Spec Ops: The Line

Spec Ops: The Line is a 2012 third-person modern military cover shooter developed by Yager and published by 2K Games, influenced by Joseph Conrad's classic novella Heart of Darkness. Set in the aftermath of a series of devastating sandstorms which have isolated and largely destroyed the city of Dubai, the plot concerns a US Army battalion, the fictional 33rd, under the command of Colonel John Konrad. This battalion defied orders and attempted to evacuate the civilian population, and was thought completely lost until a mysterious looped broadcast was picked up from Konrad declaring the evacuation attempt to have failed. The player takes on the role of Captain Martin Walker, leader of a three-man Delta Force unit sent to find out what happened to the 33rd.
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=Overview=
Spec Ops: The Line features a two-weapon system standard to most modern military shooters, although the amount of spare ammo that can be carried for firearms is generally limited to a few magazines' worth, and ammo pickups tend to yield only a small amount of ammo. The player is also able to carry three different types of grenades to flush out enemies. If all of this fails, and the player runs out of ammo, there is also a melee button that lets the player cold-cock enemies with his currently equipped gun, although notably this only knocks enemies down and doesn't kill them. Special enemy types are also immune to melee strikes. In what appears to be an attempt to better differentiate firearms, most guns have a special ability that can be activated or toggled by hitting the pertinent button. Special abilities range from select fire modes, variable zoom optics, and, in one case, an underslung grenade launcher.
Besides the standard method of walking over dropped weapons and picking up ammo from conspicuously placed ammo cans, the player can gain ammo (and, rarely, a grenade) for both his firearms by executing downed enemies. Enemies that have been killed by being hit anywhere but the head have a small chance of being downed and mortally wounded instead; otherwise, the player can force an enemy down by melee striking them. In both cases, the player will then have to hurry to execute the downed enemy by walking up to them and pressing the melee strike key before they bleed out/get back up respectively. A few execution animations have the player fire a shot or two with their equipped weapon into the downed enemy, but luckily this doesn't actually use any ammo.
The campaign mode has Captain Walker flanked by his teammates, support gunner First Lieutenant Alphonso Adams and designated marksman Staff Sergeant John Lugo. Walker has limited control over his teammates, by means of a contextual "squad command" button. Aiming at an enemy and pressing this button will cause Walker to mark him as a priority target, and his teammates will focus on trying to kill said enemy. If the game detects that Walker is under heavy suppressing fire, pressing the squad command button will also cause his teammates to throw a flashbang. However, Walker must take care not to overuse squad commands, since his teammates will be incapacitated if they take enough damage, forcing him to get over to them and stab them with a standard video game vague medical injector to revive them before they bleed out and send the player back to the last checkpoint (although at least if one teammate is still standing, he can be ordered to revive the incapacitated teammate by, once again, pressing the squad command button). There are also a few sections where Walker is isolated from his teammates and cannot rely on their help until he reunites with them.
Though unmentioned outside of a single loading screen tip, Spec Ops: The Line has a +1 in the chamber mechanic if the player reloads before the gun is emptied. Notably, despite not being particularly realistic with its firearms to begin with, this mechanic will not work on firearms that are open-bolt in real life, as well as firearms that aren't autoloading, obviously (although there is an uncommon glitch where guns will not only always get +1 in the chamber even on an empty reload, but also firearms that are programmed to not have a +1 in the chamber mechanic will do so anyway, leading to MGLs and single shot .50 BMG rifles with an extra round in the chamber somehow).
=Handguns=
All handguns are considered one-handed weapons, and the player moves slightly faster when holding one out.
==Beretta M9==
A Beretta M9 with a greyish slide is the starting pistol for Walker and the basic sidearm used by enemy soldiers; its alternate fire mode allows a suppressor to be equipped, though this is very rarely useful. During stealth sections, Adams and Lugo will produce suppressed M9s to take down targets if an alert has not yet been sounded, though if the target is too distant Lugo may use his sniper rifle instead. The gun is modelled with an uncocked hammer, despite being a DA / SA pistol, and Walker is always shown pulling the slide after reloading. Being the weakest gun in the game it is only really a placeholder until the player finds something better.
==IMI/Magnum Research Desert Eagle==
A Desert Eagle handgun is seen several times during the campaign; per videogame norms it is a supergun, able to kill most regular enemies in a single shot and with roughly the same accuracy as the HK417. The modelled weapon is a .50 AE model, as can be identified from the bore, and appropriately the gun has a magazine capacity of 7 rounds (plus one extra in the chamber on partial reloads). While barely seen in the first half of the campaign, it becomes more prominent in the latter portions. Somewhat bizarrely, at two points Walker simply starts a level with a Desert Eagle, with no real explanation where he got it from. Lugo also produces a Desert Eagle from nowhere during the hostage standoff at the end of the first mission, and Adams has one when he is encountered at the start of Chapter 13.
The Desert Eagle's magazine has two distinctive holes in the base, showing it was based on a gas-powered Airsoft gun rather than a real weapon.
==Colt Anaconda/Taurus Raging Bull Hybrid==
CIA Agent Riggs' firearm of choice is a .44 Magnum revolver with an 8" barrel, which appears to actually be a hybrid between a Colt Anaconda and a Taurus Raging Bull. Walker acquires one for himself at the start of Chapter 11, and finds another one shortly thereafter, but this is the only time the .44 Magnum can be obtained, and should Walker keep it he will still lose it at the conclusion of Chapter 12. Much like the Desert Eagle it is depicted as a video game supergun capable of killing most enemies in one hit even on a center of mass shot, but unlike the Desert Eagle it has no damage dropoff whatsoever, making it better for sniping than even the Steyr Elite. When reloading the .44 Magnum, Walker uses a speedloader.
400px|thumb|none|Taurus Raging Bull stainless with 8" barrel - .44 Magnum
=Submachine Guns=
==FN P90==
The FN P90 is referred to as the "P90," and is used almost exclusively by "Zulu Squad" enemies. It has a correct capacity of 50 rounds. The secondary function toggles a laser sight which improves accuracy in close quarters and becomes less efficient at distance. Its higher rate of fire and higher damage makes it superior to the UMP45 in every way possible. 
==Heckler & Koch MP7A1==
The MP7A1 is unlocked at Rank 4 in multiplayer.
==Heckler & Koch UMP45==
The UMP45 is the first full-sized SMG the player encounters in the campaign. The gun is modelled with a 25 round straight magazine; this always has rounds visible in it, even if it is empty. It has very low recoil and is very powerful when in close quarters. In most chapters involving indoor combat enemies will be armed with this weapon. The weapon icon shows a built in foregrip similar to that seen in Counter-Strike but the in-game model does not; the icon reflects an earlier in-game model which did have a foregrip.
==IMI Micro Uzi==
The Micro Uzi is called the "Micro 9mm"; it is treated as a pistol, and is one of the more common weapons early in the game. It has a 32-round capacity, even though it is modeled with a 25-round magazine. The secondary fire key allows Walker to attach a suppressor to the weapon.
==TDI Vector==
The TDI Vector is available in MP. It is unlocked at Rank 23 and features a non-removable suppressor.
=Assault Rifles & Battle Rifles=
==AK-103==
The AK-103 (evident by the stamped receiver, AK-74-style flash hider and 90 degree gas block) with wood furniture appears in the game as the "AK-47". It is the AK-103-2 variant, since it has selectable fire modes (burst and auto) as its secondary function. Unfortunately the in-game model of the AK-pattern rifles always have the safety engaged; they also have the rear sight raised to the 800m indirect fire stop, and use an X-shaped muzzle flash which does not match the weapon's flash hider.
==AKMSU==
The AKMSU appears in MP where it is listed as "AKS-74U". It has a bakelite magazine. This is the starting assault rifle in the game.
==Colt M4A1 Carbine==
The M4A1 is Walker's starting rifle and is used by enemies throughout the game; it is also Walker's designated weapon and he will always be shown carrying one in cutscenes regardless of what the player is actually equipped with; certain story sections will also show Walker using one regardless of what he actually has. It is possible to attach a suppressor at any time during gameplay (after the ability is taught to the player near the end of chapter 1) using the secondary fire ability. For some reason, the M4 has two rear iron sights, a flip up type and an A2 type mounted backwards and seemingly clogged up with sand; it is shown with tan furnishings, a Magpul-style handling loop on the magazine, an extended, threaded flash hider, and an aftermarket handguard seemingly based on the VLTOR CASV-EL. It provides a higher rate of fire than other assault rifles, but does not have fire mode selection and is weaker than the battle rifles. In one cutscene Walker uses a Surefire weaponlight, but this ability is not seen in gameplay. It also has a magazine capacity of 40 rounds, but the model is that of a 30-round magazine.
Rather curiously, the fire selector is shown in different positions on the left and right sides of the rifle; on the left side it is pointed to safe, while on the right side the safe and auto positions are reversed and the selector notch is pointed at semi. While the custom flash hider shown is threaded for a suppressor around the lower holes, Walker actually screws the suppressor to the tip of the flash hider, which would not really produce any useful results.
When reloading Walker will stroke the side of the rifle as if pulling a nonexistent charging handle. Which side depends on his current position, to make it even more nonsensical.
==FAMAS F1==
The FAMAS F1 is a mid-to-late game assault rifle first encountered in the chapter "The Road." The secondary fire mode toggles between burst and full-auto fire modes; this means there is no ability to toggle the Trijicon ACOG sight fitted to the weapon, which is always on.
==FN SCAR-H CQC==
The FN SCAR-H appears in the second Chapter, but then largely disappears until the later chapters. It is a high-level assault rifle, with a lower capacity than the M4A1 to account for higher damage and the mounted grenade launcher. It is shown with a CQC barrel, M16-style flash hider, and an FN Mk 13 grenade launcher. It is full-auto only due to the grenade launcher being the secondary function. It has a 30-round capacity, even though it is modeled with a 20-round magazine.
==Heckler & Koch HK417==
The Heckler & Koch HK417 is called the "417" and is depicted as a semi-automatic marksman rifle with a ten-round capacity (despite being modeled with a 20-round magazine) and a togglable scope as the secondary function; the model bizarrely has Meprolight M21 sight mounted backwards and in front of an ACOG scope. While depicted as a DMR, its kills still count towards the achievement / trophy for assault rifles.
==IMI Tavor TAR-21==
Staff Sergeant Lugo's assault rifle is a TAR-21. It is shown with standard 30-round magazines, cloth wrapped around the stock and the hand guard, and no optical scope. It is never seen in the hands of the enemy and can only be attained by the player one time at the end of Chapter 13.
In preview images, Adams was armed with the TAR-21 while Lugo instead had a UMP: this is why Adams' character model has pouches for four curved STANAG magazines despite his final weapon being an M249 SAW.
==IMI Compact Tavor CTAR-21==
The CTAR-21 appears as the HUD icon for the TAR-21.
==OTs-14-4A-01==
The OTs-14-4A-01 Groza is unlocked at Rank 15. Listed as "OTS-14".
=Shotguns=
==AA-12==
The AA-12 is seen towards the end of the game, often in the hands of heavy troops, and is superior to the other two singleplayer shotguns in every way. It is equipped with a 20 round magazine and its accuracy allows it be effective at far greater distances than the other two shotguns. Its main downside is that it does not share ammunition with the other shotguns, and its rate of fire will drain its magazine extremely quickly. Due to the increased range, green shells being ejected, and explosions on impact it can be safely extrapolated that it is loaded with FRAG-12 rounds.
==Benelli M4 Super 90==
The Benelli M4 Super 90 is the second shotgun available, using the US military "M1014" designation. Early pre-release images showed it with a 4-round tube; while this is mostly eliminated in the final game, there is still a distinct band around the magazine tube where the 4-round cutoff point would be. Regardless, it has a capacity of 6 shells suggesting the use of 3" shells. It holds more shells than the W1300, has greater range, and is semi-automatic, making it a superior weapon. It is a fairly rare find until later in the single-player campaign, although one is always carried by Adams who uses it to breach doors, during which he operates it incorrectly as a pump-action.
==Mossberg 590==
The Mossberg 590 is the first shotgun unlocked in multiplayer. Appears as "M-590".
==Winchester Model 1300==
The Winchester Model 1300 is called the "W1300," and is shown with a sawed-off barrel and stock and cloth wrapped around the grips. When firing, the breach can be seen cycling. Its power is amazingly strong in close quarters, and its fire speed makes it useful during blind fire. It is the most commonly found shotgun in the game, but appears less and less as the game goes on.
=Sniper Rifles=
==Barrett M99==
The Barrett M99 is called the "M-99 Sniper." Appearing only once in the chapter "Adams," it is an incredibly powerful weapon able to down a Heavy soldier in just two shots, but being single-shot must be reloaded each time it is fired. Like the Steyr Elite, its secondary fire toggles between 8x and 16x scope magnification.
==Heckler & Koch MSG90==
The "MSG 90" of the game is a hybrid of an older MSG90 (stock and butt pad design, bipod) and the newer MSG90 A1 (threaded barrel with flash hider, angled charging handle, iron sights). It is available in multiplayer only.
==Knight's Armament Company M110 SASS==
The M110 SASS is unlocked at Rank 17 in multiplayer.
==Steyr Elite==
The Steyr Elite appears in the game as a usable sniper rifle, and is one of the weapons used by the squad's sniper, Lugo. It is incorrectly listed as and referred to by Walker as the "Scout Tactical." The main sniper rifle in the campaign, its secondary fire toggles between 8x and 16x magnification. For greater control Walker can crouch, reducing the amount of drift. Enemy sniper rifles emit a red laser beam from the front of their scope, while Lugo's rifle has a green laser to show when he is targeting someone with it.
=Machine Guns=
==Browning M2HB==
One Browning M2HB is mounted on a Humvee during the parking lot shootout in Chapter 10. It is not usable by Walker.
==Browning M2A2==
The Browning M2A2, called the "M2E2 HMG," is seen at fixed points throughout the game, always fitted with a metal gunshield. It has an unlimited amount of ammunition and is governed by a heat gauge, with the barrel glowing red hot and steaming from the muzzle if the weapon is fired for too long. Walker is able to crouch while using the turret, "blind firing" the weapon by leaning up with one hand for better protection but decreased accuracy.
 
==FN M249E2 SAW==
The FN M249E2 Squad Automatic Weapon is Lieutenant Adams' main weapon throughout the campaign, and is used by most of the blast suit clad heavy enemies. Unlike the other weapons, its ammunition capacity is shown as two solid white bars, each representing 50 rounds. Rather predictably, it cannot use the 30-round STANAG magazine used by the M4A1 and TAR-21; this functionality is seldom used in real life due to reliability issues, but is as usual in games not even presented as an option.
==General Dynamics GAU-17/A==
The General Dynamics GAU-17/A can be seen mounted on Black Hawk helicopters, and is used by Walker in the flash-foward introduction.
=Launchers=
==FN MK 13==
The FN MK 13 is mounted on the SCAR-H CQC. It has a limit of three rounds and switches the crosshair to a leaf sight style reticle when selected.
==M224 Mortar==
An M224 Mortar is used by Walker, Lugo and Adams to launch white phosphorous rounds at a large group of soldiers. The decision by Walker to make use of this weapon proves to be a pivotal event in the game's plot. 
Walker first launches a fictional "camera" round to provide the satellite-style overhead view used to aim the weapon, viewing the output on a laptop and giving orders for shots to his squadmates. Oddly, the game has Adams spotting targets while Walker points a crosshair on the laptop, meaning Lugo is the only member of the squad actually operating the mortar and has no apparent means of knowing where he is supposed to be aiming it. 
The depiction of the mortar's effects is extremely exaggerated, seemingly based on stock footage of airbursting 102-pound M825A1 155mm WP rounds containing 116 felt submunitions impregnated with 12.75 pounds of white phosphorous. The 3.7-pound M722 WP smoke marker round the M224 can actually fire contains less than one pound of WP and would be barely useful as an incendiary device due to its small size and impact fuze. The mortar is also shown being fired at impossibly short range; the minimum range of the M224 is around 76 yards.
==Milkor MGL Mk 1L==
The Milkor MGL Mk 1L is occasionally found in the campaign, though it is rarely used by enemies. Rounds are loaded one at a time, meaning it is slow to use, but due to reasonably realistic blast radius it is one of the most powerful weapons available.
==RPG-7==
The RPG-7 is found occasionally during the campaign; it is instant death to all enemy types within the substantial blast radius, though ammo is rare and little can be carried. It is sometimes seen in the hands of enemies, and is an instant kill if it hits directly.
thumb|none|450px|RPG-7 - 40mm
thumb|none|600px
=Explosives=
==M67 Hand Grenade==
The frag grenades seen in game are M67 hand grenades.
==M84 Stun Grenade==
The M84 stun grenade is simply called the "stun grenade." Walker can pick up and use stun grenades himself, or if the AI detects the player is suppressed Adams will offer a prompt to throw one at nearby enemies.
=="Sticky Grenade"==
The third grenade type is a fictional antipersonnel "Sticky Grenade", a No. 74 ST Grenade in a tubular shell resembling the S-Mine. Once thrown, the surrounding frame of the grenade splits apart, revealing the sticky explosive underneath. Sticky grenades have a longer fuse than standard hand grenades, but can stick to enemies who will often panic and run towards others.
Category:Video Game
Category:War
Category:Third-Person Shooter