Rely on incompetence on xeno side that they go in close when they aren’t stun immune, don’t have a ranged one click stun on their own, or didn’t bait the shot. It is like whole buckshot shtick to bait something into PB.
Incompetence on marine side for getting baited to whiff the shot, or just straight up missing their click.
Incompetence on xenos that they move in predicatable patterns. And arguably it counters slow xenos without stun ressistance, as fast ones are extremely hard to hit with pulse rifle fire, let alone single projectile slug.
How it is a counter? Arguably it is a RNG induced balance, not a counter. Otherwise it is the same as with buckshot, difference being less damage for more range. To “counter” something you have to have an ability, skill, or parameter that lets you passively, or actively do something against something else.
If warrior had offscreen lunge, but also had about 25% chance to fail the stun, would that be considered a counter, or a balance drawback?
Unless it is a Queen, or Rav, or xeno with on demand tile pounce, or xeno with high enough HP to tank the fire and run trough anyway, or a xeno who has time to click on a fire tile few times.
Incompetence on xeno side otherwise.
Either be stun ressistant/immune, or count on marine incompetence that they don’t cook their nades properly, either throwing it too early, or too late thus blowing themselfs, or getting their throw blocked by something, which is also relying on incompetence.
Because skilled marine player with hand nades fighting skilled xeno player without stun ressistance relies on marine making a mistake, otherwise xeno can’t do shit.
I am not saying OT SADAR is balanced, or anything, but relying on player incompetence is often the only “counter” to many things in CM.
Even regular SADAR with AP rocket, your only counter to it as a T3 is for SADAR to be incompetent and miss, or if SADAR is competent and hits you, then mariens around him have to be incompetent and not following up on the lenghty stun.
Marines then rely on other xeno incompetence in trying to save you.
Carrier traps rely on incompetence. Gas traps rely on incompetence. Claymores rely on incompetence.
Example of a proper counter:
Fire vs fortified defender.
Fortified defender vs non AP non incendiary ammo.
GL spec armor blocking pounce attempts from front.
Slug vs warrior.
Rav vs fire.
Boiler vs cades.
Sniper vs boilers.