CoD Vanguard‘s close-range fights need great weapons with amazing power, cue the Combat Shotgun. Here’s the best Combat Shotgun loadout and class to use if you’re looking to dominate a lobby.
The Combat Shotgun is a staple of the Call of Duty franchise. First debuting back in CoD 2 as the M1897 Trench Gun, this pump-action monster has been terrorizing players for over 15 years and yet the Vanguard version might be its best form.
If you’re looking for a way to control the chaos or just want to give the STG-44 a break, this close-range demon could be just what you need.
Contents
- Best Combat Shotgun Vanguard loadout attachments
- Best Combat Shotgun Vanguard class (Perks, Equipment & Field Upgrade)
- How to unlock the Combat Shotgun in Vanguard
- Alternatives to Combat Shotgun Vanguard loadout
Best Combat Shotgun Vanguard loadout
- Muzzle: M97 Full Choke
- Barrel: Sawed Off
- Stock: CGC 3M Adjustable
- Underbarrel: SMLE Pistol Grip
- Magazine: 16 Gauge 10 Rnd Drum
- Ammo Type: Buck and Slug
- Rear Grip: Stippled Grip
- Proficiency: Vital
- Kit: Quick
This loadout is all about maximizing your mobility and increasing the chance of a one-shot kill in each engagement. However, if you find yourself at a longer range the combination of Stippled Grip with the alternate Buck and Slug ammo will give you a chance to win gunfights that would otherwise kill this class’s potential.
Our choice for the M97 Full Choke and SMLE Pistol Grip is all about making sure your aim and pellet spread are exactly aligned so that you’ll only have to take one pop at the enemy to secure a kill. The 16 Gauge 10 Rnd Drum is there as an insurance policy, leaving you a little room for error if you don’t manage to drop someone the first time.
The addition of the Vital proficiency increases the chance of landing critical hits and when you’re using the Combat Shotgun’s wide net of pellets, at least a few of them should find their way into the high-damage sweet spots.
Best Combat Shotgun Vanguard class (Perks, Equipment & Field Upgrade)
- Perk 1: Ghost
- Perk 2: High Alert
- Perk 3: Double Time
- Secondary: Machine Pistol
- Lethal: Mk2 Frag Grenade
- Tactical: Stim
- Field Upgrade: Dead Silence
The perks for this loadout are all about maneuvering quickly and under the radar, keeping you safe while you stalk your prey.
Using Ghost will keep you off of enemy intel, Spy Planes, and Field Mics, meaning you’ll be able to keep a move on without being picked up by the other team. While Ninja would also be a good pick in this slot, using Dead Silence can offload the amount of time your footsteps are giving you away.
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High Alert and Double Time pair up to make hunting down opponents as easy as possible. The extended sprint time means there’s no getting away from the punishing grasp of this loadout and High Alert means you can react to enemies watching you by moving out of the way quickly.
Equipping the Machine Pistol as a secondary and the Stim tactical isn’t strictly necessary for the class to work, but they’re both excellent options for bailing out of bad situations.
How to unlock the Combat Shotgun
Unlocking the Combat Shotgun is simple. Players only need to reach Level 14 in order to add it to their loadout. As the second shotgun on the roster, it should take no time at all to get this one up and running.
If you’re looking to level up fast, check for any playlists, like Das Haus, that feature exclusively small maps with high engagement counts. Leveling up weapons quickly is also immensely useful for Warzone.
Alternatives to Combat Shotgun loadout
So far the biggest competitor to the Combat Shotgun is the close-range prototype weapon, Einhorn Revolving.
The playstyle will change a little bit when using this one, but adding Slug rounds to the mix turns this shotgun into a long-distance monster in a way the trench gun simply can’t keep up with.