Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Ranked Play continues the franchise’s tradition of having the competitive mode follow the official Call of Duty League ruleset. Essentially, this means that players within the mode will notice a laundry list of weapons and attachments, including all silencers and shotguns being banned from use. In turn, you’ll likely find yourself trying out weapons you haven’t used before, but there is a small number of guns we believe will push you to your next rank in no time.
3-Line Rifle
Thanks to Season Two’s initial patch, the 3-Line Rifle has become the clear pick for the best sniper rifle with its newly rapid ADS time. As Ranked Play bans AR and SMG underbarrels that lend bonus damage, the 3-Line Rifle has an even greater chance here of beating out automatic weapons in heated firefights. Players thinking about creating a loadout with it should look into equipping its Kovalevskaya 820mm barrel. The attachment lends a larger one-hit-kill area and surprisingly isn’t banned — at least not yet.
Bar
As long it is given attachments that lessen its high recoil, the Bar is a perfect weapon choice when you want a weapon that thrives in the medium-range combat in CDL Search and Destroy. It isn’t as accurate as the STG44, but expect to see faster kills when firing at enemies from a distance. We recommend that you combine it with the CGC 27 barrel, as the attachment significantly increases its damage range and accuracy.
Cooper Carbine
Thankfully, Ranked Play does not restrict players from ADS-centric attachments — add-ons that make the Cooper Carbine a mean S-tier powerhouse. The tiny assault rifle can be most dominant in CDL Hardpoint, as its close-range abilities can prevent incoming teams from taking over an objective. This is especially true when it is paired with the 9mm 60 Round Drum magazine, as it provides boosts to the gun’s fire rate and ADS time.
Katana
A bulk of Vanguard’s perks are banned in Ranked Play, but Lightweight is not one of them. As frustrating as opponents may find it, one of the best classes you can make in the mode is a melee-focused class that combines Lightweight’s bonus movement speed with something like the Katana. Players may even find it beneficial to have the Ninja perk applied, too, which mutes all noises made by footsteps.
STG44
Even with the attachment restrictions, the STG44 still reigns supreme in the competitive mode — and is likely the best choice out of them all. That being said, players shouldn’t expect its maximum damage rate to be as high as it is in traditional multiplayer, with most of its large, powerful magazines being restricted. No matter, with its VDD 320mm barrel, the STG44 continues to be an excellent close-range weapon.
Volkssturmgewehr
The Volk is one of the few ARs in Ranked Play capable of giving gunners both a massive dose of movement and medium-range power. It may go without saying, but the weapon is spectacular in the CDL Control mode. Within it, Volk users can swiftly dash from one objective to another, while also being able to defend with ease. If you’re considering the weapon, be sure to apply the VDD 287mm barrel, as it raises both your movement and sprint-to-fire speeds.
Welgun
As much as we adore the MP-40, the Welgun is debatably better for winning and ranking up. The reason is that the SMG is probably the best gun to have when inside of and defending an objective. Although most opponents may rock other SMGs, the Welgun is actually the most damaging of the bunch and accurate enough to end multiple enemies with just one magazine.
