AR-22C Patriot

A carbine version of the AR-19 Liberator, it has a slightly extended magazine and much higher fire rate. Seldom used since the ammunition expenditure is higher than any other Helldiver weapon.

Unlock Requirement
The Patriot unlocks at rank 11 (Lieutenant).

Upgrades
Bayonet
 * Simple but effective, a long blade is attached under the barrel of the gun. This allows the user to stab whatever is coming at him and is enough to finished off most wounded opponents.

Recoil Absorber
 * A heavy muzzle brake is attached to the barrel of the gun, directing the escaping gases in such a way that it compensates for a larger portion of the recoil.

Extended Magazine
 * Increases the amount of rounds in the magazine. The amount of extra ammunition in each magazine varies from weapon to weapon. Whether it is a longer magazine, drum, or box, extended magazine is the collective name for more bullets before you need to reload, something that is almost always desirable.

Weapon Stats

 * Helldivers start with 6 magazines of Patriot ammunition, and can carry up to 12. Each magazine contains 35 rounds (or 75 with the Extended Magazine upgrade). If 3 or less rounds remain in the magazine when the weapon is fired, the 'low ammunition' warning sound will play.


 * Reload time for a fully emptied magazine is 2.5 seconds; if reloaded while there are still rounds in the magazine, this drops to 1.25 seconds. In addition, this keeps a round in the chamber. This means a Patriot with the Extended Magazine upgrade and a chambered round gives a total of 76 shots before needing to be reloaded.

Gameplay Tips

 * The Patriot is best fired in short, controlled bursts to maximize accuracy and minimize waste of ammunition. While it has a bit of a learning curve, the Patriot can rapidly deliver large amounts of firepower with high accuracy, even though it lacks the armor-piercing capabilities of the AR-20L Justice or AR-14D Paragon assault rifles. The Extended Magazine upgrade is highly recommended since it more than doubles the amount of rounds per magazine.


 * Adding a Bayonet to this weapon will greatly increase its lethality in close quarters combat. Most medium-level enemies can be killed with one or two stabs of the bayonet. A drawback is that it slows down the Helldiver's melee attack, which can lead to problems when engaging individually weak but numerous enemies such as Bug Scouts.
 * Unshielded Helldivers die instantly to a bayonet attack, unless they are wearing Heavy Armour. The bayonet upgrade extends the range covered by the 'Melee Dodge' technique. Without a bayonet, it requires more precise timing to reliably use the dodge.