MENACE Weapons Guide: Loadouts, Stats, and Upgrades

Which MENACE Weapons Should You Equip?

A powerful rifle loses its appeal when the enemy rushes inside its comfortable range. Choosing MENACE weapons matters because your loadout determines how you handle distance, cover, armor, and limited ammunition. Build your force around complementary MENACE weapons: assault rifles for general fighting, SMGs or shotguns for close encounters, and special weapons for threats your standard guns struggle to handle.

The R10A6 K-PAC is a flexible starting point for a rifle squad. The BR3A3 Kr-BaR “Crowbar” emphasizes longer-range fire, while the MP3A9 PPP and Stoneclad CS185 focus on close combat. Their differences extend beyond damage: rate of fire, accuracy, suppression, and supply cost all affect what you can accomplish during a mission.

Each infantry squad can equip one special weapon. Equipping one means one fewer soldier firing the squad weapon, so filling that slot has a real tradeoff. Leave it empty on a dedicated assault squad when you want another SMG or shotgun contributing to its primary attack.

For this guide, weapon changes reflect v0.7.16, followed by v0.7.17, which restores Lim’s Zig-Zag perk by replacing Solid Grouping. Check his promotions before rebuilding an older assault loadout.

Official page: MENACE (menacegame.com)

Squad Weapons: Compare Range, Firepower, and Cost

Start by deciding where each squad will fight. A Crowbar squad and an SMG squad solve different problems, even when both look capable on the equipment screen.

Image: Steam / Overhype Studios

Squad weapon	Combat role	Main limitation
C1A2-SPC Carbine	Cheap starting rifle with usable range and damage	Low rate of fire
R10A6 K-PAC Assault Rifle	General-purpose rifle with more penetration, suppression, and rate of fire than the carbine	Less specialized than dedicated close-range or long-range options
R14A2 ARC Assault Rifle	Closer engagements with strong HP and armor damage	Shorter range than the K-PAC
BR3A3 Kr-BaR “Crowbar”	Long-range fire with strong damage, penetration, and suppression per bullet	Lower rate of fire and poor close-range accuracy
MP3A9 PPP SMG	Rapid close-range attacks against lightly armored targets	Short reach; tap fire offers a limited fallback
Stoneclad CS185 Shotgun	Dedicated close-range fighting	Very short range without a long-range fallback

Replace carbines on squads that depend on their primary weapons as your trading resources allow. A squad built around a special weapon has less reason to spend heavily on its basic rifles.

Changes Worth Checking in v0.7.16

Several MENACE weapons received changes that affect both battlefield performance and deployment budgets.

Weapon	v0.7.16 changes
BR3A3 Kr-BaR “Crowbar”	Ammunition reduced from 12 to 10; supply cost increased from 9 to 11
R14A2 ARC	Armor penetration increased from 20 to 25
R14A2 ARC “Range”	Armor penetration increased from 25 to 30
Kruger CTMP 45	Damage increased from 18 to 25; armor durability damage increased from 18 to 22; supply cost reduced from 20 to 18
MP3A9 PPP	Armor durability damage increased from 9 to 11; supply cost reduced from 9 to 8
MK46MOD2 SPC	Damage increased from 8 to 9; penetration increased from 30 to 35; supply cost reduced from 11 to 9
R10A6 “CQB” K-PAC	Ideal range increased from 2 to 3; accuracy bonus increased from 5 to 10
R10A6 K-PAC with Launcher	Accuracy penalty reduced from -10 to -5; supply cost reduced from 18 to 11

The Stoneclad CS185 received a mixed adjustment. Its damage increased from 10 to 20 and suppression rose from 4 to 6, but its accuracy bonus fell from 20 to 10. Armor durability damage, element hit percentage, and maximum HP damage also decreased, while damage falls off more sharply with distance.

Keep the shotgun close to its intended targets. Its higher damage does not erase those reductions.

Read More Than Damage Per Shot

Rate of fire changes how effectively an attack deals with multiple enemy elements. The Crowbar hits hard per bullet, but SMGs deliver many more rounds at close range.

Armor penetration also tells only part of the story. Weapons deal armor durability damage, allowing repeated hits to wear protection down. Compare that stat alongside penetration when choosing MENACE weapons for armored opposition.

Use mixed squads to cover different distances. Place close-range troops where they can intercept advancing enemies, and preserve firing space for longer-range rifles.

Special Weapons: Fill a Gap in Your Force

Special weapons give squads tools for suppression, indirect fire, precision shooting, and anti-vehicle work. Their movement restrictions matter as much as their damage.

Image: Steam / Overhype Studios

Special weapon type	What it does	Handling consideration
Light machinegun	Mobile suppression and fire against exposed groups	Less suppression than a medium machinegun
Medium machinegun	Stronger suppression over longer distances	Requires stationary firing and planned positioning
Grenade launcher	Hits multiple elements and ignores cover	Limited range; the handheld type can fire on the move
Plasma rifle	Counters heavy infantry and light vehicles; reduces building or vehicle armor with hits	Limited ammunition and weak suppression
Pirate RPG	Mobile attacks against light vehicles and small buildings	Limited accuracy and range
Rocket launcher	High-penetration attacks against vehicles and hardpoints	Stationary firing, low ammunition, and high price
Sniper rifle	Accurate long-range support against infantry and some light vehicles	Stationary firing; missed shots provide little suppression
DMR	Accurate mobile support against lightly armored enemies	Lighter alternative to a conventional sniper rifle
Commando mortar	Long-distance suppression without direct line of sight	Stationary firing and imperfect accuracy

Choose a special weapon that answers a specific weakness. Give a rifle-heavy force anti-vehicle capability, or add indirect fire when entrenched infantry are slowing your advance.

For stationary weapons, establish useful firing positions before committing nearby squads. Bring ammunition bags when a support team must sustain fire through an extended engagement.

Precision Weapons and Critical Hits

In v0.7.16, critical hits gain 50% increased armor penetration. Several precision weapons also received direct improvements:

• K-SAS DMR: Damage increased from 25 to 30, with an added 10% critical hit chance on its primary fire mode.
• HM MK7MOD1 - SDMR: Damage increased from 30 to 35, with an added 10% primary-fire critical hit chance.
• SR41 KASS: Damage increased from 40 to 55, with an added 20% critical hit chance on Aimed Shot.
• SR31 - HM SPR: Damage increased from 30 to 45, with an added 20% Aimed Shot critical hit chance; supply cost fell from 30 to 25.

Pair precision MENACE weapons with accuracy and positioning. The reworked Take Aim skips the active unit’s turn to act later while granting +10% accuracy and +30% critical hit chance. Use that delay when holding a firing position fits your plan.

Suppression, Explosives, and Control

The U60A1 HWCM Commando Mortar now delivers 50 suppression instead of 25, with supply cost reduced to 20. The M320 SSW Light Machinegun gains ammunition, suppression, and a smaller accuracy penalty.

The Kingpost M8 Mortar also changes substantially: damage rises from 15 to 40, AP cost drops from 50 to 40, and scatter chance falls from 50% to 33%. Its damage dropoff becomes steeper, so place the attack center carefully.

For disruption, the NDL - Stun Bomb Launcher now applies Concussed, reducing accuracy by 20% and AP by 50. Large enemies such as the Hive Queen are immune to stun effects; bring damage options for those fights.

Vehicle Weapons: Balance Firepower Against Supply

Vehicle-mounted MENACE weapons received extensive changes in v0.7.16. Compare deployment cost alongside firing cost, range, and ammunition before committing a large share of your supplies.

Image: Steam / Overhype Studios

Vehicle weapon	Selected v0.7.16 changes
Laser Lance	Supply cost reduced from 50 to 45; available at the black market
Swarm Airburst Launcher	Damage increased from 12 to 20; armor damage increased from 30 to 35; supply cost reduced from 60 to 40
Griffin Dynamics Rotary Barrel Machinegun	Ideal range increased from 3 to 4; Salvo costs 30 AP and Strafing costs 50 AP; supply cost reduced to 65
Twin Griffin Dynamics Rotary Barrel Machinegun	Salvo repetitions increased to 40; Strafing repetitions increased to 120; supply cost reduced from 140 to 110
Short Barreled Tank Gun	Elements hit increased to 2+40%; always hits, with a 25% chance to scatter up to one tile
120mm Mortar	Range changed to 10–22; all fire modes cost 40 AP; ammunition increased from 8 to 14; supply cost reduced to 50

The 120mm Mortar gains much stronger center-hit damage, penetration, and armor damage. Its longer minimum range also changes positioning requirements. Keep close-defense capability elsewhere in your force rather than expecting the mortar to cover enemies approaching its position.

Vehicle accessories affect sustained fire too. The new Heatsink increases maximum heat capacity by 50%, while vehicle ammunition accessories expand firing endurance.

Budget the full platform before deployment: pilot, vehicle, weapon, and accessories. A lower weapon supply cost gives you room to support the rest of the force.

Getting Weapons and Building Useful Loadouts

You acquire MENACE weapons through battlefield loot and black market trading. Enemy loot tables largely reflect carried equipment, with individual items rolled separately. Loot appears on the mission results screen; you cannot collect a fallen weapon and switch equipment during combat.

Plan around the guns you bring into the mission.

Trade for a Specific Upgrade

Sell unwanted equipment to fund weapons that fill a missing role. Pirate gear can also serve as an interim upgrade: the Pirate Assault Rifle offers a higher rate of fire than the starting carbine, while the Workshopped RPG provides mobile anti-vehicle fire.

Keep useful support equipment in mind before spending everything on another rifle:

• Ammo bags extend special-weapon endurance.
• Match Grade ammunition improves accuracy and range.
• Armor Piercing ammunition helps with armor and penetration falloff.
• Smoke grenades obstruct enemy vision and support movement or extraction.

Smoke costs 15 supply in v0.7.16. Reserve room for it when planning a close-range push.

Match the Loadout to the Job

Build assault squads around SMGs or shotguns, then provide smoke support for the approach. Leave AP available for that smoke instead of spending the entire turn advancing.

Build a stationary support team around its special weapon and ammunition needs. Keep its position relevant to the fight so movement restrictions do not leave it without useful targets.

For armored threats, bring dedicated anti-vehicle capability before deployment. Use plasma hits to weaken vehicle armor for subsequent attacks, or position a rocket launcher squad for stationary fire.

Check target visibility before committing ammunition. In v0.7.16, firing blindly at a tile carries a -60% accuracy penalty. Improve your information and firing position before spending a scarce shot.

FAQ

What are the best MENACE weapons for beginners?

Use the R10A6 K-PAC as a general-purpose rifle, then add close-range coverage with an SMG or shotgun. Bring a special weapon for armor or suppression rather than equipping every squad identically.

Should every squad carry a special weapon?

No. Leaving the slot empty frees supply points and keeps another soldier firing the squad weapon. Consider that tradeoff for assault squads built around SMGs or shotguns.

Can you pick up enemy weapons during a mission?

No. Dropped equipment appears on the mission results screen. Squads cannot pick up weapons or change equipment during combat.

Are older Crowbar loadouts still using the same ammunition and supply?

No. In v0.7.16, the BR3A3 Kr-BaR “Crowbar” drops from 12 ammunition to 10, while supply cost increases from 9 to 11. Recheck ammunition support and deployment totals before fielding an older loadout.