At launch, the assault rifles weren’t worth using due to their overexaggerated bloom making it difficult to hit shots at long range. Thankfully, developer DICE has tuned it down significantly and they are now more viable. How better to take advantage of this than using our recommended Battlefield 2042 M5A3 loadout, which is the best build for this jack-of-all-trades assault rifle.
Note: For more information about EA’s FPS, check out our Battlefield 2042 guides and features hub.
Battlefield 2042 M5A3 Loadout
- Sight: Fusion Holo
- Ammunition: Close Combat
- Underbarrel: Laser Sight
- Barrel: Shortened Barrel
- Secondary Weapon: M44
- Gadget: Med Pen
- Throwable: EMP Grenade
Interestingly, the bloom reduction patch makes it relatively easy to pressure targets from distance regardless of loadout. Therefore, it makes more sense to cover the M5A3’s weaknesses at close range than to try and make it even stronger at long range.
For this reason, the best M5A3 loadout in Battlefield 2042 uses several close-range attachments like the Close Combat ammunition. This ammo type substantially improves fire rate, recoil control, and reload speed at the cost of effective range. The loss of damage at longer ranges isn’t ideal, but this attachment reduces recoil anyway so it doesn’t make as big a difference as you may expect. Contrary to its name, this ammo type is strong regardless of distance.
Continuing with the theme of close-range attachments, it is also best to use the Laser Sight and Shortened Barrel. The Shortened Barrel increases the M5A3’s fire rate. This stacks with the bonus given by the Close Combat ammunition and makes the M5A3 very forgiving.
These attachments combo well with the Laser Sight which makes hip-fire spread more accurate. This is great for playing aggressively as you can reliably kill enemies without having to aim in up close. As for sights, it is usually best to stick with the Fusion Holo for close- to mid-range engagements. However, it is worth using 2042‘s Plus System to switch attachments on the go for situations where a higher zoom optic may be beneficial.
To make the most out of this M5A3 loadout, it is important to use all of the tools available in Battlefield 2042. For example, the M44 revolver is a wonderful secondary weapon for finishing off targets at close range. The other secondaries are decent too, but the M44’s ability to secure one-shot kills makes it the best pistol. Players who are less confident in their mechanical skill may prefer the G57 due to its larger 30-round drum magazine attachment. Although, unlocking that attachment requires 180 kills with the G57. Consider checking out our fast weapon levels guide to speed that process up.
Since this is a loadout focused on playing aggressively, the Med Pen is a great choice for the gadget slot. This acts as a stim and lets you heal on the move without relying on someone else’s Medical Crate. Unfortunately, this does leave this build vulnerable to vehicles which is why I’d advise also using an EMP Grenade. This can be thrown to temporarily disable vehicles in order to open up a window to retreat back to safety.
