SMGs/PDWs

Personal Defence Weapons, sometimes called sub-machine guns, fall between pistols and rifles. They are classified as handguns in the game, and they utilise the handgun skill. However a PDW has to be used with both hands, just like a rifle.

PDWs are designed to be light and have a high damage potential in burst fire mode. The downside is that the range in aimed mode is significantly less than that of human assault rifles. A PDW has a reload time of 2-2.5 seconds, more than a pistol but considerably less than a human assault rifle.

The Uzi is available in infinite quantity at the beginning of the game. Other PDWs can sometimes be picked up after a successful base assault mission. Also, the humanoid transgenants are often equipped with PDWs from the mid-game onwards.

The Reticulans do not have a direct equivalent to a PDW in their arsenal.

CZ Scorpion vz.83

Weight: 1.3 kg
Ammo capacity: 20 rounds
Damage type: soft

Aimed mode
Max range: 18 metres
Damage: 128
Rate of fire: 1.6 rounds per second

Burst mode
Max range: 11 metres
Damage: 224
Rate of fire: 7.0 rounds per second

The Scorpion is light and it has an excellent rate of fire, but in all other areas it is the weakest PDW in the game, and the least threatening in the arms of a transgenant.

Range is the biggest weakness of the Scorpion. Its range in aimed mode only just exceeds that of the Uzi in burst mode. Range in burst mode is so poor that you might as well use a shotgun instead.

Although the magazines are lighter than those of other PDWs, this is more than offset by a capacity of only 20 rounds.

The Scorpion is simply not worth taking on a mission. The low weight may make it tempting to issue a Scorpion to a physically weak soldier, but he will not gain many experience points because other soldiers will take down an enemy before it gets in range of the Scorpion.

IMI Uzi

Weight: 3.7 kg
Ammo capacity: 30 rounds
Damage type: soft

Aimed mode
Max range: 21 metres
Damage: 64
Rate of fire: 0.7 rounds per second

Burst mode
Max range: 17 metres
Damage: 224
Rate of fire: 7.0 rounds per second

The Uzi is one of the few weapons available in unlimited quantities from the beginning of the game, which makes it important in the early missions, particularly for a soldier who has above average skill with handguns. Remember that you will be outranged by a transgenant with an assault rifle, so you will need to make use of whatever cover the local terrain offers.

The Uzi is outclassed by the MP5, which has lower weight and better range and damage potential.

HK MP5

Weight: 2.6 kg
Ammo capacity: 30 rounds
Damage type: soft

Aimed mode
Max range: 26 metres
Damage: 80
Rate of fire: 0.8 rounds per second

Burst mode
Max range: 20 metres
Damage: 240
Rate of fire: 6.0 rounds per second

The MP5 is useful for urban missions against the transgenants. The transgenants will use more powerful weapons as the game progresses, forcing you to go over to weapons that give one-shot kills, such as hybrid plasma rifles. The high rate of fire means that the MP5 will still be useful in the second part of establish base missions, particularly when you round a corner or open a door and you are faced with a balloon fish.

As the MP5 uses soft rounds, it is not the best PDW for missions against the well armoured Reticulans.

FN P90

Weight: 2.5 kg
Ammo capacity: 50 rounds
Damage type: hard

Aimed mode
Max range: 25 metres
Damage: 90
Rate of fire: 1.0 rounds per second

Burst mode
Max range: 21 metres
Damage: 225
Rate of fire: 5.6 rounds per second

This is the second most powerful PDW in the game, despite the relatively low rate of fire in burst mode. The armour piercing rounds makes the P90 a powerful weapon in close range engagements against the Reticulans such as urban missions, or the second stage of UFO recovery or alien base missions.

The MP7 slightly outclasses the P90, but the P90 is a good substitute if you don’t have enough MP7s to go round.

HK MP7

Weight: 1.2 kg
Ammo capacity: 45 rounds
Damage type: hard

Aimed mode
Max range: 25 metres
Damage: 100
Rate of fire: 1.2 rounds per second

Burst mode
Max range: 21 metres
Damage: 250
Rate of fire: 6.2 rounds per second

This is easily the zenith of PDW technology in the game. It was even more powerful in version 1.0, but developers toned it down in the patches to improve balance.

The MP7 is highly effective in any mission against the Reticulans except in open terrain. It is indispensable in the second stage of the Area-51 and Russian base missions, where the armour piercing rounds will easily cut through basic, sun and sky armour.

The MP7 is less effective at dealing with Reticulans wearing bio armour. When bio armour appears in the game, you will have to need to use the MP7 in conjunction with other, more powerful weapons and psi projectors.

You should think very carefully before using the MP7 against the transgenants. Although it is useful in a medium or close range engagement, you will be squandering your limited supply of ammunition for one of the few weapons that is effective against the better-armoured Reticulans.

Unfortunately, the MP7 is not very common in the early stages of the game.