Buffed Warzone SMG is perfect Static-HV replacement with insane TTK

The Static-HV was handed a major nerf in Warzone Season 5 Reloaded, leaving many players wondering what to run at close range. Luckily, another SMG has stepped up to fill the gap after being handed a substantial buff.

After dominating nearly every lobby since arriving at the start of Season 5, the Static-HV was finally balanced in the mid-season update. Its damage range took a hit across the board, while its headshot and leg modifiers were also reduced.

If this has left you scratching your head about what to pair your Assault Rifle or LMG with, then the Striker is the ideal replacement you’ve been looking for.

The classic SMG, better known as the UMP45 from the original MW2, was one of the guns buffed in the Reloaded update. It saw healthy improvements to its damage range, which now means it’s capable of outgunning many of the meta close-range picks, including the Static.

CoD expert IceManIsaac broke down how these changes affected the TTK in an upload to his YouTube channel. He compared all of the best SMGs currently available in Warzone and the results were plain to see.

While the likes of the Superi 46 and Rival-9 were found to be extremely competitive at very short distances, with TTKs between 600 and 700ms they quickly fall off around the 15-meter mark.

Meanwhile, the Striker remained consistent with a time-to-kill of 651ms all the way up to 26 meters, at which point it’s far and away the most powerful gun in its class. Its only true competitor was the MCW with the Conversion Kit, which killed slightly faster up to 20 meters but still dropped off significantly beyond that.

After trying it out in a handful of matches, using our best Striker loadout with the JAK Slash Underbarrel, I found that the SMG struck the perfect balance between being extremely lightweight and mobile, while still absolutely melting enemies who dared to get too close.

IceManIsaac also agreed with this assessment, as he described it as a “beam” and the “ultimate Sniper support” in Warzone.

If you’re looking for something to pair with long-range guns like the STG44, SVA 545, or BAL-27, then be sure to give the Striker a go before the meta changes again in Season 6.