Call Of Duty Vanguard Description Of The Tactical Smoke Grenade
  • Smoke Grenade

Thanks to the Tactician perk, the tactical slot will be refreshing every thirty seconds, so make good use of it. Different versions of the game have different items that come unlocked, but everyone will have early access to the Smoke Grenade.

This is a game-breaker, allowing players to get a very literal vision advantage against their opponents. While the Smoke Grenade is providing cover, be aggressive and get some quick kills, then retreat back to cover when it starts to fade.

Killstreaks

Call Of Duty Vanguard Viewing The Care Package Killstreak
  • Intel
  • Care Package
  • Emergency Airdrop

Again, thanks to the deadliness of the weapon, this loadout does not require a gimmicky killstreak to do the dirty work for the player. Intel is the cheapest killstreak, requiring only three kills, but its benefits are extensive, labeling enemies all around.

Care Package is a community favorite, with a 92% chance to yield a reward equal to or greater than the four kills it takes to call it down. Emergency Airdrop makes the math even more on the players' side giving an assorted few killstreak rewards that will help the entire team.

Field Upgrade

Call Of Duty Vanguard Reading The Description On The Deployable Cover Field Upgrade
  • Deployable Cover

One of the best perks in the game for any mid-range combatant, the Deployable Cover provides a nice shield to peek around and deliver shots. The fast cooldown on it means that almost any established skirmish will have one of these ready.

Because of the Combat Shogun's slow firing rate, it's recommended to pop out, shoot, duck down, and repeat. This means that players will be completely immune to frontal fire 50% of the time and mostly immune the other 50%. It's a must-have field upgrade for players that will be finding themselves in open combat often.

Call of Duty: Vanguard was released on November 5th, 2021, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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