Big Important Note Thing: This was a post made way, way, way for out back when Warframe was in it's earlier stages, where Boltor and Latron were arguably the only two viable primaries in the whole game. With the recent additions of both prime variants, as well as over three launchers, more extensive sniper rifles, and an assortment (2) of absolutely broken secondaries, this post doesn't really bring much intellectual value to the table as it does terrbile humor that can hopefully crack a smile or four. Read at your own risk of outdated opinions, potential errors, and perhaps a broken side or two.
I really ought to make my account, but until then, I'm a Nanny Moose.
I've actually made an account now, if you haven't noticed. It's Misdirected.
Before I go on my current spree, and before you all start raining hell on me, I want to say that I'm open to all other opinions, but I'm going to state my own to (try and) help people make their decision, or at least (hopefully) ease the argument.
Also, Imargam (or any other A) find this cancer-inducing, feel free to shut me down immedietly. (Though I'm not doing some bloody point system like the Dethers vs. DeatBlades)
Okay, I'm starting. Let's start with the fact that BOLTOR and LATRON perform different roles, and both "feel" different, in all aspects. When people compare the two, you're kind of stretching it, even if they both are some sort of trigger-based everything-killing apparatus. The similarities, in my opinions (screw being humble, I'm already subjecting myself to getting fired on here), end there. I'm going to start of making a basic list of the properties of the two guns. (Please correct/add anything I miss/screw up. Also, make me feel as bad as possible about it.) Also, I am going to cross-compare the two, so some properties may be from "perspective".
For any properties listed, they way I organize it, is that I put the "main topic" by a bullet (-) and following specifics by an asterisk (*). Less civilized names can be referred to as dashy-things and f**king stars.
BOLTOR:
-Fires bloody BOLTS.
*These ignore armor. (Read bolt mechanics for more details.)
*These also travel as fast as a sloth on crack (which is still relatively slow in comparison to a bullet.)
-This stuff staggers schmit. Not exactly sure on the specifics, but I know for sure it slaps Grineer around.
-Great against anything with armor (still hate Grinners, and still hate Ancients), again, thanks to its Rhino-bolts, so feel free to shoot everything bloody anywhere you wish.
-Horrid long-distance engagement abilities, horrendous spread on the bolts. Don't try this as a sniper weapon.
-Fires fairly fast (not Grakata-fast, but can't have it all).
* Ammo efficiency is only slightly better than the BRATON, which says virtually NOTHING. (Though if you roll it right, it'll hold up for good whiles.)
-Automatic. W+M1, all the way.
-As loud as any other gun. (You're on sensors now... AGAIN?)
LATRON:
-Fires freaking BULLETS.
*These (unfortunately) don't ignore armor.
*You seriously ought to know how hitscan works already.
-Fairly high face-kicking damage in each bullet, so that's pretty nice.
-Tailored for people who are actually ACCURATE (not including me), meaning you have to aim for weakpoints of all sorts to dish out the better damage.
-Fares much better at longer distances, though (debatably) not as efficient in closer quarters.
-Fires as fast as Frost runs. (Figuratively, I didn't think it was actually that bad.)
* The most ammo-efficient rifle ammo-run primary currently alive (or dead) in WARFRAME. Will outlast the BOLTOR (and quite frankly, anything else) here.
-Semi-automatic. I'm currently writing my index finger's obituary.
-(Appears to be) a reduced-awareness (stealthier) weapon in terms of sound, though this may be entirely reliant on the raw distance from initial target.
Okay, now that I've finished with my VERY BASIC list, it's pretty apparent that the two fulfill different roles UNMODDED. Let me stress that, because you can mod a gun to fit different roles (to an extent; BOLTOR cannot remedy its atrocious projectile speed or accuracy, and LATRON cannot be made automatic.)
BOLTOR is the face-kicking rifle. It looks like a friggin' spine, and it excels at close and medium ranges, and creates 3D posters of your enemies. All of that aside, BOLTOR is really made for armored enemies, and fairly good with crowds (and far better at crowds than the LATRON), while LATRON is a great support, and if modded right, can be a trigger-itchy face-kicker as well, though you still have to be accurate with it, regardless of distance, if you want to make the most of the raw damage.
So, the best summary I have here, is: STOP COMPARING THEM SO HARD. They're different guns. They do different things. They're for different people. Naturally, stop pointing out that LATRON's crowd-control is crack-bad, because your almighty BOLTOR can't hit squat past medium ranges. Sure, BOLTOR's ammo inefficient, but your Frost might actually run faster than your beloved LATRON fires (Still figuratively.)
And before you go and say "well mods can fix those prblemmsmgsdmgnsgdsg bharhaghrhahrhghahrg", remember that whatever you put on your LATRON, I can easily fit on my BOLTOR (except Metal Auger. Damn Metal Auger). So even if you argue that "Well, I can put Speed Trigger on my LATRON, and then now it fights like your BOLTOR", I will say that, as a matter of fact(s), my BOLTOR can use the same damn Speed Trigger that yours can (unless I don't have a potato /sob), so even if your LATRON gets faster, my BOLTOR just got faster too, and exponentially more so, due to percentile calculations. Or "Well, I can just put Ammo Drum on my BOLTOR, and it'll last as long as your LATRON", well, here's a wake-up call, even if I don't need it, I can put Ammo Drum on a LATRON too, so now I'll NEVER RUN OUT OF AMMO [Evil Laugh]. (I actually do use Ammo Drum on my BOLTOR, it kind of needed it with my horrendous accuracy and trigger tendencies.)
Well, that's my 2.5 cents on it. Okay, let me take cover before you use artillery on me.
Am totally open to (and actually preferring) an nice, HEALTHY and LEGITIMATE argument. If it turns into a Corpus-drunk squabble, I'm going to ignore you. Though if it gets to that point, someone must've gotten cancer, and this'll probably get shut down.