The Russian AN-94 assault rifle has finally been introduced in Call of Duty: Warzone with the start of the fifth season. The new addition though carries little surprise since the weapon was already rumored a couple of seasons ago.
While many were hoping the new weapon to be overwhelmingly powerful, the AN-94 has proven so far to be a pretty balanced assault rifle in the game. Sitting somewhere between the M4A1 and the CR-56 AMAX for Warzone, the AN-94 offers a unique characteristic in the form of the hyper-burst feature.
The first two opening shots of the AN-94 are released in a burst with a staggering high rate of fire which tapers down for the following shots. Hence, players with trigger-discipline can potentially use the hyper-burst mechanic to increase their overall damage in Warzone by strictly firing in bursts.
Infinity Ward has claimed that the AN-94 comes with massive recoil to balance out the hyper-burst feature. The recoil pattern though is not at all hard to manage. Those who have spent time with the M4A1 and the CR-56 AMAX in Warzone will find the recoil to be fairly similar, at least similar with the correct loadout.
Primary AN-94 Loadout
Muzzle: Monolithic Suppressor
Barrel: AN-94 Factory X-438mm
Laser (Optional): Tac Laser
Optic (Optional): VLK 3.0x Optic
Underbarrel: Commando Foregrip
Ammunition: 45 / 60 Round Casket Mags
Deciding between either the optic or the laser depends on the player. Having a Tac Laser will increase the aim-down-sight speed, reduce the amount of sway when aiming down sights, and improve aim walking steadiness. Those who want to fire on target as soon as possible will naturally find great use with a Tac Laser. However, the laser will force the player to see through the default iron sight, which can take a bit of getting used to. If the player mostly plays slow and with caution, a VLK 3.0x Optic will guarantee those long-range shots with ease.
Something else that the player must decide between is the type of ammunition. The nature of Warzone warrants that players use the mags with the most bullets. Coming across multiple enemies at once, for example, means that players have a better chance with a 60-round mag because they will not have to reload often or at all in-between gunfights. However, players with great accuracy can try their luck with the lighter 45-round mag which will also increase the aim-down-sight speed for the AN-94. It all depends on the accuracy of the player.
Perks and Grenades
Perks: E.O.D., Ghost, Amped
Lethal: C4
Tactical: Heartbeat Sensor
It goes without saying that not having Ghost in Warzone is a big no. Hiding from enemy radar scans will always be useful in a battle royale with over a hundred players. Also, have E.O.D. to help mitigate explosive damage due to the RPG craze and Amped to switch weapons faster.
Lethals and Tacticals should be situational but the fact is that both C4 and Heartbeat Sensor are kind of a meta in Warzone. C4 to clear out rooms or destroy enemy-filled vehicles, and Heartbeat Sensor to detect enemies hiding around.
The AN-94 needs to be first unlocked in Call of Duty: Warzone. The new assault rifle requires players to reach Tier 31 in the current battle pass. There are also quicker ways to unlock the AN-94 but that will require a fattened wallet.
