Guns in Anne co-op: think position first, then the gun
There is no single correct loadout. Shotguns control close range, rifles cover mid, the hunting sniper cuts tongues, melee only works in tight spots.
Fights are closer than vanilla
SI enter from legal spots past 250, but the Boomer preferred band is only 250 to 550. Corners and doorways are its home turf. Four snipers means nobody handles close range. Four shotguns means nobody can touch a mid-range Smoker.
So decide which layer you stand in first. The lead needs close-range firepower. The rear needs reach to high ground and distance.
Shotgun: the base of close-range control
A Hunter or Jockey on your face is one shotgun blast. The lead carries at least one. On indoor chapters with lots of corridors, two is not too many.
The cost is reach. If someone carries a shotgun, someone else has to own everything past 500.
Shotguns come in two feels: pump-action hits harder per shell but needs racking, auto is more forgiving but spreads more. Auto is the better pick for the point man, because when something leaps on you the chance at a second shot matters more than the damage of the first.
How to mix four loadouts
It need not be the same every round, but the combinations below behave predictably.
| Combination | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Two shotguns, two rifles | Most official maps | The steadiest default — use it when you have no other idea |
| Three shotguns, one sniper | Indoor maps and corridor-heavy chapters | Open stretches rest on that one sniper — do not let them fall behind |
| Two shotguns, one sniper, one melee | Lots of narrow terrain, with holdout events | The melee player should swap in the open rather than tough it out |
| Four shotguns | Shotgun hardcore | Mid and long range rests entirely on throwables and movement; calls must land |
| Four melee weapons | Not recommended | Get surrounded on an open map and the whole team is done |
When you swap matters more than what you carry. Decide in the saferoom whether the next chapter is indoors or open — do not double back mid-chapter to look for something.
Rifle and hunting sniper: mid range and tongues
Smoker minimum is 500, so tongues mostly come from mid-to-long range or above. The sniper and rifle cut tongues fast, and they save throwables on Witches and distant hordes.
A good fit for the rear. The grabbed player calls direction first. Cutting the tongue always beats chasing the Smoker.
Melee: great in tight spots, a trap in the open
Holding a stairhead or a narrow corridor, melee is solid. In the open, a Charger plowing into the group or two or three SI closing at once ends a melee player. High-tier charge distance is 280. You will not react in time.
One or two per team is enough. Four melee players on an open map wipe with remarkable consistency.
What to think about when picking up a weapon
Most people pick up by asking which gun is better. The more useful question in AnneHappy is which layer the team is missing.
- Look at the team's gap first：Does anyone cover past 500? Can anyone interrupt at point-blank range? Fill whichever is missing, even if that gun looks weaker on its own.
- Then look at the next chapter's terrain：You should know in the saferoom whether the next chapter is indoors or open. Picking a sniper for an indoor map or a melee for an open one is a wasted pickup.
- Only then look at damage：Locking down one special is usually worth more here than the extra damage you would have dealt.
One more thing people miss: swap in the saferoom. Doubling back mid-chapter leaves the team standing still — and standing still is exactly what triggers the hold. If you spot a good gun off your path, say so and let whoever passes it carry it, rather than looping back yourself.
Throwables belong to the team, not to you
Gas and molotovs go to Tanks and Boomer piles. Bile goes to pickups and breaking a surround; cornered, one bile jar beats three kits. Pipe bombs clear hordes and can open a lane for a rescue.
When to spend them should be settled at the door. If movement and guns can handle it, leave the throwables alone.