The Combat Advanced Round Submachine Gun, or C.A.R. SMG, is a hard-hitting close-range weapon with some interesting quirks. The C.A.R. SMG, first seen in the Titanfall games, is Apex Legends’ first weapon that takes two ammo types (heavy and light) and is the first full-auto S.M.G. to accept heavy ammo. The Prowler SMG used to get an auto-fire mode with a Hop-Up, but that has since been removed from the game, perhaps to make room for the C.A.R. Now, let’s dig into how the C.A.R. SMG works.
Fire Modes
The C.A.R. SMG has two fire modes, but instead of having different firing patterns, like a burst or single, both are automatic. The modes instead change the type of ammo the weapon is using, between heavy or light. Damage and kit are not affected by this switch. You can simply toggle between ammo types to fit your needs and ammo remaining.
Damage Values
It’s important to know how much damage you’re going to be dealing with a weapon. For the C.A.R. SMG, its base damage is 13 per bullet.
All damage multipliers
- Body: 13
- Legs: 10
- Head: 20
- Level 1 Helmet: 19
- Level 2 Helmet: 17
- Level 3/4 Helmet: 16
Kitting it out
Kitting out the C.A.R. SMG is an extremely important aspect of the gun. Getting a high-level barrel stabilizer and standard stock are probably the most important add-ons since the gun does have a fair amount of drift and recoil. That said, every part of the C.A.R. SMG’s kit matters, and the way it takes a magazine is unique.
Extended Magazines
The C.A.R. SMG can take either a heavy magazine or a light magazine. Either works for both fire modes, so you can just use whichever better mag you find.
The C.A.R. SMG’s mag sizes are as follows:
- Base: 20
- Level 1: 22
- Level 2: 24
- Level 3/4: 27
Choosing an Optic
The C.A.R. SMG can take any close-range optic. At the beginning of a match when you don't have much kit on you, it's best to stick with a 1x. That said, the C.A.R. can also work well at a mid-range distance if you also have a good stock and barrel stabilizer on it. In that case, you would want to go for the 2x HCOG Bruiser.
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Radiant G! is a game journalist, indie game developer, artist, and writer who currently works freelance in the games industry full-time. He is Pro Game Guides' beat writer for Apex Legends coverage, and also runs his own Apex Legends team called Verve. He is also fiercely committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the games industry, and helms Diverse Gaming Coalition.