Getting to Grips with Shotguns in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Among the various weapon categories in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, shotguns might seem a bit under-served. After all, there are only two shotguns currently available in the game; the Hauer 77 and the Gallo SA12. (Compared to 3 pistols and 5 assault rifles, for example.) Nevertheless, these two options are both solid Secondary weapons, with more likely to come post-launch.
The Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Shotguns
“Like pistols, shotguns are more effective against enemy Operators within close range,” writes Activision; “using shells instead of bullets. A typical weapon fires a single projectile forward, and a shotgun sends a burst of smaller pellets out towards its target. Due to pellet spread, shotguns have the shortest effective range out of all weapon classes but deal the most damage within only a half-dozen meters.”
The conspicuous lack of Black Ops Cold War shotguns strongly suggests that Treyarch plans to add a few extra options post-launch. Indeed, the game’s first season is already on the horizon, and promotional images seem to show a new shotgun on the way. However, at least for now, players do have access to two decent options in this category, as follows:
- Hauer 77 (Shotgun – Alpha): Unlock other categories, there is no shotgun available automatically from Level 1; players will only unlock the Hauer 77 upon reaching Level 7. This pump-action shotgun is lethal at close-range, though it has poor reload speed and a subpar rate of fire. Paired with a mid-range assault rifle, the Hauer can make for a great backup weapon in close-quarters encounters.
- Gallo SA12 (Shotgun – Bravo): Available from Level 34 onwards, the Gallo SA12 offers a more balanced shotgun option. It lacks the raw power of the Hauer 77, but has a better fire rate, and importantly, a tighter pellet spread. This makes it more accurate and thus effective at slightly longer ranges than the Hauer. When fighting indoors, the Gallo is a more reliable close-range firearm for sustained combat, whereas the Hauer may be better for single engagements.