Assault Guide

1. Overview

2. Rifles

3. Gadgets

4. Specializations

Overview

Assault is a key component for any squad in BC2 for a couple of reasons. Mainly to keep everyone’s ammunition topped off, including hand grenades, anti-tank mines, RPG rounds, C4 and 40mm items. This can be a big advantage as you can keep pressure on the other team’s objectives. Another key component to the Assault Kit is they ability to use various attachments on the Assault Rifles. As I write this, a lot of people think the Medic is a better version of the Assault Kit due to their better “clip” size and relatively equal damage. There are a couple advantages Assault has here. They have some nice gadgets in the 40mm variety, better rate of fire on their weapons, and the Assault rifles have better mobility which can win a fight for you because when you get hit by a round your targeting gets very bad. So usually, unless you are very lucky, you win the fight if you get ADS up first and start landing rounds.

You can still play Assault and be anti-tank! Using an all-kit weapon like a shotgun or G3 will get you C4 as your gadget since you cannot equip a site or 40mm gadget to either of the above weapons. So use that SPAS for anti-personnel, C4 for anti-tank and refill your ammo all you like. If you are lacking range on that shottie, get leveled up and equip slug ammo for very good range and killing power. Either way though, the key is to know that you get C4 when equipping a weapon without attachments. Good stuff!

Mainly though, you are there to kill enemy infantry in singles and in groups. Killing multiple enemies is tough unless you are a very good shot and don’t waste many rounds. Getting caught in a reload is basically death in this game unless your enemy is terrible, or stuck in a reload himself. Make those shots count.

The 40mm Grenade Launcher is awesome for killing small groups, or medics reviving teammates. Just wait until he gets there, then bounce a 40mm off his shins to get a nice double kill. The 40mm shotgun is a one-shot-kill when it lands the majority of the rounds on the enemy, and the smoke launcher should not be understated. There are some nice advantages to using it. Mainly you cannot be “spotted” while in the smoke, which helps with taking objectives. It also obscures the vision of those trying to look through it so they will have to move to figure out what’s going on within or beyond the smoke. It doesn’t last that long though, so get in and out quick. There is a lot of versatility with the 40mm gadgets though, so use them and make sure to replenish you ammo!

I think it is very important to note that Bad Company 2 places much more emphasis on winning, which is more my style of play. Objectives are won and lost with infantry, in the thick of things. The support roles are important, but are worthless if there's nobody to go in and arm the M-COMM or capture a Conquest objective. The Assault Kit is built for doing this. You can't win if you have a bunch of Recons sniping and not arming/disarming. I find that if you have a partner you play with, the best tandem is Medic/Assault for unlimited health and ammunition. Also something to note, you can damage the M-COMM stations with C4 and other explosives. Take a shotgun, plant the C4 before arming the M-COMM, then detonate after you arm and clear the room. It gets you 30xp for damaging the objective and speeds up the detonation process. Hell, you might just kill an enemy or two when you detonate the C4 if they're trying for a disarm. Rush is won or lost on the ground, in the think of it...Assault is great for this.

Assault Rifles:

(All damage figures are PC, add 25% for console users)

Terms:
Recoil is spread added to the weapon with each shot from the hip and sighted.
Kick are the weapon's sights jumping around with each shot when sighted.


AEK-971

  • Damage: 14.3 - 12.5 (40 meters and beyond)
  • RPM – 800
  • Clip – 30
  • Default Weapon

This is the default Assault Rifle, and serviceable to get you going. The iron sights on this weapon drove me nuts when using it. It has a nice rate of fire and acceptable damage for this class of weapon. The sights are a bit obstructive, so after unlocking the RDS you may want to revisit this weapon, but overall I find other weapons just as effective, and in many cases better than the AEK. It has the second best recoil and third best kick in the Assault Rifle class. So overall, it’s a good starter with acceptable performance.



XM8 Prototype

  • Damage: 16.7 – 14.3 (62 meters and beyond)
  • RPM – 750
  • Clip – 30
  • Unlocked at 3,000 Kit Points

The first unlocked Assault Rifle, and to many people the best weapon all the way to the M416. The big upgrade in this weapon over the AEK is the damage. It does better damage and that damage holds for a longer distance, which is a very nice perk. However, that increase in damage comes at a price of accuracy. It is tied for the worst kick, and is has the second worst recoil in the class. The saving grace to this weapon is that it climbs straight up when fired making it very predictable. Aim low and let it rip. This is a very nice weapon and really shines in short to medium range engagements where its damage can be utilized with more rounds on target.




F2000

  • Damage: 12.5 – 11.2 (40 meters and beyond)
  • RPM: 850
  • Clip: 30
  • Unlocked at 8,000 Kit Points

The always controversial F2000 is back and exactly what you’d expect. Standard for this weapon, it has the lowest damage and highest RPM in the class. It has the best recoil (which may surprise some people), but the kick is tied for the worst along with the XM8 above. So while the blossom is manageable, the muzzle hop is nasty! I will add though, that this weapon is very much worth a re-visit after unlocking the Red Dot Sight. At the request of SpecialK41750 I gave it another go...and had a blast with it on Laguna Presa Conquest. Nelson Bay is also a map where I've had some great results due to being able to flank effectively on that map. You can pick up a lot of stragglers without fear of needing a reload during a fight.


AUG

  • Damage: 16.7 – 11.2 (40 meters and beyond)
  • RPM: 700
  • Clip: 30
  • Unlocked at 20,000 Kit Points

While the AUG may not look like much on paper, this is my favorite full-auto Assault Rifle. Great iron sights, nice close-range pop, and acceptable RPM make this a good all-rounder. The funny thing is it has the worst spread and the second worst kick in the class. This is baffling to me as it feels completely different during gameplay. I guess all I can say is you need to try it and see how it feels because that is the x-factor. I’ve had more success with this weapon than any other in the class. Laguna Presa is a map I tend to do very well with this weapon for example.


AN-94

  • Damage: 20 – 14.3 (60 meters and beyond)
  • RPM: 600
  • Clip: 30
  • Unlocked at 28,000 Kit Points

The first burst rifle you unlock in the class. The unique thing about this weapon is that the burst is only two rounds. The great thing is that has the highest damage, best kick, and second best recoil in the class. This thing hits like a truck and is deadly accurate. The delay between bursts is minimal making it a manageable weapon in close, but not preferred to the full auto weapons. Where this weapon really shines is when the 4x scope is attached. Holy crab cakes it is nasty at long ranges with that scope, and highly recommended for more open maps like Atacama Desert. This is tied for my favorite weapon in the class along with the AUG. Equip the 40mm shotgun with this for close-quarter scrums.



M416

  • Damage: 16.7 – 12.3 (60 meters and beyond)
  • RPM: 700
  • Clip: 30
  • Unlocked at 35,000 Kit Points

I see a lot of people who prefer this to all over weapons in the class. And with good reason too. It has great damage at all ranges, with acceptable RPM, although nothing out of the ordinary. One reason I may not do as well with this weapon, is it has the worst recoil in the class. This increase in spread may be why I don’t feel very accurate with it when any range is involved, but my accuracy isn’t exceptional either. The kick on this weapon is second only to the AN-94 though, so muzzle hop is minimal. The spread is also unpredictable, making for less predictability unlike the XM8. For those of you with fantastic accuracy, this might be the full auto for you. I’m on the fence right now though.



M16A2

  • Damage: 16.7 – 12.3 (60 meters and beyond)
  • RPM: 800
  • Clip: 30
  • Unlocked at 47,000 Kit Points

The final rifle to be unlocked in the segment. Even though it is a burst rifle, it has a very high RPM due to how fast the three rounds are delivered and the lack of any real delay between bursting. As you would expect from a burst rifle, this has very low spread on the burst, but the muzzle hop is right in the middle of the pack, which surprised me. I thought it would be lower. Again, with the AN-94, burst rifles are great at medium to longer ranges and getting all three rounds on your target is pretty easy if you aim for the chest. After some use, I tend to favor this weapon for medium engagements than long-range. The M16A2 hits like a truck when inside 30 meters. Panama Canal is a perfect map for this weapon and the AN, but if you stick to buildings, use the M16A2. Counter sniping is good with this, but the AN-94 is a little better due to the lack of spread at longer ranges. However, when you can land all three rounds, the net damage is higher than the AN-94 with its one-fewer round per burst. As with the AN, make sure and use the 40mm shotgun for close quarters unless you are very accurate with your sidearm.

 

Gadgets

 

Ammo Box

Unlocked at 1,200 Kit Points

First thing you unlock as an Assault. Use often and every time you’re not killing people. Just drop them everywhere for your guys to re-supply and gain Assault XP while it happens. Basic stuff here.


40mm Grenade Launcher

Standard equipment for suppression and when Medics are reviving folks. Great for taking down walls to uncover cowering enemies. Also does minor damage to armored vehicle, and lighter.

40mm Smoke Launcher

Unlocked at 5,500 Kit Points

Nice for misdirection and confusion. When playing Rush as an attacker, these can garner huge success, and while people will generally know when you are, they cannot spot you, nor target you effectively. They will be subjected to using grenades and 40mm launchers if they hope to do anything to you. Also, once you get the M-COM activated, smoke around the building and the defenders will have to blindly run in as they cannot see where you are positioned for defense inside. You can re-supply these very quickly with the ammo box.

40mm Shotgun

Unlocked at 11,000 Kit Points

Great for short range OHK power. I recommend it for the burst rifles where they are vulnerable to SMGs and full auto weapons. Don’t get stuck in a reload, just switch to this and OHK that bastage!


Specializations:

Spec One Slots - Kit Unlocks


Red Dot Sight

Unlocked at 14,000 Kit Points

I use this on every gun I use. Even though the Assault Rifle training lowers spread by 33%, the field of view is much better while firing with the RDS. There are weapons where the iron sites are fine, like the XM8 Prototype, but for most I recommend this when not using the 4x scope.

4x Scope

Unlocked at 17,000 Kit Points

Pretty basic principal here. Use this when you have larger more open maps and with weapons that have good accuracy. The best weapon for this in my opinion is the AN-94. It’s higher damage and low recoil make for some fantastic kills where the opponent doesn’t have a chance to group rounds so close together. Great for Atacama Desert, Port Valdez, and Panama Canal.

Spec Two Slots - Kit Unlock

Marksman Training

Unlocked at 24,000 Kit Points

Lowers your spread by 33%. It’s okay until you get the Red Dot Sight going, but after that I prefer the RDS.

Spec One Open Unlocks

Lightweight Combat Equipment - Spec One slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 5
  • Allows you to move 10% faster while sprinting. As you unlock this very early, use it until something better comes along.

Ammo Hip Bandolier - Spec One Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 6
  • Allows you to carry 75% more ammo (bullets only) on your person. With the Ammo Box, there’s no need for this specialization in the Assault Class. This specialization is great for Recons and Engineers though, so keep that in mind.

Grenade Vest - Spec One Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 7
  • Allows you to carry double the number of grenades and 40mm applications. This one is up to you as grenades re-supply very slowly using the ammo box, as do the 40mm ammunition. I’d use this over the prior two specs though as two grenades and four 40mm rounds are pretty handy is tough spots.

Explosives Leg Pouch - Spec One Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 8
  • Doubles the number of explosives you can carry. This is best for the Engineer quite frankly. Confirmed to double C4 and RPG ammo. Don't bother unless you go with shotgun/G3 and C4 as your gadget.

12 Gauge Slugs - Spec One Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 16 – When you want to roll a shotgun instead of a standard Assault Rifle, you have the option of going with this as well. It’s got a nasty punch and will OHK inside 10 meters anywhere on the enemy with Magnum Ammo equipped. Using shotguns will get you C4 as your gadget as they cannot have other attachments equipped.

 

Spec Two Open Unlocks

Extended Shotgun Magazine - Spec Two Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 9
  • Self Explanatory and for the most part not needed since if you go shotgun, you have the Ammo Box to refill with and rarely will you not kill someone in one shot. If you do happen to miss and you have a pump-action, you're toast unless they are terrible anyway.

Ceramic Body Armor - Spec Two Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 14
  • Increases your health by 25%, from 100 to 125. This may not look like much, but that’s 1-2 more rounds to take you down from most weapons and I think it’s the next best thing to the next specialization.

Magnum Ammunition – Spec Two Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 15
  • Increases damage by 1.25. Just use it! You have unlimited ammo, no need for that specialization. You have access to a 40mm Grenade Launcher, so no need for more Hand Grenades…plus you can re-supply those as well. Great with every weapon that fires rounds, just do it!

Improved Demolitions - Spec Two Slot

  • Unlocked at Rank 17 – Increased damage with explosives by 25%. Not much else has been released on the effects of this. But I’ll assume hand grenades, RPGs, and 40mm applications are affected. Great for those who favor the grenade launchers on the Assault Rifles. If you use a shotgun you will get C4 for your gadget, making this spec an option for you.