Merc Report - It Came From The HRG Labs

[flashn00b]

Doesn't seem like a smart idea to give the Support a dedicated melee weapon. The Blast Brawler sounds like something that should still be a Berserker weapon in some way

 

[BitmapJOE]

ngl this looks pretty good

 

[Yoshiro]

Doesn't seem like a smart idea to give the Support a dedicated melee weapon. The Blast Brawler sounds like something that should still be a Berserker weapon in some way

It isn't a melee weapon

 

[Agent Pickles]

Interesting stuff! I'm looking forward to getting my digital hands on them.

If the Brawlers are Tier 2 and have any explosive capabilities, I'd love to see them in the digital hands of the demo, too!

 

[Kmn483]

Glad to see more tank options for Swat. Still love the riot shield, and hope this goes well in the arsenal.

 

[Dudmaster]

Great to see SWAT finally getting a T5 weapon (even if it's an HRG). ONly perks that need one now is Gunslinger and Support.

 

[Aleflippy]

@Aze seems like the Phalanx inspired them ;-) While my "rework" of the Static Slingers seems to have inspired the HRG Blast Brawlers... indirectly !

(Haven't forgotten to answer you btw, but I'm currently about to have my exams...)

I dig those HRG weapons. I mean... I like a good deal of them to be fair, but the Bastion is particularly up my alley. I'm just damn glad it isn't yet another medic weapon man. I also think it's gonna make the gun one of the most unique SWAT weapons so far (along with the Riot Shield and the Nailgun). It also makes a lot of sense from a "tier" perspective. I don't really see what else it could have gotten worthy to be a T5. I would assume the gun is a mix between the Vector's rate of fire and the Riot Shield's defensiveness?

A bit more coy about the HRG Blast Brawlers, mostly because I'm not quite sure what it could bring that the double HRG Buckshots couldn't. But I guess it's just very cool to have gloves firing shotgun blasts. Sometimes it's all you need.


@flashn00b : well...The zerk now has a grand total of FOUR weapons capable of firing at longer ranges (Vlad, Teslauncher, Eviscerator, Frost Fang). I really don't see why other perks couldn't give the perk a taste of its one medicine at that point. And considering the support DOMINATES the shorter ranges, it makes sense really. (Plus it's not even a melee weapon in the end so eh)

@Agent Pickles : why would they be explosive though...? Don't get me wrong, I find the demo super fun as a perk, with tons of great and unique weapons, but I think he recently got a lot of love. He also seems to be the subject of many crossperks (just like the firebug). It's good to have some weapons tailor-made for just ONE perk.

@Dudmaster : well to be honest...What the hell would you even give to the Support?? The AA12 has pretty much been a big mean killing machine since 2009. I always thought it could totally be bumped as a T5 anyway. Only an auto shotgun that fires even faster could pretend to be above the AA12 imo.

 

[user1091]

It isn't a melee weapon

I got my hopes up for using it with melee expert for survivalist. I'm disappointed.

 

[Dudmaster]

@Aleflippy not nessacarilly a shotgun that shoots faster. I mean... look at the M32 and RPG for demo for example. RPG is capable to killing... well... just about anything in the game with 1 - 2 shots and it's only T4, while the M32 is a T5 and its niche/gimmick and have a bigger mag for crowd control capability.

It could be a modified prototype weapon with explosive rounds (or even just amped up damage) with a slightly slower fire rate like the Jackhammer or even go out of this logical world with having a shotgun that shoots lasers or something (like the Gravity Imploder for the demo* or even with this new HRG Bastion for SWAT...). Even though the AA12 is a powerhouse with its firepower, there are definitely options for T5 weapons for the Support (and even Gunslinger).

*Yes... I realized I referenced the demo a fair amount of times, but it was the first example that came to mind.

 

[DoshLoving_Deginerate]

I'm a support in killing floor 2 and I'll be honest this isn't a good idea for us that should belong to the bezerkers

 

[Aze]

@Yoshiro
Oh wow! The HRG Phalanx Bastion actually made it into the game! :O
A few notes on my idea for it:

• Remember how Commando has recoilreduction? Yeah, SWAT doesn't have that. So making the Bastion kick less would be nice
• Just wondering why you kept it with full barrel and (seemingly) assault rifle rounds? Or will it be dealing SMG damage type?
• The reload is also really slow for the Stoner, which doesn't fit so well for SWAT which generally deal the weaker SMG damage type. So, if it will deal SMG damagetype, a quickened reloadspeed would be nice too.

Also the HRG Blast Brawlers look badass! Although, I'm a little torn (mostly positive, mind you):
On the one hand, it fits really well as a shotgun kind of HRG weapon, it has a nice feel to the idea. It also seemed to have kind of integrated my HRG Cassiopeia W-pattern (or M, in this case?) for its swarm, hinted at by its "knuckle barrels", is that correct? If so, that's also cool.
On the other hand, the Static Strikers would've been a PERFECT fit for the Gunslinger's dualwielding nature! So I'm a little sad that my Static Slingers idea now seem like an impossibility (due to the HRGs not repeating for the same base weapons)

Also, got some questions for the Blast Brawlers:

• Will it need to reload like normal guns?
  • If so, will it use that animation which I suggested (the "cleanse blood" animation - because it's such a perfect fit for that)?
• Will it have a stronger bash than most other guns?

Overall though, very excited to see these and eager to test them

 

[Agent Pickles]

@Agent Pickles : why would they be explosive though...? Don't get me wrong, I find the demo super fun as a perk, with tons of great and unique weapons, but I think he recently got a lot of love. He also seems to be the subject of many crossperks (just like the firebug). It's good to have some weapons tailor-made for just ONE perk.

I have no clue why they'd be explosive. The weapon name and description includes the word "blast", which infers an explosive charge. Whether or not that blast is the one that ignites the shot or the result of the shot exploding on contact remains to be seen.

I can empathize with any player wanting a fresh new toy for a stale build. I won't be disappointed if the Brawlers wind up being a Support-only option. I don't think anything is wrong and I don't like to judge weapons until I've used them a lot. Maybe I'd hate this weapon for the Demo.

However, I feel that the Tier 2 Demo has one of the few true gaps in the game so I'm always looking to have that gap filled. Both of the Demo's T2 weapons, the C4 and M79, are longer ranged weapons because the former will hurt yourself/teammates if it detonates too closely and the latter won't detonate until a certain amount of travel. While a well placed explosion will help remove entire groups, those opportunities aren't always available or worth the cost of ammo.

And don't get me started on whether or not your flank is protected. Team coordination is rarely a guarantee and they rarely care about helping the Demo create megabooms. They want their dosh and tend to shoot at whatever mob will give them the most kills. They tend not to care if there's a zed or two in the Demo's face that prevents the long-range megaboom on a party of QPs.

Plus, both T2 weapons are overkill for early rounds (I like C4 and will even buy it off perk, but usually buy it as FPs appear). I wind up skipping T2 and saving up for T3 weapons, which is its own struggle due to the cost of HX25 ammo and the low income in team play. I wind up head popping with the pistol to thin the herd, do a little stabby stab for the weak zeds, and reserve the HX25 ammo for kneecapping the medium zeds... for as many as four rounds... which is tedium, IMHO. It isn't uncommon for me to purchase or keep a picked-up MP7 to deal with a mob at short distances, which is also lackluster.

Obviously everybody's play style varies, but that's how I've been rolling the Demo. I don't enjoy it until T3 but then I love it. That gap doesn't need to be filled by the Blast Brawlers, but a melee- to short-ranged T2 weapon would make the Demo much more fun for me. Twin HX25s, a rotating triple-barreled HX25, the Rioter Tool, shoulder-mounted batteries of micro rockets (alt-firing between instant firing of dumbfire rockets and delayed shooting/locking on to multiple targets), or a sawed-off Kaboomstick? Yes please.

 

[Aze]

@Aze seems like the Phalanx inspired them ;-) While my "rework" of the Static Slingers seems to have inspired the HRG Blast Brawlers... indirectly !

(Haven't forgotten to answer you btw, but I'm currently about to have my exams...)

I dig those HRG weapons. I mean... I like a good deal of them to be fair, but the Bastion is particularly up my alley. I'm just damn glad it isn't yet another medic weapon man. I also think it's gonna make the gun one of the most unique SWAT weapons so far (along with the Riot Shield and the Nailgun). It also makes a lot of sense from a "tier" perspective. I don't really see what else it could have gotten worthy to be a T5. I would assume the gun is a mix between the Vector's rate of fire and the Riot Shield's defensiveness?

A bit more coy about the HRG Blast Brawlers, mostly because I'm not quite sure what it could bring that the double HRG Buckshots couldn't. But I guess it's just very cool to have gloves firing shotgun blasts. Sometimes it's all you need.

Most definitely! Aside from the main gun looking mostly unchanged (whereas I changed the barrellength, among other small things), it's almost a copy+paste haha!
Oh, you had the shotgun-idea for the Statc Strikers? Sorry, I missed that. But your influence on it must've felt pretty cool, right?

(Don't worry about that, you take your time!)

How do we know it's a Tier 5 though?
I also dig it (obviously ), considering the new options it brings.

The Blast Brawlers is defo more "cuz it's cool", rather than something super-unique. But to be fair, that'd almost been the same case if they were made as the Static Slingers I suggested, just for Gunslinger instead

 

[Dudmaster]

@Aze They confirmed the HRG Bastion to be T5 on the community stream they did around the time this post went live. Didn't confirm the tier for the HRG Blast Brawlers, because Yoshiro didn't remember what they were at the time.

 

[Man Bites Dog]

Mercs,

As you are probably aware, the Horzine Research Group is always looking for new ways to repurpose existing material in “new and interesting” ways, and today they want to present some of their latest experiments that will soon be “ready” for field testing.

Their first offering is the HRG Bastion. After acquiring a Stoner LMG in a game of chance against some mercs, several of the lab coats decide to work their magic/science to improve it, and to show no hard feelings were had, they designed it with SWAT mercs in mind. To that end they modified it so SWATs could get up close and personal with it, adding a new front facing shield to mitigate damage.

This energy shield can only stay up for so long due to its power draw, so mercs will need to keep that in mind as they hold or charge into the line.

Ever the enterprising type, this next weapon answers the question of “What's more fun than shooting & punching at the same time?” The answer lies in the HRG Blast Brawlers for the Supports out there. With every swing of your fist, you’ll be sending out a scattered blast into the foes in front of you.

So next time you get surrounded, swing your way out of the thick of it, or just keep on going, because the HRG Blast Brawlers pack a punch.

Mercs who are carrying an Armory Season Pass will have several more options to choose from, and we’ll explore those in the coming days.

As a reminder: HRG weapons are free for all users, while other weapons can be obtained via the Armory Season Pass or direct individual purchase

I proposed a recoilless LMG as a Tier 5 weapon for SWAT (e.g., Ultimax 100) and this is what we get. A Stoner 63 with a paint job. How is SWAT to handle all the recoil with no designated perk for that? Reduce, reuse, recycle--refuse, recuse, revile.

 

[Kauzmiq]

Nice new content, was craving new guns to play with recently. Hope I can play with them soon.

 

[Sarcy]

Intriguing additions although the LMG effectively means the SR3-MP [the poll leader] won't make it into KF2 (maybe 3 instead?).
Reminds me somewhat of a Borderlands weapon, having run through the 3rd game recently I couldn't help but notice the similarities.

 

[Hec0v0ules]

Intriguing additions although the LMG effectively means the SR3-MP [the poll leader] won't make it into KF2 (maybe 3 instead?).
Reminds me somewhat of a Borderlands weapon, having run through the 3rd game recently I couldn't help but notice the similarities.

SR3-MP is a weapon with armor piercing effect, while HRG has shield ability, so it may have nothing to do with SR3-MP.

But it's hard to say. It takes a certain period to make weapons, and many updated contents need to be planned and made in advance.

The voting content is between the spring update and the summer update; This means that the content of the vote may not be available until at least Halloween.

If TWI has planned a year's update in advance, then the voting content is estimated to be realized next year, unless TWI changes the plan in advance.

 

[GoldenCreamSoda]

The weapon skin for this game seem to be a fairly interesting concept. I don't think that the white skin around the weapons really match well, but it is an interesting idea and I can see potential in the HRG weapons skin being black and matching with The Horzine Security Outfit.