On several occasions, Light Machine Guns (LMG) are overlooked in favour of more mobile offerings despite possessing incredibly high levels of damage. In Vanguard, it's the same for multiplayer. As Season 4 progresses, there are a wealth of new guns and weapons available through the Battle Pass or by completing challenges. One of the new guns is the UGM-8.
In addition to the arrival of Butcher as a playable Operator, the UGM-8 second LMG to arrive as part of post-launch content. The gun joins the Whitley in the LMG category that continues to expand despite being one of the least popular.
Featuring a lightweight design, the UGM-8 comes with a high rate of fire along with surprisingly high mobility levels making it a viable option in mid-range combat. With that said, find the best UGM-8 Vanguard loadout along with the best combination of attachments in this guide.
What Is The Best UGM-8 Vanguard Loadout?
| Attachment | Name |
|---|---|
| Muzzle | Recoil Booster |
| Barrel | Bernard XL214 736mm |
| Optic | Slate Reflector |
| Stock | Bernard Forte VII |
| Underbarrel | M1941 Hand Stop |
| Magazine | 7.62x54mmr 100 Round Box |
| Ammo Type | FMJ Rounds |
| Rear Grip | Fabric Grip |
| Proficiency | Tight Grip |
| Kit | Fully Loaded |
In the early stages of Season 4, we've had plenty of success with this particular combination of attachments.
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Despite a slight decrease in speed, the stability combined with what feels like an unlimited supply of ammunition makes the UGM-8 the perfect weapon to lock down open areas of the map.
How to Unlock UGM-8 LMG
The UGM-8 is one of two weapons that features in the Season 4 Battle Pass. to unlock it, simply reach Tier 31 by playing the game.
To unlock the LMG as fast as possible, you can purchase the Premium Battle Pass bundle which contains 25 Tier Skips for a headstart. You can also use a Double Battle Pass XP Token to work through the tiers quickly and unlock the LMG that could spice up the meta.
click to enlargeBest UGM-8 Vanguard Attachments
After some testing, we've found a solid set of attachments capable of dealing huge amounts of damage over the course of a match. Here's the best attachments to use on the UGM-8:
- Muzzle: Recoil Booster
- Barrel: Bernard XL214 736mm
- Optic: Slate Reflector
- Stock: Bernard Forte VII
- Underbarrel: M1941 Hand Stop
- Magazine: 7.62x54MMR 100 Round Box
- Ammo Type: FMJ Rounds
- Rear Grip: Fabric Grip
- Proficiency: Tight Grip
- Kit: Fully Loaded
Although this set of attachments doesn't improve mobility levels, it does provide increases in firepower, accuracy, and ammunition capacity which is ideal for the larger multiplayer maps.
The Recoil Booster increases the UGM-8's rate of fire while the Bernard barrel reduces flinch and improves recoil. The remaining attachments focus on maintaining low recoil with the 100-round magazine guaranteeing you never run out of bullets in crucial gunfights.
Best UGM-8 Vanguard Perks and Equipment
Along with the best UGM-8 Vanguard attachments, we can choose our Perks and Equipment for some additional firepower. Here's what we recommend using alongside the UGM-8.
Perks
- Fortified (Perk 1)
- Ghost (Perk 2)
- Lightweight (Perk 3)
Fortified increases your resistance to any incoming explosives while Ghost conceals your location from any enemy Spy Planes patrolling the skies. Just make sure you're moving to use Ghost to your advantage.
Last and by no means least is Lightweight. The increase in movement speed complements the lightweight design of the UGM-8, allowing you to maximise mobility and content in gunfights where an LMG would usually let you down.
Equipment
- Gammon Bomb (Lethal)
- Smoke Grenade (Tactical)
Gammon Bombs are perfect for those that love to run and gun the opposition as they explode as soon as they hit an object. Use them to decimate a nearby enemy or use it to deal some additional damage before using the UGM-8 to score some quick and easy eliminations.
The Smoke Grenade is just as useful. Whether it's used for improvised cover or to lure some unsuspecting players into a false sense of security, you can achieve great success with some well-placed smokes.
Is The UGM-8 Good In Vanguard?
After giving the UGM-8 a test drive across multiple maps and game modes, the LMG is certainly a strong option to use in Vanguard. The fast rate of fire combined with minimal recoil allows you to patrol open areas of the map with ease but in close-quarters scenarios, there are better options to rely on.
That's all there is to know about the best UGM-8 Vanguard loadout. For more, check out our page for the latest news, leaks, and guides.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Call of Duty: Vanguard and Guides page.