Mutliplayer Tips and Tricks - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Guide - IGN (2024)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is finally out and it brings a lot of changes to the franchise's staple multiplayer offerings. This guide features tips and tricks that all players need to know before jumping into Modern Warfare's multiplayer.

Please click or tap the links below to jump to different sections:

• Everything New in Modern Warfare
• The Best Tips and Tricks to Defeat Your Enemies in Modern Warfare's Four New Modes
  • Tips and Tricks for Cyber Attack
  • Tips and Tricks for NVG
  • Tips and Tricks for Ground War
  • Tips and Tricks for Gunfight
• How to Play Best on Each Map
  • Aniyah Palace
  • Arklov Peak
  • Azhir Cave
  • Docks
  • Euphrates Bridge
  • Grazna Raid
  • Gulag Showers
  • Gun Runner
  • Hackney Yard
  • Hill
  • King
  • Piccadilly
  • Pine
  • Rammaza
  • Speedball
  • St. Petrograd
  • Stack
• How to Play Best With Each Weapon Class
  • Assault Rifles
  • SMGS
  • Shotguns
  • LMGS
  • Marksman Rifles
  • Sniper Rifles
  • Melee
• General Tips and Tricks That Everyone Needs to Know

Before dropping into Modern Warfare, there are some changes to the franchise's formula that players need to know.

• There are no Specialists in the game
  • Instead of selecting a Specialist before each match like players did in Black Ops 4 and Black Ops 3, players are instead represented by an Operator, a cosmetic-based character, on the combat field.
• The Tactical Nuke is back
  • Its first appearance since Modern Warfare 2, the Tactical Nuke in this year's Modern Warfare can be used after a single player gets 30 consecutive kills.
  • Upon using the nuke, the player's operator will use the touchpad on their arm to call in a nuke that will arrive 10 seconds later.
  • As you'd expect, when the nuke drops, the match is over and no matter what the score is, the team of the player that called in the nuke wins the match.

• Automatic health regeneration is back
  • The use of a Health Stim was necessary to regenerate health in last year's Black Ops 4 and while the Stim is still present in Modern Warfare, it's not necessary to regain health during a match.
• The Fog of War mini-map in Black Ops 4 has been replaced with a new mini-map for Call of Duty
  • Whereas the traditional Call of Duty mini-map would show not only the layout of what's around you, but enemy locations if they fire a non-silenced weapon as well, the mini-map in Modern Warfare is present simply to provide you a look at your surroundings.
  • When an enemy fires a weapon, their location won't pop up anywhere on your mini-map (although their location will be somewhat revealed with a red dot on the compass at the top of your screen).
  • Because of this new change, a silencer is no longer an attachment that conceals your position on the mini-map — instead, it is an attachment that simply silences your weapon. This makes the sound emitted upon firing quieter and harder for your enemies to track down.
• Almost every automatic weapon features a semi-automatic mode that can be activated by pressing left on the d-pad
• Killsteaks have returned in place of Scorestreaks
  • The only way to build toward your Killstreak rewards such as UAVs and Cruise Missiles is to kill enemy players unless you have the Point Man perk unlocked at level 49 — this perk allows you to switch from the Killstreak system to the Pointstreak system.

• You can mount almost every weapon in the game by pressing Circle on PS4 and B on Xbox One
  • You can also lean and peak around corners by aiming down sights and pressing the melee button at the same time.
• Tactical Sprint can be enabled by pressing the sprint button twice
  • This sprint only lasts a few seconds and is significantly faster than a standard sprint, but you should be wary when using it as you'll lose the ability to quickly aim down sights.
• Doors have physics in Modern Warfare which means they can be opened and closed by pressing Square on PS4 and X on Xbox One, and they can be busted open by sprinting through them.

Multiplayer features four new modes for the Call of Duty franchise: Cyber Attack, NVG, a reconfigured Ground War and Gunfight. There's also a new game variant known as Realism that isn't quite a new mode, although it has its own option on the Play screen of Multiplayer.

Before diving into the other four modes, Realism is a variant on Hardcore that sees your entire HUD removed from the screen for what Infinity Ward says is a "more immersive and realistic experience."

Cyber Attack is essentially a new take on the classic Search and Destroy mode while NVG aims to bring a brand new gameplay experience to the franchise with the use of night vision goggles.

The reconfigured Ground War, on the other hand, is the largest game mode in Modern Warfare featuring high player counts, vehicles and multiple objectives that need to be captured.

The final new mode is Gunfight. In this 2v2 mode, players must either defeat the enemy team first or capture the flag in the middle of map for three seconds. This flag doesn't spawn until 40 seconds pass in the match.

Tips and Tricks for Cyber Attack

Cyber Attack is a 6v6 game mode that consists of up to 10 rounds. A bomb sits in the middle of the map and the first team to pick up the bomb gets the opportunity to set and detonate it on the other side of the map.

Similar to Search and Destroy, a team of players can win a round by either detonating a bomb or by taking out all players on the enemy team. Every time a team completes one of those two objectives, they win a round in the match.

The first team to win five rounds wins the match. The biggest difference between Cyber Attack and Search and Destroy is that in Cyber Attack, players can revive their teammates so long as they do so before a set time limit expires.

There are two safe bet ways to play Cyber Attack: lone wolf-style or with consistent communication between a team.

If you're playing solo with no intentions to talk to your allies, your best bet is to pick the loadout your most comfortable using. With this loadout, you must next decide if you want to take out enemy players or grab the bomb.

If you're going after the bomb, select a loadout made for running and gunning: an MP5, Double Time and Sleight of Hand come to mind. If you're planning to focus on taking out the enemy team, you should pick the gun you're most comfortable using.

Because you're playing lone wolf, you should focus on maintaining consistent coverage by remaining high above the field in second-floor areas and avoiding open areas of a map like a street or courtyard.

If you're playing with some friends or teammates using a mic, communication is the key to a quick win.

Because you're able to talk to your teammates, it's important to think about team composition: a team of snipers isn't doing anybody any favors in this mode. The best composition we've discovered thus far is a sniper that stays back to take out riskier enemies, a submachine gunner with a loadout designed with silence and speed in mind — this person is the designated bomb deliverer — and three assault rifle players.

When the match begins, the submachine gunner needs to sprint to the bomb and the assault rifle players need to do the same, remaining a few feet in front of the runner for their protection — the sniper should stay back for long-range coverage.

Tips and Tricks for NVG

Night Vision Goggles, or NVG, is a new game mode in the Call of Duty franchise that sees a map covered in near total darkness. As you'd guess by the name of the mode, your night vision goggles are your key to victory.

You don't necessarily have to use your goggles but if you don't, you'll have a hard time spotting enemies across the map. To turn the goggles on, hold Triangle on PS4 and Y on Xbox One.

With your night vision goggles on, you won't be able to aim down sights as you would traditionally. Instead, when you aim down sights, your gun will zoom in just a tad and its laser will be activated. This laser is essentially your new ADS.

Where the laser is pointing is where your bullets will go so focus on the end point of your laser.

When using the laser, it's important to note that it will be highly visible and leave you extremely exposed — it's an easy sightline back to your position for enemies and allies alike. Because of this, you should really only use your ADS, and subsequent laser, when you see an enemy.

NVG is technically a new game mode, but it acts more as a game mode variant than anything else. This is because while the night vision and laser mechanics are new, those mechanics have simply been placed into pre-existing modes within Modern Warfare — you'll still be playing Team Deathmatch, Cyber Attack and other modes, except in NVG, you'll be doing so under the cover of darkness.

Tips and Tricks for Ground War

Ground War is a reconfigured version of the series' War mode and in Modern Warfare, it's the largest multiplayer mode in the game. Each match takes place on large maps exclusive to the mode and sees a team of 32 players face off against a team of 32 enemies.

Modes like Headquarters and Team Deathmatch have limits of five minutes and 10 minutes respectively, but Ground War's time limit is 20 minutes.

Ground War is most similar to a round of Domination in that like Domination, there are multiple active objective spots on the map for your team to capture. The more points captured, the more points your team will earn as each second passes by and as each enemy goes down.

Domination, however, only has three capture points while Ground War has five.

Because Ground War is played on such a large map, you should select your load out based on your goals during the match.

If you want to hang out on top of a cliff to the west while focusing on sniping enemies going for the flank, you should create a loadout with your favorite sniper and equipment that keeps you safe from a sneaky enemy attack i.e. claymores.

If you plan to rack up as much time as possible at a capture point, a fast-paced loadout would work best: try your favorite submachine gun with a silencer, the Sleight of Hand perk attachment and the Double Time perk.

If you're someone going for as many kills as possible, we recommend an assault rifle like the M4A1 or M13 with medium-range scopes and extended magazines. If you want to serve all aspects of your team, an LMG like the M91 or SA87 work great as these guns provide heavy long, medium and short-range coverage with the largest ammo magazines in the game.

Don't ignore the vehicles as they are essential to maximizing movement efficiency in a match.

The ATV is best for getting around the large map quickly. The helicopter is best for not only getting around the map quickly, but providing a great vantage point for a sniper riding passenger. The APC tank is crucial when taking over capture points as they can easily take out large swaths of enemy players holding an area.

If you need a full look at the battlefield, press the pause button.

The mini map works great for your immediate vicinity but because the Ground War maps are so large, the full map available on the pause menu is a great way to track your capture point progress across the field.

Tips and Tricks for Gunfight

Gunfight is a 2v2 mode that gives all four players the same exact loadout. This loadout changes each round so you're never given enough time to truly learn a weapon.

This evens the playing field in a way and gives an advantage to those who are familiar with Modern Warfare's weapons. It's for this reason that the best tip for Gunfight is to grow familiar with as many weapons as possible in Modern Warfare's other multiplayer modes.

By doing so, you eliminate the chance of surprise when you're given a random weapon each round during Gunfight.

Beyond weaponry, focus on learning the maps and quickly reaching the best vantage points. A vantage point just a few feet off the ground provides a great height advantage: you get additional cover and it's easier to spot your enemy below.

Gunfight: OSP is a variant of Gunfight that starts all four players with not a single weapon or grenade. Instead, you must pick up weaponry scattered throughout the map. This variant plays out the same as standard Gunfight so once you find a weapon, hunt down your enemies.

For the past few years, Call of Duty has used three-lanes — usually left, forward and right — to design a map. This allowed for a quicker understanding of how gameplay worked on each map and put more focus on an individual player's skill rather than their placement on the map.

Modern Warfare has returned to the design philosophy of older titles in the series like the original Modern Warfare. Lanes have been replaced with winding hallways, wide corridors, two-story buildings and power points positioned strategically around a battlefield. More than ever before, where you are on a map and how you utilize your surroundings matters in this Call of Duty.

Aniyah Palace

Aniyah Palace is a medium sized map in Modern Warfare that sees a small outskirts of buildings surround a destroyed palace. At one point, perhaps before war, this place was grand but it seems that consistent firefights have turned it into a battle zone.

At the center of the map is the palace. It's made up of multiple corridors and an open center and because of that, we recommend avoiding it at all costs. Instead, focus your efforts on the map's perimeters. Dotted along the sides surrounding the palace are buildings upon buildings which make for great camping spots.

Use the spots to your advantage to take out unsuspecting enemies casually strolling through the map's large and largely uncovered streets. If you rely on coverage, when traversing east to west or vice versa, stick to the northern side of the map as the pathway is filled with corners you can peak around before proceeding forward.

The southern path is quicker and more efficient, but it's significantly more open which means you're more likely to find a certain death there. In objective-based modes, rely on these two pathways to run bombs to destinations and for quick traversal to capture points in modes like Domination.

Arklov Peak

Arklov Peak is a map that takes place in the ruins of a winter town. There's multiple layers present as a result of natural elevation shifts in the land and the numerous building you can enter. As a result, your eyes should be scanning what's in front of you, what's below you and certainly what's above you at all times.

Most of the action on this map will take place inside of buildings because that's where many of the objective spawn points are located. When you're inside of the buildings, you shouldn't sit in any one location for too long as there aren't any locations with multiple sightline for enemies to take advantage of. Instead, you should maintain a perimeter while inside of a building. Run from one window to the next to keep an eye on the general circle outside of your area.

While most of the action does take place within the buildings of Arklov Peak, a lot of traversing across the map happens outside so when you have a good interior location locked down, keep an eye on the map's perimeters as there will almost always be enemies moving from one end to the other.

Azhir Cave

Azhir Cave is a map available in both standard play and NVG. Be it Team Deathmatch, Cyber Attack, NVG or something else, there's a chance that Azhir Cave is the map selected.

Of all the maps in the game, Azhir Cave is one of the more difficult to understand and control. It features an extensive network of caves with multiple levels of height, buildings dotted around the map with first and second floors, and a trench-like pathway that extends from one end of the map to the other.

There are a lot of paths to get where you're trying to go and this translates to there's always a chance someone will take you out from behind. Because of this, you should always be moving on this map, snaking your way from one section to another.

Stay high whenever possible and if you're playing in NVG, only aim down sights when you've spotted an enemy. Otherwise, your laser will reveal your location.

This map is quite large but because of its differing heights of verticality and network of caves, almost every firefight ends up being close-range. A submachine gun like the MP5 or the AUG work best for this map and a silencer or muzzle flash will go a long way to keep your position hidden.

Docks

Docks is a small map in Modern Warfare that makes for constant firefights and fast-paced gameplay. It's a symmetrical map made up of two buildings on the east and west sides of the map with one staircase and two windows each.

There will almost always be an enemy in one of these buildings so if you're looking for a consistent kill zone, these buildings are it. Be wary though as someone on the enemy team likely has the same idea and will be en route to the building you're in at any given moment.

In the middle of the map is a water way that we recommend steering clear of. It's the lowest point on the map and there are multiple vantage points spread around the map with a clear view of your location in the water way. If you're not in a building, you should be stick to one of the map's two ends as they have cars and walls that are great for peaking through and under. Because the map is so small, you don't necessarily need to be a long shot pro to get a kill across the map.

Euphrates Bridge

Euphrates Bridge is an odd map in Modern Warfare. It's not that it isn't a quality map or anything like that but rather, it's strangely shaped. Rather than a clear north and south with a middle-ground focal center, Euphrates Bridge features a bridge that cuts the map into an asymmetrical square.

If you spawn north of the map, you'll have a vertical height advantage. This side has a raised hill that you can use to your advantage as well as multiple buildings that provide great vantage points to the center piece bridge and surround lowlands.

If you spawn on the southern end, you have two buildings to provide coverage and a broken network of trenches to work your way toward the bridge. The buildings do provide coverage but because of how far south they are, they aren't really useful except for in modes like Domination where a capture point may be nearby.

The trenches on the other hand are especially useful as they provide a safe and covered way to reach the bridge and northern section of the map.

Grazna Raid

Grazna Raid is an urban map set in a seemingly rundown Chernobyl-like town — there's even an abandoned Ferris wheel dressing the background. Its streets are filled with trash, its buildings are filled with remnants of what was once there and it makes for some chaotic long-rang to mid-range firefights.

There are multiple two-story buildings and they serve as the de facto control points regardless of the game mode. This is because they who control a second-story vantage point control the tide of war in this game.

To play best on this map, you should stick to the outer perimeters of Grazna Raid. It's dotted with buildings that provide great coverage when moving from objective to objective and if you're focused on taking out enemies, the second stories present in almost every building work great for that.

The side opposite of the buildings features a grass-covered landscape of hills with a snaking trench built into the ground. This works as a great and sneaky path from one end of the map to the other and is especially useful for bomb runners in game modes like Cyber Attack.

Grazna Raid is available as a daytime map only.

Gulag Showers

Gulag Showers is a Gunfight-exclusive map, which means you'll only ever be playing on it with three other players: your teammate and the enemy team made up of two other players.

This map is exactly what it sounds like: a decrepit, filth-ridden shower that hasn't been cleaned in years. It's tiny and can be crossed in just seconds with a tactical sprint. As this is a Gunfight map, the strategy follows that of the other Gunfight-exclusive maps. There are three lanes —left, right and middle — and mild coverage in the middle.

As your goal on these maps is to take the enemy out as fast as possible, you and your teammate should quickly determine if you want to take over a side path or rush the center.

Regardless of what you do, peak your corners and stay crouched to minimize the sound of your feet. If you need to switch to the other side quickly, tactical sprint through the middle as the nature of Gunfight doesn't really allow for you to circle back around the map's perimeter.

Gun Runner

Gun Runner is a smaller map made for mid-range to close-range gunplay. It's an old refinery of sorts and as such, features an abundance of warehouses where most of the action on this map is going to take place.

Almost all of the warehouses are open spaces. They don't feature second floors and there's little coverage within, save for a crate or two. If you're in a warehouse, you should stick to one of its four corners as this will give you not only the widest view of each entrance, but a quick escape should you need it.

As you'll learn while you play, Modern Warfare's maps work great for camping. Take advantage of a good camp because your opponents are going to do the same, even if they make fun of you for being a camper every time you kill them.

Dotted between these warehouses are tight corridors and small multiple-story buildings. You should never sprint when going through one of these areas. The sound of your footsteps is escalated and you will more than likely come face to face with an enemy.

The player who draws their gun fastest is the player that will win that firefight and if you're not sprinting, you can fire your gun just a tad faster than you would otherwise.

It's not a bad idea to combine your lack of sprinting with pre-aiming. To do this, simply aim down sights while walking. Should an enemy pop up on your screen, you're already one step ahead of them.

Gun Runner is available as a daytime map only.

Hackney Yard

Hackney Yard is a map most in line with maps found in more recent Call of Duty games like Black Ops 4. It features, for the most part, three lanes and a few buildings to create verticality in an otherwise straightforward level. Close-range weapons like submachine guns work best here.

When you spawn on either end, you'll likely spawn in a building or near one. It's easy to think that these buildings will serve you great throughout the match as they have multiple entrances and second-story windows, but almost none of the action takes place on the map's two ends.

Instead, the firefights tend to play out in the middle of the map. Here, there is a warehouse on one end, an open middle lane with a few shipping containers and a building on the other end.

You should avoid the middle lane at all times. It's wide and open and has virtually no cover. The warehouse has a small second-story hallway and window that works great for putting pressure on enemies spawning on that end of the map.

Be wary of that window, though, because there are three ways to enter the area behind your back. Use a claymore to remove the worry of one of those entrances.

The building across from the warehouse provides some of the highest verticality as there is a first floor, second floor and a large, sloped roof that's easy to reach. This roof is the one of the best spots to set up camp for a minute or so to pick off some quick kills but after that, you should relocate as you're quite open up there and your enemies will now know where you are.

Hackney yard can be played as a daytime map and a nighttime map. At nighttime, you must use your night vision goggles and gun laser to take succeed.

Hill

Hill is a Gunfight map that, like the other Gunfight maps, is extremely small and symmetrical. If you've played on a Gunfight map, you may have noticed that they're designed to be a symmetrical from one end to the other. The east will mirror the west, and vice versa.

To succeed on this hill, you need to stick to the lower levels of the map that are made up of trenches and bunkers. Usually we'd suggest sticking to the high ground but there isn't necessarily a high ground — just the base level and the trenches dug throughout.

These trenches allow you to hide your body in such a way that an enemy not in a trench is almost always going to have to go for the headshot to take you out. On the flip side, an enemy not in the trench will be an easy target as you'll more than likely see their entire body.

King

King is a Gunfight map that takes place in a warehouse and features three distinct wooden structures. On the eastern and western end is a hallway-like wooden building that allows for closed traversal from one end to the other end of the map.

You should rely on these the most on this map as going outside is almost not an option because of how little coverage there is in between the wooden structures. In the middle of the map is a two story wooden building with stairs on the north and south end.

If you can successfully get up these stairs, the second floor provides a great view of the action below but, because there are two stairways to access that floor, you should try to move constantly so as not to be a sitting duck.

Picadelly

Picadelly is an urban city set in Great Britain and is easily one of Modern Warfare's most visually impressive maps. There are neon billboards to draw you attention away from the tattered streets covered in parked buses and debris.

On this map, you'll weave in and out of those buses and that debris while you move from massive building to massive building. At the center of the map is an open circular plaza and surrounding this plaza like the hour numbers on a clock are large multi-story buildings where a lot of your enemies will be hiding.

To play best on this map, you should almost never walk around for too long on the streets. Instead, you should run from building to building to move around the circular map or head underground and move through the subway to get from one side to the other.

If you are, for whatever reason, stranded on the Picadelly streets, stick close to the double decker buses parked around the map. Because they're two stories high, they provide great coverage and protection from second-story dwellers and allow you to focus on what's in front of you as you make your way off of the streets.

Pine

Pine is a Gunfight map that takes place in a square walled off section of a forest. From he map's design, it's easy to see that this map is likely a training course for would-be soldiers.

On both ends, there is a small ramp that leads to a shack on your right. This is the highest point on the map, but it's only a few feet off of the map's ground level. It's easy to rely on this shack during a round of Gunfight, but from the outside looking in, you're easy picking and not as concealed as you might feel you are in the shack.

Instead, you should rely on this map's natural brush for cover. Stay crouched and slowly work your way forward, peering around the storage container in the middle and nearby destroyed truck on either end. Use the storage container for coverage but do your best to stay outside of it. Inside is an easy spot to get killed.

Rammaza

Rammaza is your standard run-of-the-mill Middle Eastern urban village Call of Duty map. It features a lot of buildings and a few square spots outside that draw a lot of crossfire.

Within the buildings, there is usually a stairway that leads to a second floor and a number of windows for you and other players to jump through. You should rely on these buildings most of the time as they provide great coverage in an otherwise open map.

Square in the middle of the map is an open plaza and a lot of crossfire is destined to happen here. It's surrounded by four buildings that people can look out at the plaza from which means anytime you try to cross through the plaza, be prepared to take fire.

With a tactical sprint, it's possible to make it from one end of this plaza to the other. If you're looking to dodge the plaza and the majority of buildings located in the map, stick to the western side of Rammaza. This side features a nice pathway of sorts that makes running from the south end of the map to the north end, or vice versa, easy. This pathway is especially useful in bomb-running modes like Cyber Attack and Search and Destroy.

Speedball

Speedball is a Gunfight map that takes place in a rundown paintball course. As such, it features concrete walls with rectangular cutouts for cross-map views and stacks of tires that make for great corners to peak around.

There really isn't too much to this map and it's possible Modern Warfare's most barren. That's not to say it's bad by any means — it's just rather empty. This, however, makes for some exciting firefights as you and the enemies will be fighting over the map's few vantage points. Those points are the middle bridge-looking structure and the storage container. Use these as coverage and the match will be yours in no time.

St. Petrograd

St. Petrograd is a medium-sized map most commonly found in the modes that aren't quite small but aren't quite large either, modes like Headquarters and Domination.

When you first play on this map, you'll notice that's it's significantly longer than it is wide and this makes for great sniper rifle sight lines. So, if sniping is your thing, stick to the outer sections of the map and utilize the cars as coverage.

If sniping isn't your thing, you're going to want to stick to the map's inner sections made up of buildings train cars. Almost every building on this map has a second floor that can be reached by stairs and by windows so if you're plan is to camp it out up high, utilize claymores and other trigger-based explosives to keep your back covered.

While up high, pay attention to the ground below and the other buildings as well. It's easy to lose track of a neighboring window only to find your killer in there seconds later. Similarly, if you're on the ground, keep an eye on what's above as there will be plenty of enemies perched up above waiting for you to walk by their window.

Stack

Stack is a Gunfight map that consists of a two-story building on both the north and south ends of the map with a two-story centerpiece that can be accessed by a set of stairs on either end.

Most Gunfight maps can be won without ever leaving the back building as they provide excellent coverage and great sight lines to the enemies across the map. On the occasion that you spawn somewhere else, head for the centerpiece. The storage contained centered in the middle is a great spot to jump out of to surprise incoming enemies.

On the left and right sides of the map are open, uncovered pathways lined with three 2x2 stacks of tires. If you need to get to the other end of the map, use your tactical sprint through this area. Otherwise, we recommend steering clear of these two outer perimeter lanes.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare offers up seven unique weapon classes for players to use. You'll likely discover a class you skew toward, but the game's maps call for different types of weapons depending on your objective.

A map and mode with a bomb to pick up works best with a submachine gun class while a larger map found in the Ground War mode is perfect for long-range snipers.

Assault Rifles

Assault Rifles are the standard issue Call of Duty weapon. They're perfect for mid-range and close-range firefights and with the right attachments, useful in long-range scenarios too. Their bullet paths are predictable, their attachments are abundant and they pack a punch that just feels right.

The assault rifles that can be unlocked are the Kilo 141, FAL, M4A1, FR 5.56, Oden, M13, FN Scar 17 and the Ak-47. These are unlocked at levels 1, 1, 6, 16, 28, 39, 47 and 53 respectively.

You're free to use the weapon you like the most, but the M4A1 is nearly unstoppable.

The M4A1 is the gun most of your enemies will be using to kill you, at least early on — watch those kill feeds after you die — and it's the gun you should be using to kill them. Its bullets are powerful, its recoil is light, its ammo supply is decent and its range is unmatched.

It is the all-around assault rifle in terms of both killing power and balance.

Once you get toward the higher-level guns, the FN Scar 17 serves as a great natural progression from the M4A1 while the AK-47 delivers that classic Modern Warfare feeling of gunplay.

SMGS

SMGS are the submachine guns of Modern Warfare and this class is made up of the AUG, P90, MP5, Uzi, PP19, Bizon and the MP7. These weapons are unlocked at levels 1, 1, 12, 34, 42, and 54 respectively.

The MP5 is the golden boy of the group simply because it's a gun most people are familiar with. That's why you'll find yourself killed by a lot of MP5s. This doesn't necessarily make it the best, though.

It lacks a punch and its bullets shoot in a seemingly random cone, which is another way to say its accuracy is low. Its attachment don't do much to help that either.

The MP7 is likely the best SMG to use if you're looking for an all-around great SMG. Sadly, it is the last SMG to unlock.

It fires faster than most weapons in the game and has extremely low recoil. It is, however, the weakest of the available SMGs, but it makes up for its lack of power in speed.

The AUG is tis a great mid-level weapon, but it's going to require the most skill to use on the battlefield. It's highly modular, which means it has a lot of attachments, and has the best mobility.

It can be aimed down sights faster than the other SMGs and no other weapon allows you to weave in, out and around a map quicker. It's the ultimate run n' gun weapon.

Shotguns

Arguably the toughest class to use and master, Shotguns are here to get the job done, that is, assuming you can get close enough to the enemy to make it happen.

As you'd expect, it takes no more than two shotgun hits to kill an enemy and they require little accuracy on your end. Just point it somewhere on the enemy's body, pull the trigger, and you'll likely get the kill.

There are four shotguns in the game: the Model 680, which is unlocked from the start, the R9-0 Shotgun, which is also unlocked at the start, the 725, which is unlocked at level 17, and finally, the Origin 12 Shotgun, which is unlocked at level 31.

If you're more of a hip fire kind of person, stick to the Model 680. It has enough rounds to make up for a few misses. If all you need is one or two shots, go with the 725.

The 725 can only expire two rounds before it must be reloaded but if you hit the enemy, those two rounds are all that you'll need. If you're looking for something semi-automatic, check out the Origin 12 Shotgun after you unlock it.

LMGS

LMGS, or Light Machine Guns, are the most powerful automatic firing weapons in Modern Warfare. This class consists of the PKM, SA87, M91, and the MG34.

These weapons are unlocked at levels 1, 24, 25, and 49 respectively. They are all quite capable of high firepower at long-range and mid-range distances and have some of the largest ammo magazines in the game.

The MG34 is the weapon to watch for in this class. It's a WWII weapon that packs extra punch because of its 7.92 ammo use. It's best used for laying down extensive cover and shooting through walls.

The SA87 is another great weapon in this class and is better suited for players who want the punch and capacity of an LMG but don't want to sacrifice mobility to get it. Now, you're still going to be significantly slower than usual when using this weapon, but it offers decent movement speed and high accuracy as a result of its low rate of fire.

Marksman Rifles

The Marksman Rifles are for players who prefer accuracy and precision to rate of fire. There are three in the game: the EBR-14, MK2 Carbine and the Kar98k. These are unlocked at levels 1, 15, and 33 respectively.

All of these weapons are semi-automatic which means that you will need to pull the trigger every time you want to fire a bullet. This puts the precision, and subsequent rate of fire, in your hands.

The EBR-14 is your standard carbine rifle: it can be fired fast, its bullets are somewhat strong and it's a gun that can be used in both long-range and mid-range firefights.

The MK2 carbine, on the other hand, is more similar to a sniper rifle than it is the EBR-14. A single MK2 Carbine bullet to the head or chest will take out an enemy. With the right scope, this gun can be transformed into a mid-range sniper rifle.

Unlike the EBR-14 though, the MK2 Carbine is lever-action. This means that the weapon's lever must be pulled every shot. The game does this automatically, but it translates to a longer period of waiting between each bullet.

If you're a fan of semi-automatic weapons and you want to run around the field as you would with an assault rifle, go with the EBR-14. If the map you're on doesn't call for a standard sniper rifle, but you still want to play it safe from a distance, the MK2 Carbine is the weapon for you. If you're looking for a WWII vibe in a gun, the Kar98k is the weapon for you.

Snipers Rifles

The Sniper Rifles fire the most powerful bullets in the game and pack not only the toughest punch, but the longest firing distance as well.

For those looking to try out all of Modern Warfare's snipers, there are three: the Dragunov, HDR and AX-50.

The AX-50 is your standard bolt-action .50 cal sniper rifle. At close-range and mid-range, a single bullet almost anywhere will kill the enemy. From long-range, you'll need to aim more precisely as a single bullet under the chest won't take out an enemy.

Using this weapon at long-range will also require that you take into account the distance between yourself and your target. The bullet will drop the farther you are from your enemy.

To take out someone on the other end of a map, you're going to need to position the crosshair a few centimeters above their head for a headshot.

Snipers should not be used in the NVG mode or on the Hackney Yard and Azhir Cave maps. In NVG, your sniper won't be nearly as effective as an assault rifle and Hackney Yard and Azhir Cave don't feature sight lines that benefit snipers.

Melee

There's only one melee weapon in Modern Warfare and it is the Riot Shield. Unlocked at level 22, this shield is bullet and explosive resistant and when used to melee, packs increased melee damage. It's best paired with an LMG.

This allows you to fire from a distance and smash up close when swarmed with enemies.

Whether it's your first time playing Call of Duty multiplayer or you're the player that buys the new one in the series every year, there's always something new to learn. Here are some tips specific to Modern Warfare that will help up your game.

A feature new to the Call of Duty series, when you're killed by an enemy in a match during the Modern Warfare multiplayer, there's an option to use your enemy's loadout for the duration of your next life.

You can do so by pressing Triangle on PS4 or Y on Xbox One while watching the kill feed after you die. When you spawn, you'll be equipped with that loudout. This gives you an opportunity to try out guns, perks, grenades and field equipment that you might not have unlocked yet.

When you die though, you'll lose access to that loadout so don't get too attached.

As of this writing, the mini map is present in the upper left corner of your screen while playing multiplayer in the Modern Warfare. This feature was added in toward the end of the second beta as when the first beta launched, there was no mini map — players had to instead rely on the compass at the top of the screen.

This compass is still present and so too is the mini map, but you should focus on getting used to the compass and understanding how it works. If you see a red dot on the compass, turn until the red dot on the compass is directly in the middle. Once it's in the middle, you know your enemy is somewhere directly in front of you so go for the kill.

The mini map is extremely helpful — it's been in the Call of Duty series for the past few years for a reason — but because it doesn't seem like it was Infinity Ward's original intention to have it in the game, there's a chance it might not be present in the final release this October. Because of that, don't get too attached.

The sound of footsteps is extremely prevalent in Modern Warfare and they're a great indicator of an incoming enemy.

If you can, play using a surround sound system or a headset with surround sound capabilities. Footsteps on your left indicate an enemy on the left and so on. If the footsteps disappear, the enemy might have stopped moving or crouched, which you yourself can do by pressing the right thumbstick.

Be wary, though, because sometimes those footsteps you hear are a nearby ally. Just take a peep at the mini map to determine if you have a teammate in your vicinity.

Footsteps are extremely loud in Modern Warfare — read about that above — and your own can easily give away your location to an enemy.

Dead Silence is one of the final field equipment pieces unlocked and when used on the battlefield, your footsteps are basically silent. You can use Dead Silence when equipped, or any field equipment that you have equipped, by pressing L1 and R1 on PS4, or LB and RB on Xbox One, at the same time.

More than any of the previous boots-on-the-ground Call of Duty games, Modern Warfare allows players to vault and parkour over almost anything.

Trash bags, trash cans, crates, boxes, dumpsters, roofs, railing, storage containers and any other thing that you think you can parkour up is likely something that you actually can parkour on to reach a new location.

There are second floors of buildings that can't be reached without parkouring over something in some situations. If you see a second story window you want to take advantage of but don't see any stairs on the floor beneath it, take a lap around the building and there's likely a box or dumpster waiting to be climbed.

If sprinting is too slow for you, you can double tap the sprint button to tactical sprint. This move sees your operator point their gun up and mad dash forward.

It's the fastest moving speed in the game, save for vehicles, and it's often very useful. However, it should not be your de facto way to move around a map.

When you sprint, it takes longer for you to aim your gun after and that effect is exaggerated when you perform a tactical sprint. If you're running toward the action, the last thing you want is to be the last operator to draw their weapon.

If you're after the bomb in Cyber Attack or trying to protect a Domination point before the enemy takes it over, sure, a tactical sprint makes sense. If you're just trying to find some action, though, lay off the tactical sprint.

Modern Warfare's new NVG mode sees players fight under the cover of darkness. It's almost totally black save for a dash of light here and there and because of that, you'll need to utilize your night vision goggles.

You can turn these on by holding Triangle on PS4 and Y on Xbox One.

With these goggles on, you will no longer be able to aim down sights per se —instead, when you aim down sights, your weapon will emit a powerful laser that acts as your sightline for forthcoming bullets.

Where the end of the laser hits is the location your bullets will go when fired so don't fire your weapon until that laser on placed on an enemy. Because you're not aiming down sights traditionally, go ahead and take off the scopes for your weapon — it will only block your view of the laser more and it's wholly unnecessary in NVG, as you can see in the picture above.

To edit a loadout in previous iterations of Call of Duty, players had to wait for a moment of reprieve in between matches. Gone is that wait because in Modern Warfare, you can change your loadout at any point during a match.

To change your loadout during a match, pause the game, select "Change Loadout" and when you're at the loadout selection screen, select Gunsmith.

In here is where you can edit your primary and secondary gun attachments, perks, grenades and field equipment. If you select that loadout after editing it, the next time you spawn, your new loadout will be equipped. This is especially useful for those times when you level up mid-match and unlock a weapon you want to try.

If you have a sniper loadout created, chances are you're rolling with a secondary weapon like a pistol or rocket launcher. Those work fine but the Overkill perk can drastically change how that class works for you.

Ideally, when you're sniping, you can maintain a quiet vantage point and remain hidden for the match. Enemies will eventually find you though and if they get too close, a sniper isn't going to be too helpful. A pistol could help in this situation, but if your enemy has a fast machine gun, chances are you're going to die.

Imagine if you were able to switch to a shotgun or assault rifle instead of that pistol. With Overkill, you can. This perk allows you to equip two primary weapons and its useful for all kinds of players, but snipers have the most to benefit from it.

Modern Warfare's multiplayer is a haven of UAVs flying overhead. A UAV is a killstreak earned after taking out three enemies in a single life and once used, it gives you and your teammates a full-map radar that lasts for roughly 30 seconds.

The radar appears in your mini map and it updates every second or so to reveal enemy locations. It's a great way to pick off some quick skills to hopefully get you to your next killstreak tier.

UAVs are awesome when your team has one, but when the enemy has one, nowhere on the map is safe. Fortunately, UAVs can be easily taken out with one tracking rocket.

In order to do that though, someone has to have a rocket launcher equipped and there aren't many players on the field that have their secondary set to a rocket launcher.

This is where you become everyone's favorite team member: create a loadout with a rocket launcher and use it to quickly take down any UAV flying overhead.

Motion Blur is an effect that simulates the blurriness a camera would catch when tracking a moving object. It's a nice feature but the last thing you want happening while playing is a part of your screen to go blurry, even if just for a second.

To turn off Motion Blur for both the game world and your weapon, head to the game's main menu and then go to options. From here, tab over to the general options and at the bottom in content filters is "World Motion Blur" and "Weapon Motion Blur."

Disable these effects. A few notches up is an effect called Film Grain. This effect adds an artificial film grain to the game screen and it creates a grainy look while playing the game. It's a nice feature but again, you want your screen to be as clean and crisp as possible in multiplayer so go ahead and disable this as well.

Claymores are traditionally associated with a sniper or camper trying to protect an entrance. Anyone playing an objective-based game like Domination or Headquarters, though, should have a claymore equipped as well.

A claymore is a laser-tripped explosive that almost always kills the enemy that tips it off.

Claymores are great for control points and headquarter locations as enemies will constantly be flowing in and out of those areas. With a well-hidden claymore in one of these control points, you're set for an imminent kill.

There are three main ways to level up fast in Modern Warfare multiplayer: killing enemies, playing Domination and other objective-based modes, and completing challenges.

Kiling enemies in the game will get you 100 exp right off the bat. Assisting in the death of an enemy will get you 25 exp. The more kills you get, the more experience you earn per match. Ideally, your allies are playing as well as you so that your team wins which gets you a win bonus at the end of the match.

The second best way to level up in Modern Warfare's multiplayer is by playing Domination. In this game mode, each team is tasked with controlling the three points on the map. The more of these points controlled, the more points your team will earn.

Every time you capture one of these points, you earn 200 exp. Defending a point gets you 100 exp that stacks on top of the kills you likely got by defending the point.

Because control in Domination is given up so often from team to team, you'll have multiple opportunities to capture a control point. On top of that, Domination lasts longer than any of the standard game modes which means you've got extra time to rack up that experience.

Any objective-based game mode in Modern Warfare will work in the same way in terms of experience points earned so if Domination isn't your jam, give another mode like Cyber Attack or Headquarters a try.

In between all of this, you should be focusing on completing challenges and missions while on the battlefield. Challenges and missions can be found in the barracks menu and completing these gives you experience. Some challenges are quite difficult and some can be completed in a single match.

In the Challenges tab, there are at least three daily challenges for you to complete. These rotate in and out every day so it's important that you complete them each day to maximize the experience you can earn.

The Munitions Box in Modern Warfare is a piece of field equipment that, when thrown down, acts as an ammo reserve for you and your teammates.

You're free to collect ammo from a teammate's munitions box as well as an enemy's. However, if you spot an enemy munitions box, the enemy that threw it down is likely nearby.

Quickly fire off some rounds into the munitions box and it will create a large explosion that can easily take out nearby enemies — you'll also get 25 exp for doing this.

The tactical insertion is a piece of equipment unlocked at level 40 with a fast recharge rate. When you use it, it marks that location as your next spawn point.

So, if you're playing an objective, before you die at the objective, toss a tactical insertion down so that if you die, you can quickly spawn back into the objective for additional points and coverage.

Daily Challenges can be found in your Barracks under the Multiplayer Challenges tab. Within that tab is the Daily Challenges tab. These challenges are typically pretty easy and can be completed in a day, hence the name. They provide small amounts of XP and an occasional additional item like a calling card or emblem.

There are only three a day and can be completed in less than an hour's time. Because they disappear after a day, these challenges should not be ignored as they are essentially free XP.

Missions are sets of challenges that typically reward you with a new weapon blueprint. Blueprints are weapon variants that can range from Common (green) to Rare (blue) to Epic (purple) to Legendary (orange).

Each blueprint is a cosmetic variant of an already-existing gun so don't worry — there aren't any new weapons locked behind these missions.

A mission consist of six challenges. Each challenge within a mission will grant you XP and other things and upon completing all six challenges, you'll be given a piece of Loot. The Loot, depending on which mission you complete, is a Common, Rare, Epic or Legendary blueprint that can be found and equipped within the Armory.

If there is a certain mode you don't like in Modern Warfare, you can take it out of the Quick Play rotation with just a few button presses. With the Quick Play option highlighted, move over to the right of it and select the Filter option.

This will show you the game's five modes: Team Deathmatch, Cyber Attack, Domination, Search and Destroy, and Headquarters. Each of these will have a yellow dot beside them filled in. This means that they are in the rotation.

To remove them from the rotation, select the mode and if the yellow dot is gone, you're all set. When you play Quick Play, you'll no longer be thrown into that game mode.

In a world where Fortnite exists, our eyes like to see battle pass-like progression systems. In Modern Warfare, there isn't a battle pass per se, but there is a Rank Progression timeline that shows you what you'll unlock each time you level up.

To check it out, go to the Barracks and then select the Rank Progression option. Here, you'll be shown what your current rank is, how far you are from your next rank and what will unlock at each level as you progress through multiplayer.

It won't take much playtime in Modern Warfare's multiplayer to realize just how popular, and important, the UAV killstreak is for any mode in the game. It only takes four kills to get and when used, it gives an entire team a radar for roughly 30 seconds. This radar reveals the locations of enemy players making them easy pickings for some quick kills.

Those 30 seconds are all a team needs sometimes to change the tides of a match so it's important to eliminate radars as often as possible. It's easy to do because a UAV is just a small plane that flies in a circle above a map — look for it and shoot it down with whatever weapon you have (we recommend a rocket launcher in one of our earlier tips).