Shotguns, what happened?

[IronTeapot]

Maybe its just my ping but I'm curious if any Marine recognises this situation;

>Decides to pack a shotgun during prep
>Ayys are closing in and the Pulse rifle is empty
>Shotgun time, wields buckshot loaded death dealer
>A hunter moves in oblivious to the threat, an easy kill
>Clicks on the xeno
>Hunter pounces and claws out your throat
>Hunter leaves you dying in the dirt
>Hunter moves onto its next prey
>Marines are overrun and evac the planet
>The Ayys hijack the dropship
>They crash onboard and the SD is activated
>Shotgun fires
>Round ends

Perhaps not quite what you've experienced but my point is, the hang time between clicking and the shotgun actually going off is insane.That is if it ever goes off at all on the first click. Is it a nerf gone wrong to make up for the absolutely devastating damage it can dish out at close range? Do I just have a bad connection?

[TehSpoderman]

I think it may be the wield delay. There is a small delay from wielding and firing.

[IronTeapot]

I think it may be the wield delay. There is a small delay from wielding and firing.

I thought so too at first but I made sure to wield it outside of combat and do a test fire, there is still quite a bad delay

[Jackie Estegado]

Thats just gotta be on your end, for me it instantly fires.

[Robotonic]

You've got to get really good at positioning to use a shotgun. Combine the wield delay, potential for friendly fire and the chances that an alien will see your attack coming, it can be difficult to get a shot off.
Chances are the wield delay decided it was time for you to have a bad day.

[IronTeapot]

How long is it? Maybe I've just underestimated the wield delay?
Edit: I just cracked off a shot after waiting a bit longer than normal, fired instantly. Bloody hell maybe I just didn't notice in combat

[Jackie Estegado]

As a shotguner don't actively participate in combat, just always stand close to the front line of the squad and where hunters may pounce. Simply your presence will make hunters avoid anyone near you for fear of getting buckshotted in the face.

[Crab_Spider]

Shotguns are best reserved for guarding FoBs which tend to be cramped. They were nerfed due to people abusing certain macros (although, this delay was unneeded as such macros were disabled). Then we gave buckshot a hard as fuck nerf. It was hell.

[Karmac]

Basipally it's useless outside of CQC fights where you have the upper hand, in any kind of uncontrolled fight you'll almost always be too busy trying to not die or get around your fellow marines to shoot at the bugs and you won't be able to do shit.

[Luna Eon Fray]

Shotguns have always been "special" so to speak. Unless your target is a dumb young runner who decided to pounce a fellow marine just in front of you, you will have a hard time hitting jack with it. Beside, by the time you've hit something if the runner is more than say young, It'll just tank the slug after being stunned for a second and run the fuck away to weeds.

Also, there has Indeed been slight delay introduced to the time you wield your weapon to where you can actually fire it because some cuck weak individual has apparently been pwned by someone who macroed drawing their gun. If you really want to have mobility no delay whip a gyro onto your shotgun and make these young runner and or hunters cry... because that's the only thing you'll kill with that shotgun. And don't even get me started on slugs.

[Thucydides]

Basipally it's useless outside of CQC fights where you have the upper hand, in any kind of uncontrolled fight you'll almost always be too busy trying to not die or get around your fellow marines to shoot at the bugs and you won't be able to do shit.

I think this is probably echoing a similar sentiment that other people said, but as a *buckshot* shotgunner I'd argue you typically have an important role in punishing aliens who are trying to jump M41/flamer marines on the front line - similar to the role of a smartgunner. You're right, in controlled fights you have an important corner-clearing and CQC job. But I'd argue this goes for "uncontrolled" fights as well, using a typical Hydro fight as an example, because aliens will try to flank and jump injured marines and medics in the back line as well. As a devotee of the shotty, most of my lifetime kills didn't happen from sustained M41 fire, but from blasting aliens who pounced someone and either didn't see me or thought I was AFK.

I'm also seeing a lot of people in this thread suggest that buckshot is the only way to roll with a shotgun, and I think this is just wrong - unless it's your secondary weapon. Marines who want to use a shotgun as a primary should initially load up with slugs and bring at least a couple boxes of slugs with them. Until shit goes south and aliens are pouncing/coming into CQC, the alpha strike with a slug can really fuck up unsuspecting aliens who are also taking M41/sniper fire (obviously this requires decent prediction of movement and fire delay as the slug is a single projectile). And if you urgently need buckshot it's only about a 7 second switch to spam unload all the slugs and pick up a handful of buckshot from a pouch or your armor.

[SylasTG]

I think this is probably echoing a similar sentiment that other people said, but as a *buckshot* shotgunner I'd argue you typically have an important role in punishing aliens who are trying to jump M41/flamer marines on the front line - similar to the role of a smartgunner. You're right, in controlled fights you have an important corner-clearing and CQC job. But I'd argue this goes for "uncontrolled" fights as well, using a typical Hydro fight as an example, because aliens will try to flank and jump injured marines and medics in the back line as well. As a devotee of the shotty, most of my lifetime kills didn't happen from sustained M41 fire, but from blasting aliens who pounced someone and either didn't see me or thought I was AFK.

I'm also seeing a lot of people in this thread suggest that buckshot is the only way to roll with a shotgun, and I think this is just wrong - unless it's your secondary weapon. Marines who want to use a shotgun as a primary should initially load up with slugs and bring at least a couple boxes of slugs with them. Until shit goes south and aliens are pouncing/coming into CQC, the alpha strike with a slug can really fuck up unsuspecting aliens who are also taking M41/sniper fire (obviously this requires decent prediction of movement and fire delay as the slug is a single projectile). And if you urgently need buckshot it's only about a 7 second switch to spam unload all the slugs and pick up a handful of buckshot from a pouch or your armor.

Yeah, this is pretty much true of my experiences as a Shotgunner. I'm usually an M41 guy but I've been using shotguns more and more lately because of that Slug alpha strike. I've managed a few surprising kills and its not just one or two Xenos, if you're quick enough and can time the delay right you can pretty much effectively hold back a small group of lower tier Xenos by yourself. Or zombies on Infection of course.

[Blade2000Br]

The least times I used a shotgun in the battefield, I have saved fellow marines because some runner or hunter thought they could cripple our forces, only to be met with my slugs weaponry.

Also, I don't get a delay in my shotty so...no idea where ya guys are having it.

[solidfury7]

Shotguns are support weapons, rather than outright kill weapons.


Slugs are under rate imo and buckshot is unreliable at best. High risk for medium reward.

[Steelpoint]

Buckshot will eviscerate most xenos at point blank range, but you need to expose yourself to melee combat and acid spray.

Slugs are meh from experience, they give you range but they lack raw damage to really stop xenos. They work more on lower tier xenos.