To keep the game fresh, developers usually have to add more content over time... and Free Fire is not an exception to this rule. Garena has been adding various new guns over time to diversify the weapon options in the game. The M21 Woodpecker is the latest addition to the battleground of Free Fire... in the recent November update of the game.
In this article, we would list everything you need to know about the Free Fire New Gun Woodpecker and a comparison between it and other guns in the game.
Table of Contents
1 - About Free Fire New Gun Woodpecker
You can try the gun now in Classic Mode. It is supposed to be a sniper or DMR... but Free Fire does not have a DMR category so the gun is categorized as a Rifle.
Strengths
The Woodpecker or M21 "Woodpecker" is made in America as an update to the M14 design (which is also a part of Free Fire), aiming for even more power and penetration ability. This relation is clearly showcased in the game, with the M21 Woodpecker having 85 damage, 8 points more than its predecessor M14. Even if you are using a skin on your M14, the Woodpecker would still deal more damage in combat.
The best part about the M21, however, is its armor-piercing ability. With a whopping 75 points in armor penetration stat (the highest in the game), the M21 Woodpecker can ignore up to 3/4 of enemies' damage reduction from armors and helmets. This would ensure its power in the late game, in which everyone would be wearing high-level gears.
Lastly, the Woodpecker has the highest accuracy than any other AR or semi-auto sniper rifles in the game. With 69 points, you would be able to snipe from afar with relatively good results.
Weaknesses
The Woodpecker has a somewhat low range for a sniping weapon. With only 63 points in range, you would only be able to engage targets at mid-range... and this is even shorter than some ARs. Overall, this does not affect the combat effectiveness of the M21 too much, as usually combats in the game happen in the middle range.
This is pretty much the only weakness of the M21, as its other stats are super high for its role.
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2 - In-game Stats of the Woodpecker
The Woodpecker can be equipped with 5 types of attachments: Silencer, Muzzle, Foregrip, Magazine and Stock. Overall, Muzzle, Foregrip and Stock are needed most, as they would increase the gun's performance in long range fights and reduce its recoil.
The M21 Woodpecker comes with its own scope - you won't have to look for one. It cannot be equipped with any other scope except for the default one, however.
- DAMAGE: 85
- RATE OF FIRE: 39
- RANGE: 63
- RELOAD SPEED: 48
- MAGAZINE: 12
- ACCURACY: 69
- MOVEMENT SPEED: 62
- ARMOR PENETRATION: 75
3 - Woodpecker Vs AWM?
Overall, with 85 damage and 75 armor penetration, the Woodpecker deals more damage than the AWM 100% of the time, assuming enemies are wearing armors. It also has higher effective damage too... as Semi-Auto Sniper Rifles fire much faster than a proper Sniper Rifle like the AWM.
The one edge the AWM has over the M21 is that it has a much higher effective range - with 90 points, you can snipe targets at long range with ease. The M21 can only work at mid-range.
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4 - Strategy when using the M21 Woodpecker
Weapon and Characters Combinations
The M21 Woodpecker is perfect to use as an end-game weapon - it is best combined with guns that have a powerful automatic fire like the Groza or SCAR. The strength in mid-range combat also shines at the late game as well, when the circle closes down to a small area.
To use in combination with the M21 Woodpecker, Dasha's recoil reduction ability would come in handy. Laura's Accuracy buff and Rafael's Dead Silent would make a great "sniper combo", enabling you to kill your enemies without getting detected. Hayato's skill is actually pretty bad on the M21, as it only provides minimal bonus... the gun already has a high armor penetration stat.
Gameplay
The M21 Woodpecker is best used like any other sniper rifle - you need to get a vantage point on high ground for the gun to show its maximum potential.
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