COD MW2 Kit: FAL with Hardline

Kit Name: FAL w Hardline
Title: Modern Warfare 2
Game Context: Public
Kit #: 0908


Kit Details:

• Primary Weapon: FAL with Holographic Sight Attachment
  
• Secondary Weapon: AA-12 with Extended Mags Attachment
  
• Equipment: Claymore
• Special Grenade: Stun Grenades / Smoke Grenade
• Perk 1: Scavenger / Marathon
• Perk 2: Hardline
• Perk 3: Ninja

Description:
Hardline is often overlooked and considered second class to other Tier 2 Perks, namely the reliable Stopping Power Perk and the serviceable Cold Blooded Perk. Even other Tier 2 Perks like Lightweight and Danger Close have their niche applications. However, the power to the Hardline Perk lies within it's simplicity of reducing a single killstreak requirement in a game where Killstreaks reign king. If there's one thing that Modern Warfare 2 will be remembered for, it's got to be the impact of the evolved Killstreak system. Five kills can quickly turn to seven or more kills and seven kill can quickly turn 10 and counting. Therefore, a perk that positively impacts one of the most powerful weapons in the battle system, should be highly regarded and respected - note the "should".

The key that makes this kit sing in a Fully Automatic & 3-Burst AR dominant Modern Warfare World, is the FAL's non-reliance on Stopping Power - bullet for bullet the FAL is the most damaging Assault Rifle in its class. At medium distance range, the FAL can take down a target with just two shots to the chest - extend that to long distance range and the FAL only requires three shots. So at the very worse, a non-Stopping Power FAL will only require 3 shots to take a target out...not bad especially when comparing it to a non-Stopping Power FAMAS/M16 which would require two 3-Burst connections. With its independence from Stopping Power, the FAL is a logical choice for Hardline (if sniping is your strong suit, you may want to consider the WA2000). Of course, the disadvantage to the FAL is its low rate of fire (single shot); due to this disadvantage, this Hardline Kit is best played in a defensive or moderate-aggressive fashion...unless of course, you're a FAL God and out gunning Vectors and TARs is a breeze. Map-wise, generally speaking this kit does not fair well in quick impact environments like Rust.

Kit Breakdown:
Though the Holographic Sight Attachment raises the FAL's minimum damage threshold from 35 to 40, the Holographic Sight is actually chosen over other attachments due to the difficulty in using the FAL's ironsights. If one can effectively hang without the Holographic Sight (there is no objective justification for choosing the Red Dot Sight over the Holographic Sight), then roll with the Grenade Launcher or Silencer Attachment.

In respect to the secondary, a strong defensive Close Quarters Combat weapon is preferred. With the FAL's low rate of fire, the Fully Automatic AA-12 with Extended Mags is a logical choice. As a defensive tool, the AA-12 outshines the SPAS-12 and since Stopping Power is obviously not equipped, something like the Akimbo Rafficas are overlooked for the AA-12 even with the handgun switch time advantage. Claymores are a personal choice and can be chosen over for other equipment types. Stun Grenades are preferred for Team Deathmatch based modes while Smoke Grenades are used in Objective based modes.

For the Tier 1 Perk, Scavenger blends well with Claymores while Marathon provides an advantage in flanking and a countermeasure in large map respawns. The Tier 3 Ninja Perk can be swapped out for Commando or SitRep if preferred, but Ninja is an always reliable Tier 3 Perk choice.

On a last note, do not overlook low requirement Killstreaks. A 2-kill UAV is trivial to achieve and benefits every team member. A recommended Killstreak combination is the stressless UAV, Care Package and Sentry Gun chain (2-3-4). With Hardline equipped, fully earning this chain can be easy especially since UAV provides an offensive advantage in situational awareness. In particular, this chain is also highly recommended on those nights where you simply don't have "it" - who knows...launching 2-4 Care Packages in one match, you're bound to get something good.

Note: all damage statistics were sourced from Den Kirson's data (resource).