Sawed-Off Shotgun

Overview
The Sawed-Off Shotgun, or simply Sawed-Off, is a short, somewhat stubby double-barreled shotgun of unknown origin. Neither the Resistance nor Combine are seen using the Sawed-Off, implying it may have been an older, abandoned weapon that never saw the light of day.

In comparison to the other shotguns, the Sawed-Off does colossal damage at close range, along with a faster fire rate and reload speed, but has a larger spread and more kick, along with a (obviously) smaller capacity.

The Sawed-Off is able to fire either one or two barrels at once, and this can be switched between with the secondary fire key.

Acquisition
The Sawed-Off appears in Ravenholm, in a small building containing the lever to a platform. It can be found lying near the back wall near some medkits. If the Sawed-Off is missed there, it cannot be found again.

The Sawed-Off is one of the few weapons not used by either the Resistance, nor the Combine.

Advantages
-Extremely high damage up close. The highest of all shotguns.

-Very quick reload of a mere 2.4 seconds.

-Very quick fire rate.

-Large amount of pellets.

-Capable of firing either one or two barrels at once.

-Uses the common shotgun ammo.

-Tears down even Riot Gear and Augmented units with ease.

-Very ammo efficient up close.

Neutral
-Wide pellet spread, which can be helpful at taking out larger groups of enemies, but can be a problem with single enemies.

Disadvantages
-Only appears once.

-Strong recoil.

-No way to reduce spread.

-Accidental friendly kills are likely if the user isn't careful.

-Capable of killing essential friendly characters in single hits.

-Only carries two shells before requiring a reload.

-Completely useless at long range.

Tactics
-The Sawed-Off is able to do massive damage up close. Get as close to your target as possible before firing.

-If you're careful, you can position your crosshair in the right spot to be able to damage two or more targets at once, thanks to the spread.

-While this weapon is meant to be used up close, you are still able to damage units past close range as long as they aren't at medium or long range. If you're out of options, give it a try.

-You can use the Sawed-Off freely, due to it's hefty damage giving it a lot of efficiency, ammo shouldn't be a huge concern.