Season 5 brought a new SMG into the military arsenal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare & Warzone. MeinMMO shows you how well the ISO performs compared to the strong and popular MP5 and provides handling tips.
What kind of weapon is the ISO? The new submachine gun (MP / SMG) from Season 5 of CoD: Modern Warfare & Warzone is based on the APC9 weapon from the Swiss arms company B&T AG and is introduced with the Battle Pass Season 5.
In the current CoDs, the weapon is called “ISO” and excels as a rapid-fire rifle, particularly effective at short distances. The weapon offers strong range for an SMG but also comes with significant downsides.
MeinMMO presents the firearm and shows you how well it performs compared to the perennial MP5. Additionally, there are setups that allow you to fully utilize the strengths of this firearm.
APC9 / ISO can only somewhat keep up with the top performers
How do the stats compare to the MP5? The MP5 is considered the benchmark weapon in the SMG category, against which all others must be measured. Since the launch of Modern Warfare, it has been one of the best weapons, and it also ranks high in Warzone tier lists. Here, we present the key stats of the competitors ISO and MP5 for you to compare:
Fire Rate (Shots per Minute)
- MP5: approx. 833
- ISO: approx. 900
Damage Body to Meter without Attachments
- ISO: 25 to 15 m / 20 to 18 m / 19 to 35 m / 16 from 35 m
- MP5: 34 to 13 m / 25 to 19 m / 19 from 19 m
Lowest Time-to-Kill (TTK) Body Hit
- ISO: MP – 200 ms / WZ – 600 ms
- MP5: MP – 144 ms / WZ – 504 ms
Reload Time / With Dexterity
- ISO: 1.3 seconds / 0.78 seconds
- MP5: 1.7 seconds / 1.15 seconds
Aim Down Sights (ADS Time) without Attachments
- ISO: 200 ms
- MP5: 200 ms
What should I consider with my setups? The stats show that the Time-to-Kill is significantly above the MP5 standard, and thus, unfortunately, the ISO tends to be among the weaker SMGs. Additionally, the weapon has two characteristics that you must compensate for with attachments:
- High recoil, especially the first shot hits hard
- The standard magazine is tiny at 20 rounds
When setting up, use some attachments for better aiming, like one of the barrels that increases your range or a strong underbarrel grip. Additionally, you will need more ammunition, so definitely take a larger magazine with you. Opt for the “30-round magazine,” as the 50-round version comes with significant downsides, reducing your movement speed by a whopping 10%.
If you play the ISO as your primary weapon in multiplayer, consider equipping a sidearm with 9mm ammunition – for example, the 1911. If you equip the “Fully Loaded” perk on your secondary weapon, both weapons will share their ammunition reserve, giving you more rounds for killstreaks.
If you want to learn more about the Season 5 weapon’s statistics, check out the English YouTube video by CoD expert “TheXclusiveAce”:
MP with flaws but strong character
How does the ISO perform? For comparison, the two SMGs P90 and Uzi can be referenced. The ISO plays like a mix of the two, featuring the high fire rate of the P90 and a unique recoil reminiscent of the Uzi.
The stats are rather below average and the recoil is noticeable, but the SMG is not broken. While it cannot compete with the top SMGs, its high range allows it to encroach upon the realm of assault rifles. Particularly strong is the distance of the first damage drop-off, which reaches 23 meters with the “Nightshade” barrel. Between 10 – 20 m, it mathematically surpasses the MP5, but it again loses time due to the high ADS penalties from the range and ammunition attachments.
How does the ISO compare to the MP5? Compared to the top-tier fighter MP5, the ISO falls short.
The range values of the SMG are interesting, but that’s about it. This is especially due to the relatively high recoil making the gun more suited for close-range combat, making it difficult to accurately hit enemies at critical distances compared to direct competition.
Additionally, the strong mobility losses due to attachments place your movement speed on the level of assault rifles, and with the 50-round attachment, even at LMG level. This makes it a rather eccentric submachine gun.
On the other hand, it surpasses the MP5 in some important meters, which are among the distances most frequently encountered by your enemies in multiplayer and Warzone. Here’s the TTK comparison with the MP5:
The ISO is not playing in the top league, but can hold its ground and stands out with its unique character. A solid submachine gun that you should give a chance. You can find more about the MP5 here.
ISO / APC9 setups for Modern Warfare and Warzone
Which setup works well? The first decision you should make with the ISO is: Should I use the 30 or the 50-round magazine? The smaller magazine plays much more mobile, but especially in Warzone, you need more rounds in the clip to take out several enemies in the Gulag. Here are some setups from CoD experts for both variants:
30-round ISO setup by TheXclusiveAce
- Barrel: FSS Nightshade
- Stock: FTAC Vagrant
- Underbarrel: Merc Foregrip
- Ammunition: 30-round magazine
- Perk: Dexterity
“TheXclusiveAce” analyzed the weapon’s stats and created a balanced setup that supports the weapon’s strengths without being overly penalized by the downsides of strong attachments.
The barrel has a silencer and increases your damage range by more than 40%. The stock slightly reduces the penalties from the aiming down sights time imposed by other attachments.
Both the barrel and grip help with controlling the MP and make it usable at longer ranges.
50-round ISO setup by Swagg
- Barrel: FSS Nightshade
- Stock: ISO collapsible
- Underbarrel: Commando Foregrip
- Ammunition: 50-round drums
- Perk: Dexterity
The CoD YouTuber “Swagg” recommends a 50-round setup and used the weapon in a “26 Kills” Warzone victory as a secondary weapon to the Kilo 141. Here’s the link to his English YouTube video. He pulled out the ISO whenever it came to close combat and described the weapon as a “very good, solid weapon”. As a primary weapon, a stable setup with the Kilo, Grau 5.56, or even the M13 Laser is suitable.
The stock makes the MP a bit less stable than “Ace”‘s version but gets the high aiming down sights time caused by the barrel and magazine back to a comfortable level. He also relies on the “Commando Foregrip,” which helps with horizontal recoil.
If the 50 rounds in the magazine are sufficient for you, you might want to try the “Tactical Laser” instead of the “Dexterity” perk. The device works really well with the ISO, making the small weapon feel significantly more mobile. Unfortunately, the laser gives away your position when aiming down sights.
What do you think about the ISO? Does it get a spot in your “Frequently Used” category, or does it get shelved after leveling in the weapon cabinet?
