TL;DR

Hell Let Loose Vietnam uses a weight-based loadout system — everything you carry has a weight cost, and heavier kits slow your sprint and drain stamina faster.
Your carry capacity increases as you level up each role, so new players start light and unlock more options over time.
The best loadout is always the one that fills what your squad is missing, not what has the biggest gun.
Pair smoke grenades with frags on most infantry roles — smoke is undervalued and wins crossings and pushes that raw firepower cannot.
AT players: bring smoke for escape after firing your rocket. Your position is revealed the moment you shoot.
Engineers: carry extra bandages alongside tools — you will be building near the frontline and need self-rescue options.
The M18 Claymore + M16A1 is the best US defensive combo. Type 56 + K50M (secondary) is the NVA’s best CQB answer.

Table of Contents

How the Weight-Based Loadout System Works

Hell Let Loose Vietnam replaced the fixed kit system from the original game with a flexible weight-based loadout. The loadout system has been expanded, allowing you to customise your role with different weapons and equipment or carry additional magazines. This is balanced by a weight system, so you will need to choose carefully what to take into battle.

Every role starts with a fairly limited amount of weight they can carry. As you continue playing and level up that specific role, your carrying capacity gradually increases, letting you bring more equipment into battle. During the crossplay playtest, players reported starting with around 9 weight capacity, eventually reaching roughly 15 weight after progressing through the role.

Carrying more gear comes with a cost. Heavier loadouts slow your sprint speed and drain stamina much faster. That creates an interesting trade-off — you can bring extra utility, but you will sacrifice mobility. Sometimes travelling light is the smarter choice.

By levelling up each role, you unlock more slots and can carry more weaponry and equipment into the battlefield, giving you more flexibility to tailor each one to your playstyle. Every item counts: weapons, ammo, grenades, medical supplies, tools, and equipment all contribute toward your total carrying capacity.

For a full breakdown of every role and what they do in the squad, read our Hell Let Loose Vietnam all classes guide. For weapon stats and rankings, see our Hell Let Loose Vietnam best weapons tier list.

The Core Loadout Principle

Before getting into role-by-role setups, understand the single rule that governs every loadout decision in Hell Let Loose Vietnam: choose the role your squad is missing, not the one with the coolest gun. That single habit is what separates players who win matches from players who pad their own stats.

A squad of six Riflemen looks impressive on paper. In practice, it has no suppression, no medical support, no engineering, and no ability to hold a position it has taken. The best loadout for the team is always balanced. Fill the gap before you fill your kit with what you enjoy most.

Prioritise equipment that enables multiple XP-generating actions. Carrying smoke grenades alongside frag grenades allows you to both engage enemies and support squad advances, generating XP from kills and objective captures simultaneously.

Best Loadout: Rifleman (US and NVA)

The Rifleman is the backbone of every infantry squad. The Rifleman may sound basic, but do not underestimate this class. Reliable assault rifles like the M16A1, Type 56, and AK pattern make the Rifleman effective in almost every engagement. More importantly, Riflemen carry extra ammunition — that does not sound exciting until your Machine Gunner runs dry while defending an objective.

US Rifleman — Best Loadout

Primary: M16A1 (burst fire discipline — 2 to 3 rounds per trigger pull at range)
Sidearm: M1911A1
Grenade 1: M18 Smoke grenade
Grenade 2: M61 Frag grenade
Utility: Extra ammunition box for squad resupply

Pair the M16A1 with the M18 Claymore for defensive setups, placing the mine on likely approach routes and covering it with rifle fire. On defence, swap the smoke grenade for a Claymore if you are holding a fixed position. On attack, smoke is almost always more valuable — it covers your advance when the enemy has a prepared sightline on your approach.

NVA Rifleman — Best Loadout

Primary: Type 56 (30-round magazine, better stopping power than M16A1 in CQB)
Sidearm: Type 54 pistol
Grenade 1: Type 67 frag grenade
Grenade 2: Smoke grenade
Utility: Extra ammunition for squad resupply

The NVA Rifleman can also run the Mosin-Nagant in place of the Type 56 for open-map situations where longer range shots matter more than CQB stopping power. The US Rifleman uses the M16A1 as their primary weapon. NVA Riflemen can choose between the Type 56 for full-auto engagements or the Mosin-Nagant for longer-range precision shooting.

Best Loadout: Assault / Grenadier

The Assault role trades some ammo capacity for close-quarters firepower, carrying submachine guns or shotguns that dominate in jungle thickets and tunnel networks. The Grenadier brings explosive firepower to the squad — clearing trenches, destroying enemy fortifications, and flushing out defenders from buildings.

US Grenadier — Best Loadout

Primary: M16A1-M203 (underbarrel grenade launcher — use the rifle for direct fire, M203 for cover clearance)
Sidearm: M1911A1
Grenade 1: M18 Smoke
Grenade 2: M61 Frag

Experienced players recommend using the M203 as a situational tool rather than a primary weapon — switch to it when you know enemies are grouped up, then switch back to rifle fire. The weight of the M203 variant reduces your movement slightly, so use it deliberately rather than as your default engagement mode.

NVA Assault — Best Tunnel Loadout

Primary: K50M (35-round magazine, dominant inside 30 metres)
Sidearm: Type 54 pistol
Grenade 1: Frag grenade
Grenade 2: Smoke grenade

The K50M Drum variant increases magazine capacity to 71 rounds, turning the weapon into a suppression machine that can hold a corridor or tunnel entrance almost indefinitely. This variant is a late-game unlock in the weapon progression system, rewarding players who invest time in the Assault role. The tradeoff is a slower reload and reduced movement speed due to the drum magazine’s weight.

When you are operating specifically in and around tunnel networks, drop the smoke grenade for an extra frag. Tunnels are tight and frags clear rooms. Smoke inside a tunnel blinds you as much as the enemy. See our all classes guide for more on the Assault role’s squad purpose.

Best Loadout: Engineer

The Engineer’s loadout is less about weapons and more about tools. The Engineer builds nodes that generate resources for your Commander, constructs defensive fortifications, and lays mines to deny enemy movement. Your wrench is your best friend — use it to build and repair structures.

US and NVA Engineer — Best Loadout

Primary: M16A1 (US) / Type 56 (NVA) — self-defence only, not your focus
Tool 1: Wrench (building and vehicle repair)
Tool 2: Hammer (construction)
Mine 1: AP Mine (deny infantry on footpaths and tunnel approaches)
Mine 2: AT Mine (deny vehicle corridors and roads)
Grenade: Frag grenade for self-defence when building near the frontline

As carry weight unlocks with role progression, the Engineer should prioritise extra AP mines over extra frags. AP mines and AT mines do not trigger on friendly units — neither infantry nor vehicles — so place them freely on approach routes. The more mine coverage you establish early, the longer those routes stay denied throughout the match without you having to return to them. Full Engineer construction priority is covered in our Hell Let Loose Vietnam Engineer guide.

Best Loadout: Medic

The Medic’s job is to keep your squad alive. You carry medical supplies, bandages, and can revive downed teammates. The new dragging mechanic lets you pull wounded players into cover before reviving. As you progress, your carrying capacity increases, allowing you to carry more morphine and bandages into each engagement.

US and NVA Medic — Best Loadout

Primary: M16A1 (US) / Type 56 (NVA) — carried for self-defence only
Sidearm: M1911A1 / Type 54 — use while dragging a wounded ally to cover
Medical 1: Bandages (carry maximum available)
Medical 2: Morphine (pain suppressor for revived players to continue fighting)
Grenade: M18 Smoke — critical for dragging wounded teammates out of the open

Never fill a Medic’s utility slots with frags. Every slot a frag occupies is a slot that could carry an extra bandage or morphine. Your job is not killing — it is keeping the squad alive. Smoke is the only grenade worth carrying because it protects you during the revive animation. Full Medic tactics are in our Hell Let Loose Vietnam Medic guide.

Best Loadout: Machine Gunner

The Machine Gunner’s loadout is about suppression, not kills. The Automatic Rifleman provides suppressive fire with a light machine gun, pinning enemy squads while teammates flank. This role requires discipline — firing from the hip wastes ammunition and reveals your position.

US Machine Gunner — Best Loadout

Primary: M60 (belt-fed, bipod deployable on sandbags or earthen cover)
Sidearm: M1911A1
Grenade 1: M18 Smoke (cover your repositioning when you need to move)
Grenade 2: M61 Frag (secondary threat when the M60 is reloading)

Unlock the M60 early because suppression wins matches. A single Machine Gunner can control an entire flank and create space for your squad to advance. The M60’s weight means you are slower than every other infantry role. Position before contact and commit to the spot. Repositioning mid-fight with the M60 is how you die.

NVA Machine Gunner — Best Loadout

Primary: RPD (lighter than the M60, better for repositioning between tunnel exits and ambush angles)
Sidearm: Type 54 pistol
Grenade 1: Smoke grenade
Grenade 2: Frag grenade

The RPD offers the NVA a mobile suppression option that weighs less than the M60, letting gunners reposition quickly after firing bursts. Use this mobility. The NVA’s tunnel network lets you emerge from a new position, lay suppression, and duck back. A static NVA machine gunner loses the biggest advantage the faction’s mobility provides.

Best Loadout: Anti-Tank (Grenadier / AT Role)

Grenadiers are the anti-armour operators in Hell Let Loose Vietnam. This infantry unit is equipped with anti-tank launchers and RPGs, which can be used to take down enemy tanks and boats.

US Anti-Tank — Best Loadout

Launcher: M72 LAW (disposable, single-shot, discard after firing)
Sidearm: M1911A1
Grenade 1: M18 Smoke — essential for escape after firing
Grenade 2: M61 Frag for infantry threats
Utility (higher level): M183 demolition charge for close-range vehicle destruction

Smoke is especially valuable because it lets you escape after your rocket shot reveals your position. The muzzle flash and rocket trail immediately tell every enemy in the area where you are. Without smoke, you fire once and die. With smoke, you fire, pop smoke, and move to cover while the enemy is blinded.

The M72 LAW cannot penetrate frontal armour on NVA tanks. Its shaped charge only defeats light armour, so target side or rear panels. Patience matters. Wait for a flank shot, not a frontal engagement.

NVA Anti-Tank — Best Loadout

Launcher: RPG-7 (main weapon — effective against US armour and low-flying helicopters)
Sidearm: Type 54 pistol
Grenade 1: Smoke grenade (post-shot escape)
Grenade 2: Frag grenade
Utility (higher level): Satchel charge for combined anti-armour approach

Choosing a loadout with both a rocket launcher and a satchel charge for the Anti-Tank role lets you engage vehicles at range and up close, maximising your vehicle destruction XP. The RPG-7 is the NVA’s most impactful weapon against US air assets. For full counter-helicopter tactics, read our guide on how to destroy helicopters.

Best Loadout: Squad Leader

The Squad Leader’s loadout is built around leadership tools first and combat second. The Squad Leader coordinates the squad, places outposts and garrisons, and directs the team’s tactical actions across the map.

US Squad Leader — Best Loadout

Primary: M16A1
Sidearm: M1911A1
Tool: Binoculars (for marking enemy positions on the command map)
Grenade 1: M18 Smoke (cover garrison placement and team movement)
Grenade 2: M61 Frag

NVA Squad Leader — Best Loadout

Primary: Type 56
Sidearm: Type 54 pistol
Tool: Tunnel construction tools
Grenade 1: Smoke grenade
Grenade 2: Frag grenade

The Squad Leader should never be the first person into a firefight. Your most valuable contribution is surviving long enough to maintain the outpost your squad spawns on. A dead Squad Leader with a fantastic kill streak who lost the outpost contributed less than a Squad Leader with zero kills who kept six squadmates in the fight for an entire objective. Full Squad Leader setup and tactics are in our Squad Leader guide.

Best Loadout: Sniper and Spotter (Recon)

The Recon unit is a two-player team. Both loadouts have to work together. The M40 and Type 53 PU unlock relatively early, making Recon a good choice for players who want to contribute from range while learning map layouts.

US Sniper — Best Loadout

Primary: M40 (3-9x variable scope — use lower zoom for situational awareness, higher for precision shots)
Sidearm: M1911A1
Grenade: M61 Frag (for close threats if flanked)

NVA Sniper — Best Loadout

Primary: Type 53 PU (fixed 3.5x scope — best on dense jungle maps where shots rarely exceed 200 metres)
Sidearm: Type 54 pistol
Grenade: Frag grenade

Spotter — Best Loadout (Both Factions)

Primary: SMG or compact rifle for close protection of the Sniper
Tool: Binoculars (target marking)
Tool: Flare gun (enemy position marking from the Recon unit)
Spawn Tool: Deploy point beacon (US: field pad / NVA: tunnel-side beacon)
Grenade: Smoke grenade (cover the Sniper when moving between positions)

Full Recon loadout reasoning and positioning tactics are in our Sniper guide.

Best Loadout: Mortar Squad

The Mortar Squad’s three roles each carry specific tools. No role in the Mortar Squad has a combat-first loadout. Observers locate enemy positions and calculate firing coordinates before passing them to the Gunner. The Support keeps the mortar fed with ammo and drops the resources needed to build it in the first place.

Mortar Gunner — Best Loadout

Tool 1: Wrench and Hammer (mortar construction)
Tool 2: Flare gun (target marking)
Primary: Standard rifle for self-defence if the position is overrun
Grenade: Frag grenade

Mortar Observer — Best Loadout

Tool: Binoculars (target identification and range estimation)
Tool: Radio (communications back to Gunner)
Sidearm: Pistol (compact and light, leaving room for comms tools)
Grenade: Smoke grenade (cover your position on dense jungle maps where patrols might find you)

Mortar Support — Best Loadout

Utility: Ammunition supply box (maximum available — your entire job is resupply)
Primary: Rifle for self-defence
Grenade: Frag grenade

Full Mortar Squad coordination, aiming steps, and the angle-to-range chart are in our Hell Let Loose Vietnam Mortar guide.

Best Loadout: Helicopter Crew

The Helicopter unit is US-only and consists of a Pilot and Logistics Officer. The aircraft only reaches its full value when both seats coordinate with the ground.

Pilot — Best Loadout

Sidearm: M1911A1 (personal defence if the helicopter is downed)
Grenade: Smoke grenade (mark your downed position if you need to signal friendlies)

Logistics Officer — Best Loadout

Tool: Binoculars (enemy position marking from the co-pilot seat)
Tool: Flare gun (Recon flare deployment for enemy marking)
Sidearm: M1911A1
Grenade: Smoke grenade

Both crew roles travel light because their primary weapon is the helicopter itself — the door-mounted M60D and the aircraft’s supply and insertion capabilities. Full crew tactics are covered in our Helicopter Pilot guide.

Loadout Combinations That Work Together

The best loadouts are not just individual kits — they are combinations across your squad. Here are the most effective pairings.

US Offensive Push Combo

Squad Leader with smoke grenades (cover movement to objective)
Rifleman x2 with M16A1 and ammo boxes (sustained combat pressure)
Grenadier with M203 (clear defenders in cover)
Medic with smoke and maximum bandages (keep the push alive)
Machine Gunner with M60 (suppress the objective as the squad enters)

NVA Tunnel Ambush Combo

Squad Leader builds the tunnel exit in the right position
Assault x2 with K50M (emerge from tunnel and dominate the CQB that follows)
RPG player with smoke for post-shot escape (eliminate any US vehicle or helicopter on the insertion LZ)
Rifleman with Type 56 (covering fire at distance while Assault clears close range)
Medic (keep the squad alive through multiple engagements from the same tunnel exit)

Defensive Hold Combo (Both Factions)

Engineer places AP mines on all approach routes and builds sandbag cover on the objective
Machine Gunner holds the main approach corridor from behind the sandbags
Rifleman x2 cover flanks with smoke grenades ready for blind repositioning
Medic positions behind the main line to revive without exposing themselves
Mortar Observer feeds coordinates on enemy staging areas before they make contact

How Map Type Changes Your Loadout

The weight system means you cannot carry everything. Map selection should influence what you drop from your kit before spawning.

On open maps like Dak To Airfield and Thanh Hoa Bridge, drop CQB-focused items (shotgun, SMG secondary) and carry extra rifle ammunition. Range matters more than room-clearing capacity. Smoke is still essential for crossing open ground.

On dense jungle maps like Van Tuong and Hue Outskirts, drop long-range optics weight where possible and carry an extra smoke or frag. Engagements will be close. Your reaction speed to a 20-metre ambush matters more than having a rangefinder.

On river maps like Quang Ngai and Cam Ranh Port, AT players should always carry a spare rocket. Patrol boats are high-value targets and appear repeatedly across both factions. An AT player who fires their only rocket on infantry and has nothing left when a patrol boat appears wastes their slot.

For a full map-by-map tactical breakdown, see our Hell Let Loose Vietnam all maps guide.

Offensive vs Defensive Loadout Adjustments

The same role can and should carry different kits depending on whether your team is attacking or defending.

Attacking: Drop Claymores and AT mines — you will not hold a static position long enough to justify them. Take smoke grenades for covering your advance and extra rifle ammunition for sustained firefights. Engineer should prioritise building a forward garrison over placing mines when on the attack.

Defending: Claymores and AP mines are worth every weight point. Pair the M16A1 with the M18 Claymore for defensive setups, placing the mine on likely approach routes and covering it with rifle fire. Engineer on defence should have maximum mine capacity and sandbag materials. The Machine Gunner should have extra belts. Medic should have maximum bandages over smoke. You are not moving — you are holding.

Common Loadout Mistakes to Avoid

Carrying frags as a Medic. Every frag is a bandage you did not bring. Your squad dies to bandage shortages, not to the frags you never threw.
Forgetting smoke as an AT player. You reveal your exact position the moment you fire a rocket. Smoke is how you survive the next 10 seconds.
Loading maximum weight as a new player. Heavier loadouts slow your sprint speed and drain stamina much faster. A slow player dies more often, which means less time contributing and less XP to unlock the capacity that makes heavy kits worth carrying.
Carrying a K50M on open-map NVA play. The K50M is useless past 80 metres. If you are playing on a map with long sightlines, swap it for the Type 56.
Using the M203 as your primary weapon. It is a secondary engagement tool. Run the M16A1 first. Use the M203 when you have a confirmed grouped target behind cover.
Ignoring the ammo box as Rifleman. The Rifleman’s ammo box is one of the most impactful items in the game for sustained combat. Machine Gunners and Grenadiers burn through ammo fast. One resupply at the right moment keeps a position held.

Where to Get Hell Let Loose Vietnam

Hell Let Loose Vietnam is available now on PlayStation Store, Xbox, and through the official site for PC. For PC performance optimisation, see our best PC settings guide.

Final Thoughts on Hell Let Loose Vietnam Best Loadouts

The weight-based loadout system is one of the most meaningful additions to Hell Let Loose Vietnam. It rewards role investment, forces real decisions under pressure, and means there is no single correct answer that works for every situation. The best loadout is always contextual — shaped by your role, your map, your squad’s composition, and whether you are pushing or holding.

Start light. Learn what you need. Add weight as your role levels and your game sense improves. And before you lock in your kit at the start of every life, ask one question: what does my squad need most right now? The answer to that question builds better loadouts than any tier list ever will.