FN FAL

The FN FAL is a semi-automatic assault rifle featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Campaign
In Campaign, the weapon is used heavily by the Tropas in "Operation 40" and is the primary assault rifle used by the NVA in "The Defector." It is powerful and effective, but is usually passed up for other weapons that can be found.

Multiplayer
Unlocked at level 32, the FN FAL has medium recoil and high damage, killing in two to three shots in Core game modes and always with one shot in Hardcore game modes.

The FAL is a powerful weapon in Black Ops, killing opponents with less shots than most other automatic weapons in the game, but is semi-automatic, which somewhat limits its effectiveness in close quarters. The FAL excels at mid to long range gunfights due to its superior damage and accuracy, as well as moderately low recoil.

The FAL is a versatile weapon that can work with many different attachments and perks to be effective. Optics are an extremely common choice, as the FAL's sights are reasonably good, but optics allow for more accuracy at range. The Red Dot and Reflex Sights are great choices, as they provide better peripheral vision than the iron sights. The ACOG and Infrared scopes are also useful, but further limits the FAL's close quarter abilities by slowing ADS time and increasing recoil. Dual Mags are useful as it shortens reload time and grants 2 extra starting magazines, negating the need for Scavenger and Sleight of Hand. Extended Mags can be helpful when facing multiple enemies at once, but for the most part, 20 rounds are enough, as the FAL's semi-automatic nature and high power conserves ammunition very well, and its reload is rather quick. The Suppressor is also useful, as its high minimum damage allows it to kill effectively with 3 shots or less at any range.

Warlord is a great perk to use, as Sleight of Hand and Steady Aim are not immediately necessary for the FAL, although they are effective. An optic paired with Dual Mags or the Suppressor would be a good choice for a silent, deadly marksman class. Hardened is also useful, as the FAL has high penetration for an assault rifle, and Hardened will increase the player's chances of killing an enemy behind cover. Hardened Pro is also useful, as accuracy is vital to be successful with the FAL, and flinching in the middle of a firefight can be fatal.

The FN FAL has some advantages over the other single-shot assault rifle in the game, the M14. The FN FAL has much more open, less obstructed iron sights, easily stays on target in close to long range gunfights, can accept Dual Mags, and does not require a grip like the M14 to lower recoil. The FN FAL features arguably lower, but less predictable recoil, unlike the M14, which has a more powerful linear vertical recoil. However, one can argue that the linear recoil allows for easier headshots and the fact that some prefer this type of recoil, but this choice is up to the player. Another notable fact is that the M14 has a tighter hipfire spread than the FN FAL, therefore increasing the performance of the latter in close quarter combat. Finally, the FN FAL lacks the x1.5 damage multiplier to the neck and head than the M14 has, meaning that the FN FAL needs two headshots to two-hit at long range, while the M14 only needs one of the two bullets to hit the head or neck in order to get a two-hit kill at range.

Attachments

 * Extended Mags
 * Dual Mag
 * ACOG Scope
 * Red Dot Sight
 * Reflex Sight
 * Masterkey
 * Flamethrower
 * Infrared Scope
 * Suppressor
 * Grenade Launcher

Zombies

 * "The Falafel! Good for Eating and Shooting!"
 * — Nikolai Bellinski when obtaining the FN FAL on Ascension

The FN FAL appears in the Zombies maps Kino der Toten, Five, Ascension, Call of the Dead, Shangri-La, and Moon. It also appears in the updated Black Ops versions of Nacht der Untoten, Verruckt, Shi No Numa, and Der Reise. In Zombies mode, the FN FAL can be only obtained from the Mystery Box. It comes with a 20 round magazine, moderate power (one-hit-headshot until round six) and high accuracy. Due to the larger magazine size and double the power on headshots, the FN FAL is considered superior to the M14. The Pack-A-Punched version is better, but both versions should be exchanged during the mid rounds.

Pack-A-Punching
When Pack-A-Punched, the FN FAL turns into the "EPC WN", which sports a Reflex Sight with a randomized reticule and switches to a three-round burst firing mode, with a one-hit-headshot capacity lasting until round 12. However, one will seldom see a player using the "EPC WN", due to the ineffectiveness of the normal variant. However, It can be effective until round 30 if aiming for headshots.

Trivia

 * Emblems on the FN FAL appear "backwards" or as a mirror image of the emblem.
 * Like the M14, the FN FAL has a wooden stock and handguard, but when a camouflage pattern is applied, the stock and hand guard turn into a synthetic material. This only occurs in multiplayer.
 * On the Wii version of Call of Duty: Black Ops, the camouflage does not change the wooden stock.
 * With a Grenade Launcher, Flamethrower, or Masterkey attached, the player character releases the magazine slightly differently due to the trigger guard obstructing the magazine well.
 * When Pack-A-Punched, the name change, EPC WN, is a short variation of "Epic Win", while the FN FAL sounds like "Fuckin' Fail".
 * The FN FAL's serial number is 723750402.
 * By viewing the FN FAL in third-person the player can see the word B3AN1ES, which translates to "beanies".
 * Nikolai Belinski calls this weapon the "Falafel", similar to Tank Dempsey calling the Wunderwaffe DG-2 the "Wonder Waffle" and Edward Richtofen calling the P.E.S. "pies".