Is the Scouts M1 Garand focus fire actually better?

[AgentFlea]

It's my favorite weapon, but I feel like I'm better off using the non-zoom perks, because zooming in seems too slow for the damage. Especially when I can probably unload with a different weapon and do similar damage, or more.


I just want peoples opinions. Maybe my lack of mousepad is getting to me, but in the time I take to carefully aim, zoom in and hit a weakspot, my teammates already unloaded and done a bunch of damage.

[Dwarfurious]

Everytime i hear an M1k rapidly fire i cry

[St0rmFury]

Because ammo for the M1000 is scarce, focus fire is almost mandatory to get the most bang for buck.

You can use it to soften bugs for your teammates or target the bugs above while your team is focusing on the bugs on the ground.

[AgentFlea]

Yeah I know how it's supposed to be used. I just feel it's not doing enough damage for my buck.
I still use it, but it feels a bit underwhelming in terms of damage.
A lot of effort and patience to use for lesser damage. Maybe It's just me though. I'll still use it, but I wanna see if anyone else gets that feeling.

Running up and blasting fools just seems easier, quicker and just as lethal as carefully aimed shots

[Dozey]

The Garand is capable of blasting fools, but due to it's low ammo it's not able to do that for very long. It's efficiency is in it's focused shot.

The beauty of the Garand's focus shot is it's ability to hit any bug with an overwhelming amount of damage in one shot from nearly any distance. Hit those weak spots. Prioritize the deadly bugs. Kill 'em all.

[AgentFlea]

Originally posted by Dozey:

hit any bug with an overwhelming amount of damage

That's the part I have a problem with it. The amount of patience, effort, to aim a well places shot only to have my damage just take barely a quarter health... I dunno man. I feel like it should act as a railgun with how long it takes to
1. Find a target
2. Align said weakpoint
3. Focus and fire

I'm finding myself being able to wipe more enemies in general spraying with the assault rifle, and taking them out.

For example, unloading half, or a full clip into a Mactera Bomber is faster (and less effort) and does more damage... than 1 or 2 well aimed shots that took longer.

[King Fossil]

Hitting weakpoints shouldn't be that hard. Maybe the first shot takes a little longer, but after that you can stay on target while you refocus so it takes no extra time at all, so you end up with vastly better dps than unfocused rapid fire or assault rifle spam. And you can hit targets at long range no problem instead of having to pause while you wait for recoil to settle.

[Syncourt]

Per Shot -
55 Base damage, 82.5 base focus damage (+50% standard focus damage bonus).
Standard Fire w/mods damage: 2x +10 Damage Mods = 75 damage
Focus Fire w/mods damage: 1x +10 Damage Mods, +40% Focus damage = 123.5

Modded damage multiplier vs. weak spots = x2.5
Standard Fire w/mods vs. weak spots = 187.5
Focus Fire w.mods vs. weak spots = 308.75

Total Ammo capacity = 50
Standard Fire w/mods overall damage = 3750
Standard Fire w/mods vs. weak spot overall damage = 9375
Focus Fire w/mods overall damage = 6175
Focus Fire w/mods vs. weak spot overall damage = 15,437.5

[Chibbity]

You have to be good at snap shots and flicks.

However, don't put pressure on yourself, just keep practicing and it'll get faster as you go.

As an actual sniper once said; "Slow is steady, steady is smooth, smooth is fast."

[Professor Hugedix]

Don't bother using it to shoot things that are already in your teammates range/line of fire, use the nuk17s heavily when chaos is high and switch to the M1k when you know you have the time to use it.

Originally posted by Aegis:

1. Find a target
2. Align said weakpoint
3. Focus and fire

I'm finding myself being able to wipe more enemies in general spraying with the assault rifle, and taking them out.

For example, unloading half, or a full clip into a Mactera Bomber is faster (and less effort) and does more damage... than 1 or 2 well aimed shots that took longer.

These steps are out of order, Align the weakpoint while you're already focusing, and if you find that your opportunity to shoot passes or you need to move, tap reload to cancel the focus without wasting a shot and then quickly switch to another weapon and back to cancel the animation.

also using an entire clip of the assault rifle on a single enemy is not sustainable for the ammo-poor scout, personally I find that with practice, focusing will give you more efficient and faster results against bulky targets with prominent weakpoints. spraying ammo into multiple targets is better left to classes with strong AoE weapons suited for that kind of thing, just try and remember that, especially with the M1k, your role as a scout is to support the team by shoring up their weaknesses rather than be the MVP with the most kills.

[MrPurple33]

It sounds Like you enjoy using the M1000, and are using it correctly, but feel like the AR is more dependable and consistant in damage output (which it is)

There are times I feel on teams that the Gunners and Engies are shredding everything, and at the end, my kill count is quite low - But It's not the amount of kills, It's the quality of kills- Acid Spitters, Menaces, Wardens, Goo Bombers, finishing a Praetorian as he closes on a retreating teamate - you really do help the team great deal without them truly realizing it

Because I tend to play a lot in the afternoon, weekdays, on the West Coast US- I end up playing a Lot of Solo- and I use all 4 of Scout's weapons in different combos- Solo Haz 3 at Least, the M1000 works fine, and even though the AR is easier, and of course has much more ammo, I still get great satisfaction running the M1000 Solo- as your smoothly killing bugs under swarm conditions, the PING of the reload as you smoothly one-shot that sneaking Acid Spitter before you grapple away to a new high spot, and snipe a bunch more bugs

Hope this next part helps, this is how I set up my M1000 through quite some trial and error, and you are correct, my set up only has a single slot relating to focus

1- A- Expanded Ammo
2- A- Improved Ergonomics- Accuracy- Faster Focus
3- A- Hgh Velocity Rounds- Damage
4- B- Hollow Point Bullets- +50% Weak Spot Bonus
5- B- Precision Terror

This gives me-
65 Damage (base)- 99 Focus- 130 Focus/Weak Point
65 Ammo
5 Round Clip

The Clip Size is a key- you have 2 slots that can Increase the clip to 7 or even 9, but I found that both those slots have good perks, and tend to shoot 3-4 shots before the target is dead or I have to relocate (I tend to constantly reload ANY weapon to keep max ammo up- Gunner's two Primaries being the exception) - so the 5 Shot Clip is the best for "flow"

with my balance of damage vs ammo, I do nice damage and tend to rarely run out of ammo (use the SMGs for extra ammo Length) - You'll find some missions you're aim is just off, and some you're nailing everything perfectly- but in general, I will Focus on a weakpoint and hit it 85% of the time, If I'm a bit off, it might take 2-3 shots are Larger Targets, but you should be decently far away and still drop the target before it gets close to you

I have a base damage of 65- If I hit a Focus, on any part of the body, It's 99- If I hit the weakpoint It jumps up to 130 (base+50% Focus+50% Weak Spot) on Haz 3 (a good middle damage Indicator, Haz 4 and 5 will take more) I will 1 shot Mactera Flies, and 3 shot Praes- most Little Grunts and Web Spitters will drop in 1 Shot

I use the Weak Spot Damage/Hollow Points over the Armor Break, even though that Seems Like a good option (any Armor Break usually is) but you just chip off armor chunks, better to get the aimed kill Instead

Here's the key, and my biggest tip- Acid Spitters, Goo Bombers, Grunt Guards, most "Medium Level" enemies, the Focus Shot will take out 90% of the HP, Leaving a tiny sliver- you finish them off with a quick follow up, non-Focus Shot- the target should be in the same spot, and your aim, even focused out, should still be Locked On-
You do this "Aim-Focus-BAM-quick BAM-dead" motion- 2 shot kill that goes fast, no aim-shoot-aim-shoot again- just aim-tap-tap

when getting swarmed by Grunts, that's where Precision Terror comes in nicely- you take time, Focus kill a Grunt, out of his 8 buddies running with him, 4-5 will panic and retreat, you quick shot 2, usually pickaxe the 3rd, then focus and non-focus kill the rest as they turn back around, a small distance away- I always thought Precision Terror just had a Limited use for far off shots, but It really comes in handy close to mid-range - Long Range, I find Joy in seeing a Teammate getting swarmed, I shoot a Bug in the pack on him, and watch 1/2 of them scatter, giving my Teammate the room to finish the rest

That's my take on the M1000- and I thought I would end up being "just OK" with it- but I can calmly and cooly do great Solo Haz 3, and even Haz 4, and as with anything Scout does in a team, everyone else will be doing most of the killing, you'll be Lighting Flares, seeing Long Range Threats, and taking them down before your team even sees them

You're take on the weapon is correct- again see my set-up- standard damage and ammo stuff, just calm thy mind and soul, get a shooting rhythm going, don't get frustrated If you miss weak spots too many times in a row- you'll get the rhythm back- failing that, grapple away and reposition- failing that, say "F^*k It" and whip out the Nuks to Let the Lead fly

Hope this helps, and gives you further insight

[AgentFlea]

Thanks for the good posts SynCourt and Mr.Purple.
And yeah you got it right on the money.

It does better damage, but I'm accounting for the time and effort required per shot among the chaos. I still like the M1000 and thanks for the set up recommendation. I've been experimenting myself and I'll definitely give that a try :)

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by Aegis:

Thanks for the good posts SynCourt and Mr.Purple.
And yeah you got it right on the money.

It does better damage, but I'm accounting for the time and effort required per shot among the chaos. I still like the M1000 and thanks for the set up recommendation. I've been experimenting myself and I'll definitely give that a try :)

Groovy Aegis

Myself, I just did a 4 day, Lovin' the Deepcore AR spell - now I'm back capping with the M1000
Last week had a Boomstick revival, hadn't used it 2 months before that
Scout technically has "weaker" weapons, but I enjoy all 4 of them - an underrated aspect of the DRG Devs is they actually take the time to make balanced, Logical weaponry- as a Long time TF2 player, I truly appreciate that

[MADanger]

M1 is a sniper rifle !!!!

[Kotory]

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

Originally posted by Aegis:

Thanks for the good posts SynCourt and Mr.Purple.
And yeah you got it right on the money.

It does better damage, but I'm accounting for the time and effort required per shot among the chaos. I still like the M1000 and thanks for the set up recommendation. I've been experimenting myself and I'll definitely give that a try :)

Groovy Aegis

Myself, I just did a 4 day, Lovin' the Deepcore AR spell - now I'm back capping with the M1000
Last week had a Boomstick revival, hadn't used it 2 months before that
Scout technically has "weaker" weapons, but I enjoy all 4 of them - an underrated aspect of the DRG Devs is they actually take the time to make balanced, Logical weaponry- as a Long time TF2 player, I truly appreciate that

i wouldn't say he has weaker weapons.
He's chewing through ammo very quickly with bad management, and this is probably the reason it feels weaker in general.
The only one really bad thing is boomstick. It just unbearably bad in direct comparison with double smgs

[AgentFlea]

Sorry for the rez but I just fully upgraded the SMG's and finding it outperforming the M1 like 80-90% of the time. The accuracy perk is amazing on them! Allowing me to tap-fire kill creatures at sniper range.

The m1000 still feels kinda awkward. Still fun though! But I have to agree with another post on a similar thread...

Recoil too for to use as a proper DMR/Rifle
Too few ammo for proper DMR/Battlerifle


Too little damage for proper Sniper rifle? It's fair to ask for it to at least 2 shot warriors right?

^Most of the damage I do with it can easily be done with the SMG's, and just as quick.