Overview
…I’m so f’ing lazy. Sorry about the late update.*Ahem*Shotguns. Boom. Unfortunately, I’m not going to have much to say here – if you don’t want to read this, just look over my guide to ammo. It’s pretty much covering everything I’m saying in here – I don’t know how much each gun changes the spread (if at all), so this is a very basic outline. If you know the different spread patterns, pass them on.
Shotguns: basics
*ch-chk*
Shotguns in this game are the same as virtually any other FPS – they are a close-range weapon (with some piercing), with next to no damage-dealing capability beyond the range you could spit. As useful as they can be, I find them to have very little use when compared to the other weapon classes.
A few basic tips for shotguns:
– As long as you don’t have the Beretta SV10, all reloads can be interrupted, meaning you can shoot any sneaky/speedy zombies nearby.
– Thanks to being able to stop mid-reload, there’s no reason to end up with less than a full magazine at all times – keep reloading!
– Interchangeable ammo means that it’s worth (and easy to) trading up shotguns – try not to leave rounds in the tube.
4 kinds, little difference.
I`m just copying the guns over to here – consider them ranked lowest to highest.
Beretta SV10 – Weight 70, Mag. Size 2, Reserve max. 130
Mossberg 500a – Weight 70, Mag. Size 5+1, Reserve max. 130
Winchester X3 – Weight 70, Mag. Size 5+1, Reserve max. 130
Remington 870 – Weight 70, Mag. Size 8+1, Reserve max. 130
Pros:
Massive damage – If they don’t kill a zombie at close range, you somehow missed.
Knockback potential – Thanks to each bullet (or in this case piece of buckshot) having a 10% chance to knock zombies back, any zombie not killed outright should be pushed back.
– Interruptable reload – Why stop reloading all your shots when you can pause, take a shot, then finish reloading?
Pro/Cons:
Buckshot – It is possible to get a very high kill/shot ratio with clusters and a lot of good luck, but half the time any zombie that’s more than a few feet ahead will only be nicked.
Ammo type – As long as only one person is using a shotgun, your group should be fine, any more means that ammo will be in very short supply.
Cons:
Mag. Size – Not as big a problem thanks to interruptable reloads, but it’s still something to pay attention to.
Range – Up close and personal with something that can only melee isn’t the best idea.
My Thoughts:
Same as before. “Eh. Shotguns are great for spraying lead and damaging a lot of enemies – but when you’re shooting zombies, anything that’s not hitting the head is a waste. It does pierce, it can hit quite a few, but I’d rather stick to ‘yes, this is a kill’. OTOH, I’ve taken out a clustered group in two shots…”
That being said, I’d rather be the guy with two pistols (and ammo for each) than have to carry one of these. The shotguns as a class are *almost* my least favorites (the absolute worst is reserved for the .22 rifle), but I would call this a beginner’s weapon (if not just to ease into the game).