M590

Overview

M590, while possessing a solid kit, ends up being less than ideal for one reason.

M590’s kit itself isn’t bad at all, and is actually almost great. With a HP stat of 264 per Dummy Link, M590 already has more HP than many SGs. M590 also has a high base Armor at 22, complimenting her high HP even further. On top of her stats, M590 has a great buff as well -- she provides a 55% Accuracy buff to two MGs, which is greatly appreciated thanks to the inherently low Accuracy stat of MGs.

The reason M590 isn’t an ideal SG, though, is because of her buff tile formation. M590 buffs the top left and bottom left MG from the bottom right, which means she must be used in that position in order to make the most of her powerful buff. To use her in that position, however, another SG needs to be used with her, making a 2SG echelon necessary. 2SG echelons are objectively worse when compared to 1SG Echelons, which is enough to make M590 not among the best SGs available..

Strengths

Decent Stats

M590 has both above average Armor and HP, allowing her to tank better than many other SGs off the bat.

Decent Buff Tiles

M590 buffs two MGs’ Accuracy by 55%. As many MGs have inherently low base Accuracy, they largely appreciate this powerful Accuracy buff.

Weaknesses

Suited for 2SG

M590’s tile formations make her suited for a 2SG Echelon, which is less ideal when compared to a 1SG Echelon for several reasons ranging from resource cost to lower overall DPS.

Full Analysis

M590, while having a solid kit, sees less usage than her peers for several reasons.

M590’s kit, by itself, is overall solid. First of all, M590 has above average tanking capabilities. Her HP stat, resting at 264 per Dummy, is one of the highest HP stats out of all SGs, leaving her with a whopping 1320 HP at max Link. In addition, her 22 Armor is nothing to scoff at either, being second to only KSG’s 24 Armor. Complementing her stats further, M590 also has great tile buffs, providing a 55% Accuracy buff to two MGs. As MGs have an inherently low Accuracy stat,  they appreciate Accuracy buffs a lot more than other units. On top of this, many top tier MGs -- such as PK and M2HB -- have low Accuracy, which makes Accuracy buffs even more important as they can dictate what type of Equipment that an MG would need to use use. Therefore, M590’s Accuracy buff, while not on par with stronger Damage buffs, is still better than average.

The reason M590 isn’t a top ranking SG despite such a solid kit is because of her buff tile formation. M590 buffs the top left and bottom left MG from the bottom right, which forces her into that corner. With her in that position, however, she does not draw aggro from the enemies coming from near the top row, and therefore needs to be used with one more SG in order to prevent the MGs in her team’s backline from taking damage. This can be avoided by placing M590 in the middle, and forgoing her tiles entirely -- but this is a bad idea as MGs clear the enemies fast enough for SGs to barely tank in most battles. This means SGs are pseudo-HGs for many battles, and not providing buffs to the MGs takes away half the purpose of an SG.

But what’s so bad about having to run two Shotguns? The first, and main reason, is the resource cost. By running 2SGs, the team is forced into either a 2SG1HG2MG or a 2SG3MG formation. 1 SG Echelons can make use of an HG instead of an extra SG, which means a 2SG Echelon costs 60 ammo/ 110 MRE more to operate for no additional benefit. While it may seem the second SG might help take some of the burden off of the first SG, as stated above, this tanking support is rarely necessary, as one SG is already more than enough for easily beating most content. Another reason why 2SG Echelons are inefficient is because while it’s a minor difference, there is an overall loss in DPS in 2SG teams when compared to 1SG teams. By using a second SG, at least one HG is replaced in the Echelon. Even though the DPS difference isn’t large and rarely matters due to how powerful MGs are, the discrepancy does exist.

All in all, while M590 does have a solid kit, she isn’t among the best SGs as she must be used in a 2SG Echelon. While her other qualities are great, they aren’t enough to reconcile this weakness if better options are available.

Team Options

SAA

M2HB

PK

Grizzly

Gr Mk23

Gr MG5

M500

SG That Buffs From Center/Top Right

As M590 buffs from the bottom right, another SG that can either buff from the middle or the top right must be used to cover for the remaining aggro. Keep in mind that SGs that can buff from the middle with decent tiles can be used by themselves in a 1SG echelon, and are therefore wasted in a 2SG echelon. An example of an SG that can be used with her is M500.

MGs

As most MGs appreciate Accuracy buffs, M590 can be used with most MGs. Keep in mind, however, that some MGs -- such as LWMMG/M1919A4 -- are self-sufficient and do not need any more Accuracy buffs. Some good MGs that can be used with M590 are MG5, M2HB, and PK.

HGs With Accuracy/Damage Buffs

Although M590 doesn’t need any buffs from HGs, MGs appreciate Accuracy and Damage buffs -- one thing to consider is that as M590 already gives a powerful Accuracy buff, more Accuracy buffs may end up redundant on many MGs. Some HGs with these buffs are SAA, Grizzly, and Mk23.

Recommended Formations