I was using an Auto Gunner Com (+32% Team Fire Rate, +6 Steady, +5 Overload) on Axton yesterday, and I noticed something cool. When I equipped the com, the fire rate of my Sabre Turret was noticeably increased!
I had always known about how the com increased Team Fire Rate, but I had no idea until yesterday that it could increase the turret fire rate, too.
From doing some initial testing, it seems the increased fire rate from the Gunner Com works only with the turret’s bullets, because the effect still works even when you spec (or don’t spec) Double Up or Gemini.
The rocket speed from Scorched Earth remains unaffected, so I doubt it gets this bonus. I also found that the fire rate appears to stay unchanged for both the S.E. rockets and the bullets when a kill skill is active (I thought that Metal Storm might increase the fire rate more).
I also put on a Chaotic Neutral Ranger Com to see what would happen (that com has a fire rate bonus as well), but it seems like it didn’t make a difference.
Here’s a video I made that will show you what I mean:
It would be interesting to see if this effect can “stack” when 4 Commandos each wield this com.
So there you go. Maybe now I can find a use for the Gunner Com after all…
EDIT 12/7/2014-Coop Testing Data
I had wanted to do some coop testing with the Gunner Com, so I found some awesome people from the BL2 forums to help me do just that. The main focus of the testing was to find out whether or not the firing rate of the Sabre Turret would be increased when more than 1 Commando wears the Gunner Com.
I had everybody start off with the Legendary Soldier Com (or something that WASN’T a Gunner Com) so that we could see what the default (regular) turret fire rate was. After that, we each equipped the Gunner Com (one deployment at a time) to see what happened to the fire rate.
Based on what I saw and heard, I think the Sabre Turret does indeed get a fire rate boost from the Gunner Com. If just one Commando equips a Gunner Com, then not only will the entire team’s fire rate increase, but any and all Commandos in the team will also receive a fire rate increase on THEIR turrets as well. If THAT wasn’t enough, the Sabre Turret’s fire rate will be increased even more when other Commando allies don the Gunner Com!
Here’s the video, along with the main highlights:
1:15=Normal turret fire rate
1:38=First Gunner Com equipped
3:00=Another round with just 1 Gunner Com active
7:10=Deployment with 2 Gunner Coms equipped
8:50=All 3 Gunner Coms equipped
10:18=Retest with the 3 Gunner Coms
11:50=Grand Finale!
I’d really like to hear your feedback on this. Let me know if I missed anything.
If you haven’t used a Gunner Com before, there’s no better time than now. Get you one!
