The rise of the Rampart in competitive Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

The competitive Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 season so far has been dominated by three guns: The Saug 9mm, ICR-7, and Maddox RFB. But now, another weapon has emerged as a top choice in some situations, the Rampart 17.

It’s not like the Rampart is a new weapon. It’s been in the game since launch. But this weekend at CWL Fort Worth, Luminosity’s Nicholas “Classic” DiCostanzo helped his team capture a championship by bringing the Rampart into the spotlight.

Luminosity basically became a completely different team after Classic started to use the Rampart. According to JP, the co-founder of CoDStats.gg, Luminosity had a 5-5 record in the respawn game modes at CWL Fort Worth without using the Rampart. But after Classic brought out his secret weapon, Luminosity’s respawn record with the Rampart improved to 8-1.

Additionally, JP said that Classic’s respawn kill-death ratio was a 1.17 with the Rampart—compared to a 0.82 respawn K/D with the Maddox. Other players tried to pull out the Rampart after seeing Classic play so well with it, but he seemingly had the most success with it this weekend.

But why exactly was the Rampart such a revelation? Well, for starters, it’s the strongest assault rifle in the game if you look at the damage statistic in create-a-class. The downside to this, though, is that the Rampart has a slow fire rate. So although it deals a lot of damage, you have to make sure to land your shots, since the Rampart doesn’t shoot as fast as the ICR or Maddox.

The Rampart also has relatively-low recoil, especially if you use the Grip attachment. This can help make your shot even more accurate and, in turn, can result in quick kills if your aim is on point.

Additionally, the Rampart can use the FMJ II attachment, which allows for “maximized bullet penetration through walls and objects.” Classic especially saw success on maps like Gridlock and Hacienda where you can easily wall-bang certain areas.

The Maddox is arguably still a better all-around assault rifle—but there are situations where the Rampart can excel. After watching Classic succeed with the weapon this weekend, we wouldn’t be surprised to see more of the Rampart moving forward in the competitive Black Ops 4 season.