The SA Avalanche, also known as VLA special assault rifle or the AS LAVINA, is an integrally suppressed assault rifle that appears in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.
It is an assault rifle variant of the Vintar BC sniper rifle.
Appearances[]
Shadow of Chernobyl[]
This weapon is based on the Vintar noiseless sniper rifle, but it has a folding butt, can fire bursts and has a larger magazine. It was originally designed for special forces operating in conditions demanding noiseless and flameless fire.
― In-game description
In Shadow of Chernobyl, it is known as VLA special assault rifle. It is a very efficient weapon for stealth kills thanks to its ammunition, although it features a lower range than other assault rifles due to lower bullet velocity. It cannot mount a scope. Oddly, the weapon exhibits absurdly high recoil when firing full-automatic (about twice as much as other assault rifles), so it is not recommended for use at medium-long range fire.
Acquisition[]
This weapon is the personal weapon of Colonel Skull, and a few Monolith experts who will attack the Barrier in the Army Warehouses, as well as more Monolith veterans in the later parts of the game. It is also sometimes used by Spetsnaz units, mostly by experts in Pripyat and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. As well, Exoskeleton-clad Duty experts use the weapon, namely in Pripyat.
The VLA special assault rifle is occasionally sold by Barkeep after retrieving the Documents from Lab X16, as well as Petrenko once the player completes Voronin's mission Obtain an Bulldog 6 from Freedom.
One stash, Package for Duty in the Red Forest, holds this weapon.
Unique variants[]
- Sniper VLA - a unique VLA special assault rifle that can mount a PSO-1 scope.
Clear Sky[]
A modified version of the silent Vintar BC sniper rifle, the SA Avalanche features a folding stock, is capable of burst fire and has a larger magazine. Initially intended for use by special units in assault operations that required silent, flashless fire. Uses 9x39 mm ammo.
― In-game description
It is arguably the best Warsaw Pact weapon available in game due to its amazing accuracy, good rate of fire, hard-hitting ammunition and low weight (the same as the Viper 5), making it very valuable in Limansk when faced with many Monolith members. Its only drawback is the heavy ammo chambered by the weapon, but in Clear Sky it's not that much of an issue. Its recoil is quite noticeable when firing in full-auto. This may be caused by its bolt mechanism which is similar to the AK-74.
Acquisition[]
The SA Avalanche is the standard issue rifle to heavily equipped Renegades in the tunnel deep in the Red Forest and the guards stationed in the bridge to Limansk. It is also found on experienced Bandits fighting in Limansk and the standard weapon of veteran Monolith troops.
The weapon is sold by Tooth provided the player has completed Sidorovich's mission to bring back the loot and the Bandits control the entirety of the Garbage. It is not necessary to joint the Bandits beforehand, but doing so will allow the player to buy it for cheaper.
It can be obtained from a stash, Half-buried log in Limansk.
Notable users:
Upgrades[]
 Bolt mechanism modification (3000 RU)  Accuracy +25%Careful adjustment of the bolt mechanism increases the weapon's precision.
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 Pneumatic booster (4500 RU)  Flatness +50%Mounting an interior pheumatic booster increases muzzle velocity.
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 Operating rod modification (3000 RU)  Recoil -25%Mounting an operating rod compensator allows recoil to be reduced.
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 Pneumatic stock (3000 RU) Recoil -25%The special stock design allows recoil to be reduced considerably.
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 Polymer parts (4500 RU)  Weight -15%Using polymer parts decreases the weapon's weight considerably.
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 Soft trigger (3000 RU) Accuracy +25%A smooth trigger pull allows firing accuracy to be increased.
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 Extended magazine (3000 RU)  Mag. size +10Increasing magazine capacity using improvised means
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Call of Pripyat[]
A modified version of the silent Vintar BC sniper rifle, the assault rifle was designed as a special forces weapon. The rifle's primary purpose is effective fire against enemies employing modern personal protection equipment without disclosing the shooter's location. Thanks to its integrated silencer and 9x39 caliber round with a heavy subsonic bullet, the weapon's noise and muzzle flash have been reduced to a minimum.
― In-game description
Upgrade view
The weapon is versatile with three tiers of upgrades, which allow it to more or less negate the 9x39mm's drop off, while bringing the rate of fire substantially higher. A fully upgraded SA is quite possibly the best stealth weapon available, with its favorable rate of fire, low recoil, high accuracy, damage, and penetration, is silenced without the 20% stat penalty, and the ability to mount a scope, allowing one to quickly take down enemies at close to medium range. The light weight and excellent handling seals the deal.
The one drawback, however, is that the weapon's durability can degrade rather quickly if used recklessly, simply due to its rate of fire. Thus, while it can do quite well in assault roles, it will quickly be worn out after a firefight or two and jam rather frequently, opting one to instead exploit its accuracy and use it as a marksman weapon.
Also, 9x39 ammo is much heavier than 5.45 and 5.56 ammo (60 9x39 bullets weigh 1.4 kg, while 60 either 5.45 or 5.56 bullets weigh 0.24 kg).
If a player acquires a rare PSS-2x scope, it can fill in the same role as its sniper rifle cousin with a higher rate of fire and magazine capacity, albeit with a lower zoom. However, the ability to remove the scope for close quarters fights helps offset this.
Acquisition[]
The weapon of choice for Duty experts and the majority of Monolith's Veterans and Experts, the SA Avalanche is most common in Call of Pripyat's later stages — if the player doesn't side with Duty in Jupiter, the first chance to grab it will likely be in the Monolith ambush in the Pripyat 1 underpass, or in combat with the Preacher, or from generic Duty or Loners members. NPCs often use the SA Avalanche with an attached PSO-1 scope. Valyushok and Merkulov, who are both scripted to die during the main story, use this weapon and it can be retrieved from their bodies.
This weapon is very rarely sold by Owl at the beginning of the game (5% of chances of appearing in his inventory) but he sells the weapon far more frequently after the player obtains the achievement Boss. Hawaiian also sells this weapon after obtaining the achievement A Friend of Duty.
Upgrades[]
 Impact-resistant polymer components for automatic elements (1000 RU)  Reliability +10%The fashion for polymer components has not only paid off, but it has also become quite a popular upgrade.
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 Addition of a blowback speed reduction device (1400 RU)  Recoil -20%A special component installed into the bolt mechanism to soften bolt movement and reduce recoil.
 Installation of a barrel closing device (1400 RU)  Flatness +20%A special component seals the barrel in an airtight manner to increase pressure when a shot is fired.
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 Automatic round feeding (1800 RU)  Fire rate +25%Installation of a mechanism with mobile components that increase round feeding speed when the weapon is fired.
 Addition of a stopping device (1800 RU)  Accuracy +30%A synthetic component immediately in front of the bolt movement area, which compresses it significantly to improve firing accuracy.
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 Pneumatic stock (1000 RU) Recoil -10%A pneumatic stock is used to reduce recoil during burst fire.
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 Ergonomic stock (1400 RU)  Handling +15%A more modern stock, which takes account of the specific nature of human physiology.
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 Mobile counter-weight (1800 RU) Handling +25%Installation of a mobile component into the stock, which creates a counter-effect when the weapon is fired.
 Installation of a bolt assembly gas buffer (1800 RU) Recoil -30%When the weapon is fired, some of the powder gases are removed from the barrel into the cavity behind the bolt, ensuring that it stops smoothly on the way back.
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 Reinforced return spring (1000 RU) Flatness +10%The reinforced spring is used to increase bullet speed.
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 Protective return mechanism component sputter (1400 RU) Reliability +20%Protective sputter increases reliability and, more importantly, ensures airtightness, which prevents energy dissipation.
 Addition of a balancing element (1400 RU) Accuracy +20%A synthetic element installed onto rods ensures that they move strictly as intended, increasing accuracy.
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 Installation of a distribution link (1800 RU) Fire rate +25%A link that is opened by gases and closed by the return mechanism itself, which allows part of the gas energy to be used to operate the return mechanism.
 Return mechanism sleeve thickener (1800 RU) Flatness +30%Thickening of the sleeve allows barrel pressure to be increased, improving bullet speed.
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 Rapid automatic release (1000 RU) Fire rate +10%Despite the name, it is the bolt that is replaced, as it has to endure the consequences of an improved rate of fire.
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 Protective bolt section sputter (1400 RU) Reliability +15%Protective sputter increases reliability and, more importantly, ensures airtightness, which prevents excessive energy dissipation.
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 Change to a roller system with a semifree bolt (1800 RU) Accuracy +30%Often used in modern weaponry, a roller locking system reduces recoil and improves groupings.
 Creeping bolt installation (1800 RU) Recoil -30%The weapon's bolt slides along the barrel, preventing upward movement of the muzzle section.
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 Increased magazine capacity (1500 RU) Mag. size +10Replacing a standard magazine with a bigger one.
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Sounds[]
| Shadow of Chernobyl | Clear Sky | Call of Pripyat | |
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| Draw | |||
| Holster | |||
| Shoot | |||
| Empty | |||
| Reload | |||
Gallery[]
Shadow of Chernobyl[]
Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat[]
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