The Alternator SMG in Apex Legends is a dual-barreled SMG that fires its rounds in an alternating fashion, thus, the reason for its name.
By all accounts, this is an unusual weapon, both aesthetically and functionally. It looks like the letter V turned over to the side. Its alternating firing barrels give it a slower fire rate (contrary to what you might expect), but a longer range. This puts the Alternator in a weird position. As an SMG, you’d expect it to excel in close-range engagements. While in practice, it almost always loses out to its more “conventional” brethren.
The Weird Position of the Alternator SMG
Usually, in video games, we associate multiple barrels on a gun with a faster firing rate for said gun. So you’d expect that the Alternator would follow the same convention right?
Quite the opposite in fact. It has the slowest fire rate of all the SMGs. The intent behind this is to allow the Alternator to be used effectively in mid-ranged engagements and short-range engagements. Thus, instead of mag dumping in an instant, you have a controlled stream of bullets.
The problem with this is that the reason SMGs are so good in close-quarters combat is because of mag dumping. Usually, the person who can land more rounds on target in the shortest amount of time possible wins. You just can’t do that as easily with the Alternator as with, for example, the R-99 – another SMG that uses Light Ammo.
The Stats of the Alternator SMG
Ok, let’s look at some stats to see what it’s capable of.
| Target | Mods | Dmg | 100 | 150 | 175 | 200 | 225 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head (1.75x) | – | 24 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Head | Lvl. 1 | 22 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 |
| Head | Lvl. 2 | 20 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 |
| Head | Lvl. 3/4 | 19 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Body | – | 16 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
| Body | Fort | 14 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 |
| Legs (0.75x) | – | 13 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 |
| Legs | Fort | 11 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 21 |
Not good. Out of all the SMGs, the Alternator has the highest damage per bullet, that’s true. But it doesn’t compete with SMGs in the first place. A much better comparison would be to put it up against something like the R-301. If we were to compare the stats between the two weapons then it’s just no competition, the R-301 wins out in almost all aspects.
This is the main gripe with the Alternator and its biggest downfall. It tries to punch up above its weight but it simply cannot. And compared within its weight class, it again leaves you wanting for more.
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Attachments for the Alternator SMG
As with most weapons in Apex, the Alternator SMG has only 4 attachment slots. These are:
- Laser Sights
- Extended Light Mag
- Standard Stock
- 1x HCOG “Classic”
- 1x Holo
- 1x-2x Variable Holo
- 2x HCOG “Bruiser”
- 1x Digital Threat
Ideal Alternator SMG Set-Up
I constantly say that “attachments make a weapon”. But I’m not so sure even the attachments can save the Alternator. Let’s take a look at how you should ideally set it up.
For starters, locate an Epic Standard Stock, followed up by a Legendary Extended Light Mag. Once you have those two installed, look for a 2x HCOG “Bruiser” or a 1x Digital Threat. And finally, find an Epic Laser Sight.
This order is a bit different than what you’d go for with the other SMGs, but there’s a good reason for that. The Alternator doesn’t really have a big mag, so you’re going to have to reload a lot. Slapping on an epic stock will help with that tremendously, as well as the extended mag. And seeing as you’re primarily going to be using the Alternator for longer-ranged engagements, you’re definitely going to need that 2x scope. The laser is only good if you plan to hip-fire, but that’s a last resort. If you have to hip-fire, it means something has gone seriously wrong.
Potential Balance Changes for the Alternator in the Future
As it stands now, the Alternator isn’t in the best spot. It doesn’t “feel” like it belongs anywhere. Not in the SMG category, and certainly not in the Assault Rifles category. So, what can be done about it?
In my honest opinion, a reasonable change that can be implemented that would make sense would be to swap the stats of the R-301 with the Alternator. As the Alternator already tries to compete with the assault rifles, this would give it more of a chance, and it would make it a viable choice again. Because as it sits right now, the Alternator is at best a B-tier weapon, but probably even lower than that.
