Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the fifth episode of my Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide.
This time, we're covering the Remington 870 MCS.
Black Ops 2 marks the Remington's debut in Call of Duty - a pump-action weapon similar
in role to the Stakeout in Black Ops.
The Remington 870 MCS - or Modular Combat Shotgun - is an American weapon, with the
original 870 design dating to 1951.
It is Remington's flagship shotgun, and holds the record for the best-selling shotgun in
history.
The MCS configuration is a more recent introduction, with the first such systems delivered in 2004.
Intended for military use, the MCS has the basic 870 action at its core - but comes with
number of configuration options to help fit any role.
With the option of 3 barrel lengths, a pistol grip, fixed or adjustable stock, amongst a
whole host of other options - the MCS is a versatile platform, capable of firing a wide
variety of 12 gauge cartridges.
In-game, the Remington is a high damage shotgun - easily capable of one-shot kills at a close
range.
This damage quickly falls off, however - after just a few metres you'll find opponents need
multiple shots to kill, and beyond that your pellets will fail to find their mark altogether.
Shotguns trade long range utility for one-shot power, so you should seek to engage enemies
at a close a range as possible.
This one-shot potential is particularly important considering the Remington's very slow rate
of fire - the pump-action requires a new round to be manually rechambered for every shot
fired, limiting your output to just 80 rounds per minute.
Hipfire spread is moderate - and with greater divergence than in previous titles, resulting
in somewhat inconsistent performance from the hip.
Aiming down your sights now confers a significant narrowing of pellet spread: so for consistent
kills towards the edge of your effective range, it is definitely best to aim.
Thanks to the slow rate of fire, recoil isn't a factor: your aim will recentre long before
the next round is ready to fire.
Aim time is the same as the assault rifles, at 250 milliseconds: and movement speed is
the same too, at 95 percent of the maximum base speed.
Magazine capacity is the lowest within the shotgun category, at 8 rounds - although the
slow rate of fire will help prolong this.
Extended Clip will take this to 11 rounds instead - although this attachment is less
useful for the Remington, as reloads are conducted shell-by-shell.
It takes 0.92 seconds for the first shell to insert, and 0.52 seconds for every subsequent
one - this means a complete reload is a lengthy procedure, but quick partial top-ups can be
done within a few seconds.
It is a good habit to keep the tube topped up, then - should you run into a larger group
of unaware opponents, it is best to have as many rounds at your disposal as possible.
Our build with the Remington is a perk-heavy one, focussed on making the shotgun easier
to use.
Closing the gap between you and your opponent is essential due to the weapon's limited range
- as is avoiding detection, to enhance the ever-important element of surprise.
First up, the Long Barrel attachment will confer a 15% range increase to your weapon.
This is particularly important for shotguns, as outside of your effective range you'll
do no damage at all - so the long barrel attachment will allow you to tackle targets further away.
It will also boost your one-shot potential within this effective range: and given the
Remington's slow rate of fire, this is a huge advantage.
Second up, the laser sight will improve your hipfire performance - and, in the case of
the shotguns, will greatly improve your one-shot potential when firing from the hip.
For the tightest pellet spread, you will still need to aim down your sights: but in close-quarter
gunfights, you might not always have sufficient time.
The laser sight grants reasonably consistent performance for most of your weapon's range,
very useful should you run into someone unexpectedly.
For our perk selection, we'll be running four across two tiers, making good use of the perk
greed wildcards.
Perk 1 Greed is the first, allowing us to take two options from tier 1 - a blend of
mobility and stealth.
Lightweight is our first perk in this tier, boosting movement speed by seven percent and
eliminating fall damage.
This will result in you being able to get closer to your enemy - and may well mean the
difference between winning and losing a close-range gunfight.
Ghost is our second tier one choice - and will prevent you from appearing on radar when
the enemy have a UAV in the sky.
This will mean you can slip through the enemy's defences to strike them in the rear or flank
- and although your weapon isn't suppressed, by the time you fire it should be too late
for your unsuspecting opponents.
This benefit is only active while on the move, but with the shotguns you should stay mobile
to keep your enemy guessing.
We skip over the tier two perks, instead opting for two from tier 3 with the Perk 3 Greed
wildcard.
Our first choice here is Dexterity - granting a faster sprint recovery and an ability to
climb more quickly.
Both are useful with the shotguns - you'll be able to fire more quickly while running
near an enemy, and will be less likely to be caught off guard while mantling through
windows or other obstacles.
Our final perk choice - Dead Silence - ties into the stealth aspects of our build, and
helps to increase the odds of surprising attentive foes.
While footsteps are subtle cues, Dead Silence will remove other aspects of your auditory
signature, such as call-outs and reloads: leaving your enemy entirely unaware while
you creep up behind them.
Finally, a pistol in your secondary slot is a concession to the shotgun's limited range:
sometimes you will be forced into gunfights outside a comfortable distance, and a pistol
such as the Five-Seven may be a saving grace in such cases.
It will also serve as a backup in those cases where your Remington requires a reload - the
8 round tube mag is slow to deplete, but slower yet to refill.
That wraps up our build: a gun-centric loadout light on grenades or tactical equipment, but
big on manoeuvrability and one-shot power.
Good map knowledge is essential when using the shotguns - your goal should be to hit
your enemy from an unexpected angle: strike from behind and force foes with long-range
weapons into uncomfortable closer quarters.
Stick to interior locations, and avoid sprinting through tighter spaces: instead keep your
gun ready to preserve your time-to-kill advantage.
When forced to traverse open areas, it's best to take it quickly: sprint via the shortest
route to a covered location, to minimise the time you spend exposed.
With crafty routes you can evade your enemy's sights, and leverage the shotgun's fearsome
power.
The Remington 870 MCS is a potent shotgun with a significant one-shot kill range.
Only the KSG can reach further, but the Remington has the advantage of firing multiple pellets,
reducing the need for precision aiming.
This shot spread is useful in close-quarter situations, allowing snap shots from the hip
to instantly kill, and denying the enemy a chance to fire back.
Of course, you can't always guarantee close quarter gunfights - and outside of a short
range you will be very vulnerable.
Random shot spread means hipfire can sometimes be inconsistent, too - and the slow rate of
fire means that you quickly lose your time-to-kill advantage when your first shot fails to kill.
Still, not even the SMGs can compete with a well-placed hail of buckshot at a close
range.
So, if one-shot lethality and fast-paced gameplay is your thing, get close with the Remington...
...and pump some action into your performance.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next week, when I'll be covering the next assault rifle: the Type 25.
Until then, farewell.