Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the final episode of my Black Ops weapon guide.
At long last.
In this episode we're covering the G11.
It fires a 3-round burst, and is unlocked once you've purchased all of the other assault
rifles.
The G11 is a prototype German weapon, designed by Heckler und Koch.
Development started in the late 1960s, and the first prototypes emerged in 1970.
Later designs entered field testing in the 1980s, and the design was finalised in 1990.
The G11 was intended to be a highly-engineered, modern replacement for the G3 battle rifle:
a high-tech weapon fitting for a space age era.
Perhaps the most notable feature of the G11 is its use of caseless ammunition: rather
than using a brass cartridge to contain the charge, the propellant is instead moulded
around the bullet, eliminating the need for case ejection.
Such a change is fraught with engineering difficulty, however - the least of which is
heat dissipation, as the traditional brass cartridge acts as a heatsink for thermal energy
generated upon firing.
Early models were prone to ammunition cook-off: the chamber would heat up to a temperature
that would spontaneously ignite a round, resulting in uncontrollable automatic fire.
Nevertheless, the caseless concept was perfected with help from Dynamit Nobel, and after a
series of prototypes and field testing, the improved G11K2 variant went into limited production
in 1990, with 1000 units produced.
With this weapon proving significantly more effective than the now-venerable G3 in testing,
it seemed as though the G11 would be the first service rifle to use caseless ammunition.
However, the project was scuppered by the reunification of East and West Germany in
1991 - political reorganisation and a lack of funding would be the weapon's downfall.
Since the scrapping of the project, others have flirted with caseless designs: but none
have come to fruition.
Ultimately, the German Bundeswehr would replace the G3 rifle with the more traditional G36
design.
The G11's caseless ammunition was of a custom design: the 4.73-by-33 millimetre round.
Magazines are of a standard box type, and in-game hold 48 rounds total.
Damage is moderately low, with per-shot lethality on par with the low damage automatic rifles.
You'll need 3 shots to kill at close range, and 4 at a distance.
This means the per-burst lethality is, on average, lower than that of the M16, which
can potentially kill in just two shots.
The G11's rate of fire is much higher, however: firing at 1250 rounds per minute within the
burst, for a total effective sustained rate of about 525 rounds per minute.
This faster fire rate means the weapon can more effectively tackle moving targets, and
has a lower time-to-kill upon a lethal burst.
Recoil is very mild too, with the G11 able to put 3 bullets in a very small area: while
you may not be able to down a target in a single burst at long range, with such low
recoil the G11 can place multiple bursts on the same target in relatively quick succession.
Aim time is standard for the assault rifles, at 250 milliseconds - and reloads are moderately
quick, at 2.7 seconds: given the large magazine and conservative usage of ammunition, reloads
are seldom an issue with the G11.
One interesting trait is the weapon's superior hipfire performance: it boasts the highest
degree of accuracy from the hip of all assault rifles, sharing the same performance as an
SMG.
This means it is quite effective at a closer range - and while you do need an entire burst
to connect to kill, the G11 is far more likely to emerge unscathed in a close-range gunfight
than the M16.
The G11 is unusual in that it does not share any attachments with any other assault rifle;
instead, it has only two options, both of an optical ilk.
The first, the Low Power Scope, is an attachment unique to the G11 - and is based on the real
life weapon's integrated scope.
Its reticle is distinctive: an orange chevron circumscribed with circle.
Your point of aim is at the upper tip of the triangle.
It behaves in a manner similar to the ACOG scope, although you do lose all peripheral
vision, and the use of your mini-map.
The enhanced zoom is beneficial over longer sightlines - but note that the scope will
add a considerable amount of sway to the weapon, and will slightly slow your aim time, to 300
milliseconds.
It is, however, an entirely usable optic if you treat the weapon as a burst-fire marksman's
weapon - and as such is an interesting choice.
The Variable Scope behaves in exactly the same way as it does on the sniper rifles,
and provides 3 user-selectable zoom levels to suit engagements at different ranges.
Like the Low Power Scope, you lose all peripheral vision while aiming, and gain a considerable
amount of idle sway.
While the higher magnification levels do assist in first-shot precision at extreme ranges,
this attachment is perhaps best left to the sniper rifles - as the G11's reach starts
to taper off at such distances, as the recoil becomes more of a factor.
It remains a worthwhile choice in Hardcore game modes, and is still a usable optic - but
is perhaps overkill for most scenarios.
Overall, I would recommend no attachment in most cases with the G11 - the iron sights
are clear, and the retention of your peripheral vision is a useful trait.
The attachments are worth considering, however - especially on larger maps.
The Low Power Scope is my favourite of the two options, although its unique nature is
part of its appeal.
Our class with the G11 is focussed on positioning, preparation, and accuracy: the burst-fire
weapons work best when hapless enemies wander into your sights.
Our first perk enhances the odds of this happening, alongside a whole slew of other benefits.
Ghost is an eternally popular perk one choice, and with good reason: beyond not appearing
on radar, invisibility to killstreaks, infrared scopes, and the absence of a red name above
your head are all nice-to-haves.
While it's not possible to suppress the G11, using Ghost will give you a much greater degree
of control over your appearance on enemy radar: get into position under the cloak of stealth,
then lure the enemy into your firing line with the sound of gunfire.
If you're playing for high killstreaks, Hardline can be a worthwhile substitution here.
Hardened is our second perk, enhancing the G11's penetration, cutting through cover where
it interferes with your shot.
This won't affect every kill, but will result in a marginal benefit to your lethality overall:
and given that single burst lethality is critical for this weapon's advantage, this marginal
benefit becomes more important.
The SMG-grade hipfire means that Steady Aim is overkill, and the generous magazine size
and reasonable reload mean that Sleight of Hand is less beneficial, too.
In addition, the flinch-reducing benefit of Hardened Pro is very useful indeed when facing
opponents with automatic weapons: the burst weapons rely on accuracy, so having your aim
remain steady when under fire will do much to enhance your performance overall.
Similar in effect is our third perk: Tactical Mask will help ensure your aim is not only
rock-steady, but unobscured by enemy tactical grenades.
Once you've unlocked the pro variant, it's a very valuable addition to any class focussed
on precision: you can occupy a firing position with impunity in the face of an enemy assault.
For your lethal grenades, frags are the most useful in a long range class, with their ability
to bounce and roll.
For your tactical grenades, flashbangs will serve you well against aggressive enemies
as a delaying tactic, and will allow you to leverage the advantage conferred by Tac Mask
Pro.
As a passive means of defense, a Claymore is useful in your equipment slot, a means
to watch your back in cases where you can't trust your team.
Finally, your secondary weapon is a flexible choice: a pistol is a worthwhile close-range
backup, but the tight hipfire and large magazine of the G11 mean that you're not entirely reliant
on it.
The G11 is a very strong primary weapon that rewards accurate players with lightning-quick
lethality.
A well placed burst won't give your opponent any chance to fight back, and the G11's generous
magazine means you can place burst after burst downrange quickly.
A blend of beneficial traits means this weapon can be used at any range effectively - great
hipfire accuracy and low recoil means that the G11 is seldom left wanting in a firefight.
However, the G11 is subject to the usual detriment of a burst-fire weapon: you are highly reliant
on first-burst lethality to ensure you preserve your advantage.
The delay between bursts means automatic weapons have time to catch up, and could spell your
doom against a savvy foe.
Still, despite some weaknesses the G11 is still a compellingly effective primary weapon
- capable of closing out an enemy assault and deflecting entire groups of enemies from
a good position.
While the burst weapons tend to be more effective at a mid-to-long range, the G11's rate of
fire and superior hipfire round out the G11's versatility.
In most cases this caseless German rifle shines: if you're comfortable with a burst-fire weapon,
elect the G11...
...and you'll find yourself in killstreak heaven.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
That's the end of this series - apologies, of course, for the brief interruption of service
along the way which resulted in completion slightly later than scheduled.
I'll be back, in a welcome return to relevance, with Black Ops 2 content, sometime shortly
after November the 13th - the first of a new series of weapon guides should arrive a week
or so after release.
Thank you for watching, and - until then - farewell.