It behooves you, therefore, to give the STB 556 the greatest chance of leading you to victory. So in the below guide, we’ll walk you through the attachments, equipment, and perks you need to put together the very best STB 556 loadout and class setup in Modern Warfare 2.
Best STB 556 loadout in Modern Warfare 2
The STB 556 has carved out its own niche in the Assault Rifles category as the rifle with the greatest range and lowest recoil. We’ve built upon the STB 556’s strengths with the below loadout, turning it into a powerful gun with devastatingly low recoil that can contend with enemies across even Marksman Rifle ranges.
Muzzle: Harbinger D20 Barrel: 18" Bruen Guerilla Underbarrel: VX Pineapple Comb: FTAC C11 Riser Optic: SZ Holotherm
The Harbinger D20 is a big bastard of a Silencer that, at the cost of some extra weight, will significantly decrease the STB 556’s recoil and increase its range and bullet velocity. Pair it with the 18" Bruen Guerilla Barrel, and you’re laughing. The recoil is already so incredibly controllable, you can beam enemies in the head at 30 metres or more. The VX Pineapple Underbarrel attachment we’ve added not necessarily for its hipfire accuracy (though that is admittedly nice), but more for its added recoil steadiness, to really turn the STB 556 into a laser-accurate rifle. All this has added quite a bit of weight to the gun, so we’ve sped the handling back up a bit with the FTAC C11 Riser Comb, which ups your ADS and Sprint To Fire speeds. Finally, add your choice of Optic, because the STB’s ironsights aren’t that great. I’d recommend a 2x optic such as the clean and crisp SZ Holotherm for this gun, because the idea is to be able to blitz enemies at mid-to-long range, and you’ll find it easier to do so with a 2x than with your bogstandard Cronen Mini Pro.
Best STB 556 class setup: Secondary weapon
The STB 556 is a fairly versatile weapon that can suit you well at any range, but it’ll be beaten in close quarters by the best SMGs and best Shotguns in the game. So you’re best off pairing the STB 556 with something like a Lockwood 300, which gives you a formidable and reliable close range option with tonnes of stopping power. Learn how to kit it out correctly with our Modern Warfare 2 best Lockwood 300 loadout guide. Alternatively you can focus heavily on long-range for your class setup, and bring a powerhouse sniper like the Signal 50 into battle. Its high refire rate and one-shot-kill potential allow you to pick off enemies at ranges that even the ultra-accurate STB 556 may have trouble with. Check out our Modern Warfare 2 best Signal 50 loadout guide here, and learn why it’s one of the best Sniper Rifles on offer.
Best STB 556 class setup: Perks and Equipment
The first perk you should pick is obvious: Overkill allows you to bring in another primary weapon alongside the STB 556, giving you a much more versatile class setup. After that we’d highly recommend the Double Time perk for improving your tactical sprint speed, which is great for repositioning quickly with an Assault Rifle like the STB 556. The ideal bonus perk for this loadout is Fast Hands, which helps speed up the STB 556’s already decent reload time and minimises the time you don’t spend shooting. And the best ultimate perk to pick is Bird’s Eye, which zooms out your minimap and gives you greater knowledge of enemy whereabouts. Pair all this with a simple reliable Frag Grenade to force enemies out of cover; and a Flash Grenade for help clearing rooms with your STB 556; and you’ve got a very potent class setup that is perfect for earning consistent mid-range kills with the STB 556. That brings our primer on Modern Warfare 2’s best STB 556 loadout and class setup to a close. If you’re looking to see how the STB 556 stacks up against the competition, check out our guide to the best Assault Rifle in Modern Warfare 2. For a wider view of the current gun meta, consult our Modern Warfare 2 best guns tier list. Alternatively you can prepare for the STB’s arrival in Warzone with our guide on everything we know about Warzone 2.0. Activision Blizzard are currently the subject of a number of legal actions, labour disputes and allegations of workplace harassment. Rock Paper Shotgun will continue to write about these issues, as well as covering Activision Blizzard games as part of our commitment to cover subjects of interest to our readers. The latest news can always be found under our Activision Blizzard tag.
