CDL players and Ranked Play competitors have nothing to worry about, as the Season 3 Reloaded nerfs weren’t enough to topple the TAQ-56 and Vaznev-9K in Modern Warfare 2.
The M4 and ISO Hemlock briefly broke out as must-use weapons in competitive Modern Warfare 2, but the developers quickly banned both ARs. As for the SMG class, the Lachmann Sub and MP7 made a decent case but were never strong enough to overthrow the Vaznev-9K.
Season 3 nerfed the TAQ-56’s headshot damage, but it wasn’t that noticeable. The Season 2 update reduced the Vaznev-9 K’s mid to long-range damage. However, XclusiveAce revealed that the nerf was “meaningless,” and both weapons kept their throne.
Infinity Ward nerfed both weapons again in Season 3 Reloaded, but TheXclusiveAce argued it still wasn’t enough to put the two beasts down for good.
How big were the Vaznev-9K and TAQ-56 Season 3 Reloaded nerfs?
The Season 3 Reloaded weapon balancing update decreased the maximum damage range of the Vaznev-9K and TAQ-56. Without exact values in the patch notes, it was impossible to know how substantial the nerfs were.
Thankfully TheXclusiveAce did the dirty work for us and tested both weapons post-update.
First, he tested the Vaznev-9K and concluded that its maximum damage range fell from 10.2 meters to 8.7. meters.
He said: “That means that this has a slightly worse three-shot kill potential compared to the Lachmann Sub.”
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He admitted that they are effectively the same, but the Lachmann Sub now has a more forgiving three-shot kill potential if you mix in limb shots compared to the Vaznev.
So TheXclusiveAce argued that the Lachmann Sub is a little better than the Vaznev in Modern Warfare 2 on paper, but he still expects the Vaznev to come out on top when fully customized.
The YouTuber also pointed out the MP7 as another potential candidate for best SMG.
As for the TAQ 56, XclusiveAce revealed that the weapons’ maximum damage range decreased from 28.2 meters to 24.8 meters.
The YouTuber argued that it would harm the dominant AR’s three-shot kill potential, but he still expects it to be the best AR in competitive CoD.
For players wanting a major meta shakeup, it appears they will have to wait a little longer.
