Submachine guns are fully automatic weapons that are commonly associated with defenders. That’s because most defenders have them as one of their choices for their primary weapon, and as for attackers, there’s only a few submachine guns available to them.

Submachine guns usually have lower damage than assault rifles, but they make up for that lack in damage with their usually faster rate of fire. Submachine guns excel at close to medium range shooting which is perfect for most defenders because those are the distances where they’d usually be engaging attackers.

10. FMG-9

https://youtu.be/NImjcC_Cwo4?si=oVQ8adriqjzp4yXJ&t=94

The FMG-9, available to operators Nokk and Smoke is probably one of the most underrated submachine guns in the game. That’s most likely because it does have a pretty strong recoil while also not having the option to equip it with a vertical grip. There's also the fact that for both Nokk and Smoke, their alternative, which is their shotgun, is also a really good choice as their primary weapon. However, players really shouldn’t sleep on the FMG-9, especially when it comes to playing Nokk who doesn’t have a machine pistol as her secondary weapon.

That’s because the FMG-9 is a really good weapon for close to medium range encounters. The damage that it inflicts per shot is pretty high and it has a fast rate of fire. Its recoil can be a challenge to control especially if you’re not using any non-recoil control providing attachment, but at close to medium range, most players would still find it very manageable. What’s great is that it can be equipped with a scope 1.5x which will allow the user to see their target well while also not being compromised when it comes to peripheral view because its zoom level is not too high.

What makes FMG-9 great:

• It’s compatible with the scope 1.5x which will allow the player to have a good amount of zoom level while also not being at a disadvantage at close range because it won’t sacrifice a lot of peripheral view
• The FMG-9's rate of fire is pretty high. Combining that with its very decent damage, it can really make short work of enemies, especially at close to medium range where the effects of its recoil will be minimized
• It’s compatible with the extended barrel which will make its damage higher and reduce its range damage drop-off. It’s also compatible with the suppressor which will remove its directional damage indicator and silence its shots

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 38
• Fire Rate - 800
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 30

9. MPX

https://youtu.be/3XhDjZIADWo?si=39p3OG2YSjAubUXt&t=13

Like the FMG-9 above, the MPX is also a very underrated weapon in Siege. That’s mostly because before, it wasn’t compatible with the scope 1.5x, but now, operator Warden can equip it to the MPX, making it much easier for Warden players to aim and hit their enemies. The MPX is available to Valkyrie, Warden, and the newest operator in the game, Tubarao. And while the scope 1.5x can only be equipped with Warden to this weapon, that makes the MPX one of the defender weapons that can be equipped with a high-powered scope.

Aside from the scope 1.5x, the MPX also has great features such as its fast rate of fire, manageable stock recoil, decent magazine capacity, and most importantly, its compatibility with all the barrel attachments in the game. Because of its manageable stock recoil, the user can afford to equip it with only one recoil-control providing attachment which ideally would be the vertical grip, and then they can equip it with a non-recoil control providing barrel attachment like the extended barrel or the suppressor.

What makes MPX great:

• With operator Warden, players can equip the MPX with a scope 1.5x which is great for close to medium range shooting because it provides a good enough zoom level without sacrificing too much peripheral view
• Its rate of fire is quite high compared to most other submachine guns and that, combined with its decent firepower, makes it a great gun for close to medium range encounters
• Because its stock recoil is manageable, the user can just equip it with a vertical grip while taking advantage of non-recoil control providing barrel attachments like the suppressor or extended barrel

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 26
• Fire Rate - 830
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 30

8. UZK50GI

https://youtu.be/oUgsYdT0BJw?si=ltyJdNQ5ozVzCY8J&t=28

The UZK50GI is one of the newest guns in Siege and is unique to operator Thorn. Right off the bat, one could notice its small magazine capacity, and that’s understandably a turn-off for a lot of people, the author included. However, the UZK50GI still belongs to this list because it makes up for that drawback with its high damage, decent rate of fire, very manageable recoil, and most importantly, its compatibility with the scope 1.5x that can really up the accuracy of Thorn players.

Its compatibility with the scope 1.5x was only recently added and it was a move to increase Thorn’s pick rate which was at the low end of the charts. With her UZK50GI being compatible with the scope 1.5x, Thorn has become a much more viable operator who’s not only great at disrupting the momentum of enemies with her Razorbloom Shells but also an effective fragger because her submachine gun primary weapon has a high-powered scope and heavy stopping power.

What makes UZK50GI great:

• The devs have just recently made it compatible with the scope 1.5x and that’s a great help to Thorn players when it comes to accuracy as it’ll allow them to see their enemies well without being at a disadvantage at close range
• It has high stopping power and very decent rate of fire and with those two features combined, it can make short work of enemies and make Thorn a very effective offensive operator
• The UZK50GI is compatible with all the barrel attachments in the game, so for example, if the user equips it with an extended barrel, its already high firepower will become even higher

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 36
• Fire Rate - 700
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 22

7. MP5K

https://youtu.be/gwJhICjzQBc?si=TAO3nIA0eyN8aZP2&t=56

The MP5K is one of the most balanced submachine guns in the game and that’s why it deserves to be in this list. Available to operators Wamai and Mute, this submachine gun has all the things that a Siege player would want with their weapon. It inflicts a good amount of damage per shot, has a fast rate of fire, a very decent magazine size, and it’s also compatible with a high-powered scope in the 1.5x, at least in Wamai’s case. It’s just overall a good submachine gun with practically no flashy strengths but no glaring drawbacks either.

All the barrel attachments in the game are also compatible with the MP5K so it’s very customizable to the user, especially counting the fact that its recoil is very manageable. That’s because it mostly only goes on a straight vertical line and its recoil diamonds are small. That means it’s not prone to horizontal or random recoil from all directions. Because of that, the user will be able to afford to equip it with just one recoil-control providing attachment and take advantage of another kind of attachment for the gun’s other parts.

What makes MP5K great:

• It’s just an overall good weapon with no strengths that make it stand out from the crowd but also has no glaring weaknesses. It’s a very convenient weapon to use and something that you can’t go wrong with.
• It’s compatible with the scope 1.5x at least in operator Wamai’s case, and that, along with its very manageable recoil, makes the MP5K a very stable weapon to shoot regardless of the distance
• It has good firepower, fast rate of fire, and decent magazine capacity, which makes it a good all-around weapon. A very reliable one that works well regardless of the map or the situation.

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 30
• Fire Rate - 800
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 30

6. 9mm C1

https://youtu.be/TDQMHeckpb8?si=lVR_Ftf-GB5V4IrA&t=46

Frost’s 9mm C1 has been one of the best weapons in Siege for a long time, and I’m speaking generally, not just within the category of submachine guns. In the old school days of Siege, the 9mm C1 had very limited attachment options. For its grip, it only had the angled variant, and for its barrel, it was only compatible with the extended barrel and the suppressor. But even then it was already a powerful weapon. Now that it’s much more customizable, it’s become an even more viable weapon that it already was.

Nowadays, the 9mm C1 can be equipped with a scope 1.5x, both the grip variants are compatible with it, and it can now be equipped with all kinds of barrel attachment available in the game. Besides its high customizability, what makes the 9mm C1 great are its high default damage, higher than average magazine capacity, and very low recoil. Because of its very low weapon kick, users can equip it with attachments that provide other benefits than additional recoil control and the weapon would remain stable while being shot even in long sprays.

What makes 9mm C1 great:

• It can now be equipped with a scope 1.5x which will really up the user’s accuracy, plus, its stock recoil is very easy to control, so even if the user is performing suppressive fire, they won’t lose control of the weapon
• The default damage is pretty high for a submachine gun and its range damage drop-off is quite low, so the user can effectively frag enemies with this weapon regardless of the distance
• It has a higher than average magazine capacity which helps during “high traffic” situations where the user would be facing multiple enemies. Higher magazine capacity means that there’s less chance of the user needing to reload during combat.

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 36
• Fire Rate - 575
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 34

5. UMP45

https://youtu.be/nicFR0lptOk?si=EkhOgRI6OdZGuWLN&t=16

The UMP45, available to operators Castle and Pulse, is easily one of the most underrated weapons in the game, not just in the submachine gun category. It has heavy stopping power, very easy to control weapon kick, and a decent magazine size. Both operators can also equip it with a scope 1.5x which is a great thing to have because it makes aiming at enemies much easier. With a scope 1.5x, you’d be able to see your enemies well while still having a healthy amount of peripheral view.

Many players think that its low recoil only stems from its low rate of fire, but if you’d look at its recoil pattern image, you’d see that its recoil diamonds are really tight. That means its horizontal recoil is almost non-existent, and that makes its weapon kick very easy to control. Because of that the user can afford to not equip it at all with any recoil control providing attachments and instead take advantage of other attachments that provide other benefits such as faster ADS time, higher damage, or additional stealth capabilities.

What makes UMP45 great:

• It has a high stopping power for a submachine gun and its rate of fire is pretty decent. So at close to medium range, it can down an opponent quite easily as long as its shots connect.
• Its recoil is very easy to control and that’s because of its recoil diamonds which are very tight. Meaning its horizontal recoil is almost non-existent, and that means a very stable firing experience for the user.
• It’s compatible with the scope 1.5x which is great for the distance that Castle and Pulse usually engage enemies in which are close to medium range. It’ll provide them with a good zoom level without eating up a lot of peripheral view.

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 38
• Fire Rate - 600
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 25

4. PDW9

https://youtu.be/ASxUBmK6y1Y?si=HfBq8iJMXLakBLBi&t=18

The PDW9 is a beast of a submachine gun because it has all the qualities you’d want in a weapon. I can’t really think of a drawback to using it. It has very good firepower, fast rate of fire, very manageable weapon kick, is compatible with the scope 1.5x, and best of all, it has a huge magazine capacity. That huge magazine capacity is a huge help when you’re facing multiple enemies. That’s because it lessens the chances that you’ll need to reload in the middle of combat.

That’s a real lifesaver in Siege because having to reload your primary weapon in the middle of combat often leads to death. With its huge magazine capacity, the user can also provide suppressive fire to support their teammates. Another great thing about the PDW9 is that it’s compatible with all kinds of barrel attachments in the game. So if you want to have more firepower, you can run with the extended barrel, or if you want more stealth benefits, you can run with the suppressor.

What makes PDW9 great:

• It has a really good firepower and a fast rate of fire. That combination is deadly, especially at close to medium range, because it really allows the user to down their enemies fast.
• Its stock recoil is very manageable so the user can afford to equip it with only one attachment that provides recoil control. With that they can equip another attachment that provides other kinds of benefits.
• It has a huge magazine capacity which is really helpful during “high traffic” situations like when you’re dealing with multiple enemies. That’s because with a huge magazine capacity, you’re less likely to have to reload in the middle of combat.

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 34
• Fire Rate - 800
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 50

3. P90

https://youtu.be/_KuYFcbdwu0?si=i-TNhvkXKIExcEY1&t=174

The P90 is a submachine gun that is available to operators Rook, Doc, and Solis, and while the scope 1.5x is only usable with Rook and Doc, it’s a really great addition to the weapon and that’s why it ranks so high in this list. Right off the bat, most players will notice the P90’s low damage, and while that may turn off a lot of people, more and more Siege players nowadays are realizing that it’s actually a great weapon despite that very obvious drawback.

That’s because the P90 makes up for its lack of firepower with a very fast rate of fire. This makes it a weapon that is very deadly at close to medium range. While its firepower may be low, if each shot connects to an opponent’s body in very quick succession, then its drawback of low damage is basically offset. On top of that, the P90 has a huge magazine capacity, making it an ideal weapon for dealing with multiple enemies as with a huge magazine capacity, the likelihood of having to reload in the middle of combat is less.

What makes P90 great:

• Despite its low firepower, the P90 can be devastating at close to medium range due to its very fast rate of fire. So even though it has low damage, it can connect shots after shots in very quick succession.
• Its magazine capacity is huge, and that’s very helpful in “high traffic” situations or dealing with multiple enemies at once. That’s because it greatly lessens the chances of the user needing to reload during combat.
• It’s compatible with the scope 1.5x which is a great addition to the weapon because it’ll allow Rook and Doc players to frag their opponents with great accuracy.

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 22
• Fire Rate - 970
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 50

2. 9x19VSN

https://youtu.be/tPMtXX6mVNQ?si=27N6YbxsO4hRrgJG&t=23

The 9x19VSN ranks so high in this list because with operator Tachanka, it can be equipped with a scope 1.5x or a 2.0x. That’s a huge deal because very few defending operators have access to the scope 2.0x. That’s mainly because they already have the advantage of being able to camp inside the mission building and wait for the attackers to push. The devs decided to limit the defenders’ access to high-powered scopes so that they won’t have too much of an advantage over the attackers.

That’s why being able to use a scope 2.0x is very special for the defenders, and with it on the 9x19VSN, the user will be able to frag their enemies with great accuracy. Especially because the weapon also has a very manageable weapon kick despite having a pretty fast rate of fire. The 9x19VSN also has very decent damage per shot, and good magazine capacity. Its recoil diamonds are also really tight so it’s not prone at all to horizontal or random recoil from all directions. 

What makes 9x19VSN great:

• With operator Tachanka, the 9x19VSN can be equipped with high-powered scopes as high as the scope 2.0x, making Tachanka one of the very few defenders in the game that has access to the scope 2.0x
• The 9x19VSN has very decent firepower, fast rate of fire, and a good magazine size, so it’s just a very good all-around weapon with no real drawbacks basically.
• Its recoil diamonds are very tight and small and that means that the weapon is not at all prone to horizontal and random recoil from all directions, and that results in a very stable firing experience.

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 34
• Fire Rate - 750
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 30

1. MP5

https://youtu.be/vhJB_OhyphM?si=DxJ0QyRDLoS5voGk&t=40

The MP5 is a unique submachine gun to Rook, Doc, and Melusi, and like the 9x19VSN above, it’s one of the very few defender weapons that can be equipped with a scope 2.0x. To be clear though, only Rook can equip it with a scope 2.0x, while the scope 1.5x is the most powerful scope that Doc can attach it with, and Melusi can only run it with 1.0x sights. Regardless, the MP5 deserves to be at the top of this list because it has everything that a Siege player would want in their weapon.

Its firepower is very decent, has a fast rate of fire, its magazine capacity is good, has a manageable recoil, and most importantly, it's very customizable. All barrel attachments are available to it, so if you feel like wanting to increase its firepower, you can do so by attaching the extended barrel. If you want to shoot enemies without them immediately realizing where you’re shooting from, you can easily choose the suppressor insead. Its overall great qualities and customizability adds a lot to why it’s one of the best submachine guns in the game.

What makes MP5 great:

• It’s one of the very few defender weapons that can be equipped with a scope 2.0x, at least in Rook’s case, and the scope 2.0x is a very powerful attachment for a defender because they can use it with peeker’s advantage
• Despite its fast rate of fire, its weapon kick is quite easy to control, so in most cases, the user can equip it with just one recoil-control providing attachment without being punished with a strong recoil
• All barrel attachments are available to it so if the user wants more stealth benefits, they can attach it with a suppressor, and if they want more firepower, they can use the extended barrel.

Weapon Stats:

• Damage - 27
• Fire Rate - 800
• Mobility - 50
• Capacity - 30

Attention operator, please be advised. There is a new directive from Six. Read up on these related articles, and prepare for deployment:

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