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A modernized Tapco version of the traditional SKS carbine that saw use in WWII. Light recoil with moderate reserves and faster fire rate, but lower damage.
–In-game description

The SKS is a Russian DMR available in Phantom Forces. It is unlocked at rank 13 or could be purchased using credits.

History[]

The SKS (Samozaryadnyj Karabin sistemy Simonova; Simonov self-loading carbine) is a Russian semi-automatic carbine designed and adopted shortly after WWII by Sergei Siminov, the same designer of the PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle. The weapon's design was based on the AVS-36, a battle rifle designed by Simonov prior to WWII that competed with the SVT-38 and later SVT-40 designs. The SKS uses the Soviet 7.62x39mm intermediate cartridge and is fed by 10-round stripper clips. It is used by several government agencies and has been used in many wars as a marksman rifle. It was originally intended to replace the older Mosin Nagant as the Soviet standard infantry rifle, however, with the introduction of the AK-47, the SKS was quickly deemed obsolete and production only lasted from 1949-55. After being replaced by the AK-47, the weapon was moved to second line service and was eventually used by Russian ceremonial honor guards. Over 15 million were made and it has more than ten variants made by many countries other than Russia, including Romania, Germany, China and Poland. The weapon has been used for over 60 years.

The SKS is also a popular civilian rifle, given its cheap cost in weapon price and in ammunition.[1] It is commonly used for hunting or marksmanship.

In-Game[]

General Information[]

The SKS is the second DMR that is unlocked in-game. It sports the lowest damage values in its class, at 40 maximum damage and 32 minimum damage—more comparable to an assault rifle or battle rifle. This equates to a three-shot kill (3SK) up close and a 4SK at longer range with body shots—similar to the SA58 SPR. With torso shots, the SKS is capable of a 3SK at all ranges, and with headshots the SKS can achieve a 2SK up to 125 studs. Range is fairly good, with damage drop off beginning at 100 studs and ending at 180 studs. Muzzle velocity is typical for a fast pace DMR, at 2500 studs per second.

Rate of fire (RoF) is high for its class although slow compared to other automatic weapons, at 480 RPM. This makes it the fourth highest in-class, behind the SA58 SPR's 500 RPM, SL-8's 650 RPM, and VSS Vintorez's 700 RPM. This also results in the SKS having a fairly good time to kill (TTK) up close for its class and a fairly good TTK at longer ranges, although losing out to the more powerful DMRs at such distances and to faster-firing weapons up close.

Magazine capacity is second best in class, tied with the MK11 at 20+1 rounds and beaten by the SL-8. Reload times are relatively quick, requiring 2.3 seconds for a tactical reload and a decently quick 2.9 seconds for an empty reload. This high capacity and relatively slow RoF compared to other automatic weapons means the ammunition consumption rate is fairly low. In regards to other handling traits, recoil is low, kicking upwards mildly with very minimal horizontal recoil. Hipfire accuracy is typical for a DMR. Walkspeed, aiming speed and switch times are high for a DMR.

Usage & Tactics[]

The SKS suffers at long range compared to more powerful DMRs such as the SCAR SSR, and sniper rifles such as the Intervention and Dragunov SVU, which benefit from higher damage values, damage multipliers and muzzle velocity. Conversely the SKS is decently well-suited to close range situations, given its handling traits are better than other DMRs - its average hipfire accuracy hinder its performance up close. The SKS also fires slower than most fully-automatic weapons such as assault rifles or personal defense weapons, making it not the best choice of weapon for close quarters combat (CQC) scenarios.

Instead the SKS is better used at medium range, as its higher RoF, larger magazine capacity and good maximum damage makes it better suited to shorter distances and more aggressive tactics for a typical DMR. The SKS remains best employed outside the effective range of most assault rifles, where their damage starts to drop off unlike the SKS, which retains its damage over range quite well and gives it an edge at such distances. It is noting the SKS is one of the few DMRs which can perform relatively well up close compared to fully-automatic weapons, but it remains noticeably outperformed by the SA58 SPR and VSS Vintorez in such instances due to their higher firerates and ability to kill with one shot to the head.

Regarding the usage of attachments, the SKS benefits from accuracy-improving attachments like most DMRs, as it improves the chance of a user hitting their target.

Regarding the use of optical attachments, those which provide a medium magnification level such as the C79, ACOG Scope and the TA33 ACOG provide a clearer view on target at longer distances, at the cost of reduced peripheral vision. These optics enchance the SKS's ability to engage targets within its effective range, and greatly increase the likelihood of a user hitting their target at said distances. However, this is subject to user preference.

For barrel attachments, the muzzle brake offers a further reduction in vertical recoil with a minor increase in horizontal recoil. However, the low recoil of the SKS allows for different options to be experimented with. The flash hider removes the muzzle flash omitted from the barrel, providing a clearer sight picture when firing. A muzzle booster is highly recommended as this increases the already decent rate of fire, as recoil is not a concern.

Given its high RoF for its class as well as a very adequate magazine size, the SKS can serve very well against fully-automatic weapons at medium range. Unfortunately, at close range, an automatic rifle or shotgun will have the upper hand and at longer ranges, the recoil can be difficult to control. The main downside of the SKS is that shooting the limbs will mean it will require up to four shots-to-kill (STK) making the SKS have the largest maximum amount of STK in-class at longer ranges, while light machine guns, battle rifles and even some assault rifles match or outperform the SKS.

While doing the worst damage at range for its class, its relatively low recoil means that rapid follow-up shots and spamming is a breeze, which is especially good for moving targets. It is recommended that medium sights such as the C79 and the TA33 ACOG are used, due to having better performance at range than a red-dot sight, yet not an extremely high magnification that it hampers close-quarters-combat (CQC) performance. An optic that can toggle the magnification with T is also very useful, but firerate must be controlled to be effective.

The reload speed on the SKS is considered great for its class, as when using the weapon in CQC against automatic weapons, the 2.3 second short reload can be an advantage. With proper aiming, the ability to 2SK to the head can drop enemies extremely fast and still leave spare ammo to engage others.

.366 Conversions[]

The SKS has a pair of conversions that are rarely seen being used in-game, the .366 Shot and .366 TKM Polymer Slug; both of these conversions will rename the SKS into VPO-208. The .366 TKM Polymer Slug can be used to basically make the gun more powerful, as a single slug round can do more damage than the SKS's default ammunition, while .366 Shot makes this SKS fire 12 pellets per shot, and acts as a cross between a DBV12 and a Saiga-12, having the magazine capacity of the DBV-12 and the fire rate as the Saiga-12. The compromise for both the .366 Shot and TKM Polymer Slug attachments is that these would reduce weapon damage range, firerate, and magazine capacity and reserves and will greatly increase recoil. It will also change the reloading method in which the user would reload the weapon via stripper clips instead of a box magazine; thus adding an extra second of empty reload up to 4 seconds. The poor pellet spread of the .366 Shot despite its high pellet count than any other shotgun, meant that this attachment is not ideal for enemy engagements beyond short ranges.

Conclusion[]

While not being the best DMR at range, the SKS is certainly one of the best in CQC due to its high RoF, good magazine size and excellent damage up close, adding to the fact that these .366 Shot conversions are capable in transforming how SKS handles or performs against enemies in any range.

Pros & Cons[]

Pros:

  • Good magazine capacity.
  • Good performance in CQC.
  • Precise iron sights.
  • Relatively quick reload time.
  • Has access to full stock.
  • Has access to .366 Shot & TKM Polymer Slug; attachments that can transform the playstyles of the firearm.
    • High pellet count for VPO-208 .366 Shot (only behind most of shotguns equipped with Birdshot)
    • 1HK (headshot-kill) at close range for .366 TKM Polymer Slug.

Cons:

  • Low base minimum damage.
  • Below average range for its class.
  • Somewhat inaccurate when fired quickly.
  • Both .366 Shot & TKM Polymer Slug reduces range, firerate, reload speed, ammo capacity, and muzzle velocity, and increases recoil.
    • Wide pellet spread for .366 Shot, greatly limiting effectiveness at long range.
    • .366 TKM Polymer Slug often requires 4 shots to kill an enemy beyond medium-long ranges.
    • Below average maximum damage range for .336 TKM Polymer Slug.
      • 1HK damage power for TKM Polymer Slug stops at the start of damage range drop-off.

Trivia[]

  • Before the Beta stage, the SKS had a RoF of 1200 RPM.
  • The sights are almost unseen when aiming steadily. It is recommended to mainly focus on the red line when aiming, to make it a little bit easier to fire.
  • The SKS in Phantom Forces is heavily modified. It is a sporterized version of the original SKS.
    • The original SKS uses a 10-round integral magazine which is reloaded from the top with a clip, instead of the bottom of a receiver with a 20-round detachable magazine, like many modern weapons.
    • In real life, the bolt does not lock back when the chamber is empty, unlike in-game, where it does. This is because the in-game version reloads via the receiver, meaning that the bolt does not have to unlock to let the user put the clip in, like with the original version..
    • It also has a metal M4 style stock, compared to the wooden one of a normal SKS.
    • These modifications are based on TAPCO furniture and the TAPCO detachable 20 round magazine.
    • The SKS from Battlefield 4, which the in-game SKS is based on, also features these modifications.
  • The old SKS sound was the same as the AK-47's gun sound from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
  • On 4/4/2017, StyLiS made the magazine capacity of the SKS 100 and increased the ammunition reserve amount to 8000, and making it fully-automatic.
  • The magazine model does not have the extension at the top of the magazine real SKS magazines have, aftermarket and stock.
  • The SKS, when equipped with an optic, it used to be slanted slightly to the left. This has since been fixed.
  • When equipping the full stock on the SKS, the pistol grip, the M4 stock and the top rail and bottom rail on the barrel are removed and changed with wooden furniture to make it like the original SKS, but without the foldable bayonet or the 10 rounds fixed magazine. It will be the closest you can have to the original SKS, except for the 20-round magazine.
    • Pairing this attachment with the "Polymer Slugs" ammo type can turn the SKS into its original stripper clip configuration as seen in real-life.
  • When equipping either the .366 Shot or .366 TKM Polymer Slugs, the gun name changes to VPO-208.
  • At some point in the game's test place, the SKS had an extended magazine and 'RPK' magazine. The extended magazine expanded the capacity of the gun's magazine to 30 rounds and shared the same model with the AK-47, while the 'RPK' magazine expanded the capacity of the gun's magazine to 45 rounds and shared the same model with the RPK. Though, both magazine options have since been scrapped, and have supposedly been replaced by the VPO conversions.
  • the PSO-1 Scope on the SKS has an 8x zoom, despite all other instances having a 4.1x zoom.

References[]

Weaponry
Primary Weapons

Assault Rifles

AK12 - AN-94 - AS VAL - SCAR-L - AUG A1 - M16A4 - G36
M16A1 - M16A3 - AUG A2 - K2 - FAMAS F1 - AK47 - AUG A3 - L85A2
HK416 - AK74 - AKM - AK103 - TAR-21 - StG-44 - M231
Type 88 - C7A2 - G11K2 - Type 20

Personal Defense Weapons

MP5K - UMP45 - G36C - MP7 - MAC10 - P90 - Colt MARS - MP5
Colt SMG 633 - L2A3 - MP5SD - MP10 - MP5/10 - Uzi - M3A1
AUG A3 Para - K7 - AKS74U - PPSh-41 - FAL Para Shorty
PP-19 Bizon - Kriss Vector - MP40 - X95 SMG - Tommy Gun
RAMA 1130 - BWC-9

Light Machine Guns

Colt LMG - M60 - AUG HBAR - MG36 - RPK12 - L86 LSW - RPK
HK21 - HAMR IAR - RPK74 - MG3KWS - Stoner 96 - ChainSAW - MG42 - M1918A2

Sniper Rifles

Intervention - Model 700 - Dragunov SVU - AWS - BFG 50
AWM - TRG-42 - Mosin Nagant - K14 - Dragunov SVDS - Hecate II
M107 - Steyr Scout - WA2000 - NTW-20 - FT300 - M1903

Carbines

M4A1 - G36K - M4 - L22 - SCAR PDW - AKU12 - Groza-1
AK12C - Honey Badger - K1A - SR-3M - Groza-4 - MC51SD
FAL 50.63 Para - 1858 Carbine - AK105 - Jury - KAC SRR
Gyrojet Carbine - X95R - HK51B - C8A2 - OTs-126 - Can Cannon

Designated Marksman Rifles

MK11 - SKS - SL-8 - VSS Vintorez - MSG90 - Beowulf TCR
SA58 SPR - SCAR SSR - M21

Battle Rifles

Beowulf ECR - SCAR-H - AK12BR - G3A3 - AG-3 - HK417
Henry 45-70 - FAL 50.00 - M14 - HCAR

Shotguns

KSG-12 - Model 870 - DBV12 - KS-23M - Saiga-12
Stevens DB - AA-12 - SPAS-12 - DT11 - E-Gun - USAS-12

Secondary Weapons Pistols

M9 - M17 - G17 - M1911 - Desert Eagle L5 - GI M1 - Hardballer
Izhevsk PB - M45A1 - KG-99 - Five Seven - ZIP 22 - Makarov PM - AM III Grizzly - GB-22 - Desert Eagle XIX - Gyrojet Mark I - GSP - G21 - G23
G40 - G50 - M2011 - AF2011-A1 - Alien

Machine Pistols

G18 - 93R - TEC-9 - Micro Uzi - Škorpion vz. 61 - MP1911
Arm Pistol - ASMI - PP-2000

Revolvers

MP412 REX - Mateba 6 - 1858 New Army - Redhawk 44
Judge - Executioner

Other

Serbu Shotgun - SFG 50 - M79 Thumper - Sawed Off
Saiga-12U - Obrez - Coilgun - SASS 308

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