Vanguard May 12 update patch notes: Secret Automaton buff, camo challenge fixes, more

Liam Mackay
automaton in call of duty vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard devs Sledgehammer Games released a small stability update on May 12, but a major buff to the Automaton didn’t appear in the patch notes.

The Automaton has long been one of the most powerful weapons in Call of Duty: Vanguard, being able to beam enemies at range with a high fire rate and non-existent recoil. It’s the main Assault Rifle used in both the CDL and Ranked Play, and it’s just got even better.

Following Vanguard’s May 10 update which buffed low-caliber magazines, Sledgehammer Games released a small stability update on May 12 that fixed some minor UI issues and fixed Camo Challenges. However, players were quick to notice that the Automaton received a powerful buff that didn’t appear in the patch notes.

Automaton Assault Rifle in Call of Duty Vanguard

Vanguard Automaton magazine secretly buffed in May 12 update

While Vanguard’s Automaton has always been a meta pick, its fast fire rate meant that it burnt through the default 25-round magazine extremely fast. However, the May 12 update increased the default mag to 30 rounds and it wasn’t mentioned in the patch notes.

Assault Rifle players have been calling for the Automaton’s mag size to be buffed for months, and their wishes were granted in secret by the May 12 update. This is sure to make a shift in the Ranked Play meta, with more players now opting to use the Automaton instead of the (still powerful) MP40.

Full Vanguard May 12 update patch notes

  • Addressed an issue that caused a Server Disconnected error in Private Matches with the CDL ruleset enabled.

  • Arms Race
    • Destroying the last remaining enemy base while enemies are within will no longer cause a UI error.

  • M1 Garand (Marksman Rifle)
    • Mindgames Camo Category now references the correct Magazine Attachment requirement.
  • M1916 (Marksman Rifle)
    • Progression toward challenges that require Marksman Rifles is now correctly tracked.

  • Players who have reached Prestige 5 or higher will now see the correct Prestige emblem displayed throughout the menus.

  • CDL Midseason Pack
    • Corrected the preview images for Roland’s “The Boss” Operator Skin and the “Love Massacre” Emblem.

ZOMBIES

  • Weapon Camos
    • Addressed an issue that prevented the Survivalist camo challenges from tracking.

For more Vanguard, be sure to check out all of the Ranked Play Season 3 rewards, as well as players being furious that the Kong vs Godzilla event is Warzone-exclusive.

Source: Sledgehammer Games

Image Credit: Activision

About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor who focuses on Call of Duty but also plays lots of fantasy RPGs or anything else in his massive gaming backlog. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam freelanced in games journalism before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].