Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the thirtieth episode of my Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide.
This time, we're covering the SCAR-H.
Unlocked at level 40, the SCAR design has seen multiple outings in Call of Duty: with
the SCAR-H first seen in Modern Warfare 2, and the SCAR-L in MW3.
The FN SCAR, or Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, is a Belgian weapon,
designed and manufactured by FN Herstal.
Produced for a US SOCOM competition in 2004, FN's SCAR platform proved successful in testing
and entered into service with the US Rangers in 2009.
The rifle is offered in two key variants: the SCAR-L, or 'light', firing the NATO intermediate
cartridge; and the SCAR-H as seen in Black Ops 2, firing the NATO full-power rifle cartridge,
the 7.62 by 51 millimetre round.
The SCAR-H is a modern battle rifle, festooned with Picatinny rails to appeal to Special
Forces' need for flexibility and customisation.
In-game, damage is good, particularly for a fully automatic weapon.
You'll kill with 3 shots to the body, or two to the head - and the SCAR retains this lethality
out to quite some distance, too.
Even at the longest ranges you'll never need more than four shots to kill, and with even
a single headshot guaranteeing a 3-shot kill, you'll never be left wanting for power.
Penetration ability is good, too - above average for the assault rifles, and instead on par
with the LMGs.
Rate of fire is relatively slow, at 625 rounds per minute.
This is on the lower end for automatic weapons, and may hamper the SCAR's consistency in close
quarters.
While hipfire spread is the same as most other assault rifles, and you will only need to
land 3 shots - the lower overall output may result in a slower time to kill than a faster
firing weapon such as an SMG.
Recoil is high, with the weapon rapidly kicking upwards and to the right under automatic fire.
It can be moderated if the weapon is fired in bursts, and due to the high ranged damage
it is quite possible to use the SCAR at a distance with good fire control.
Aim time is standard for the class, at 250 milliseconds - and your mobility is as expected
too, at 95% of the base speed.
Magazine capacity is average, at 30 rounds - typical for an assault rifle.
Extended clip will take this capacity to 40 rounds instead.
Reloads are fairly average too, at 2.4 seconds to complete - slightly on the slow end for
an assault rifle, but far from inconveniently long.
Our build with the SCAR-H is all about penetration power: a class designed to maximise the SCAR's
already fearsome ability to pierce cover and quickly despatch enemies lurking behind.
To that end, our selections revolve around maximising your means of detecting enemies
behind cover - and otherwise supplying your ability to flush them out with your powerful
fire.
Our first choice is FMJ - boosting the SCAR-H's already-high ability to pierce through cover.
With it, you can land some surprising kills - the high per-shot damage pairing nicely
with automatic fire and elevated penetration ability to seek out obscured foes.
If you know there's an enemy lurking behind a wall, you'll be able to feel out their position
with automatic fire - and FMJ will let you secure the kill before they have a chance
to get away.
An alternative choice here would be the Millimetre Scanner - while sadly you cannot pair this
with FMJ, this sight will give you a fleeting glimpse of static enemies directly through
walls.
It's a trade-off, however - and while the MMS will let you put the SCAR's elevated penetration
ability to use with precision, our class is primarily built for cutting through cover
with more reckless abandon.
Spraying through walls can waste your ammunition - so our second choice helps facilitate this.
Extended clip gives you 40 rounds between reloads, and similarly extends your starting
supply - perfect for a build designed for blindfiring.
More bullets per mag also means you can endure multiple gunfights without reloading, and
the extra rounds might very well save your life.
Next up, Hardline is our first perk selection: with easier support streaks such as UAVs and
VSATs proving useful to those seeking a positional advantage.
Attain the Orbital VSAT and you can put your wall-piercing power to good use, with the
exact location of enemies highlighted in real-time on the mini-map.
Next, Perk 2 Greed lets us double up our selection from the second tier - and the first of these
two choices is Scavenger.
Shooting through walls can be a wasteful affair - so the ability to resupply is a welcome
one.
In addition to extra magazines, you'll also resupply your grenades and equipment - supporting
a class designed for extensive use of your assets at hand.
Extended Clip also comes into play here - each blue scavenger pack you collect will give
you an extra 40 rounds instead of the usual 30: increasing your supply and generally permitting
more liberal dispensation.
Our second tier two choice is Toughness: this will augment your long-range performance,
ensuring you're not knocked off your mark when tackling distant targets.
It's hard enough to wrangle the SCAR's heavy recoil, and with the lower rate of fire it
is important to land successive shots with the weapon - so this perk can quite often
make a difference in gunfights.
Our third tier choice is Engineer: for a class designed to negate the effects of cover, the
ability to see equipment through walls can be very useful.
With it, you can avoid traps and detonate them remotely - and a well placed bullet (with
an ounce of luck) can trigger an enemy's own defence and catch them in the blast.
Otherwise, the red glowing shapes will give you prime indication as to where your opponent
is holed up - and will be your cue to pepper their position with bullets to see if you
can't discover their spot without ever entering their domain.
Sometimes however, bullets just won't do the job - and so that's where your equipment selections
come in.
Possibly the best choice for tossing through windows or bouncing round corners, the frag
grenade is a versatile offering that offers explosive performance over indirect lines
of sight.
Use your grenades liberally to flush out static enemies, or to clear objectives - with scavenger
you'll regularly maintain your stock whilst on the move.
Finally, in your tactical slot we select the Sensor Grenade: a seldom-employed but uniquely
useful bit of kit that can reveal hidden enemies lurking ahead.
The sensor will mark enemies within the grenade's line of sight with a red laser, potentially
indicating foes you might have missed and preventing an untimely death.
With sufficient exposure, the enemy's exact position will be marked on your minimap, and
refreshed every second or so.
Toss a sensor ahead through a doorway or window and you'll have eyes on enemy unseen, and
the ability to engage without risking a direct approach.
Just be aware that enemies with cold blooded will not show up, so the most ardent of camper
might escape your electronic gaze.
The sensor grenade will only last a few seconds, in any case - but once spent it will explode:
dealing minor damage to enemies in the vicinity, and potentially finishing off a wounded quarry.
That's our build: one designed to cut through cover, taking advantage of the SCAR's improved
ability compared to the other automatic assault rifles.
Such power can take an unaware foe by surprise, and will erode enemy defensive positions while
minimising any risk of engagement.
The SCAR-H is a powerful automatic weapon that can prove tough to handle, but otherwise
offers deadly per-shot damage and an uncompromised ability to pierce cover.
It is its damage which proves to be the SCAR's key asset, with its consistent 3-shot kill
out to a substantial range beating most other automatic weapons.
With its LMG-grade penetration, not much of this damage is lost when shooting through
cover - and sometimes you might find yourself surprised with unexpected kills upon hapless
enemies behind your intended target.
However, you pay for this awesome damage with some serious downsides: a slower rate of fire
moderates your performance in closer quarters, while the heavy recoil demands good fire control
to remain effective at a longer distance.
This means the SCAR-H proves most effective within a relatively narrow middle-range band
- outside the reach of shotguns and SMGs, but at a distance where the recoil isn't too
hard to control.
Still, the SCAR copes relatively well out of its element, as a player with good fire
control can put the higher damage to task at almost any range.
While you might not be able to compete with SMGs up close, a slightly more cautious playstyle
will limit this weakness.
Beyond merely scratching the surface, this weapon can cut deep and tear flesh behind:
No doubt, the SCAR...
...will leave a lasting impression.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next week, when I'll be covering the RPG.
Until then, farewell.