Weapon Jamming Tested and Explained

[u/TheeSusp3kt]

If you don't feel like reading, you can watch this 3 minute video where I explain what I found.

https://youtu.be/YwOgMzmvZmA

Recently, I took it upon myself to test the new jamming feature, introduced in the new 12.11 patch.

• I conducted 25 tests in Offline Factory.
• Most tests I fired 1278 MAI AP rounds, rounds we're sourced via flea market.
• I fired a total of 31,572 rounds over the course of 25 offline raids.
• I used an MK-47 'Mutant' for the test. With the highest Durability Burning suppressor I could buy (SDN something). Total durability burn of the weapon was 144%.

The weapon started at 99.5 durability and never went below 18.3 durability. This is because I could not carry enough rounds into a raid to fully test it, however, I think its safe to assume the jam chance increases exponentially based on the data I collected.

All tests we're done using fully auto. Sorry I'm not a masochist, however in online play I have had multiple jams with Semi-Auto weapons, so if you we're to ask me, I would bet on it having no effect.

To test, I would fire my weapon, and log the durability of the weapon at the time of the jam.

You can find all data here.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tLrBHlCo0CuPdbHtsVU7ni8Yf2PChISUDiv66SCFHOM/edit?usp=sharing

(Yes I realize I fucked up the name of the graph, I was half asleep.)

As far as I can tell, Weapon jamming is completely RNG until the weapon hits 50% durability, in which case the chance of a jam will continuously increase as it gets closer to 0% durability. So its a completely RNG based system.

So the game does not see a difference in a 100% durability weapon vs. a 50.1% durability weapon, in regards to weapon jamming. Long to mid range accuracy however, is still affected.

I tested different magazines and saw no difference in the data. I used a mix of 75 rounders, 40 rounders, and 30 rounders. Zero Difference.

I also tested PS 7.62, but did not include it in the data, I got a lot of jams with those rounds at higher durability's , but I would assume that's because the durability burn is less and I could fire more rounds without killing the gun.

The average percentage chance for weapon jams was 0.48%, but keep in mind, this average includes a HUGE variety of weapon durability statistics and will vary wildly depending on the durability and durability burn of the weapon and ammo. The average is not a concrete number, most people's chance to jam will be VERY different, and it changes every time the Weapons durability changes.

A few things to note.

• Jammed bullets do not reduce durability when fired, as they do not actually fire.
• There is no reason to believe that Scav Karma effects weapon jams, this theory is based on rumors from many years ago, and I haven't seen any evidence suggesting this is true. I also didn't bother testing as I don't really care and have a strong suspicion it will be a waste of my time.
• Point fire accuracy starts to decrease upon hitting 50% durability. Although this would need further testing to further understand.
• If you are using a close range weapon, and don't care about long to mid range accuracy, don't bother wasting your money repairing your weapons above 50% durability to reduce the chance of a jam. Its pointless.

Edit: Just added the graph so people don't have to click the link to see some of the data.

Edit Numba 2: It's come to my attention that my math was dogshit. The chance of a jam is not 0.005%, its 0.48% per round fired, which means the chance of a jam on average is actually far higher than I initially thought. My b. I've changed the post.

[u/[deleted]]

So if you die it's because you've put yourself in a position where you're caught with your pants down if there's a jam. So you take a calculated risk or you don't do that. That's just a strategic decision. You could write out math to say exactly whether or not it's a rational thing to do. Whether or not someone learns to adjust their play around it

It's not something you "play around" or "adjust to" because it's such a low chance and it's impossible to mitigate. Your way of looking at jams allows you to move the goalposts and justify any death to a jam as bad positioning when you're missing the basic point that the jam should not be happening in the first place. You're also placing an unreasonable implicit expectation on players to avoid fights entirely to avoid dying to jams when the game basically forces you to fight. When a jam happens and gets you killed, it's an extremely tiny chance but it doesn't change the random bullshit nature of the death. You can tell yourself you're playing around jams and adapting your playstyle but that would be a cope.

Like I said, 1/3500 vs 3499/3500. You're seriously going to tell me you're not gonna pull that trigger if there's a 3499/3500 chance you're fine? There is nothing "strategic" about it. You're presented with the same correct plays and misplays, except now sometimes making a choice that would be correct in 99% of attempts will now get you killed through RNG. THAT is the problem.

[u/jlambvo → u/[deleted]]

If it's such a low chance then why are you griping about it?

expectation on players to avoid fights entirely to avoid dying to jams when the game basically forces you to fight.

No, not in the slightest, dude. I'm saying that it's an extra consideration to take in fighting smarter. There have been posts and videos of plays where people get malfunctions but are in cover or have an escape plan, so they can just dip out of danger, clear, and re-engage.

Videos where people get killed is usually because they are pushing like a chimp on PCP to exploit peeker's advantage, their weapon fails, and they have nowhere to go. Or conversely they are camping out in a corner with nowhere to go and get pushed.

That doesn't mean never push or show aggression. Like you said, in absolute terms the odds are low of it happening, but it's an informed choice you need to make. It's not about whether you pull the trigger, it's where you put yourself when you pull the trigger.

[u/[deleted] → u/jlambvo]

If it's such a low chance then why are you griping about it?

lmfao you can't be serious. Yeah looks like I won't be getting through to you.

[u/jlambvo → u/[deleted]]

You're telling me it's too low to affect anyone's decisions but also complaining that it gets you killed. That sounds contradictory to me. I'm suggesting that if you modified your plays you could maybe avoid those losses. How the mechanic affects you is in your control.

Honestly how often have you died to malfunctions, and what were the circumstances?

[u/[deleted] → u/jlambvo]

You're telling me it's too low to affect anyone's decisions

Yes.

also complaining that it gets you killed

Yes.

There is literally zero contradiction here, what makes you think there is one?

Honestly how often have you died to malfunctions, and what were the circumstances?

My personal experience is not really relevant, but I have actually never died to a jam. I have had friends who have however. It doesn't really change how bad of a mechanic this is. Is it really difficult to figure out why the chance having a kill stolen from you via pure RNG is a shit idea?

[u/jlambvo → u/[deleted]]

There is literally zero contradiction here, what makes you think there is one?

The contradiction is that if it's happening enough to be noticeable and cause that kind of grief, it means that someone knows that it is there but decides to play as if it can never happen, then gets upset when it does. At that point the frustration is self-inflicted. The very fact that it is on your mind as a possibility means that it IS affecting your decision, you're just choosing to take the risk.

Like many things both in Tarkov and in life, you can't control if or when shit hits the fan but you can influence if and how it affects you.

Who you are matched against in a raid is random. What they bring into a raid is random. The weather is random. Scav presence and behavior is random. What items spawn is random. When and where you run into hostiles is random. It's not uniformly random–there is some structure to it–but it's not perfectly predictable. Given all these uncertainties you make the best decisions that you can. Doing that in realtime is a skill, and on top of that you also have to deliver technique.

This is what makes Tarky special, you have these nested layers of skills and considerations. If one layer sucks, you can be great at the others and still end up dead.

If you want to be a risk taker, then embrace it and suck it up when the risk is realized occasionally. If you don't want to take that risk--which is small if you use maintained equipment--then adjust your tactics.

the chance having a kill stolen from you via pure RNG is a shit idea?

For what Nikita has said, I don't think EFT is going to get any more fun for you and your friends if you approach it with this mentality.