If you are one of those players who lives for close-quarters fights, then you might want to pay attention, because the DB-12 is changing the game completely. This is not your regular pump-action or a mindless full-auto blaster. It runs a twin-barrel system tied to a pump cycle, which means you can fire two shots in quick succession before cycling the gun. It is a high-skill, high-impact shotgun that rewards pushing hard into tight spaces. The rhythm is different from anything else: you fire once, then instantly fire again, then pump. Get that right and you will delete enemies before they even figure out what happened. Practising this timing in something like a Battlefield 6 Bot Lobby will help you nail it without being punished by experienced players.

First, you need to actually unlock it. At the moment, it is available through the California Resistance Battle Pass, with the DB-12 sitting at Tier 11. Once you hit that tier, it is yours for all modes. If you missed the event, it is not the end of the world. Just like past seasonal weapons, it will be added later via an in-game challenge. That will likely ask you to complete something like scoring a certain number of hip-fire kills with another shotgun before the DB-12 is added to your loadout. So even if you are late to the party, there will still be a way in.

The firing mechanic is why people are talking. Your old “shoot, pump, shoot” routine is useless here. This gun is all about the “shoot, shoot, pump” cycle. Two barrels, rapid fire, then that pump action that resets them both. The burst damage is brutal, capable of shredding even fully armored opponents at short range. But the pump leaves you exposed for a moment – it is the weapon’s natural balancing point. If you mess up that timing or get caught halfway through the pump, you are likely toast. So you need to think about positioning and timing rather than just relying on raw damage.

Given its risk-reward balance, your attachments matter. Slapping on a Choke is smart – it keeps your pellet spread tight and makes sure both shots connect. While you can get by with iron sights, a Red Dot or Kobra sight makes target tracking faster in messy fights. Going into tight buildings, a Laser Sight is pretty much essential for hip-firing on the move. You should be forcing engagements in that sweet 5-7 meter range, where the DB-12’s burst really shines. Sliding into rooms, hitting both shots before the pump – that’s the play. It feels amazing when you pull it off right.

Honestly, the best way to get comfortable with its rhythm is in a low-pressure setting. A Bf6 bot lobby will let you practise sliding through doors and snapping off that double shot without worrying about getting insta-killed by some sweaty sniper across the map. Once you internalise the timing and learn to position yourself to make that burst count, the DB-12 will feel like the fastest-killing shotgun in the game. And once you are confident, you can start bringing it into live matches and cause absolute chaos up close.