With the beast of a new 0.19.0 update came a total smorgasbord of brand new features to PUBG Mobile. We got a new, Nordic-style map, Livik, that doubles the population density and cuts the playtime in half for a glorious 15-minute bout of unrivaled chaos. We have a brand new vehicle that’s actually cool unlike the exclusive dweeb-mobiles of Miramar, Vikendi, and Sanhok.
Most importantly, we get to sink our teeth into two brand new guns: The P90 SMG and MK12 marksman rifle — and both weapons pack a heck of a lot of firepower. Almost enough to make up for the continuing disappointment of the Winchester that came with Miramar.
Below, we’ll take a stroll through the new guns and their unique features, and give you some seriously in-depth gameplay tips on how to bring out your murderous best with each one.
MK12 Specs
- 20 round capacity, extendable to 30
- Semi-automatic
- High power
- Extraordinarily low recoil
The MK12 is a marksman rifle that packs a lot more damage than the others in its class. It uses .556 with a base magazine of 20 rounds that jumps to 30 with an extended mag, giving you a surprisingly hefty well of lead to draw from compared to other marksman rifles. The damage is surprisingly high for a non-crate weapon and it takes only about a second to drop players, even without headshots.
Like the Mini14 and SKS, the MK12 is semi-automatic only, but this doesn’t feel awkward because of the MK12’s standout feature: extraordinarily low recoil. Unlike other marksman rifles, and indeed most weapons, the MK12 needs almost zero compensation while putting holes in somebody, letting you send them to oblivion with a short homage to Tap Tap Revenge.
MK12 Gameplay Tips And Guide
The MK12 is excellent at engaging hostiles at medium to long range for its impeccable accuracy, comparatively lower bullet drop and nearly non-existent recoil. If you come across an MK12, it is usually worth it to pick it up if you have close-quarters specialist like an UZI or the P90.
However, because it lacks a full auto or even burst firing mode, you might want to skip it if you’re carrying a semi-automatic or burst fire weapon like the M16. Towards the end-game, if you haven’t managed to find at least a 4X scope, you also shouldn’t bother to pick it up if you have an AR and an SMG.
That said, should you find yourself with a MK12 and a decent scope attachment, search out high ground and nestle yourself in the hillocks of the map. Preferably keep your back to the edge of the safe zone; Livik gets crowded, quickly, so being able to restrict most of your attention to 180 degrees will give you a significant advantage and help keep you from becoming prime bushwhack material. While moving between snipe-spots, keep your (hopefully) fully-automatic sidearm out. The MK14 is not good at dealing with surprises.
P90 Specs
- High capacity/long reload
- High recoil
- Great burst damage
- Ammo availability
The P90 is the Costco-sized SMG exclusive to the Livik map that you may recognize from the Arena mode where it’s been floating around for some time. The weapon has an incredible base magazine of 50 rounds, which is pretty easy to find the 9mm ammo for, and has some absolutely wild burst damage up close.
The weapon is a double-edged sword, however, for it operates like a cross between the Uzi and the DP-28 — it’s a great close range weapon capable of 100-to-0’ing opponents in the blink of an eye, but the huge magazine comes with steep reload time. That said, it’s excellent for the Livik map.
P90 Gameplay Tips And Guide
The P90 is an absolute beast in close combat, quickly turning opponents into Swiss cheese. The huge magazine capacity makes it nigh-unstoppable in a 1v1 when in the hands of a capable, runner-gunner. The best way to use the P90 is to first make sure you have a handle on your opponent’s location.
Once you know where they are, use the best route to get close enough to see some detail on their outfit, and then strafe laterally while relying solely on hip fire. Go full auto. Use your right thumb to aim and fire simultaneously, adjusting while you strafe. What makes SMG’s most effective is the ability to make yourself a moving target.
You should never be using the P90, or most SMG’s for that matter, at a distance. The recoil of the P90 is pretty heinous — and using 9mm, you won’t be able to string together enough hits to make a dent in your opponent’s T-shirt. One of the secrets understood by few PUBG Mobile players is the unique utility of the SMG.
The close-quarter specialists have much tighter hip-fire crosshairs than the AR’s, small enough to house most of a standing player’s hitbox within then even while moving and going full auto. Most players tend to scope for all situations, making them stationary targets. Even if they’re using a crate AR, if they’re standing still and you’re moving, they’re the ones getting shredded.
The huge magazine capacity affords you a great tactic to bait opponents into emptying their clips, even those using SMG’s. If you have effective cover, first draw enemy fire by exposing yourself. Make your presence known, whether through footsteps or firing at their cover, and pop out as if to charge them.
They will often try to smoke you immediately — backpedal, zigzag, or jump back behind cover, letting them eat up a good chunk of their clip. Then rush into close quarters. They will be forced to reload mid firefight, letting you cleave through them with little worry. The 50 round capacity of the P90 lets you pull this off sometimes without having to bait them — just keep moving, and keep firing, and they’re guaranteed to run out of ammo first.
We hope you enjoyed this run-through of Livik’s exclusive weapons and to use them in your own death-dealing giveaway next time you’re in-game. Be sure to let everyone else know any tips/tricks you use to get that chicken dinner, and what you think of the new Livik map, down below.
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