SMGs are generally among the most versatile weapons in shooters. These guns are extremely effective in CQB, but they can also be used in long-range engagements if you can control the recoil. Apex Legends is a vivid example of this essential duality of SMGs. For instance, you can feel equally comfortable with the popular R-99 in both open fields and in tight corridors.
However, SMGs do require a skilled approach in order to prove their effectiveness. These weapons can be somewhat confusing, and to provide a helpful piece of advice, here’s a list of tips and tricks that might be of assistance.
10 The Stubborn Mule
You can often find Prowlers abandoned on the battlefield. They were either replaced by better guns or completely ignored at the start of the match. Regardless, there’s a good reason for that, which is the out-of-the-box uncomfortable handling of Prowler PDW. The gun shoots five-shot bursts by default, and this fire mode is exceptionally hard to control.
While you can actually hit all the five shots face to face, the gun’s inaccuracy drastically increases with every additional meter of firing distance. The unreliable nature of Prowler leads to its little to no popularity among players, and you should avoid it if you are not confident enough.
9 Arguably The Best
Prowler with the Selectfire Receiver mod is a completely different story. Since you are not guaranteed to find the modification in time, most of the players prefer not to deal with Prowler at all. This is a shame, because once you equip the weapon with an attachment in question, you can switch the SMG to full-auto.
In this scenario, Prowler unfolds its hidden potential and becomes one of the best CQB guns in the game. On top of that, heavy rounds prevent attacked players from sprinting. As a result, full-auto Prowler possesses sensible stopping power, so you might want to give it a try.
8 The Golden Ratio
If you can’t decide whether to pick that enticing Prowler or not, there’s always an option to ignore the weapon completely in favor of down-to-earth Alternator. This gun shoots light ammo, so you won’t have that much of stopping power. However, it comes with full-auto by default, which is a huge advantage in comparison to underequipped Prowler.
Alternator’s rate of fire is the slowest among existing SMGs in Apex Legends, but the weapon behaves in an understandable and predictable way. It’s moderately effective, and it won’t punish you for emptying the magazine too fast. It’s a safe choice from every perspective.
7 The Real Deal
R-99 has quickly become one of the three absolutely best weapons in the game (along with Peacekeeper and Wingman). Much like these two other guns, R-99 has been multiple times nerfed and rebalanced. In the latest edition, the SMG deals the least amount of damage per shot, among other weapons in its class.
This could’ve been considered a major downside if R-99 hasn’t been praised for its rapid rate of fire. Despite the lowest damage delivered in a single hit, this SMG has the best DPS value. You can literally drill your enemies in CQB to death, and you should take this advantage whenever you can.
6 Up Close And Personal
When you think of CQB, you probably imagine that having a shotgun is the recipe for success. No one denies the effectiveness of shotguns, but SMGs are much less punishing for missing the target, especially with an extended magazine. These are the guns to feel comfortable with during close-range engagements, and you can rapidly turn the tables in your favor even in a desperate situation.
With an SMG, you want to shorten the distance to the enemy as much as possible. Staying up close and personal, you’ll be able to deal huge amounts of damage and make the most out of SMGs’ signature DPS values.
5 Recoil Control
While you can absolutely hip-fire with an SMG in CQB, medium ranges require aiming down sights, and it could be a challenge because of the hard-to-control recoil. R-99, for instance, is famous for its horizontal sway, which makes you put too much effort in shooting this gun. Not to mention the vertical recoil, which has to be countered by dragging your mouse/stick slightly down while shooting.
There’re, obviously, some measures apart from physically compensating weapon’s sway with your bare hands. Attachments, such as stock and barrel mod, can drastically improve your gun’s behavior. Moreover, the golden barrel mod almost completely hides R-99’s notorious muzzle flash.
4 Sniping Taps
Perfecting the versatile nature of SMGs will help you deal with your enemies even at longer ranges. While there’s no reason to not have a sniper rifle as a secondary, you can do some suppressive damage at large distances by tap firing your SMG. This is a simple method, which involves shooting in small controllable bursts. You can thus hit opponents at longer ranges and make them take cover.
Tap firing with SMGs is also a great way to shorten the distance. While maintaining constant damage delivery, you can quickly get closer and release the full potential of your weapon in CQB.
3 Dual Wielding
To make the most out of the SMGs’ high rate of fire, you could invest in dual-wielding. Such tactics are especially effective if you happen to find two R-99s. Once you unload the magazine of the first gun, you can immediately switch over to the second one without the need to reload the weapon. You can easily take your enemy by surprise, who is hardly expecting to see a second R-99 in your hands.
There’re two obvious downsides to this approach despite the battle advantages it provides. First and foremost, you absolutely have to equip the second gun with similar attachments for it to have the same effectiveness. Secondly, you’ll need tons of ammo.
2 Ammo Concerns
You should always keep in mind that SMGs rapidly consume ammunition, and before you know it, your inventory is empty – and so is the weapon’s magazine. Even if you don’t follow the dual-wielding tactics, fast ammo-consumption is a valid concern. In the heart of combat, you can easily lose control of your supplies, which leads to a sad finale.
The best solution is to fill your inventory with as many rounds as you can store. On top of that, you should have a different second gun, which could be a sniper rifle or a shotgun. These guns tend to use much less ammo, thus leaving you with additional space for SMG bullets.
1 Always The Best Choice
Apex Legends provides players with various firefight opportunities, but most of the battles still happen in close quarters. Long-range combat is definitely a less aggressive way to play since you can always heal back and relocate to a safer place if you are losing the grounds. CQB, on the other hand, rarely allows you to get any breathing space.
It’s usually either you or them, and the best way to win a close-range encounter is to rely on an SMG, which can also be effective at medium and even long distances. Ultimately, SMGs are the best weapons to master in Apex Legends.