Long gone are the days of Verdansk and Caldera, Modern Warfare 2 has brought along a new era for the Warzone and a map that redefines how the game should be played.
In the next 5 minutes you will learn how to improve your strategy on Warzone 2 to get a competitive edge over your opponents in all phases of the game and rack up the Victories.
Warzone 2 Winner’s Checklist
- Understand the battleground and play to your strengths
- If your goal is to win, don’t make reckless decisions
Early-Game: - Resources > Kills (Good primary weapon + 3-plate armour vest is a minimum)
- Once you have a good weapon control the closest buy-station
Mid-Game: - Stack resources and buy loadouts or target the loadout drops for perks (Use Birdseye!)
- Avoid running from the circle, position yourself towards the centre whenever possible
Late-Game: - Ideal Late-Game Utility: Self-Revive, Gas Mask, Precision Airstrike
- Gain the high-ground and pick your fights carefully!
Understand the Battleground
In comparison to Verdansk, Al Mazrah has a very different landscape with various terrain to contend with: (There are pros and cons to each area)
Mountainous – Quarry, Caves, Sa’id City, Rohan Oil, Observatory
Plains – Cemetery, Sarrif Bay, Ahkdar Village, Al Sharim Pass, Marshlands
Highrise – Al Mazrah City
The first step to getting more wins in Warzone 2 is to understand the landscape around you and use this to your advantage. Different players will feel more comfortable in different areas, so find what suits you and play to your strengths.
For the purpose of this guide our priority is to WIN, so let’s act like it.
Build a Foundation In The Early Game
- Gather resources – This should be your first priority. Depending on your area of choice you may be contested at the beginning of a game, so clear the immediate area, get some OK guns and a 3-plate armour and start looting. The plan is to get at least $5,000 to spend per team member.
- Find a shop – Now it’s time for an upgrade, the early-game will be full of enemies that haven’t yet found the time or money to get their guns and loadouts won’t drop until later in the game. Grab some money and get your team to a buy-station.
In my experience it’s better to buy 1 primary weapon and 1 UAV to get started, so at least you can take stock of who is in the immediate area as buy-stations are often highly contested. If you do have the extra cash then buy your guns or a loadout for early perks.
Your first Primary Weapon should fit your surroundings, if you are in a mountainous or plain area then go for an Assault Rifle that will help take people out from a distance, if you’re playing in close-range then go for your best SMG.
Getting an Advantage In Mid-Game
Once you’ve gotten through the early-game, everyone in your squad is alive, and you have some good weaponry it’s time to get moving. In this next phase our goal is to travel closer to the centre of the zone, being constantly chased by the gas is one of the worst positions you can be in.
- Get your second primary weapon – Once you’ve gotten through the early-game, cleared and looted the area, it’s time to move. The priority here should be to try and get your second weapon from a buy-station or fortress.
- Track Loadout Drop locations – This is an easy step to forget, but perhaps one of the most important. Loadouts unlike the buy-station will give you perks, and in Warzone 2.0 this can often be the difference between victory and losing out in the top 20. (Tip: at least 1 player on your team should be running Birdseye!)
- Use Bounty Contracts – These are a source of free information, whenever you’re moving from one area to another grabbing a Bounty on your way out can help identify where enemies are. If your bounty is in the area you were travelling to, this will give you a huge advantage and the element of surprise.
- Find or Buy Gas-Masks & Self-Revives – Every person on your team should aim to have a regular or ideally Golden Gas Mask and at least 1 self-revive by the end of the mid-game. (Tip: a full Revive Pistol will act as a self-revive)
- Killstreaks – These can make or break an end-game, so any UAVs or Precision Airstrikes that your team can find, try and hold at least one of each for the end game.
Sealing the Deal In End-Game
By this point you and your team should be well-equipped and comfortably within the circle (if the circles are split, aim to get between both ready to rotate). Warzone 2 plays a little slower than Verdansk, so the end of the game can get incredibly busy depending on the skill of the lobby and how open the last zones are. Keep this in mind and remember that you don’t have to kill EVERYONE.
- Identify High-Ground – Vantage points that are still inside the circle will be the most contested areas in the end-game, always keep these in mind. Once the circle is small enough to estimate where the game will end, at the earliest possible opportunity take one of the highest points on the map to gain an early advantage over teams that are still rotating.
- Contesting the High-Ground – As a team and using your UAV (if you have one stored) identify a high-ground that either isn’t taken or has a weakened team. If possible break an opponents shield or get a down and take the position. (This is vital as positioning is the most important factor in the end-game)
- Pick your fights – Depending on how many people are left by the final few circles it’s important to understand what teams are the highest threat, pick your targets carefully and don’t run into an open area chasing for kills.
- Make use of Precision Airstrikes – These killstreaks can easily win you a game in the final circles, especially in open areas this can cause an entire team to panic and split giving you the opportunity to pick them off once you forced them out of position.
- Don’t fear the Gas – In the final stages of a game sometimes you’ll find yourself stuck between an open area and gas. For example in a building or with large terrain blocking you, ask yourself whether going into the gas and finding another route could put you in a better position, people rarely expect this but it can be the optimal play if you have a gas mask.
Give yourself the best chance to win and improve
At the end of the day small decisions are the difference between winning and losing, and some factors are just out of our control, each phase of the game is unique and needs to be practiced. Keep putting yourself in the right positions, the more familiar you get with each phase of the game the more likely you’ll be the last player standing. Good luck out there.
