Assault rifles are one of the most popular weapon classes in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but not everyone can harness their full potential. Pro player Sam “Octane” Larew is considered one of the strongest assault rifle players and shares his tips for success.
Who is this pro? Octane has been in the Call of Duty eSports scene since Advanced Warfare (2014) and has been regarded as one of the best players with the assault rifle since then. The site Dexerto even suspects that he is the best assault rifle player in the world.
In 2019, he achieved two first places, one second, and one third with his then-team 100 Thieves in several pro tournaments in Black Ops 4. He currently plays for Seattle Surge in the Call of Duty League.
What are these tips? In a video, Octane showcased and commented on his gameplay in the Multiplayer of Modern Warfare. He revealed several tips that you as a player can learn from him. You can find the video here:
These tips are quite general and will help you with popular assault rifles, but also with other classes if you apply the information correctly. You can find the strongest weapons of each class here.
For Warzone, however, the tips are only partially useful. There are no such things as spawns there, which are important for Octane. But tips on “positioning” and “timing” can also be applied to Battle Royale.
1. Know the spawns
The first tip from Octane is to know where enemies can spawn on a map and especially when they do. This is particularly important in modes where you don’t stay dead until the next round, but can re-enter.
Knowing the spawns allows you to control and even block certain areas or “lanes” by stopping enemies where they appear. This way, you can prevent them from storming a target you currently hold or capture.
Spawns are still a nuisance for many players in Modern Warfare. Some pros recently complained about Modern Warfare and the lack of competitive updates, with the spawns being one of the biggest points of criticism.
2. Position yourself properly
The second point is potentially the most important tip, both for assault rifle players and for all other classes. According to Octane, one of the most important tasks for an assault rifle player is to find a “power spot” and eliminate enemies one by one from there.
He shows such spots in his video. They are basically positions from which you can cover a larger area without exposing too much of yourself. The majority of your body is behind cover while you can almost fully see approaching enemies.
It’s not just about finding a good position yourself, but also about exploiting the position of enemies. Octane says: “If you’re playing against someone with poor positioning, you always have the upper hand.”
3. Use the right timing
In his last tip, he focuses more on teamwork and competitive matches. As an assault rifle player, it heavily depends on when you decide to do something, according to Octane.
As an assault rifle player, you are not there to rush enemies, as Octane explains: “Everyone knows it’s a slow role. You need to be much more methodical with the gameplay, and every decision is very, very important.”
If you hold one of the spots from the second tip for too long or give it up too early, it can lead to losing the round. For every decision you make, you need to have enough information beforehand, ideally coming from your teammates.
So while your teammates start an action with the SMGs, you as an AR player need to wait for the right moment to strike. Without the right timing, the entire team will face problems.
Which assault rifles are worth it?
Many pros still rely on the M4A1, which was long regarded as the best assault rifle. It remains a strong choice at almost all distances and is particularly popular in Multiplayer.
Meanwhile, at least for us on MeinMMO, the RAM-7 has replaced the M4A1. With the right attachments, it is even stronger than the M4. Its only drawback is that you have to unlock it in a somewhat cumbersome way before you can level it up.
Ultimately, however, it’s up to you which assault rifle you use. A rifle that looks strong on paper but doesn’t suit you will hardly help you. On the other hand, you might perform better with a specific weapon than anyone else. Experiment and also check out the secret assault rifles you can create from representatives of other classes, like the G36, which is created from the LMG Holger-26.
