Bring on the 3v3v3 Limited Time Christmas Mode, where teams must eliminate each other and capture the train objectives. Fly in from supply ships, place down fortresses, push enemies when they are weak and contest the point. You need 3 points to win the match gained by capturing the train’s objective. These are the best Winter Express weapons to use in the Wintertide Collection’s LTM 2022.
Previous Winter Express LTM Loadouts
The previous Seasonal Event had players choose which Legend they wanted to be based on the loadout. The Legend’s loadout changed daily. Giving players the opportunity to try out different Legends in a highly aggressive Game Mode. Examples of Legend loadouts were:
- Hemlock & R99 (Bloodhound)
- R301 & Mozambique (Lifeline)
- Turbo Devotion & P2020 (Wraith)
- R99 & EVA-8 (Bangalore)
- Wingman & P2020 (Wattson)
This time however, Respawn have switched it up. This time around, players get to pick their Legend in the standard game loading screen. After picking, the players get to decide what loadout they want to use out of 5 possible choices. It is likely that these 5 loadouts will change every day to keep the event fresh and interesting. With the option to decide which Legend you wish to be, alongside being able to change this and the loadout after every round. Players can really practice new Legends and loadout compositions for future Ranked games. As the Winter Express does not last very long due to it being the first to 3 points. Players can play this Mode similar to Arenas.
Now is the time to pick up that Catalyst and give her a go. There are only rewards when playing this Game Mode, as you can pick up points just by playing and know that its not as serious as Ranked is. Have fun, try out different Legends and guns. There is only so much the Firing Range can teach you.
Related: How to Use Catalyst Effectively in the Apex Legends Winter Express LTM.
The Best Winter Express Weapons
These are our top 6 recommendations for Winter Express weapons. Based on both offensive and defensive playstyles.
6. Wingman
We can all expect this gun to appear in multiple loadouts. As of the update, a Wingman + Mozambique loadout is available. Players should pick this gun if they are confident with regularly hitting shots. Only the most accurate players should run this gun. Because of this, it is on the lower end of our favourite Winter Express weapons. This gun should be used on all-round Legends that have the ability to reposition quickly and pick off players from afar. Should they need to push they can crack armor with the Wingman and move in with the Mozambique at close-range. We recommend playing Horizon, Octane or Pathfinder.
5. Mastiff/Peacekeeper
On the first day of playing Winter Express LTM 2022, the only shotguns available are Mozambique and EVA-8. If these loadouts change, which likely they will. We will see an option to use the Peacekeeper or the Mastiff. Either way, Shotguns should definitely be used in this Game Mode. Especially on Newcastle, Wattson, Gibraltar and Caustic. I have seen the return of bubble fighting which is nice to see against the Seer meta in Ranked. The Shotgun is also fantastic in a hyper aggressive team composition such as Bangalore and Bloodhound. Using Shotguns in a close-range battle and then repositioning after a knock will give your team a huge advantage.
Close-range combat may be the way to go, moving into the contested area to capture the objective. Having a close-range gun will help get those kills when the opposition is trying to capture the point.
4. Turbo Havoc
Perhaps a controversial pick but, the Turbo Havoc is proving more consistent as a weapon than the Volt. If you are used to playing with the Volt, then the Havoc should be your next pick. The attachment of the Turbocharger on the Havoc will make this a powerful choice in the Winter Express LTM. With its easy to control recoil pattern because of the attachment. This works best for players fighting in the mid-range. You should use this gun with the Legends: Fuse, Catalyst, Horizon and Wraith. We will likely see some kind of insane Energy loadout being up for grabs regularly as the Winter Express Event goes on.
3. Flatline
Whilst the Flatline has been nerfed time and time again in Apex Legends, it remains one of the best Assault Rifles to use in the game. Depending on the optic used in the loadout will determine which distance the Flatline can be used. The optics available when choosing the Flatline are x1 scopes such as the red dot sight. To be honest, this is all you need in this Game Mode. For players flying in from above, you can crack the enemy’s armor or take down one of the Legends and move in to clean up. As you can contest at any point on the train, players can use the Flatline from any angle and contest the point.
However, as of right now, the Flatline has the P2020 as its secondary gun. I imagine this will be the same case should a R301 loadout come into play as the Event goes on. Because of this, players should reposition when they need to reload and play more passively and patiently. It is likely that you will have a very aggressive team and a very defensive team to fight in this Game Mode. So use the height of the train carriages to your advantage and do not overextend.
We recommend playing with the Legends, Pathfinder, Vantage and Newcastle when using the Flatline. However, this truly is an all round gun and can be used on with any Legend. The Flatline is a great weapon to be in the hands of an IGL. In a full squad of friends or with the player who gets first pick against the opposing teams.
2. CAR
It is likely that the CAR will be a part of multiple loadouts. However, due to its consistency in one clipping enemies, they may not put it in the Mode for long. The loadouts picked so far for the Event are guns that require some variation of skill. The CAR, when placing in the hands of a controller player is massively overpowered. As of now, I appreciated seeing different guns being used such as the Wingman and G7 Scout.
Should the CAR appear as a loadout then we can expect the majority of players to use it regularly. This gun is still the best Submachine Gun in the game and will remain for many seasons to come. It can both one-clip on mouse and keyboard and controller. Players should use the Legends: Octane, Bangalore, Bloodhound and Horizon for the CAR. If the Digital Threat optic is available then it is over for the team up against Bangalore and Bloodhound.
The CAR is a gun that requires highly aggressive plays. However, it does have a better range than that of its counterpart, the R99. It can hit at mid-range if you are good at controlling the recoil pattern. The CAR should be placed in the hands of the teams top fragger. Be careful should the CAR be placed in the hands of an Octane. You may never see him in a team fight otherwise.
1. R-301
The obvious choice of Assault Rifles in Apex Legends. Until it is changed, this will remain as the top gun in Apex. With its insanely easy recoil pattern to control, this is the perfect weapon to use. On both controller and mouse & keyboard. The R-301, similar to the Flatline, can be used by anyone. Currently, the G7 Scout is favoured over the R-301 in the Mode by Respawn. Likely due to giving players the chance to properly train with the game in close to mid-range fights. But should we see the addition of R-301 in the Mode then it is likely to become a free-for-all. This gun can be used with any Legend, both passively and aggressively.
However, players should definitely use Horizon to abuse this loadout. Her mobility from her Passive with the combination of the next to no recoil makes this combination ridiculously overpowered. Just watch ChaoticMuch. The R-301 one clip someone from mid to long-range. You can also easily hip fire this weapon close range, beating the damage output of the R-99. Because of this, the R-301 can be used by any Legend, no matter how they play. The gun will work for all playstyles making it the best gun in Apex Legends, in all Game Modes.
Those are our top guns to use in the Winter Express LTM 2022. Interested in more Apex Legends Wintertide Collection content? See our related article: Best Team Comps to Use in Apex Legends Winter Express LTM.
