Extremely versatile and user-friendly, the R-101C Carbine is the workhorse assault rifle of the Frontier. The weapon is most effective at mid-range, but is still somewhat competitive at close and long ranges, meaning the weapon fits any play style whether aggressive or defensive. Although the weapon has generous usability and adaptability to any combat scenario, it is inferior to Pilot weapons specifically built for close and long range combat. Despite these drawbacks, no Pilot weapon boasts better versatility than the R-101C Carbine, making it the perfect weapon for entry level Pilots and experienced alike.
Strengths
Highly versatile.
Large ammunition reserve.
Ultimate mid-range weapon.
Weaknesses
Outclassed at short range by EVA-8 Shotgun and submachine guns.
Outclassed at long range by other rifles.
24 round magazine empties quickly if not used properly.
Design
The R-101C Carbine is a fully automatic compact assault rifle built with an extendable frame specifically for Titan pilots. The carbine is depicted to fire 8.19mm rounds with tungsten penetrators in a copper-jacket and a polymer cartridge.
Field Notes
If you're looking for the all-around weapon, this is it. The R-101C Carbine is the most versatile weapon in the game. It has great accuracy and range while its rate of fire is quite fast and deals a solid amount of damage to take down Pilots and minions.
Being an extremely versatile weapon, you can play aggressive or passive throughout the game. Its range enables you to pick off Pilots from a distance and its fully automatic feature allows you to fire away in those close-quarter battles. When engaging targets at long range, fire the weapon in short bursts to maintain accuracy.
With this weapon, you're able to pick off most minions from a distance with quick headshots or a few bullets to the body. The magazine capacity allows you to pick off a group of minions and still have enough ammo left to drop a Pilot.
The sights attachments offer different magnifications. If you're looking to sit back and defend on a open map, attach the AOG. At closer ranges attach the HCOG or Holosight. If you find yourself running out of ammo, attach the Extended Magazine to increase your magazine capacity. However adding the Suppressor allows you to be a stealthy ninja and stay hidden from the minimap when firing the weapon, but at a minor reduction in damage and range.
Since previous updates, the specs of the rifle were brought down on account of it being way over powered and the fact that no other weapon being commonly used. The ammo count within each magazine was dropped from 30 bullets to 24 bullets, the accuracy was brought down slightly, and there is more noticeable recoil when firing. It is still commonly used in all game modes in Titanfall and is considered to be the most used weapon in the entire game.
The Holographic Combat Optical Gunsight has an open sight picture, making it easier to acquire and track targets, particularly in the vertical. The gunsight is fixed at 1.85X magnification, and includes integrated ammunition readouts.
The Holosight's optics are fixed at a 2.1X zoom factor. The sight picture is designed to induce a tighter visual perception, making it effective both at range and in close quarters. The Holosight is equipped with an integrated ammunition readout.
The AOG, or Advanced Optical Gunsight, is fixed at 2.4X magnification, and includes an integrated "current magazine capacity" readout with a backup numerical display. The AOG is ideal for combat at extended range.
The R-101 returns in Titanfall 2's Colony Reborn update. Although it has a different aesthetic, it is functionally identical to the R-201 Assault Rifle. It's only major difference is that its default Irondot Sight has been replaced with an AOG scope. It otherwise is identical to the R201.
Originally, it was envisioned by the designers as a completely customizable and modular weapon, before they dialed the modularity back and made it into a simple assault rifle. Elements of this modularity can still be felt in the similar designs of the R-97 Compact SMG, C.A.R SMG, and the Longbow-DMR Sniper.
The R-101C was originally known as the RSPN-101, short for Respawn, which is a reference to Titanfall's developer Respawn Entertainment. The rear iron sight of the weapon bears the Respawn logo.
Like many weapons in the game, the R-101 has been nerfed in the fourth update of Titanfall. It is now harder to hit targets at long distances and it's magazines size has been reduced from 30 to 24.
