This is from the first post I believe, but did you say that shotguns aren't good for up close and personal? How do you mean? That's literally what they're made for and the only effective place to use them in this game.

If you're talking double barrel then I agree, because having more than 2 weak enemies or 1 strong one will be difficult. but the combat shotgun with the drum mag just rips through things that tend to get close (ferals/mirelurks/flying bugs/melee human and mutant opponents/radscorpions.) You pretty much just have to point the gun in the general area of center mass and keep firing until they drop.

No, it's not because I was prepared, it was because of VAAAAAATS saving the day, since apparently when you're in it, you're suddenly in god-mode (hint: Melee players are usually in VATS mode 80% of the time in combat scenarios, since they gain massive benefits from it). I usually just say "Screw it" and rush in. If I wanted to be extra careful, I'd just take the Dense misc. armor mod for my combat chest and call it a day.

Hunt down the traveling merchant Cricket.

She sells Spray n Pray, a .45 suppressed machine gun with explosive bullets. It mows down those stupid ghouls and other low hp enemies that come in swarms.

I find it to be better for close range work than anything but a well-modded combat shotgun.

Agreed, I would even say melee with blitz perk makes it easier to kill those things than anything else. VATS has helped me even survive 2 direct hits from a fatman.

But without VATS, I think melee is incredible weak on this game, I get staggered constantly while I am getting fried by bullets from all directions. And that was on normal difficulty I can't imagine it on survival.

Brilliant...her depression is a better defense then any weapon or armor

Combat Shotgun is great for close in. Put a big bayonet on the end and you stagger things. I've found a 'stab shoot shoot' seems to be about the best for minimizing incoming damage.

It's actually very strong. You need to be aware of the situation though. For room to room my Stunning Super Sledge is beastly. I beat the forge guy to death yesterday.

I get staggered to death with super sledge when fighting ferals, hounds, mirelurks, deathclaws, raiders, even the [censored] roaches. And that's on normal difficulty, sometimes I get staggered so much by bashing raiders I feel forced to use the power attack and I accidentally throw some bomb instead killing myself in the process.

I do use serious PA in my combat. In my playthrough I take all crafting perks and only take others when I have none available. The Technician, if you will. This means my stuff is real nice although my buffing perks are less used. I like it that in PA the sledge is just a one hand weapon. Not getting much staggering on my guy, he does it to others a lot though.

No VATS, always Survival.

Can't shoot? Go melee!

A suggestion I might make, something that may not be obvious, for when tricking out one's combat rifle...

Do NOT put a long range scope on it. Go for the shorter range scope instead. The vast majority of times you will not be engaging at extreme range. The few times that you are engaging at extreme range, you don't really need the extra magnification to line up a shot. However in that vast majority of times your target is medium to short range, having a long range scope on your rifle will make it a LOT more difficult to find your target quickly in the scope.

I have using a medium scope on a rifle down to a bit of an art, that without ever using VATS. I enter a room with several targets, and it takes about one second each to plant a head shot onto each. Each will be without scope for target acquisition; I move the mouse without scope to close to the target, hit the right mouse button as I do which zooms in. I finish the line up on the head, hit the left mouse button and release the right so as to acquire the next target. That process is not much more that one second per. I'll often clear a room before they get off a single shot. I do of course enter the room as stealthily as I can though.

I should mention that I am using a two shot combat rifle, and a single trigger pull to a head shot is almost always sufficient to bring down an opponent (in normal).

That is what I am doing. Now I am having a hard time trying to get my melee weapon out LOL. I have no coordination at all. So I end up butting the enemies.

Dang, this game is just so hard.

This why I call my Assault Rifle Baby. She is my workhorse and does most of the damage I do. Hits around 76 with the Advanced Receiver, and with a medium scope and the best anti recoil setup, is just golden. My vote for best weapon in the game. I like the Combat Rifle and have one in .308 now, it hits a little harder, but Baby can put more rounds on target faster, and in my opinion wins because of that fact.