If you don't like reading, then here's the short version:

More reserve ammo for the AA-12, that is all.

Now, if you do want to read this, then please go right ahead. This is my side of the argument.

THE PROBLEM

With it's limited range (compared other weapons), high ROF (empties 12 round mag in 2 seconds) and relatively low damage, the AA-12 needs some sort of buff.

Its not too terrible with the Range and Damage proficiencies but those are not unlocked until ranks 23 and 28 respectively. Even with those equiped though, the gun still feels sub-par and unreliable. This means there is a lot of grinding required to make the gun even decent. I think, a fair, reasonable buff to the AA-12 would be:

- More reserve ammo: 3 extra mags (8/24 and 12/36 w/o Scavenger Pro)

The AA-12 drains the 12 round "extended mag" in under 2 seconds. You only get 12 more shells in reserve, assuming you aren't using Scavenger Pro. This means the weapon does not have any longevity. Once you're out of ammo, you either have to drop it or use Overkill. If yor are like me, and you prefer to use it full time, your only option is having Scavenger Pro, this takes up an important slot that could have:

Extreme Conditioning; very good for Run 'n' Gunners or those who have to flank or get in close to their opponents

and

Blind Eye; another good perk for either taking out air support (which is what I do) or staying invisible to them if you are more passive

Regardless, no gun should be this dependant on a perk. I'm sure most people use Scavenger with the AA-12, because it solves the ammo problem, which wouldn't be a problem if it had the more reserve ammo. However, there is still that pesky reload time. It takes 3 seconds to relaod a 8/12 shell magazine, which is a long time when you factor in how fast the gun depletes its supply of ammo. When you spend as much if not more time reloading as shooting, SoH becomes almost a neccessity, so that you can quickly have a ready magazine for the next enemy.

This brings me to my next point, that is, Specialist is a near must if you use the AA-12 as a primary. It allows you to accommodate both Scavenger (for the extra ammo) and Sleight of Hand (due to the small mag/high rof). If you don't have Scavenger, and you don't use Specialist, you can't get more than 12 kills under ideal and perfect circumstances, which is absurd, because when you consider typical online games, the AA-12 would burn through the 24 shells so quick, even an expert like myself would only be able to muster 6 kills before I ran out of ammo.

The issues stated above are have been even more prevalent since the last Title Update on January 24th 2012 because it "fixed" the extended mags "glitch" making the AA-12 nearly half as powerful as it used to be.

For those who don't know, putting extended mags on a shotgun increased the pellet count per shell by as much as 50% thus increasing firepower. I never actually knew about it while using the AA-12 pre-1/25/12, but the AA-12 was amazing with Range or Damage because of it.

Since the AA-12 is now slinging 1/2 of the lead it used to, it's essentially weaker. This means you have to shoot enemies much more than was needed before to get the kill, and this is a huge problem when you consider these three crucial things

- Low damage

- Short range

- Small magazine capacity and scarce reserve ammo (1 extra mag: 8/8 or 12/12)

The logic in the stats of the AA-12 don't add up, if the weapon was more like the Stryker in performance, maybe the low ammo count would be acceptable. It might also be ok if the AA-12 were a secondary, but this is a primary, yet it's long term success hinges entirely on the use of Scavenger, and Specialist.

MY SOLUTION

I think an appropriate buff for AA-12, in my experienced opinion, needs to be more starting ammo and a bigger magazine.

Increasing the starting ammo would eliminate the NEED to use Scavenger. This would solve the AA-12's ammo problem as well as free up the Tier 1 Perk slot for something else, but still equally useful, like Extreme Conditioning or Blind Eye.

Extreme Conditioning as I've said already, allows for greater mobility, whether you are chasing or running, it helps increase survivability It enables you to get closer, faster to your enemies and objectives. As for Blind Eye, I use Stingers to tackle air support, and Blindy Eye helps immensly.

RECAP

On behalf of all AA-12 users, we would  appreciate the following for the AA-12:

- More starting ammo (8-24 and 12-36 without Scavenger Pro)

Thank you for reading, Sincerely,

STATUS TANK

My stats:

Kills: 47'559 (37'238 with the AA-12)

K/D: 2.4 (2.51 with AA-12)

W/L: 5.40

Best killstreak: 34 (and 0 deaths on Outpost, got a MOAB too)

Best winstreak: 114

MOAB's: 26 (25 with AA-12)

Time played: 11 days and change

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My gamertag STATUS TANK

Message was edited by: 9blackguys

Message was edited by: 9blackguys