Modern Warfare 2 is *the* online multiplayer game, right now, and gamers worldwide are looking for that little edge that allows them to dominate the competition. Hopefully, this feature will help. Loading Reality will be publishing a weekly (sometimes more frequently) editorial feature highlighting a single weapon from Modern Warfare 2, bringing with it recommendations for perks, map use, and tactics. Weapon attachments are not generally discussed, save for a few cases, since they allow for such customization and player-specific preference.

This week: the FAL.

Weapon Details (via Wikipedia)

The Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle) or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN). During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, with the notable exception of the United States. It is one of the most widely used rifles in history, having been used by over 90 countries. The FAL was predominantly chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round, and because of its prevalence and widespread use among the armed forces of many Western and other non-Communist countries during the Cold War it was nicknamed "the right arm of the Free World."

Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Statistics

Once upon a time, some dude discovered the planets. As important as that specific find was - a more important discovery has been made, recently. The FAL is cool and has a distinct weapon attachment advantage that no other rifle in Modern Warfare 2 has: increased damage with the attachment of the holographic sight. The FAL is able to push out the highest damage per round of the assault rifles with each round up to 26 meters doing 55 damage. The rifle does 40 damage from there to 33 meters, at which point it falls to 35 pure damage, sans attachments. If a player attaches a holographic sight to the FAL, the damage never drops to 35; it stays at 40 damage from 33 meters on. Adding a silencer to the FAL decreases the range each damage tier: 55 damage rounds stops at 19 meters and 40 damage rounds stop at 25 meters.

Unlike all other assault rifles, the FAL has a separate hip spread

The FAL carries a unique hip spread among assault rifles, having less hipfire accuracy, as follows:

• Standing: 4 - 10
• Crouching: 3.5 - 8
• Prone: 3 - 6

(Hip Spread is the amount of deviation suffered by rounds fired from a weapon at an aimed target. Some bullets, undoubtedly, stray from targets. The lower the hit spread, the more accurate your shots will be.)

Recommended Perks (assume all perks are Pro)

• Perk 1: Sleight of Hand, Bling, One Man Army
• Perk 2: Cold-Blooded, Hardline, Stopping Power
  
• Perk 3: Ninja, SitRep, Commando

Using any weapon attachment other than the hologrpahic sight for the FAL seems ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason to not take advantage of the increased damage. That said, the holographic sight benefits from Sleight of Hand Pro, due to the faster ADS. The holographic sight takes slightly longer to sight-in with than the red dot sight. Bling Pro will allow for gamers to utilize the increased weapon damage from the holographic sight and still maintaining silencers, grenade launchers, or whichever other attachments fit personal style. I don't recommend the silencer, as it will basically negate the additional damage of the holographic sight. One Man Army Pro is my personal choice for my FAL class. I have two classes built with One Man Army (OMA): a holographic FAL class and a silenced UMP45 class. Being able to continually swap classes to cater to my position on any map, whether it be distance firing or close quarters, makes pinpointing me very difficult for enemies.

The FAL can easily kill non-Painkiller enemies with two shots to the chest or head. With the addition of the holographic sight, Stopping Power is far from necessary as perk two for the FAL. This frees up players to use Cold-Blooded and Hardline, both of which are excellent substitutes. For those wanting to be a bit more stealthy, Cold-Blooded works wonders. Hardline, as usual, enables players to access their killstreak rewards sooner.

Ninja Pro is the greatest perk in the tier. Period. Silencing your own footsteps and removing yourself from enemy heartbeat sensors is a huge advantage over loud enemies. This is the first weapon analysis that recommends SitRep, too. SitRep reveals enemy explosives (C4 & claymores) and tactical insertions, through walls. The Pro version of SitRep makes enemy footsteps louder, useful in replacing Ninja Pro. SitRep is recommended only if players are using Bling Pro with FMJ as a selected attachment, as that will allow the destruction of enemy explovives through walls. As discussed in several weapon analyses, selecting Commando Pro as perk three adds 176 units of measurement to the range of the 128 unit lock distance of the melee charge. This will undoubtedly help any sniper that is rushed or forced into close-quarters combat

Recommended Maps & Tactics

The FAL, even more so than other assault rifles, excels in corridor combat. Thus, maps that present these types of combat situations are easily dominated by a gamer that has come to excel with the FAL. Maps such as Afghan, Derail, and Highrise all let the FAL shine.

Carrying a FAL on Afghan is played similar to how players would play the map as snipers: While on Afghan, controlling the western half (Charlie location) or poppy fields to the north (Bravo location) is ideal. Claymores can protect flanks with players rotating between bunkers and clearings.

On Derail, the two warehouses are usually the points of interest in each game. Letting your opponents take the primary warehouse in the center of the map and holding the southern clearing and northern warehouse works very well, as most players will continually rush into the middle warehouse. If your team is able to hold the middle, however, the FAL can work well as long-distance protection.

Highrise is the perfect map for the FAL. Like previously suggested in other analyses, holding either the north or south office buildings is key to map control on Highrise. Utilizing the FAL on both side corridors, front windows, and elevated platforms works out extremely well.

Other Weapon Analyses

Assault Rifles: M4A1, FAMAS, SCAR-H, TAR-21, FAL, M16A4, ACR, F2000, AK47

Sub Machine Guns: MP5K, UMP45, Vector, P90, Mini-Uzi

Light Machine Guns: L86, RPD, MG4, AUG HBAR, M240

Sniper Rifles: Intervention, Barrett .50, WA2000, M21 EBR

Shotguns: SPAS-12, AA-12, Striker, Ranger, M1014, Model 1887, Undermounted Shotgun

Handguns: USP .45, Magnun, M9, Desert Eagle

Machine Handguns: PP2000, Glock 18, M93 Raffica, TMP

Written by :

cakeytaste

 

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Ethan

Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Jan 27 2010 02:20:10 I had no idea that the Holographic gave you extra damage. Holy crap. Time to take off ACOG. Also, I vote the next analysis to be the M9. Sucked in Call of Duty 4, a weapon of the gods in Modern Warfare 2.

#14810

Knight

Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Jan 27 2010 17:30:53 M9 never sucked in CoD4. You weren't around yet for our M9 only slaughter fests.

#14815

cakeytaste

Re:Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Jan 27 2010 20:23:52 Yeah. LR used to run M9-only matches. The other team used whatever they wanted. We would win.

#14820

Ethan

Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Jan 27 2010 21:38:26 Can we bring back the M9 obliterations to Modern Warfare 2? I'd love to join in.

#14822

Ethan

Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Jan 28 2010 06:55:20 Also, minor error, but the Wikipedia article is to the CheyTac Intervention, not the FAL.

#14825

cakeytaste

Re: Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Jan 28 2010 12:44:45 Good catch, thanks.

#14826

PhantumPhyr

Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Jan 28 2010 12:51:00 M9 was beast in MW1. I remember running around using that. MP5 speed on it. Cause I was just that fast.

#14828

thinkblue123

Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Analysis: FAL Mar 14 2010 03:13:01 I think the next analysis should be the RPD

#15442