Call Of Duty: Warzone is one of the most popular battle royales out there right now. It’s free for anyone to play across Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, plus there’s also plenty of combatants to test your skills against. But if you’re only just starting to get into Warzone, there are some essential things to remember if you want to make any meaningful progression.
Now that Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will feature integration with Warzone, it’s more important than ever to polish up on your third-person shooter expertise. Whether you’re a Fortnite legend looking for something new to play or a Call Of Duty veteran, these tips for mastering Warzone will prep you for any situation you come across in-game going forward.
Call Of Duty: Warzone. Credit: Activision
Embrace the Gulag
In Warzone, death is inevitable – even pro streamers get taken out from time to time. Thankfully, however, death doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a match. When you fall for the first time in a match, you’re immediately transported to a 1v1 Gulag fight where the winner gets to rejoin the game – an instant respawn so you can get back to business. The goal is to either kill your opponent before they kill you, or capture the flag in the middle of the map.
You’ll have access to a randomly selected loadout, which includes throwables – do not waste these. Make use of the flashbang or grenade to distract your opponent, then swoop in for the kill. The Gulag is meant to be tough. Switch off for a second, and you’re dead.
Don’t waste your pre-game mode
Before you get into a Warzone match proper, you’ll be waiting it out in the pre-game area. This isn’t the time to run around and act silly, because you can actually get some XP for your gear while waiting for everything to load. Get some kills, rack up points and practice your shooting all without the risk of being killed in action. Use this mostly penalty-free time wisely.
Call Of Duty: Warzone Dream Killer. Credit: Activision
Create custom loadouts that are best for you
A custom loadout is a weapon system that’s tailored to your playing style. These can be created outside of a match and saved to your profile. They include primary and secondary weapons – which you can finetune with various attachments – a perk, a lethal throwable and a tactical throwable. During the match, if you get your hands on a cool $10,000, you can purchase a loadout drop, and in a matter of seconds a Supply Box will literally fall out of the sky with your favourite goodies. While it’s expensive, we can assure you it’s well worth the money.
Don’t hoard money – spend it
When you earn cash, go ahead and spend it. Saving it up isn’t especially useful, unless you’re trying to purchase the one-time resurrect skill at $4,500. If that’s the case, then make sure you’re kitted out with all the supplies you need early before saving up your money for that important chance to come back to life. Otherwise, make sure you’re buying useful items like armour plates, UAVs – so you can hunt other players – and a gas mask, which will come in handy late game when the circle gets small. There’s no use hoarding cash – you aren’t saving for retirement, after all.
Share the wealth
You’re undoubtedly going to come across plenty of loot and riches during your time in the game. If you’re playing with friends, it’s a good idea to pool your resources and goodies. Sharing cash and loot with your teammates will ensure they’re equipped with the best items possible. Buying a loadout drop is an easy way to make sure everyone is kitted with a weapon system they prefer, hence increasing your chances of survival. It’s also best to always have $4,500 handy to revive a teammate should they get taken out and fail the Gulag.
When gas appears, hightail it out of the area
If you’re used to games like Fortnite where you can stay outside of the storm for a bit without taking too much damage, Warzone is different. Keep a keen eye trained on the map while you’re busy looting and hunting players. Be sure to hightail it into the safe zone as soon as possible, even if you’re trying to hang around on the edge of the circle as a deliberate strategy. Dying to the gas is the worst way to go – apart from taking fall damage.
Call Of Duty: Warzone. Credit: Activision
Don’t be a pacifist
Watch enough pro streamers and you’ll realise that a common trait among them is a burning hunger for battle. On top of providing entertainment value for their viewers, these players understand that hunting players and looting them is a far better strategy than scouring the map for crates. Why go through all that effort when you can just take out an enemy and grab whatever they’ve got?
Sure, being passive and sneaking around may get you inside the top 10, but soon enough you’ll run into an enemy with ‘S’ tier gear and they will rip you to shreds before you can say “Gulag”. Fun? Certainly not.
Buy a UAV for unmatched vision across the map
When you’re ready to buy items, go to the Buy Stations scattered across the map and purchase a UAV. If you’re playing with teammates, have everyone buy a UAV at the same time. You’ll have an easier time viewing all enemies on the map thanks to your hard-earned cash going to a greater cause. Use this limited-time all-seeing eye to keep inventory of everyone on the map that could be a danger. Then make a plan of attack and go from there.
Call Of Duty: Warzone. Credit: Activision
Sail into the map guns blazing
Dropping into an area alongside enemies is not uncommon. While it is a tricky technique to master, toggling between parachuting and free-falling while shooting at your enemies will give you the upper hand. Best-case scenario: you take out an enemy before they even hit the ground. And the worst case? You don’t time it right and end up falling to your death. High risk, high reward.
Keep up with your armour
Warzone’s armour system works a bit differently than you might be used to. The game lets you equip up to three armour plates to your character, which will increase your amount of health from 100 to 250. You may store five backup plates – eight, if you pick up an armour satchel along the way, and we suggest you do – so keep your armour up first and pass the extras on to ensure your squad (if applicable) is ready for the next battle. As mentioned earlier, armour plates can be bought at Buy Stations should you not come across any in open play.
Don’t forget to take on Contracts
Completing Contracts in Warzone is the best way to make money. There are three types: Bounty, Recon and Scavenger.
Bounty: track down a target and eliminate them to earn loot, cash and bragging rights.
Recon: scout out an area and hold that position for a stipulated period of time – similar to capturing a flag. When you begin this task, however, a flare will ignite, alerting enemies to your location, so get ready to fight.
Scavenger: embark on a treasure hunt for three Supply Boxes which will award you and your team with loot and cash. Complete all three for a chance at rarer loot.
Now get out there and start gunning for first place!
