Infantry Weapons highlighted in latest DUST 514 developer update

CCP has released another update on the PS Blog pertaining to DUST 514, and it focuses on the game's infantry weapons where as previous entries provided information on the shooter's Rapid Deployment Vehicles.

According to the post, weapons will be broken down into categories: light, heavy, and sidearm. Those in the light class will be the primary offensive weapons used by players, and can be used for short and mid-ranged fire, and each will come in four variants: standard, breach, tactical and specialist. The Gallente G75-VLB Plasma Assault Rifle was used as one example, that will allows the player to select the style best-suited to them with a variety of benefits and trade-offs.

Heavy weapons, on the other hand, can only be wielded by those skilled enough to use heavy dropsuits, due to the high amount of dropsuit power grid and CPU systems. This would make using heavy weapons "unsuitable if you favor a more generalist approach" to weapons and equipment load outs; however, in the "right hands" they can be devastating to the enemy. CCP used the DCMA S-1 Forge Gun as an example, which is a Caldari-built anti-material weapon used to engage and destroy hostile Heavy Attack Vehicles.

Lastly, side arms will also be available, and players will use these more as a backup weapon in frontline assaults for a close range combat solution. These will be especially important for those in highly specialized roles such as those using a Forge Gun. The side arm shown was the CAR-9 Scrambler pistol, an Amarr weapon which is low on ammunition count, but extremely high on power. Accurate shots with the CAR-9 will "tear through shields and armor," and it's going to be extremely effective when making head shots due to its high damage output.

Shots of each weapon, and more information on each weapon class can be found through the US PS Blog.

DUST 514 is slated for a summer 2012 release with a beta confirmed, but a release still to be determined.