Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the nineteenth episode of my Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide.
This time, we're covering the Vector K10.
A modern SMG design, first seen in Modern Warfare 2 and unlocked at level 16 in Black
Ops 2 multiplayer.
The Vector K10 is an American weapon, manufactured by Kriss USA.
The original Vector was introduced in 2006, and the K10 variant in 2011 - although the
in-game model does seem to reflect the earlier design.
The Vector SMG is based around a unique recoil reducing action, the KRISS Super V System.
Despite being chambered for the powerful .45 ACP cartridge, muzzle climb is kept to a minimum,
as the force of the recoil is diverted to counteract any alteration in aim.
The net result is a powerful weapon, that despite having a high cyclic rate can remain
stable under automatic fire.
In-game however, damage is low: you'll need 4 shots to kill up close, or 3 where one shot
is a headshot.
The Vector's paltry range means your damage quickly evaporates at a middle distance, where
you'll need 6 shots to kill - damage is not this weapon's strongest suit.
Penetration is also low, as with most of the SMGs.
The Vector's rate of fire is an asset, however - with the weapon spewing up to 940 rounds
per minute towards your target.
Rapid fire takes this to 1250 rounds per minute, although this comes at the cost of increased
recoil, decreased range - and worse hipfire spread.
Unusually, the select-fire mode on the Vector will fire two rounds per burst instead of
3, and will do so with a favourable fire rate and surprising accuracy.
Of course, the low damage means you'll need at least two bursts to kill - so automatic
fire might be better suited for most.
Hipfire performance is on par with the other SMGs, proving particularly formidable even
without the laser sight.
Few weapons can compete with the Vector's output at a close range.
Recoil is moderate but manageable - despite its recoil-mitigating technology, you may
have some issues tackling targets at a long range.
Although it is the lack of damage that generally proves more bothersome than any handling trait.
Aim time is quick, at just 200 milliseconds - and movement speeds are top-tier, at 100
percent.
Magazine capacity is good, although four rounds shy of the MP7, at 36 rounds.
This is more than enough for most engagements, and will even prove sufficient when tackling
two or more enemies in most cases.
Extended clip takes this to 48 rounds total, and will extend your supply accordingly - and
reloads are sufficiently quick, at just 2 seconds for a tactical reload.
Our class with the Vector K10 is a pure stealth one - designed to get close and destroy the
opposition without them ever knowing you were there.
Avoiding detection is our build intent, and a near essential point spend for any such
class is the Suppressor - this will prevent you from showing on radar when you fire, essential
in cases where you don't want to reveal your position through aggressive acts.
It will decrease your effective range, and slightly increase recoil - but the Vector's
damage differential is relatively slight, and so your performance won't be harmed too
greatly.
Staying off radar is a huge advantage by comparison, and will allow you to eliminate enemies quietly
without attracting any undue attention from their nearby friends.
This radar advantage goes out the window should your opponent attain a UAV however - so our
second point spend is another stealth stalwart that should help in such cases.
Ghost will make you largely invisible to enemy UAVs, with the proviso that you must remain
on the move.
With a mobile SMG, this is seldom an issue - and so Ghost will help baffle your opponent
by concealing your position.
Cold Blooded as your second tier choice will also afford you some protection against detection
- a better ability to lurk in dark corners your reward for equipping this perk.
Of course, your opponent will still be able to see you - but the removal of your red name,
and your enemy's electronic targeting assistance, might buy you time sufficient to swing more
gunfights in your favour.
Next up, we'll be taking two tier three perks courtesy of the Perk 3 Greed Wildcard.
Dead Silence is the first of our two choices, and although regarded as less than useful,
it will nonetheless increase your stealth potential.
Silencing your footsteps and preventing your character from calling out your reloads will
prevent enemies with a keen ear from isolating your position.
For a pure stealth class, this can be a very useful trait.
Next up in the third tier is Engineer - traipsing through enemy territory unseen is not without
peril, as entrenched enemies will use their equipment to guard their backs.
Engineer will highlight such defences, allowing you to safely avoid or eliminate the enemy
lurking behind.
It's worth noting that this perk will also delay the detonation of Bouncing Betties and
Claymores, allowing you to run straight past without injury in most cases.
Shock Charges are another matter, however - and at times where you might need to clear
a path through such threats, a single EMP Grenade comes in useful.
When you spy tight constellations of red glowing objects, toss your EMP ahead for a cavalcade
of free points - and to add insult to injury, eliminate the disorientated defender to further
add to your streak.
Our final two points are spent on a secondary and an attachment - fast switching weapons
such as the pistols are a worthy backup for any aggressive class, and applying the suppressor
to it will help ensure that you won't break stealth should you need to employ your backup.
The Suppressed KAP-40 was my choice, a good weapon in its own right, with similar traits
to the Vector itself.
It serves as both fast-reacting insurance against unexpected attacks when your Vector
is unready, and also as a fallback weapon for when your primary is left dry - the KAP-40
will let you carry on while you search for a suitable replacement to continue your streak.
That's our build - one that embraces a total stealth mentality, designed to operate unseen
behind enemy lines, and devastate unready foes.
Such a style of play requires a certain degree of caution - you might be off-radar, but tackling
the enemy head-on will erode any advantage.
Instead, taking the less-obvious routes and proceeding with care will yield the best results
- tease out single opponents rather than tackling multiple foes, and change up your location
often.
With careful positioning and crafty anticipation of your enemy's movements, you can silently
harvest your scorestreaks, and leave your opponent wondering where you'll strike from
next.
The Vector K10 is a weapon with balanced traits that performs very well in close-quarter gunfights.
It combines a rapid rate of fire with consistent handling, for more reliable performance than
most other weapons within its effective range.
While some weapons might have the edge in damage up-close, few will perform as reliably
from the hip as a fast-firing weapon such as the Vector.
Outside of a close-range, however, the Vector starts to lose its charm - its meagre range
and moderate recoil will conspire to severely hamper your performance from a middle range
out.
You might find tackling groups of enemies challenging, too - with a large number of
shots required to kill, it can be difficult to direct your fire in time to repel three
determined attackers.
Still, within a stealth role you should be seeking single, unprepared foes only - and
it is rarer that you'll run into larger clusters of enemies if you maintain a degree of caution.
With a suppressor, the Vector is an ideal stealth SMG - with consistent damage and reliable
close-quarter performance, it is not a weapon that will fail you unexpectedly.
Get your bearings with this weapon, plot a vector through uncharted domain...
...and navigate your way to success.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next week, when I'll be covering the B23R.
Until then, farewell.