With six SMGs to choose from in Call of Duty: Vanguard, it can be tough to choose just one. They're all pretty good up close, fire rapidly, and a few perks away from being a solid stealth weapon. But the Sten deserves a place at the top of the mountain when it comes to being an SMG.
Allowing for the most player movement among them all, it has the potential to be the best behind-the-lines stealth option for killing snipers and groups of assault rifle combatants that never suspect a thing. Call of Duty: Vanguard offers plenty of options for unlocking and maximizing that potential.
Operator
- Arthur
Those who are familiar with the campaign will know Arthur well, the protagonist who narrates the majority of the game and leads the mission to stop a secret Nazi plot. Those who have gotten busy unlocking all of the operators will likely have Arthur unlocked early.
All it takes is ten kills with killstreaks to make him available. It's worth it to unlock him first because Arthur grants bonus experience when using the Sten to both himself and the weapon. After everything is unlocked, anybody can use the Sten, but Arthur is the best choice to level it up.
Attachments
Muzzle |
Quicksilver Silencer |
Barrel |
SA 65mm Rapid |
Optic |
Large Ironsights |
Stock |
SA 41S Wire |
Underbarrel |
SMLE Pistol Grip |
Magazine |
7.62 Tokarev 32 Round Mags |
Ammo Type |
Subsonic |
Rear Grip |
Fabric Grip |
Proficiency |
Gung-Ho |
Kit |
Quick |
As good as the blueprints in the armory are, this customized blueprint is the best loadout for this weapon. It's quiet, ludicrously fast, and excels at shooting off of the sprint either from the hip or from aiming quickly and firing when necessary.
None of these attachments are too surprising, they're commonly recommended for SMGs. But no other SMG utilizes them like the Sten. Against other SMG users with the same loadout, this Sten build will win. On the back ranks, no other SMG does it better.
Secondary Weapon
- FS Fighting Knife
Tempting as it might be to use the MK11 Launcher after seeing it shine on a number of missions in the campaign or to use an M1 Bazooka to take out spotters, the lightness of the FS Fighting Knife is needed to get across chasms without being killed.
Movement speed this year is downright awful and it takes a great deal of focus on lightening up to achieve even a light jog. Plus, this is a great option for players who get the drop on an enemy and don't want to waste precious ammunition.
Perks
Perk 1 |
Ghost |
Perk 2 |
Tracker |
Perk 3 |
Lightweight |
With all due respect to the guns that are unlocked at the beginning, the Sten outperforms the MP-40 at being an SMG with the perks capping it off. Ghost gets the Nod over Cold Blooded because the time spent indoors will protect against many killstreak attempts.
Tracker is a simple choice, allowing an easy method of seeing exactly where enemies went, almost guaranteeing that the Sten can get behind them for a quick and clean kill. Some players will go with Scavenger, but Lightweight is better for getting behind enemy lines and getting to objectives faster. Plus, the FS Fighting Knife will save countless magazines over the course of a match.
Lethal Slot
- Throwing Knife
Players will wish they had a Throwing Knife earlier in the campaign, it would have helped out with getting the Ticket Please achievement. It doesn't break silence and kills enemies in a single hit. Against moving targets, it's inadvisable unless they are making a straight-up charge.
But against snipers who are just out of reach or who have protected themselves with an S-Mine 44, it's the perfect weapon for taking them out. In groups, opponents won't have any idea where the kill came from, allowing the Sten to mop up the survivors.
Tactical Slot
- Stim
Staying undetected behind the backlines means using grenades and molotovs aren't options. And getting to a safe situation to settle in and heal is a dream meant for gamers who have selected other weapons. Staying alive means staying on offense.
That's where the Stim shines. It provides a nice little heal and refreshes run speed, so going from one kill to the next should be fluid even if there is a bit of space between the two areas.
Killstreaks
- Intel
- Counter Spy Plane
- Attack Dogs
The Sten is one of the more streaky guns in the game. It's easy to get killed while getting into position, but once in position, it's hard to not go on a killing spree. For an unorthodox style, it's best to use some outside-the-box killstreak rewards.
Counter Spy Plane is a great counter for when another player is revealing the minimap. Since this loadout doesn't target vehicles, this is the best way to counter it. The community isn't big on Attack Dogs but that's primarily because they're easy kills when players see them coming. When used from behind, they can wipe out an entire team.
Field Upgrade
- Dead Silence
Footsteps are incredibly loud, even on dirt. The rest of this loadout takes care of every way enemies can detect the Sten except for the audio clues. Some gamers will slow down to mask their approach, but this is dangerous in enemy territory.
Instead, grab the Dead Silence field upgrade. It's got a fast cooldown and can be used frequently to sneak up on players. Let the Tracker perk find the footprints, then crank Dead Silence and sprint toward where they lead. It's at least good for one kill and usually more than that.
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.