The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Call Of Duty Warzone 2
Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, developed by Activision, is among some of the most famous multiplayer games today. This game combines the fast-paced FPS gunplay of Call of Duty with the exciting mechanics of the battle royale genre.
If you are someone who is new to the game or unfamiliar with the two types of gameplay, then this guide for beginners will help you understand the basics of the game and how you can make your way through the desert locale of Al-Mazrah.
The Ultimate Guide To Call Of Duty Warzone 2.0
Map Navigation
Similar to other battle royale games, Warzone drops a lobby of players on a sprawling map, where they are required to look for weapons and items. Furthermore, they need to fight their very best in order to be the last man standing.
As a matter of fact, Al-Mazrah supports a huge number of 150 players at a single time. In case you are new to the battle royale genre, each game will begin with you and your squad dropping from a cargo plane and parachuting to the location you choose.
Simply put, the best places to land are the named locations present on the map of Al Mazrah. They are also known as Points of Interest (POIs) or locations, which provide enough loot for you as well as your teammates, at least until you can obtain your custom loadouts.
If there is an instance where you land in a loot area with players already fighting, you can angle for more secluded unnamed areas that still feature homes and other smaller complexes to get your gear.
It is crucial for players to master their parachute speed as well as glide quickly, which will provide them with an advantage early on in the game.
The Safe Zone And Its Circles
One more essential factor regarding map navigation is the Safe Zone. In the battle royale genre, one can definitely expect the map to periodically decrease in size, owing to a looming cloud of poisonous gas.
Players will have to move to the Safe Zone, which is indicated by a white circle on the map, or risk taking damage. Warzone 2.0 has introduced a new mechanic in the game where the Safe Zone has a chance of splitting into several circles.
This gives players a little more flexibility regarding where they can loot during the match. However, this also means that the combat area in the game becomes smaller earlier on, a departure from most other battle royale games.
In case there are several circles, they will eventually all combine into a single Safe Zone, so players will need to get ready to move once that happens.
Movement mechanics
Movement is the major part when it comes to outplaying your enemies and can also help you win a gunfight. When on foot, a player has four basic movements of sprinting, prone, sliding, and last but not least, jumping.
Sprinting is mostly used to cover long distances while also being a difficult target for any opponents that might be close by. An even faster version known as Tactical Sprint is activated when you press the designated command twice.
Although Tactical Sprint speeds up a player’s Operator’s pace, they will eventually slow down to the regular sprinting speed after a couple of seconds. In the prone position, one can hide in bushes and other covers to get the drop on enemies who won’t be expecting you there.
However, the con to that trick is you risk being a sitting duck if someone spots you. Sliding will help players reposition rapidly in the middle of a fight or during a fast descent on any hill. You are unable to shoot while sliding, so it is mostly an escape mechanic to get behind cover as soon as possible instead of a way to engage the enemy.
Jumping is pretty self-explanatory as a movement mechanic. If you wish to get over walls and traverse through windows, all you have to do is simply go up to the obstacle and press the jump button to start the action.
In Warzone 2.0, an even more advanced mechanic is introduced, which is known as dolphin diving. This move is pretty good for closing distances with a jumping motion and finding cover behind a wall or a building.
However, if you are looking for a more rapid way to get around, you and your teammates can use vehicles present all over the map. This is essential if you are hoping to make a beeline for Stronghold or loadout drop.
All of the vehicles, including the EV, need fuel to be operational. Players can fill up their rides with the help of gas cans found scattered across the map or at gas stations. They can also be damaged, at which point you will need to evacuate.
Check out the table below of all rideable vehicles which can be found in Warzone 2.0:
Vehicle Name |
Description |
ATV |
An ATV is a nimble three-seater with little protection |
Armored Patrol Boat |
This is a reinforced aquatic vehicle with mounted .50 Cal machine guns. |
Cargo Truck |
A large industrial vehicle with a flatbed. |
GMC Hummer EV |
An all-electric supertruck engineered for off-road. |
Heavy Chopper |
A heavily armored search-and-rescue helicopter. |
Hatchback |
A four-door civilian vehicle without any significant protection, |
Light Helo |
Twin-engine light helicopter for rapid traversal and combat support |
RHIB |
A manoeuvrable tactical boat designed for Special Forces. |
SUV (Standard) |
An all-terrain civilian 4×4 with a boxy frame. |
UTV |
An all-terrain lightweight four-seater. |
How To Loot And Get Weapons In Warzone 2
Supply Boxes
As players land in Al Mazrah with absolutely nothing but only a pistol, arming up is the first thing they do which is essential to success. Apart from finding loose items sprawled on the ground, you can open up loot caches that contain guns, ammo, and cash.
In order to open a supply box, walk up until the prompt appears and press the F or square button. This also works for other caches, for example, cash registers, lockers, and duffel bags.
Backpack
Along with the loadout you have with you, there is also a new Backpack mechanic that allows players to carry more items. You can now easily stock up on bullets, armor plates, and even killstreaks in case you happen to find them lying around.
To go into your inventory, simply press Tab or the down arrow for gamers playing with a controller.
Buy Station
Buy Stations are basically a stationary stockpile that fulfils a player’s combat needs for a price. One can buy several items, such as killstreaks, armor plates, and the newly added loadout drops.
Even though this might be a trusty way to get your items, keep in mind that Buy Stations are marked on every player’s map, so your opponents can camp you out if you are not quick enough with your purchase.
Loadouts and Loadout Drops
There is no doubt that loadout drops are your best bet when it comes to getting a full bag of armaments. Warzone 2.0 gives players some assurance in loot with the help of load-outs, which are pre-determined sets of guns, perks, and equipment that can be set in the pre-game lobby.
When you have got enough cash, you can call in a Loadout Drop to deliver the guns you prefer, but remember that other players will also hear the supply helicopter and see the smoke that will be released from the drop. The cost of the drop will vary according to the size of your squad:
Solos – $8,000
Duos – $16,000
Trios – $24,000
Quads – $32,000
Furthermore, an airplane will drop free loadout drops in a straight line across the map after the second circle collapse. But you will also be going against other players for these drops, marked by yellow crates on the map.
In a situation where you do not have enough cash, you can still buy your primary loadout weapon for $5,000. It gives players access to their preferred main weapon, but you will still need a loadout drop to access your full custom loadout, including your chosen package.
Players can also buy default load-outs with five attachments for $2,500. This is the perfect option for beginners who have yet to configure their own custom load-outs, which are only accessible at military rank 4.
On the other hand, you can clear out a Stronghold of its AI defenders, which will also earn you your custom loadout.
Combat, weapon categories, and equipment
A player’s Warzone gameplay is defined by their choice of guns. A standard loadout mostly includes a primary weapon, a secondary weapon, lethal and tactical equipment, and, last but not least, perks.
As you keep playing and exploring the game, you will want to customize your loadout. Check out the table below to know what to look out for!
Types Of Primary And Secondary Weapons
Following is a rundown of all the types of weapons in Warzone 2.0:
Primary Weapon Type |
Description |
Assault Rifle |
Your standard go-to primary weapon that excels in medium-range engagements. |
Battle Rifle |
A rifle variant that boasts stronger damage output and range in exchange for a harsher spray and less ammo. |
Light Machine Gun (LMG) |
A slower, heavy-hitting automatic weapon with a high-capacity magazine. |
Marksman Rifle |
A slow-firing, high-damage weapon that fits in between the Assault Rifle and Sniper Rifle categories. |
Sniper Rifle |
A powerful, long-range weapon with strong recoil and a limited magazine capacity. |
Submachine Gun (SMG) |
A fully automatic, compact weapon with faster firing that’s effective in close-range combat. |
Shotgun |
The perfect close-range weapon that fires buckshot ammo, ripping through enemies with dispersed pellet damage. |
Weapon Type |
Description |
Handgun |
A close-range backup option once your primary weapon runs out of bullets. |
Launcher |
A niche, hard-hitting armament that’s perfect for dealing vehicle and splash damage. |
Melee |
A hand-based weapon class that is perfect for finishing enemies up close before they can reload. |
Gunsmith And Attachments
In order to fine-tune your weapons, you can go and check out the Gunsmith tab in a certain loadout. Here, players are able to add up to five attachments to their gun that will alter its weapon stats.
Attachments will always be different for every weapon, so you will have to experiment and see what is available for your specific loadout and what suits it best. However, if you are not sure of what you might want out of your gun, here is a quick breakdown of each weapon stat.
- Accuracy: This shows how accurate the weapon is when fired from the hip
- Damage: The damage your opponent takes once it is shot
- Range: Range indicates how far the weapon has the ability to shoot before losing accuracy
- Fire Rate: How quick the weapon can shoot
- Mobility: This shows how quickly you can move and aim the weapon
- Control: The sway and recoil of the weapon
To unlock several different attachments, players are required to play the game with the gun equipped and level up through in-game actions such as contracts, kills, and assists.
Lethal And Tactical Equipment
Lethal and tactical equipment are basic finds present among loot and loadout drops that can help players on the battlefield.
Even though lethal equipment is mostly associated with explosive qualities, such as frag grenades and C4s, players can also find deadly throwing knives and fiery Molotov cocktails in the category.
Tactical equipments a tad bit more diverse in its usage on the field. Apart from the common choices like a smoke grenade and flash, you can also load up a stim that helps refill your health as well as stamina or a snapshot grenade that detects opponents in its blast radius.
Perk Packages
Perk Packages are only available through a player’s loadout and loadout drops and are passive benefits that boost their Operator’s abilities to charge into the fray. Although each one of them has its own unique benefits, here is one package that can get you locked and loaded for a drop in Al Mazrah.
Specter Perk |
Benefits |
Double Time |
|
Ghost |
|
Spotter |
|
Tracker |
|
How To Aim And Shoot
As soon as you have got your guns loaded up, let’s talk about how to get your shots down. Warzone’s shooting mechanics are pretty standard if you have had some previous FPS experience.
With the help of any gun equipped, players are automatically put into hipfire mode, which is a fast and simple way to shoot out those bullets.
You can also press the right mouse button or the left trigger on your controller to activate aim-down sights (ADS). ADS is a more accurate aiming mode that is necessary for shooting enemies from a faraway distance.
One disadvantage of ADS is that it slows your operator’s movement, which potentially leaves you flatfooted in a crossfire. With tons of guns available, players will also have to learn how each gun deals optimal damage.
We might all be familiar with the usual fully automatic run-and-gun gameplay, but is it highly likely that you will run into guns that will have different shooting modes. This means that it will be best to know what they are and when they can be helpful to you.
Fire Rate |
Description |
Bolt-action |
|
Burst |
|
Full-auto |
|
Semi-automatic |
|
Other Game Mechanics
Health And Armor
The Operator has the ability to sustain damage to a player’s regular health and their added armor, which is present in the bottom left of their HUD.
Your armor, which goes up to three plates, will be the first to finish when taking damage, but your health will be the final factor in staying alive.
After finishing any fight with an injury, a player’s health will automatically refill after a couple of seconds, but their armor will have to be manually replenished by utilizing armor plates found lying around on the battlefield.
Killstreaks
If you know what killstreaks are from the previous Call of Duty titles, then you should also know that Activision has streamlined the process of obtaining them in the battle royale setting.
Rather than having to rack up kills in succession, Warzone 2.0 gives players the ability to buy killstreaks through the Buy Station. You will see some familiar tools, such as the enemy-detecting UAV or the Cluster Mine, that could turn the tides for you and your team.
With a hefty price tag ranging from $3,300 to $4,000, you will also want to open supply boxes for the chance of finding a free kill streak along with additional loot.
The Gulag
The Gulag is one game-changing and exciting twist that Warzone 2.0 added to their battle royale experience. If you are eliminated, you are provided with a free chance to reenter the game by winning a 2v2 gunfight in the Gulag against another duo which was eliminated.
You, your teammate, and your enemies will have exactly the same weapons and items, so it becomes a true test of skill and intelligence on who truly deserves to go back to the battlefield.
In the middle of the match, an NPC known as the Jailer jumps down onto the circular platform to help speed up the fight.
Both teams now have a choice; they can either wait for the Jailer to spawn and take him down together (this might require proximity chat), which will return all four players to the match or try to go for the elimination victory.
However, do not lose hope if you get defeated in the Gulag, as your teammates can still redeploy you through the Buy Station. Keep in mind that you will come back with only a pistol in hand or whatever weapons you manage to find in the Gulag. So, make sure that you start looting as soon as you hit the ground.