Call of Duty Vanguard is no longer supported with additional content or significant updates, and players have largely moved on to more recent releases. Nevertheless, Vanguard's multiplayer is still available and this NZ-41 loadout is usable.
The NZ-41 wasn't the most popular weapon in Call of Duty: Vanguard – looking at you, STG-44 – but it still had plenty to offer up. The NZ-41 kicked out phenomenal firepower on a level with most LMGs in the game, but it was cursed with recoil that got worse with sustained fire, limiting its potential.
Still, fix this and it was a capable weapon and something a little off the beaten track, too. The NZ-41 is based on the Charlton Automatic Rifle, a rare-as-hell real-world weapon of which only 1,500 were ever made.
Our best Vanguard NZ-41 class was all about making you effective at mid-range. To get the best out of NZ-41, you wanted to engage in short bursts and stay on the move without getting caught out reloading.
Best Vanguard NZ-41 class
The best CoD Vanguard NZ-41 loadout was:
- Muzzle: F8 Stabilizer
- Barrel: Orbweaver 360MM BC
- Optic: G16 2.5x
- Stock: Orbweaver E Pack
- Underbarrel: Carver Foregrip
- Ammo Type: Lengthened
- Magazine: .303 British 20 Round Fast Mags
- Rear Grip: Pine Tar
- Proficiency: Frenzy
- Kit: Fully Loaded
The NZ-41 was better at mid-range than a lot of other weapons in Vanguard so it was worth enhancing this. The F8 Stabiliser became the go-to for just about every Vanguard set-up, upping the range of anything it was attached to while also bringing recoil right down.
Elsewhere, the Orbweaver 360mm BC, Carver Foregrip, and Pine Tar Grip all helped boost your recoil control and make the gun workable at medium range. You still couldn't engage at long range with the weapon, but considering the close-quarters of many Call of Duty: Vanguard maps, it wasn't much of an issue.
Elsewhere, we went for the Frenzy proficiency, which let you start regenerating health as soon as you got a kill – this was invaluable as Stims, previously a beloved accessory for the community, didn't have quite the same kick in Vanguard. This will keep you going during longer kill streaks. See also the .303 British 20-Round Fast Mags. These mags helped you reload even faster although you did have a slightly low mag capacity to compensate.
Still, Fully Loaded meant you always had a ton of bullets and could go ham in fights. If you were really having trouble staying supplied, the Scavenger perk was another good choice to turn every one of your kills into a little ammo dump for you to collect.
Finally, Lengthened increased your bullet velocity, meaning you had an easier time hitting moving targets, especially at further ranges.
Your optics choice were largely up to personal preference, with the Slate Reflector proving a popular choice for pretty much every gun. However, we had great results with the G16 2.5x which had a nice clear sight picture while the magnification freed you up to make accurate long-range shots if needed.
While it never quite cemented itself in the meta, the NZ-41 was a really fun weapon to use back in the day.