Crunch Time

The M16A3 has gone back and forth with the Battlefield Community about how the weapon is overpowered and needs to be nerfed, also known as weakened or toned down. Today there is so much argument about it that you can probably go into the Battlelog forums and find no less than three threads about it in the BF3 General section. People have complained about it so much that they will disguise their posts as other questions just to bring up the M16 argument. Chances are if the thread has to do with most weapons used, being “OP”, or “noob”, then the M16 WILL be talked about.

So is the M16 overpowered and should be nerfed? A good majority will instantly say YES. No second thoughts about it. They will say how quick it kills, how accurate it is, how any low level player can use it, and how you see it everywhere, by everyone, on the battlefield. If you think it is not and try to say something about it not being that way, they then look at your stats and if it is in the top 5 of your weapons, then you just don’t want it nerfed and you are a noob and your opinion does not count. It is #2 on my stats as of this writing, by the way.

So there you have it! The weapon is overpowered and needs a nerf. Thank you for reading.

Most people that know me know that I do not approve of nerfing weapons. If something is really broke, it should be fixed, like the AUG and DART combo. That was a bug where there was a multiplier added if you used the AUG rifle and the underslung barrel with the DART attachment making the shotgun a one hit kill. It was fixed in the next patch. It wasn’t supposed to be that way and it needed a fix. That is a valid issue. Same goes for things like MAV riding, seeing the entire map with IRNV scopes, flares reloading faster on air vehicles before AA can reload, etc…

I have been playing BF3 since the Alpha and the nerfing went INSANE the first six or so months after release. At the end of the beta there were so many complaints that health was increased to weaken ALL weapons. The MK11 and UMP was nerfed bad as well. They were unusable. Then those were stabilized and the M416 was the next complaint. Then the AEK came after that. Then a buff for the G3 then the nerf for the G3. You get the idea. So the problem with nerfing is that it is a never ending circle. As soon as you lower one weapon, the community finds the next best replacement and that becomes the next nerf to achieve. It doesn’t stop.

So how good is the M16A3? Well, I think LevelCap says it best in their video:

I like LevelCap and his videos. Very down to earth kind of guy. You may be thinking, “MAN, he is TEARING IT UP! This gun does need a nerf!” That is just LevelCap though. Watch some of his other videos and it always looks that way. He is just a good player.

Anyway, for those that dont want to watch a video, the conclusion is that the M16 is a pretty awesome rifle and one of the best in Battlefield 3. The stats do not lie. It has great rate of fire ( ROF ), great ammo capacity, great control of recoil, great hip fire, great everything. I do not think it is the best weapon, but it is very close.

So why do I not want it nerfed? Well, aside from the never ending circle, it is because of something I like to call the Syndrome theory.

Syndrome was the bad guy in the move “The Incredibles” Great movie by the way. He wants to give all the non-super people his gadgets to make EVERYONE super. The reason, “”When everyone’s super, no one will be.”

DICE said in a pre-release interview how the entry level player was not going to be helpless to those that have been playing the game forever and had all their unlocks. The M16A3 is given to everyone from the start. Now it is locked for the Russian side until you rank up enough to unlock it for both factions, but the Russians have the AK47m, which beats the M16A3 in distance and power. It’s ROF is lower, but it is not a weapon to ignore. A new person to the game is going to get beat by a veteran regardless of the weapon used. That is just how it is. Those with better skill levels and learning all the in-n-outs of a game are going to beat those that are just casual at it. Same goes for other variables like the strength of the computer, the internet connection, the keyboard/mouse used. It really does affect gameplay.

So you have all these people thinking that changing one weapon will now create a “fair” battlefield for everyone, when in fact they would just be weakening it for those that are trying to start. They won’t get any better because of it because the veteran players know that the next gun in-line is the AEK/M416/M4/SCAR-L. You also see the M16 a lot because it is on the US side for everyone by default, regardless of rank, as well as being a good weapon. People also get good with it because they have been playing with it from the start.

In the end there is going to be a powerful weapon in Battlefield. Always. The M416 had that distinction at first, now it is the M16A3. It is OK that it is like that. It has been adjusted and balanced to where it is not dominate in everything. It is the #1 choice by most people, but that is how gaming is. People gravitate toward the weapons that give results with their play style. The M16 is just very well rounded and can fit a number of different styles. It doesn’t make you a noob for using it or a l33t player for not. So if you use it, great and keep on doing so, if that is what you want. If you’re not using it, that is great as well and learn how to beat the M16 at it’s own game. Leave the M16 the way it is so the vicious cycle of nerfing can stop. Let it be the rifle for all to focus on and be the “noob” weapon so that peace can stay in the Battlefield and give a new guy a chance as well.