Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare has introduced some changes to the way loadouts work, and while many are a welcome improvement, it can be a little overwhelming trying to understand how the new components complement and affect each other in this great game. That said, it still might end up being one of the best Call of Duty games of all time.
We covered some beginner stuff during the game's Alpha, but here are some more refined tips to keep in mind when building your loadout to ensure you can push your way through the campaign and dominate in multiplayer. You won't be pro in a week, but it'll give you a great foundation to become a much more competent combatant faster.
10 Assault Class
Some fans have come to refer to loadouts as classes, and this is a good way to think of it. The Assault class is built around being adaptable, and being equipped to take down large numbers of units at mid to long range in aggressive fashion. It's also great for the campaign.
Your primary weapon is one that needs to be adaptable for all situations but most effective at mid-range such as a solid assault rifle or sub machine gun. The idea is to be dangerous in long drawn out fights or give you an edge when you simply need to capture a position.
9 Assassin
Assassin loadouts are built around being dangerous at long range or up close via stealth. The name of the game is to avoid detection and take out enemy troops without being seen.
The sniper rifle is the obvious choice, as well as a handgun for when you get cornered, or a combat knife for silent melee kills. Smoke or flash grenades to help you evade the enemy, and C4 will help cause mayhem while doing recon. Your job is to take down enemies with high kill counts, do a bit of recon, or eliminate obstacles to your team’s objective.
8 Aggressor
The Aggressor is the soldier who rushes into battle, causing chaos and advancing on enemy positions. This role is to blitz objectives, blast enemies, and stay active while aggroing the enemy.
A powerful shotgun or a strong automatic weapon is useful for this role, and the combat knife is a must for the secondary weapons slot for melee kills and added speed. Stims will keep you alive, and throwing knives or Molotovs are good tools to have. You’ll probably die a lot, but your team will win more often. Your job is to sow confusion and whittle down enemy positions for the main assault.
7 Pick Killstreaks Based On Skill
Which Kill Streak you should pick is 100% based on your skills as a gamer. If you struggle to get any kills before dying, then you are best suited to pick the low ones (like the Shield Turret that unlocks on three kills). Then as your skills improve and you start getting more kills, you can pick the better Killstreaks.
Remember it’s better to use a UAV multiple times than to never once deploy the Juggernaut because you couldn’t get the kills. A good rule of thumb is to look at the average kills you’ve gotten per life over the last three matches and pick the corresponding Killstreak.
6 Field Upgrades
Which field upgrade you choose is ultimately based on which of the three roles you wish to fulfill. Assault types will want Munitions Box for their greedy assault rifles or Deployable Cover for defense when pushing forward. Assassins will want Recon Drone for intel or Dead Silence for stealthy movement. Aggressors can get creative with Tactical Insertion or use Stopping Power to get more damage with their shotguns.
The idea is to determine your role, specify what your role is on a team level, and then pick the field upgrade best suited for it. If you're new and uncertain where you fit, then a Weapon Drop will make any team happy to have you.
5 Weapon Suggestions
Which weapon you choose should be based somewhat on what role you’re fulfilling and mostly on what you're good at. If sitting back and sniping enemies is your thing then a sniper rifle or marksman rifle is your best bet.
If you’re struggling to figure out what you’re good at, then an assault rifle is varied enough to help you figure it out. If you like getting up close and personal, switch to shotguns and autos. If you just enjoy the mid-range then start tweaking with accessories and see what you like.
4 Perk Suggestions
You can pick three perks, and what you pick should be based on your role. Here are some strong suggestions for each. Perk 1 has helpful perks like Double Time for increased mobility, Overkill to carry two primaries, and Scavenger to get ammo from dead players.
Perk 2 has Hardline which decreases the kills you need for Killstreaks, Ghost to be invisible to various tech, and High-Alert to detect enemies. Finally Perk 3 has Tune Up to reduce cooldown on Field Upgrades, Battle Hardened to reduce the effectiveness of enemy status effects, and Spotter to paint enemies for your allies.
3 Lethal
Lethal equipment is designed to cause damage and destroy targets. Frag Grenades or Semtex are good for Assault types as they an be lobbed at targets while on the run or under cover. Aggressors will enjoy Molotov Cocktails to cause confusion and cover retreats, and Assassins will prefer Throwing Knives.
Other notables are C4 for ambush attacks, Proximity Mines to shut down vehicles, and Claymores to trap enemies. Start with what you’re comfortable using, but you will want to pick ones that complement your team’s goals and adjust accordingly.
2 Tactical
Where your Lethal should be based on teamplay, your Tactical should be based solely on your needs. Assault types are best served with Flash Grenades to stun enemies prior to an assault or Gas Grenades to drive out campers.
Aggressors will enjoy Stims to quickly regenerate health or Decoy Grenades to confuse enemies. Assassins are a bit of a wild card as any can be useful. Recon types should go with Heartbeat Sensor or Snapshot Grenades, whereas a well placed Stun Grenade can make headshots easier.
1 Meta Or Custom
The ultimate debate in building your loadout is whether to focus on the current meta or to build your own meta from scratch. There are pros and cons to both depending on how long you’ve been playing. If you’re brand new, then using an established meta can help you learn the ropes and develop skills.
But if you’re a veteran, or you’ve been playing a while and see your skills growing, then start developing your own custom meta. Sure the M4A1 might be the most powerful weapon in the game right now, but if you’re better with a shotgun or sniper rifle then it won't be the most powerful weapon for you.