Vanguard January 20 update patch notes: Shotgun nerf, Perk tuning & bug fixes

Luca Di Marzo
Vanguard update

Vanguard’s developers Sledgehammer Games released a patch on January 20 that’s sought to nerf shotguns, adjust the Fortified Perk, and fixed a bug involving Killstreaks.

Vanguard players have been frustrated with the state of the game for some time now with various bugs and glitches hindering the Multiplayer fun. Thankfully, Sledgehammer Games has released a significant update on January 20 addressing widespread issues.

The January 20 update has finally nerfed the Double Barrel Shotgun and tuned the Fortified Perk in addition to a number of fixes that could be found in the patch notes below.

Here’s everything you need to know about Vanguard’s January 20 update.

Vanguard’s Double Barrel Shotgun nerf

Vanguard Akimbo Double Barrel

Vanguard players will be pleased to hear that the Double Barrel Shotgun has finally received a much-needed nerf. Thanks to the Akimbo attachment, the Double Barrel Shotgun has been a nightmare to deal with, especially on small maps.

For months, these Shotguns have tormented Vanguard players with their incredible damage output and incredible damage range. The update has nerfed the damage from the Akimbo Double Barrel Shotgun and the range from the Buck and Slug attachment.

Vanguard January 20 update patch notes

Vanguard Season 1 update

Bug Fixes

  • Weapons
    • Longshots now count when achieved through Incendiary Round’s damage over time
    • When previewing the Welgun after unlocking Challenges in Multiplayer, the Welgun is no longer missing challenge details
    • Corrected unintended behavior with Buck and Slug, which resulted in players getting headshot bonuses when shooting limbs
  • Perks
    • Players with the Fortified Perk are no longer immune to any fire damage including Flamenaut and Incendiary Grenade
  • Killstreaks
    • Fixed an issue where some players would not retain their Killstreaks in between rounds
    • Users can no longer gain infinite ammo with a Killstreak bug exploit

Weapon Balancing

  • ShotgunsAkimbo Double Barrel Shotgun
    • Damage has been reduced
  • Attachments
    • Buck and Slug range has been reduced

Adjusted CDL Recipes with the following:

  • Match start timer is now 30 seconds
  • Removed FMJ from Restricted List
  • Respawn Delay Timer set to 3.5 seconds
  • Suicide Respawn Delay Timer set to 4.5 seconds
  • Added Incendiary Grenades to Restricted List
  • Added Bombing Run to Restricted List
  • All Killstreaks, except Artillery Strike and Cruise Missile, are restricted and not able to be used while in Ranked matches

Zombies

  • Addressed an issue that could occasionally prevent the player’s Artifact from working properly after using a Self-Revive.
  • Addressed an issue where Support weapons could provide infinite ammo.

The next major Vanguard update will be Season 2, which has now been delayed to February 14 while the developers continue to fix various issues that continue to plague the game.

Source: Sledgehammer Games

Image Credit: Activision

About The Author

Luca is an Associate Editor at CharlieIntel. An accomplished, writer with interests in sports and gaming alike, Luca is focused on Call of Duty and FIFA as a content creator. After earning his BA in English Literature at Concordia University, he began writing for Gamelevate, OddsShark, and H4X. Luca joined CharlieIntel in 2021. You can reach Luca at [email protected], or via X @TheLucaDiMarzo.