Since the launch of Vanguard, the Automaton assault rifle (AR) has dominated the metagame thanks to its incredible rate of fire and minimal recoil.
Despite the arrival of the Nikita AVT in Season 3, the rifle is still the best AR to use in multiplayer matches and with a lack of weapon balancing from Sledgehammer Games, there's a high chance the Automaton will remain at the top until the end of the game cycle.
The May 12 update mentions five changes to the game but many players were quick to notice a major change to the Automaton.
Automaton Receives Secret Buff
Rather than featuring its standard 25-round magazine, the Automaton now comes with 30 rounds in each magazine. It's a relatively small change but it now brings the AR in like with other guns in the category.
While some professional players approve of the change, others that often use a submachine gun are far from impressed. Three-time world champion James 'Clayster' Eubanks says "stuff like this" should be the benchmark across the board.
Vanguard May 12 Patch Notes
In addition to the stealth buff of the Automaton, Sledgehammer Games introduces a few changes in the May 12 update. Check out the full patch notes below:
Stability
- Addressed an issue that caused a Server Disconnected error in Private Matches with the CDL ruleset enabled.
Modes
- Arms Race
- Destroying the last remaining enemy base while enemies are within will no longer cause a UI error.
Weapons
- 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.
User Interface & Experience
- Players who have reached Prestige 5 or higher will now see the correct Prestige emblem displayed throughout the menus.
Bundles & Cosmetics
- CDL Midseason Pack
- Corrected the preview images for Roland’s “The Boss” Operator Skin and the “Love Massacre” Emblem.
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