The MG42 is one of the most iconic World War II-era weapons that was included in Call of Duty: Vanguard. Unfortunately, like most LMGs in recent Call of Duty games, the MG42 has largely been overlooked by players in favor of lighter, more mobile options. Although the MG42 may initially seem inferior to other options in Call of Duty: Vanguard, players can find plenty of success with it after equipping a few of the most effective attachments and making minor tweaks to their playstyle.
While LMGs are never going to be as maneuverable or as quick as their SMG or Assault Rifle counterparts, they can more than make up for their lack of mobility with their insane damage output. Notably, the MG42 can boast the fastest fire rate in the entire game, as well as one of the largest magazines, making it an excellent option for building up quick killstreaks and holding points in objective-based multiplayer modes. On the other side of the coin, the MG42 is one of the bulkiest guns in the game, and while players may be tempted to go for a lighter option like Vanguard's Type 11, the MG42 is arguably a better choice in most scenarios.
How to Effectively Use the MG42 Light Machine Gun
The key to using a weapon like the MG42 is to use it as intended. While this may seem obvious, the MG42 is never going to compete with Vanguard's SMG options. As such, players should adapt their movement to the MG42, rather than trying to adapt the MG42 — via attachments and perks — to their movement.
For this, the MG42 is always going to excel when it is at a distance and/or mounted. In these sorts of long-range engagements, the player with the LMG, namely the MG42, is going to be at an advantage over nearly every other gun in the game, with the exception of snipers. It's also crucial to recognize that while the MG42 has a massive magazine, players do not have to use many shots to take down an enemy, and as such ammunition and reload discipline will go a long way in succeeding with the MG42.
Since the MG42 is an excellent long-range option, it's best to select it on maps where it can truly shine. Out of all of Call of Duty: Vanguard's maps, the MG42 is going to excel on Desert Siege, Oasis, and Red Star the most. While it is possible to run the MG42 effectively on small maps like Das Haus and Shipment, players will likely find themselves at a massive disadvantage due to the MG42's slow sprint-to-fire speed, which will make fighting back against spawn camping extremely difficult.
The Best Attachments for the MG42
The MG42 is one of the most flexible weapons in terms of attachments, but the primary goal is to reduce recoil and compensate for Vanguard's weapon bloom. Since the MG42 already has a formidable damage range and is too bulky to be made truly maneuverable by attachments, it's best to forego the majority of mobility and range options.
For the muzzle, the Scythe Compensator is a great option that provides benefits with no downsides. The MG42 should be run with either the VDD 680MM 31M barrel or the Krausnick 355MM Rapid, with the Krausnick representing an option for more experienced players who can handle the added recoil. For the aforementioned reasons, the bulky VDD 64M stock is the go-to option here. While players can mess around with the grips all they like, the Anti-Material 125 Druma adds more damage to the MG42 and should be prioritized.
To round out the best loadout for the MG42, players should opt for Tight Grip to help in heads-up engagements. For the Kit slot, players can either go with Fully Loaded, if they intend to climb towards the higher killstreak rewards or Surplus if they're still leveling the MG42.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.