Forgotten Warzone SMG with “insane” TTK is surprise meta contender

Nathan Warby
Warzone aiming weapon

The close-range meta in Warzone has been dominated by the WSP Swarm and Striker since Season 1 launched, but CoD expert WhosImmortal has revealed the “slept-on” SMG from MW2 that is actually a top-tier choice.

Warzone players have no shortage of options when it comes to weapons, especially since the Season 1 update brought the full slate of MW3 guns to Urziskatan, Vondel, and Ashika Island. Whether you prefer to pick off enemies with Sniper Rifles or mow them down with LMGs, the game has you covered.

The close-range meta has been extremely competitive, with SMGs from Modern Warfare 3 like the WSP Swarm and Striker becoming the go-to options in most matches.

However, CoD guru WhosImmortal has revealed an underrated gem from last year’s game that players just shouldn’t ignore now that the new weapons have arrived.

In his January 8 video, the YouTuber compared the Vaznev 9k to the most popular SMGs and found that it was very competitive at all ranges.

When comparing its TTK, he found that while it didn’t beat these meta options in most areas, it also never fell too far behind. He went on to mention that the Vaznev has the “easiest” recoil pattern to control so it actually has a more “insane” TTK than the stats suggest, as it’s capable of “frying” enemies even at mid-range.

The Vaznev-9k dominated Al Mazrah and Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play but has fallen out of favor in Warzone Season 1, with just a 0.06% pick rate according to WZ Ranked. That said, WhosImmortal urged players to give it a go, so check out his loadout below.

WhosImmortal’s best Vaznev-9k loadout in Warzone

  • Muzzle: Sonic Suppressor S
  • Barrel: KAS-1 254mm
  • Laser: FSS OLE-V Laser
  • Rear Grip: True-Tac Grip
  • Magazine: 45 Round Mag

WhosImmortal’s best Vaznev-9k loadout in Warzone focused on buffing the SMG’s damage range to help it thrive in mid-range encounters, with the Sonic Suppressor S and KAS-1 254mm doing just that. Then, the FSS OLE-V Laser and True-Tac Grip improve its ADS speed to ensure you land the first shot.

Finally, 45 Round Mags are essential, as they allow you to deal with multiple enemies before having to take a break and reload. With this setup, the YouTuber believes the Vaznev-9k has what to takes to rival the best guns in the game.

“It’s super reliable, super consistent, but obviously [there’s] not really much focus on it right now because it’s on olf MW2 SMG,” WhosImmortal continued. “But honestly, it’s one of the best options we have.”

For more on Warzone, check out some of our guides:

Best Warzone controller settings | Best Warzone PC settings | How to ping enemies in Warzone | How to use Proximity Chat in Warzone | How to get a nuke in Warzone | Does Warzone have crossplay? | Best Assault Rifles in Warzone | Best FOV settings for Warzone | Best audio settings for Warzone

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About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer at CharlieIntel. He’s an expert in EA Sports FC, Call of Duty, and Overwatch, as well as superhero games, including Marvel’s Spider-Man. With a master's degree in Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University, he worked as a Trainee Reporter for Derbyshire Live before moving into games media, with bylines at Dexerto, Cultured Vultures, and more. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].