Inside the Firing Range: A Guide to the Weapons of Titanfall

After months of anticipation, “Titanfall” has finally landed on Xbox One. As is the case with any first-person shooter, it pays to not only know what type of player you want to be or what role you want to fill, but also to be familiar with the tools at your disposal. The weapons in “Titanfall” are varied and can be used in a number of roles and situations, so we thought it might be helpful to share our thoughts on each of them now that we’ve hit level 44 and unlocked them all. As each and every one of us plays differently, keep in mind that these are just some thoughts on our favorite loadouts and features.

Pilot Weapons

R-101C Carbine– As mentioned in our interview with weapons designer Ryan Lastimosa during the beta, the R-101C is a workhorse assault rifle that offers players wielding it the flexibility to solidly play long and short ranges, as well as everything in between.

Our Favorite Loadout: Holosight, Extended Magazine



REVA-8 Shotgun
Ahhh, the shotgun. Like most games, “Titanfall” features a shotgun that’s an absolute beast at close range. Perfect for games like Hardpoint and Capture the Flag, where defending is just as important as attacking.

Our Favorite Loadout: Leadwall



Smart Pistol MK5
Easily the most divisive of the game’s weapons, the MK5 allows Pilots to lock on to nearby enemies and kill them with a few shots. Some might say it makes the game too easy. However, since it takes a few moments to lock on the requisite three shots to take down a Pilot, one could argue that those Pilots probably shouldn’t have spent so much time in one place. Just sayin’.

Our Favorite Loadout: Enhanced Targeting



R-97 Compact SMG
The first weapon you’ll unlock in “Titanfall” is this nasty little number, which spits out hot lead fast enough to clear a Hardpoint in seconds. This submachine gun is perfect for the Pilot that wants to get in and out of hotspots quickly and without stopping to aim.

Our Favorite Loadout: HCOG, Scatterfire



Longbow-DMR Sniper
When you hit level 9, you’ll finally unlock the first of two sniper rifles in “Titanfall.” The Longbow has a high enough rate of fire (slow, compared to “wicked slow” for the Kraber) that you can take down a target with a follow-up shot if you need to, but it should still only be used on the largest maps.

Our Favorite Loadout: 4.5X Zoom Scope, Stabilizer



G2A4 Rifle
Although it’s one of the most challenging weapons in the game to wield successfully, this single-shot, semi-automatic rifle is extremely satisfying to master once you get the hang of it. The key to staying alive and racking up the kills is staying out of close quarters situations and keeping some range between you and your foe.

Our Favorite Loadout: Holosight, Match Trigger



Hemlok BF-R
While it might not for everyone due to the fact it fire three shot burst rather allowing players to lay on the trigger, the Hemlok is a very powerful tool in the right hands. The short bursts ensure there isn’t too much kick, making it much easier to control in those moments when every bullet counts.

Our Favorite Loadout: Holosight, Starburst



C.A.R SMG
The second submachine gun you’ll unlock is the more powerful, more accurate cousin to the R-97. Because of its noticeably lower rate of fire, the C.A.R. almost feels like an underpowered assault rifle. Whatever it is, we like it.

Our Favorite Loadout: HCOG, Counterweight



Spitfire LMG
When you want to settle down and mow down some enemies, the Spitfire’s your best bet. It can be a bit challenging to use traditionally thanks to the frenetic pace of “Titanfall”, where staying in one place for too long is liable to get you a broken neck. Still, it tough to beat it in games of Capture the Flag when you want to lay back and defend. 

Our Favorite Loadout: HCOG, Slammer



Kraber-AP Sniper
The Kraber can kill a target with a single shot, but it can be tough to hit fast-moving Pilots and the low fire rate makes follow-up shots a challenge if you miss. Luckily for us, Respawn was gracious in allowing decent players to unlock everything for the Kraber in just a few rounds, mainly by mopping up on Grunts and Spectres.

Our Favorite Loadout: 4.5X Zoom Scope, Stabilizer

Anti-Titan Weapons



Sidewinder
Firing out a swarm of micro-missiles at your foe, the Sidewinder is a great weapon for those scary moments as a Pilot when you come face to face with an enemy Titan. Because the Sidewinder’s spread is so large, unloading from as close as possible is the way to go.



Charge Rifle
Similar to the Spartan Laser in “Halo” series, the Charge Rifle requires Pilots to hold down the trigger until the charge is fully built up, at which point it will auto-fire. This make it perfect for those Pilots who like to start charging, pop out of cover, fire, and disappear.



Mag Launcher
Respawn has proven that they know how magnets work with fun little toy, which fires magnetic grenades that, perhaps not surprisingly, work really well against giant metal Titans. Just fire a few barrages in the general vicinity of a Titan and watch the fireworks as they find their target.



Archer Heavy Rocket
Once you lock on to a target with the Archer, you’ll fire a powerful homing rocket that will follow your enemy and do a nice bit of damage upon impact. It pays to have Cloak enabled, as focusing on a Titan long enough to lock will leave you exposed to enemy Pilots.

Titan Weapons



40mm Cannon
If you like to hang back a little bit during rousing rounds of Last Titan Standing, the 40mm is the perfect weapon for you. As if firing a high-explosive round isn’t enough, the 40mm also offers very high accuracy for medium- and even long-range combat.



Quad Rocket
Quick, guess how many rockets this bad boy fires? If you guessed four, you win a gold star! Firing a wide swirl of rockets at enemies, the Quad is a great choice for Titan battles in close quarters or narrow alleys and roads.



XO-16 Chaingun
Like the R101C, the Chaingun is a workhorse on the battlefield, as it allows careful Pilots to keep distance between them and their foes by whittling down enemies’ shields before they can get close enough to do serious damage. For those players that like to spray and pray, the Accelerator mod will make the XO-16 spit out lead faster the longer you hold the trigger down.



Plasma Railgun
Slinging a long range blast of deadly plasma, the Railgun is an absolutely deadly weapon in the right hands. The fully charged shot can instantly knock down a Titan’s shields and is well worth the time it takes to builds up. Better yet, unlock the Instant Shot mod to fire much more quickly, albeit with less potential damage.



Arc Cannon
There’s a reason your mother always warned you about putting stuff in electrical outlets: electricity kills. This is made clear the first time you take down an enemy with the Arc Cannon. A single blast of lighting can chain across multiple enemies, making it a great choice for smaller maps. Try it on a gaggle of grunts for a messy surprise!



Triple Threat
If you ever need to clear out an entire room or hallway, the Triple Threat is your best option. Firing three grenades at a time, this launcher can be used to pepper the entire map to maximize chaos or to surgically wipe a Hardpoint clean of your enemies. Best of all, the grenades explode on impact when they hit metal, making this a great close range weapon.