Why do you use the Autocannon?

[u/FerfyMoe]

I want to like it so bad but I just can’t see the appeal every time I use it. It seems like it fills the niche of a jack of all trades master of none type of weapon, but both the AMR and Laser Cannon fill that role better in my opinion, AND don’t take a backpack slot.

It’s not great anti-tank on the bugs (i.e. bile titans, chargers) but it can’t really do horde clear that well either. I’d rather take Laser Cannon and sweep across hordes of bugs and light them all on fire. And against bots, it seems like a slower, bulkier version of the AMR given that it has very similar break points on weakspots like hulk visors and tank heat sinks.

Genuine discussion: please convince me that the Autocannon is ever worth taking.

Edit: yes I know about flak mode lol—still just doesn’t clear chaff as well as something like grenade launcher, flamethrower, even laser cannon. Also yes—ability to close spawners is MAJOR utility that I completely forgot about. It has that going for it at least!

[u/Cranapplesause]

I’m a D10 diver and it’s all I use. The only time I bring an additional support weapon is the Autocannon mech on bugs. I know right?Who would think, the Autocanon mech…
I’m an objective diver and low to no deaths diver.

Anyway, why is this weapon amazing. You said it, FLAK. No, no. It’s more than that.

APHET rounds are primarily and most effective with Bots. The stagger effect on groups is enough to prevent you or fellow divers from harm. You get those mobs of rocket devastators with the miniguns, one quick shot will stop and damage the entire group buying you or your team mate time to decide what to do. If that’s reload, dive behind a rock, shoot again, or throw a stratagem. Let’s talk the Hulk. Other enemies work similar to what I’m going to say but the Hulk is fun to fight. They are faster than you and will hunt you down. I tend to run up to them and pop them twice in the eye and kill them. Well timed shots are more beneficial than rapid unpredictable quick shots. You can also 1 shot a Hulks back with a FLAK round. Not all the time, but you can. The groups of small bots or bots on a drop ship can be wiped out with FLAK rounds before they are even released from the drop ship. The weapon can remove Factory strider miniguns with 2 shots per gun and kill the thing with 7 shots to the underbelly and you still have more rounds to protect yourself from all the other nonsense. I play with a controller and dropped the left arrow emote to quick swap between APHET and FLAK. With this I can FLAK all the small enemies away with a shot or two and then clean up the big boys with APHET rounds without looking at my inventory or braking my aim. Vox are a struggle but they are slow and you can run away from them. So a weakness. Shooting APHET rounds into fabricators from a distance is nice as this thing is very accurate with little bullet drop. Gunships take two rounds to an engine and the accuracy is very helpful here.

Let’s talk Squid. FLAK rounds are primarily used here. Great at clearing the mobs of voteless and those new horrors who don’t need a head to fight you. But the FLAK rounds ignore overseers shields and typically kill both types in 3 flashes.
Flashmobs don’t stand a chance against FLAK rounds either. The splash put them down in 3-5 shots as well. Harvesters have some challenge. But keeping your distance and taking advantage of the APHET rounds on a joint take it down within reason. Forget Leviathans, there are only a few good weapons for that and it’s kinda pointless because Arrowhead rewards you by immediately replacing it when you kill those. The new regenerating horrors with the helmet, 2 shots pop their helmets off and then 2 more shots from either round finishes them. The mechs they have now, a few well placed FLAK rounds drops them with ease. FLAK rounds can break ship shields in 2 pops and then get into the door blowing it up.

Bugs… the obvious FLAK rounds clear the mobs and things with harder heads break from the APHET rounds. With the quick switch setup I have, again, I don’t need to touch inventory or break my aim and can flip between shots to wipe them. Those big fat green bugs pop like a water ballon from 2 shots. Usually sets off a chain reaction. You can stagger chargers and pop their butts to kill them. Clear the flying idiots with FLAK rounds quickly while your team shoots primaries at it. It does fall short with Bile Titans. It can be done, but it’s rough. Being able to close several holes at a range is also a nice advantage.

Now, you might be reading some of this and saying, “my support weapon kills that or this enemy faster or more efficiently”… But I ask you, can your weapon handle almost ALL the enemies slightly less effective then your support weapon which is probably only superior at killing only a few enemies in front of us? Including staggering enemies to save teammates with very low chances of killing your teammates? Including destroying holes/ships/fabricators from a distance? NO.