Gunman Contracts Weapons and Attachments Guide
What the launch arsenal actually includes
The current Steam launch package confirms 18 weapons to unlock, per-weapon attachments, a compound bow and knives. The Hive provides a gun wall for storing/unlocking weapons and a gun bench for weapon skins and custom gun sounds.
Official screenshots show pistols, larger firearms, a weapon-selection wall and an attachment interface. They confirm the system exists, but they do not prove final damage values, unlock prices, recoil numbers or a universal best weapon. Any list that ranks all 18 weapons before the public build is testable is guessing.
Choose a weapon by job, not rarity
Start with the problem the weapon must solve.
| Job | What matters most | Warning sign during testing |
|---|---|---|
| First story clear | Reliability and easy reloads | You lose awareness every time the weapon needs attention |
| Takedown route | Fast target transitions and repeatable accuracy | The first target is easy but follow-up targets cause misses |
| Last Stand | Sustainable handling under repeated pressure | You are frequently empty or stuck reloading during movement |
| Precision practice | Clear sight picture and trigger discipline | You rush follow-up shots and widen the group |
| Close-range fallback | Quick access and recovery | Switching costs more time than solving the threat with the primary |
A weapon that produces fewer spectacular moments but more repeatable clears is usually the better starting choice.
Use the Hive as a loadout laboratory
The Hive includes a classic gun range, pop-up targets, a speed course and holographic combat training. Test the same setup in increasing pressure:
- Static group: fire a deliberate group at one distance. This exposes sight and recoil problems.
- Target transition: move between multiple targets without rushing. This exposes an overly busy sight picture or sensitivity mismatch.
- Reload cycle: shoot, reload and reacquire the same target. This exposes a setup that feels good only while full.
- Movement test: repeat while changing position. This exposes whether the weapon remains controllable when the camera or hands are moving.
- Pressure test: use the speed course or holographic area without changing the setup.
Do not compare two weapons using different drills. A fair comparison needs the same target pattern, input mode and goal.
Attachment testing that gives a real answer
An attachment is useful only if it fixes a named problem. Follow this A/B process:
- Run the drill with the base weapon and note first-shot accuracy, follow-up control and reload interruption.
- Add one attachment.
- Repeat the same drill at least three times.
- Keep the attachment only if the improvement is consistent and does not create a worse trade-off elsewhere.
Examples of useful questions include: Can you acquire the target faster? Is the sight easier to read against dark backgrounds? Do follow-up shots return to the same point? Does the attachment obstruct your view in VR? Attachment names and stat effects can still shift during Early Access; the testing method above is what keeps you correct when they do.
A simple scorecard for every weapon
Rate each category from 1–5 after a consistent Hive test:
| Category | What a high score means |
|---|---|
| First-hit confidence | You can place the opening shot without correcting the sight repeatedly |
| Follow-up control | The second and third shots remain predictable |
| Reload safety | Reloading does not destroy awareness or positioning |
| Target transition | The weapon moves cleanly between threats |
| Visibility | The model and sight do not hide important information |
| Pressure handling | Performance remains stable in the holographic area or challenge mode |
Keep separate notes for VR and non-VR. Physical handling, controller input and mouse aiming can make the same weapon feel different, and the leaderboards are already separated by those modes.
First loadout recommendations without fake stats
- For a first story run, prioritize the weapon you can reload and reacquire reliably.
- For Takedown, prioritize a setup that repeats the same route cleanly instead of one that only feels powerful.
- For Last Stand, avoid a setup that leaves you helpless during every reload or bomb interaction.
- Use knives or the bow as separate practice goals until their final controls and role are clear in your chosen mode.
- Re-test a new unlock in the Hive before taking it into a leaderboard attempt.
The beginner guide shows where this test fits into your first hour, while the challenge guide explains how to validate a loadout under real pressure.
Gun wall, gun bench and customization
The gun wall is the confirmed storage/unlock point. The gun bench supports skins and custom gun sounds. Treat cosmetic personalization separately from performance testing: if you change the sight, weapon and audio setup at once, you will not know what affected the run.
The launch package also advertises custom MP3 playback through the Gunman’s smartphone. That is a music feature, not proof that every weapon audio option uses the same file path or format. Exact folders and supported formats should be documented from the released client.
Why there is no tier list yet
A credible tier list requires the live build, repeatable tests and a stated use case. Story clearing, Takedown speed and Last Stand survival may reward different qualities. Final damage, enemy health, prices, attachment effects and balance patches are not fully published, so this guide gives you a testing framework instead of pretending a preview screenshot is a spreadsheet.
Launch-day loadout checklist
The first post-release update should record all 18 weapon names, unlock conditions, attachment names, visible stat changes, bow/knife controls by mode and patch version. Until those are confirmed, use the scorecard above to make a better decision than an unsupported ranking.
Version 0.3.1.0 (September 22): reloading and grip changes
- Chest-bump reloads (VR): rifles and shotguns can now be reloaded by bringing the weapon close to your chest and holding until it refills — useful when your off-hand is occupied.
- Toggle Grip (VR): enable it in the controls settings to toggle weapon and smartphone grabbing instead of holding the grip button.
- Doors now use the correct sound when they open, and the graphics options were bundled into fewer, clearer groups. If your settings looked different after launch, this patch is why.
- The same patch closed cheat-check loopholes that could produce wrong leaderboard entries, and missed targets in the target parcours now cost points while still allowing you to finish the run.