Best SMG in Call Of Duty Black Ops 6

Here are our favourite SMG in Black Ops 6

Image credit:Activision

What are the best SMGs in Black Ops 6? Submachine Guns, better known as SMGs, are popular mainstays in the Call Of Duty series for close-range engagements. Anyone who loves a good balance between a blazing fire rate and solid mobility will find much to offer with a SMG, and Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 provides a nice selection of Submachine Guns for you to mow down the opposition with.

In this guide, we’ve divided all SMGs in the game into a tier list, based on our time playing the Black Ops 6 beta and full game. Read on for our complete rundown of the best SMG in Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 !

What is the best SMG in Black Ops 6?

The best SMG in Black Ops 6 right now is the Jackal PDW . It was the gun that dominated the meta in Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6’s beta, blasting through all other contenders with a really solid rapid fire rate. It’s not quite as over-the-top in the full release as it was in the beta, but this SMG can still run circles around opponents in most matches and is worthy of our top spot, though the Tanto .22 is a very close contender that may outclass it as Black Ops 6 continues to evolve.

Here is our tier list of SMGs in Black Ops 6:

1. Jackal PDW
2. Tanto .22
3. C9
4. KSV
5. Kompakt 92
6. PP-919

From best to worst, we’ve outlined the major details of each SMG below, with some more explanation about why we’ve ranked them as we have.

1. Jackal PDW

So good that they called it broken in the beta, the Jackal PDW’s still darn good. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Activision

As we previously stated above, the Jackal PDW kicks butt. The accuracy might be lower than the C9 and the firepower not quite as potent as the Tanto .22, but the overall handling and mobility is superior, and the Jackal PDW’s high fire rate, great time-to-kill stats, and solid range are everything you could want from an SMG.

Our Jackal PDW loadout guide has all the details on how to make the most of the best SMG in Black Ops 6. Also note that the Jackal PDW has a neat Scourge variant which is available to folks who’ve preordered Black Ops 6’s Vault Edition. Not only does the Scourge version look cool, with an eerie purple electrical veneer radiating across the gun, but it also comes with multiple attachments that you won’t need to work to unlock - letting you start outfitting this excellent weapon right away.

2. Tanto .22

Want to stop a truck in its path? Hit it with the Tanto .22. |Image credit:Activision

Some folks put the Tanto .22 ahead of the Jackal PDW, and it is somewhat up to personal preference. The Tanto .22’s firepower surpasses the Jackal PDW, but it has lesser attributes in all other areas, notably in a very slow fire rate. That said, if you prefer power that can decimate opponents in just two shots, the Tanto .22 may be the SMG for you, leaving all other contenders in the dust.

Notably, the Tanto .22 is pretty jaw-dropping if you equip it with attachments like the CHF Barrel, which will improve its headshot multiplier, and the Compensator muzzle, which helps with recoil. Your own personal playstyle as well as your accuracy with making those all-powerful shots will determine how the Tanto .22 ranks on your own personal list, but we’re putting it at number two.

3. C9

A good option for anyone who’s never dealt with SMGs before. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Activision

The C9’s got great accuracy that’s technically better than the Jackal PDW, and performs admirably out of the box, if not necessarily surpassing expectations. In all honestly, the C9 is basically the MP5 from previous Call of Duty games, so you should know what to expect if you included the MP5 in your arsenal in the past.

This gun works well as a beginner’s SMG and is great for figuring out your playstyle when it comes to Submachine Guns. It lacks the smooth-as-butter feel of the Jackal PDW and the sheer stopping power of the Tanto .22, but it still is very good. For more on outfitting the C9 and going far with what works as an excellent beginner’s SMG, see our C9 loadout guide .

4. KSV

The KSV’s awesome for an aggressive and swift operator. |Image credit:Activision

The KSV is definitely one to watch, as it’s a fast-to-aim SMG with good damage, managable recoil and a blazing time-to-kill. The mobility of this weapon is very nice, and if you’re the sort who’s keen on sprinting across the map and staying highly mobile, it’s really up to you on whether you’d rather to go with the KSV or the C9. Personally, I’ve found the C9 to be a slightly better performer at more varied ranges, and the KSV is less of an all-around reliable gun, hence its slightly lower placement. But they’re both excellent weapons, no doubt.

5. Kompakt 92

A good, speedy SMG that works well in close-range engagements. |Image credit:Activision

Nice and compact just like the name, the Kompakt 92 empties bullets at a very zippy clip. The damage isn’t anything to applaud, but the fire rate is great, and at close-range battles this is a nice SMG to have by your side, especially if you’re fond of handguns or are a highly mobile player. Pair it with a secondary gun that hits a little heavier for a nice combination.

6. PP-919

This SMG packs a lot of ammo, but it feels a bit less than the other options here. |Image credit:Activision

The PP-919 gives you tonnes of ammunition with a very welcome 64 rounds in your magazine, and the max damage range on this SMG as well as the mobility are both pretty solid. That said, the time-to-kill feels slow, and considering that there are plenty of other ways to up your ammo game in Black Ops 6, the PP-919 falls to the end of the pack.

That finishes up our guide to the best SMG in Black Ops 6. We’ve also got a list of the best Assault Rifles in the game, if that’s more your speed. While you’re at it, check out our guides to the best guns and the best loadouts , if you’d prefer a broad overview of everything Black Ops 6 has to offer. Good luck!

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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