Weapon Detail: Swiss K31

BULLET POINTS:

• Swiss K31 Overview
• Blueprint Review and Loadout
• Multiplayer Attachment Advice
• Zombies Attachment Advice
• Warzone Attachment Advice

With the introduction of Season Three in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone came two new weapons via the Battle Pass: the PPSh-41 (unlocked for free at Tier 15) and the Swiss K31 (unlocked for free at Tier 31). We’ve already covered the PPSh-41, so let’s get straight to the Swiss K31.

The Swiss K31 was the standard-issue rifle of the Swiss armed forces for much of the early twentieth century. Its signature straight-pull bolt-action system allows for faster and less cumbersome rechambering, resulting in a faster fire rate than other bolt-action rifles.

Here is its in-game description:

“Bolt-action sniper rifle. Improved accuracy with low recoil. Fast rechamber and aiming speed with a larger ammo capacity.”

Swiss K31 Overview

The magazine-fed, bolt-action Swiss K31 sniper rifle is designed to perform in the thick of the action. Compared to the other sniper rifles in Black Ops Cold War, the Swiss K31 has the potential to deal lighter damage but wins out in range and mobility, its speed second only to the Pelington 703.

Don’t take its damage stat too close to heart. The rifle’s excellent effective damage range is enough to take out most Multiplayer targets in two shots, and of course, one if it’s a headshot. Its rechamber speed is quick, too, at about one second between shots. Hitting your target is still crucially important, but there’s some room for error.

The Swiss K31’s solid base construction means you won’t need to make up for any specific weaknesses when building out its attachments. Of note is the 24.9” Tiger Team Barrel attachment, which offers higher damage, a faster fire rate, and greater bullet velocity at the cost of magazine and ammo capacity. This bumps up the rifle into a higher damage tier, an obvious boon across all modes.

As the latest sniper rifle to arrive in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone, the Swiss K31 delivers. And trust us, when you see its Legendary Weapon Blueprint, you’ll want to get your practice in:

Blueprint Review and Loadout

Roman Standard

The “Roman Standard” Legendary Weapon Blueprint is built for the modern-day Praetorian Guard, gilded in white, purple, and gold with lions facing down the barrel. Unlocked at Tier 100 in the Season Three Battle Pass, it features an attachment configuration perfectly suited for long-range, mobile play.

Here’s a sample loadout to use in Black Ops Cold War Multiplayer:

Primary: Roman Standard

Secondary: Go Getter Assault Rifle Blueprint (unlocked at Tier 45 of the Season Three Battle Pass)

Perks: Forward Intel, Gung-Ho, Cold Blooded

Equipment: C4, Decoy

Field Upgrade: Gas Mine

Wildcard: Law Breaker

The “Roman Standard” is built out as a classic sniper rifle, so we’re going with the Law Breaker Wildcard to balance its long-range marksmanship with the versatility and power of an assault rifle as a secondary weapon. This allows you to fight at midrange on your way to the long sniping sightlines or to defend against players flanking you.

Take C4 to protect your rear or side when you’re covering an important angle, and use the Decoy to confuse enemies into looking around as you line them up in your sights. Plant the Gas Mine near heavily used chokepoints, particularly near objectives.

Because Law Breaker lets us choose our three Perks from all categories, we’re going with one from Perk 1 and two from Perk 3:

• Perk 1: Forward Intel. When sniping, it never hurts to have a wider field of view. A bigger mini-map gives you a better overall picture of the situation, letting you plan for the best angles of attack.
• Perk 3: Gung-Ho. With this Perk, there’s no need to worry about taking fall damage when pursuing an enemy or lining up a shot. Even better, your improved weapon swap speed will come in handy against attackers rushing into close quarters.
• Perk 3: Cold Blooded. A low profile is always helpful as a sniper, and you won’t have to worry about enemy AI-controlled Scorestreaks targeting your position.

Attachment Advice for Multiplayer

You’ve got a basic idea of how the weapon works. Now let’s cover what you should consider when picking the Swiss K31’s attachments:

Optic: This depends on how you prefer to engage the enemy. In able hands, its fast handling performs well with low-zoom optics and its iron sights, while 2x through 4x zoom lenses similarly perform well in the midrange. On big maps, go even higher, as long as you’re ready to swap to your secondary weapon when the need arises. 

Muzzle: If you like a tight shot, go for something that improves idle sway control. For a low profile, go for muzzle-flash concealment. Stick to the earlier attachments unless these benefits are important to you, as later options inflict steep penalties to Aim Speed and Bullet Velocity.

Barrels: There are some great options here. The first gives a nice 25% boost to Bullet Velocity, a strong recommendation until you unlock the 23.6” Rapid Fire Barrel, improving the weapon’s rechamber speed for more aggressive play. Swiss K31 experts can greatly improve their Damage, Fire Rate, and Bullet Velocity via the final 24.9” Tiger Team attachment.

Body: This category isn’t as essential, though the SOF Target Designator grants a helpful 60% increase to reveal distances while aiming down sights, with no drawbacks.

Underbarrel: Right from the start, the Front Grip offers a powerful 30% boost to vertical and horizontal recoil control, making this a no-brainer. Bump it up to the Bipod later on at a minor sacrifice to sprint speed.

Magazine: Another strong category. Ammo capacity isn’t much of a concern with the Swiss K31, so start with Fast Mags and move up to the 7 Rnd Speed Mag and then the Vandal Speed Loader for extra ammo and rapid reloads.

Handle: The Swiss K31 snaps onto targets reasonably fast, so improvements to your Aim Down Sight (ADS) time isn’t crucial. Consider the Dropshot Wrap instead for added flinch resistance as well as the ability to keep your aim while dropping to prone.

Stock: Start with the Tactical Stock for greater mobility while aiming, and work your way up to the SAS Combat Stock for even greater aiming mobility in addition to a minor boost to your shooting move speed.

Attachment Advice for Zombies

The Swiss K31 is a great weapon choice for Zombies, especially if you’ve invested Aetherium Crystals in the Sniper Rifle weapon class. The improvements to Armor Penetration and Critical Bonus Damage allow you to punch through armored enemies and take down the health bars of even the meatiest foes. In Outbreak and round-based maps, it’s possible to upgrade your weapon tier and Pack-a-Punch into the Swiss KH3353 for nearly triple the damage before heading into further rounds.

Here are some attachment suggestions particular to Zombies:

Optic: Unless you specifically want a long-range zoom lens, you might want to swap to a lower-magnification zoom or choose iron sights, as it doesn’t take long for the horde to close in from long range.

Barrel: Deepen the Swiss K31’s role as an armor piercer with the 23.6” Cavalry Lancer Barrel for additional armor damage, or opt for the 23.6” Rapid Fire attachment for quicker follow-up shots.

Body: It’s worth increasing the Swiss K31’s Weapon Rarity level at the Arsenal, so grab the Mounted Flashlight or any other option that improves the Salvage drop rate to get you there faster.

Magazine: More ammo is always helpful in Zombies, no matter the mode. Start with the 8 Rnd and work your way up to the Vandal Speed Loader.

Attachment Advice for Warzone

In Warzone, the Swiss K31 can be used as a traditional sniper rifle, helping you scout out distant areas and cover your squadmates via a high-powered zoom, or it can be built out for fierce midrange fighting. Pair it with an assault rifle or SMG, your preference.

Optic: You can’t go wrong with a variable-zoom scope, giving you the flexibility to precisely engage enemies near and far. Consider it as you unlock a greater variety of options here.

Muzzle: Conceal your position with attachments like the Flash Hider 7.5 or Sound Moderator. Choose one of these to keep a low profile while supporting your squad with precision fire.

Rear Grip: In Warzone, the Dropshot Wrap improves flinch resistance and ADS speed, making it a valuable early pick for sharpshooters intent on staying up near the front lines.

The Swiss were onto something here. Get the Swiss K31 in your hands and dominate the opposition.

Execute the mission.

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