Games

Best Weapons For Close-Quarter Combat In COD: Black Ops 6

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2025

Christoph Rediske

a collage of key art showing a soldiers wielding both a shotgun a submachine gun alongside key cover

Summary

Table of Contents

A specialized firearm at close range may be more effective than an all-rounder in Black Ops 6 with unique assault rifles, submachine guns, and shotguns.
The knife is the most devastating melee weapon in Black Ops 6, excelling in close-range combat with one-hit-ko potential.
The AS VAL assault rifle with a built-in suppressor is recommended for stealthy close-quarter engagements with high damage potential.

While it may be tempting for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 players to create a class that works well in all situations, sometimes the map design or pace of a match brings out a need to get into the thick of it. As such, a more specialized firearm at close range may prove more effective than a tried-and-true all-rounder.

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From uniquely effective assault rifles and submachine guns to takedown-worthy melee weapons and close-combat shotguns, Black Ops 6’s arsenal is varied enough to allow players of all playstyles to prosper in close-quarters firefights.

8

Knife

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Most Devastating Melee Weapon By Far

Weapon Class: Melee
Damage At Effective Range: Lethal
Fire Rate: N/A
Magazine Size: N/A

While it obviously lacks any sort of range and is best utilized when used as either a pseudo-parkour blade or a last-ditch final resort, the knife remains arguably the best weapon at close range.

Compared to the other melee weapons of Black Ops 6‘s multiplayer, it is undoubtedly the best. While the baseball bat and power drill certainly have a more dramatic flair, the one-hit-ko potential of the knife is indisputably its best feature. However, despite its devastating lethality, its lack of any range neuters its capabilities and its best use is arguably as a supplement for the other weapons on this list.

7

KSV

A Versatile Yet Effective SMG With Great Modularity

Weapon Class: Submachine Gun
Damage At Effective Range: 26.0
Fire Rate: 800 Rounds Per Minute
Magazine Size: 30 Rounds

Although many of the weapons in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6‘s varied arsenal can be devastating at their proven specialization, not all firearms can effectively cater to the changing needs of a Black Ops fan’s playstyle. As such, the KSV’s all-round versatility certainly makes it extremely effective at short range yet it can be outfitted to specialize its use for all sorts of engagement scenarios.

A decent rate of fire and a lack of any discernable core weaknesses form this seeming reputation of the KSV as a submachine gun with great modularity. While it can work at somewhat medium to longer ranges, like many of its SMG compatriots its natural habitat is at close range – where it can produce a consistent and devastating level of damage.

6

ASG-89

A Semi-Automatic Shotgun That Makes Up For Its Peers’ Shortcomings

Weapon Class: Shotgun
Damage At Effective Range: 30.0
Fire Rate: 188 Rounds Per Minute
Magazine Size: 12 Rounds

As a shotgun, the ASG-89 by design is incredibly effective in short-range gunfights and its semi-automatic firing mode is a simple counterbalance to many of its contemporaries’ hindrances.

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While other shotguns such as the pump-action Marine SP bestow the user with excellent damage potential at close range, its inconsistent damage output hinders what can be a devastating firearm. As such, with its semi-automatic fire and tightest spread of its type, the ASG-89 is not only fatal at close range but can consistently earn kills – effectively making it arguably the best shotgun in Black Ops 6‘s multiplayer arsenal as of writing.

5

C9

The MP5-Inspired SMG That Steers Away From Class & Provides Decent Range

Weapon Class: Submachine Gun
Damage At Effective Range: 26.0
Fire Rate: 732 Rounds Per Minute
Magazine Size: 30 Rounds

Although the real-life MP5 submachine gun has found its way into many video game armories, Black Ops 6′s MP5-inspired C9 strays from pigeonholing the SMG as a purely close-range firearm.

With a relatively steady fire rate when compared to its fellow SMGs, the C9 allows its user a much greater level of accuracy and bestows a jack-of-all-trades firearm to be utilized well in most engagements. Available straight out of the gate when players are initially permitted to use the create-a-class system at level 4, as such the C9 is arguably one of the accessible weapons of Black Ops 6‘s multiplayer. While certainly very capable at longer ranges, its natural placement as an SMG ensures that it decimates at close range.

4

Tanto .22

A Uniquely Slow-Firing SMG With Immense Damage Potential

Weapon Class: Submachine Gun
Damage At Effective Range: 38.0
Fire Rate: 441 Rounds Per Minute
Magazine Size: 30 Rounds

With the slowest fire rate by far when compared to any of its fellow SMGs, the Tanto .22 effectively runs counter to many of the expectations of the submachine gun class. However, with many attachments allowing for this hindrance to be countered, the Tanto .22’s extremely high damage per shot ensures that it remains “a heavy hitter up close”.

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Being unlocked at level 16, the Tanto .22 is a weapon that players will have their hands on relatively early on in their Black Ops 6 multiplayer experience. As such, especially with its versatility at longer ranges and ability to counter its most glaring weakness, the Tanto .22 is arguably not only one of the most effective close-range firearms in Black Ops 6‘s arsenal but one of the title’s most uniquely devastating weapons.

3

AS VAL

An Assault Rifle That Works Best In Stealthy Close-Quarter Engagements

Weapon Class: Assault Rifle
Damage At Effective Range: 22.0
Fire Rate: 896 Rounds Per Minute
Magazine Size: 20 Rounds

Although Black Ops 6’s close-range options are incredibly varied, the utilization of shotguns, SMGs, and melee weapons arguably dominate the close-quarters firefights of the 2024 FPS. As such, the overwhelming close-range effectiveness of the AS VAL – an assault rifle with a built-in suppressor – is a pleasantly surprising change of pace.

With its aforementioned built-in suppressor, the AS VAL allows for greater modularity with one less thing for players to worry about when choosing between Black Ops 6′s tightly wound attachment system. Although it suffers from a relatively slow rate of fire and a small magazine, even when compared to its fellow assault rifles, both of these seeming weaknesses can be countered easily with attachments. As such, in incorporating a more stealth-based playstyle and utilizing the AS VAL’s high damage, players can peek into corners and tactically eliminate enemies while using what “may just be the best weapon for close-quarters combat”.

2

Jackal PDW

A Submachine Gun That Excels At Taking Down Enemies Within Reaching Distance

Weapon Class: Submachine Gun
Damage At Effective Range: 26.0
Fire Rate: 682 Rounds Per Minute
Magazine Size: 30 Rounds

Although many of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6‘s weapons benefit from great versatility in battle, there is something to be said for a firearm that is fatally effective in certain situations. As such, when using the Jackal PDW submachine gun, it is not recommended to take on enemies at longer ranges – however, taking on close-range targets is this weapon’s bread and butter.

While it can be made more versatile should players wish, arguably the best use of Black Ops 6‘s varied attachments is to double-down on the Jackal PDW’s effectiveness in close-quarters engagements. With hard-hitting rounds and a manageable recoil, the Jackal PDW can not only win at close ranges but decimate.

1

Kompakt 92

An SMG That Takes Down Enemies With A Barrage Of Bullets At An Astonishing Rate

Weapon Class: Submachine Gun
Damage At Effective Range: 20.0
Fire Rate: 1091 Rounds Per Minute
Magazine Size: 30 Rounds

Although it may take a while to learn how to handle, the Kompakt 92 is “a standout option” for all players of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6‘s multiplayer. With a supremely strong recoil per its highest-in-class fire rate, the Kompakt 92 SMG is arguably second to none at purely putting damage downfield.

While there are a multitude of attachment options to mitigate the Kompkt 92’s arduous recoil, the best use of Black Ops 6‘s attachments is arguably going to be to increase its pitiful range if players wish to utilize it at longer ranges. However, in close-range engagements, even firing from the hip can be extremely viable when paired with an increased magazine of 60 rounds and a fire rate that empties that massive magazine in seconds flat.