Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the thirty-fourth episode of my Black Ops weapon guide.
Spooky.
In this episode we're covering the Spectre.
It's a fully automatic weapon, unlocked at level 41.
The Spectre M4 is an Italian weapon, manufactured by SITES, or: 'Società Italiana Tecnologie
Speciali'.
It was designed in the mid 1980s, with production starting circa 1984.
A simple, robust design - the Spectre is a compact weapon offered as a cheaper alternative
for weapons such as the MP5.
To this end, it was only moderately successful - finding some use with the Swiss army, and
Italian special forces.
Its most innovative feature was its high-capacity magazine boasting higher ammunition density
than a conventional dual-stack box magazine.
In addition to the military models, there were also semi-automatic, civilian models
manufactured: the SITES 'Falcon' or 'Spectre-HC' in a pistol configuration, and the SITES 'Ranger':
a sub-carbine model.
The Spectre fires the NATO standard 9-by-19 millimetre cartridge - but more interesting
are the magazines: an unusual quad-stacked casket design, allowing for capacities up
to 50 rounds in a relatively compact - if heavy - design.
The magazines used in Black Ops are of a 30 round capacity - or 45 rounds with extended
mags.
The Spectre is a low damage SMG, killing in 4 shots even at close range.
At a distance, you'll need up to 5 shots to kill.
Like most of the low-damage SMGs, rate of fire is high: dispensing a hefty 937.5 rounds
per minute towards your opponent.
Unlike some of the weapons in its class, however - the Spectre has very controllable recoil:
it is perhaps the best-handling SMG, tied with the MAC-11, and with the exception of
the Skorpion.
Aim time is quick, like most of the SMGs: at 200 milliseconds - and the reloads, while
not the quickest in class, are reasonably nippy at 2.3 seconds.
Most of the typical SMG attachments are available for the Spectre, optical options inclusive.
The red dot sight is the same as on any other weapon, providing a clearer view on target
instead of the somewhat occlusive iron sights.
It is a noticeable improvement over the irons, which will block a large portion of your peripheral
view on target - but there are attachments that offer a more tangible benefit.
The reflex sight is the same, albeit with a different sight model.
The ACOG scope provides a zoom advantage over the other optics, at the cost of a slower
aim time and increased recoil.
While the Spectre is a low-recoil weapon, none of the SMGs are particularly well suited
to the ACOG, so I wouldn't recommend it.
Extended mags will take your usual 30-round capacity to 45 rounds total, granting you
a better ability to tackle multiple opponents at once.
With the Spectre's fast rate of fire, you can burn through standard magazines quickly
- so the extra 15 rounds can come in useful.
The Grip attachment - which presents itself as a folding stock for the Spectre - reduces
the weapon's recoil.
This is always a beneficial trait, making the weapon easier to handle and boosting your
mid to long range performance with the weapon.
If you're comfortable with the iron sights and an unsilenced weapon, then the Grip is
a great option.
Rapid Fire buffs the Spectre's fire rate to a mighty 1250 rounds per minute, improving
damage output but increasing recoil and thus impacting your mid-to-long range performance.
This elevated level of lead dispensation will prove deadly up close: but be sure to equip
both Sleight of Hand and Scavenger to keep up with the sheer number of reloads that you'll
need to perform.
Finally, the suppressor will keep you off the radar when firing your weapon, at the
cost of a portion of your effective range.
Given that the Spectre has a narrow differential between its minimum and maximum damages, the
suppressor will not harm effectiveness significantly: and thus the Spectre is an ideal weapon to
use when suppressed.
For this reason, in our build we'll be using the suppressor - for the perfect stealth SMG
loadout.
With a blend of mobility, close-range effectiveness and the ability to elude detection from radar,
killstreaks and other threats: our class will leverage the stealthier options available
in create-a-class.
Our first perk - Ghost - is the logical choice, then: denying the enemy the ability to pinpoint
your location with the Spy Plane.
This will allow you to move about the map unseen, hopefully striking an unready enemy
and moving onto another, all without detection.
Ghost Pro also confers a number of other benefits: the removal of the red name above your character,
and invisibility to any aerial killstreak.
Our second perk - Sleight of Hand - will speed up your reloads, halving downtime when inserting
a fresh magazine.
While the Spectre isn't the slowest-reloading of weapons, during close-range firefights
any time saved is worthwhile - and the pro benefit of speeding your aim time will help
you to snap onto close-range targets quickly.
Our third perk - Ninja - will muffle your movements, enhancing your stealthiness when
moving near enemies with keen hearing.
With the pro version of the perk you'll also benefit from silenced reloads, mantling and
weapon switching: you'll be completely undetectable by both sound and by radar.
For your lethal grenades, the fast throw and silent kill of the tomahawk can be useful
when you're caught up close needing a reload.
For your tactical grenades, concussion or flash grenades are probably the most useful,
tilting the odds in your favour when facing multiple opponents or when clearing rooms.
Equipment comes down to personal preference, and is not really a key part in any mobile
strategy.
Finally, as with any close-range weapon, your secondary slot is best filled with the fast-swapping
pistol of your choice.
The Spectre is arguably the most effective low damage SMG, given that it has a fast fire
rate, 30 rounds in its magazine, and low recoil.
Essentially, it behaves in a near identical way to the MAC-11: these weapons share the
same damage, fire rate, and recoil profile.
The Spectre, however, benefits from a larger magazine - one of the MAC-11's key downfalls.
The Spectre's only real drawbacks are its slower reload time - amounting to only a third
of a second difference, in exchange for 50% extra capacity in your magazines.
Like most of the fast-fire rate SMGs, the Spectre's key weakness is its lower damage,
needing up to 5 shots total to kill, and generally no fewer than 4.
This, however, is where the larger magazine and fast rate of fire come into play: while
the damage per shot may be low, the Spectre excels at directing a continuous stream of
bullets onto a target.
When paired with a suppressor it boasts ideal stealth characteristics - meaning this ghostly
submachine gun...
will haunt your opponent to their grave.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next time, when I'll be covering the Commando.
Until then, farewell.