Heres the problem with that the average marine is a scared little bitch nowadays that won't push for shit and will FF you at every chance. Buckshot Shotgun gives you a chance of 1v1ing a Xeno and at this point in the game, combat has devolved to trying to 1v1 a Xeno while avoiding other marines. Plus bad Xenos(like 80% of them at this point) who don't know how to counter this will literary run away from you. I 've broken through through the cave chokepoints on LV and Big Red multiple times just by running at Xenos with a shotgun and them running away.
Unfortunately, overwhelming firepower isn't killing xenos in the half a second it takes for them retreat off your screen. You and your fellow marines can chase, of course, but that leaves you very open to wonderful things like getting shot in the back, set on fire by a flamer, hit by HEFA shrapnel and/or abandoned by your fellow marines when you are trivially recoverable, and most of these things only require one of the marines with you to be lacking in the IQ department.
So long as your fellow marine is more of a threat to your life than most xenos, any competent marine will prefer to take their chances dancing the M37 tango than relying on 4 other ungas rubbing their braincells together in synchronicity, even if a coordinated advancing gunline is theoretically superior in the best case.
I will say that the L42 seems a little better now. I like to take it as squad lead with a B8 smart scope, and a MOU53 in my suit slot with lots of flechette shells and some slugs. Makes you a threat to all types of xenos, you use the B8 when in a tight formation and the MOU53 when you are on the front or flanks of your squad.
L42 is good against softer xenos like runners, lurkers, ravagers, and warriors, while the MOU53 is for shitting on praetorians, crushers, queens, and defenders. And t1s/t2s that get out of position.
I've found the L42 to be good for scaring Xenos if running stockless. If the fire-rate was improved, it'd actually secure kills. Had a round where I was shooting a resting burrower and he had time to get up and flee with me still hitting him. This was with AP rounds.
M39 is my favorite now. I use it like a pulse rifle that you can pursue with wielded and still have good speed.
L42A I felt was underrated before but the buff makes it a lot easier to say it's a good choice, you cant 1v1 with it but you can easily contribute in a fight behind crowded cades and keep yourself out of danger from friendly fire.
Last edited by CS190; 02-27-2020 at 11:46 AM.