The Gunsmith – Vanguard Edition: Statistics
Each weapon has four main statistic bars – these are directly affected by sub-statistics seen through the Gunsmith. Here are the four main statistics for each weapon:
· Firepower – How much and how fast a weapon deals damage against enemies and vehicles. Sub-statistics include Damage (shown as a number of hit points – in Core modes, everyone normally has 100 hit points for each life), Fire Rate (how fast a weapon fires in Rounds Per Minute), and Bullet Velocity (how fast a bullet travels in Meters per Second).
· Speed – How much the weapon affects an Operator’s movement speed and ability to aim down sights. Sub-statistics include Movement Speed (shown with the maximum speed through Tactical Sprint in Miles Per Hour) and Sprint-to-Fire Time (shown in Milliseconds).
· Accuracy – How much recoil the weapon has, as well as its stability, and hipfire spread. Sub-statistics include Flinch Resistance (how much force, in Newtons, an Operator feels when damaged, which affects their aim) and Centering Speed (the acceleration of a weapon as it returns to its regular position after firing, shown in meters per second squared)
· Ammo – How large a weapon’s magazine is, how fast an Operator can reload with it, and other measurable effects that the bullet has. Sub-statistics include Penetration (how many Newtons of force the bullet has, important for shooting through destructible walls) and Concealment (the number of seconds where an Operator’s position is revealed).
Each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses indicated by these statistics, which can be further altered by outfitting that weapon with attachments.
That’s where the Gunsmith comes in, as its where you can place attachments on a specific weapon. It’s also where that weapon’s main statistics bars can be seen both generally – in the bottom-left corner of the screen – and in specific terms through sub-statistics, which are available for viewing by selecting an attachment type (outside of Optic, Proficiency, and Kit) and following the prompt to “Show Details.”
The Gunsmith – Vanguard Edition: Attachment Types
In Vanguard, attachments can mean more than a silencer or a few extra rounds of ammunition, although those are still available to you.
Through Vanguard’s Gunsmith, you have the power to fundamentally change how a weapon operates. From significantly altering its damage profile and fire rate, to granting it special ammo types, to even giving your Operator additional passive bonuses while using the weapon, there is an incredible amount of choice when it comes to customizing your Primary and Secondary Weapons.
A weapon could have some, or all, of the following attachment types:
· Muzzle – A device affixed to the front of a weapon’s Barrel. Examples include compensators for controlling recoil, silencers for concealment, and recoil boosters that improve fire rate.
· Underbarrel – Something put underneath the Barrel. Typical Underbarrel attachments include grips for better weapon control or a Bayonet for a secondary means of lethal damage via melee charge.
· Barrel – A crucial part of a gun, changing a weapon’s Barrel has the potential to significantly alter how the gun operates. This change can be as slight as increasing aim down sight speed at the cost of range and recoil control, or as much as sacrificing damage to an enemy’s body, but in exchange, drastically boosting accuracy and headshot (or “vital”) damage.
· Magazine – Another crucial part, changing a weapon’s Magazine can be as simple as adding a drum version of that weapon’s normal ammo or as drastic as swapping out the bullet caliber, which can alter fire rate, damage, penetration, and other statistics significantly.
· Ammo Type – What kind of ammo is put into the Magazine. Examples include FMJ, which increases the bullet’s penetration through surfaces, and Lengthened, which significantly increases bullet velocity.
· Optic – An aiming device used by an Operator for cleaner target acquisition, especially at range with the use of magnification technology. Optics can even be a wider set of iron sights for better visibility.
· Rear Grip – A weapon’s handle. The material used for a grip affects how a weapon can be controlled – think better recoil control for materials with more friction (e.g. pine tar) or quicker aiming speeds from grips that use smoother materials (e.g. fabric).
· Stock – The back portion or “butt” of weapon. Heavier stocks can improve accuracy and control, while lighter stocks – or removing the stock entirely – can boost movement speeds.
· Proficiency – One of two “mini-Perks” that affects the weapon specifically. Examples include Sleight of Hand for faster reloads and Vital, which increases the area for Critical Hits (for most weapons, Critical Hits are only Headshots)
· Kit – The other of two “mini-Perks” that affects an Operator directly while they hold the weapon. Examples include Fast Melee and Reach, which affect melee speed and range respectively, and Fully Loaded, which maximizes starting ammo for that weapon.
Custom Loadouts – Perks, Lethals, and Tacticals
After fine tuning a loadout’s two weapons through the Gunsmith, you still have Perks, Lethals, and Tactical to choose to complete a Loadout. Here’s an overview of all remaining Loadout options available to you within the Beta, with certain text that pertains to the full game, including additional Perks and Equipment, still classified until November 5:
Perk 1
· Ghost – Undetectable while moving by Spy Planes, enemy intel, and Field Mics. [[REDACTED]]
· Fortified – Reduce damage and health regen delay from explosives. Damage reduction increased while mounted, crouched, or prone.
· Low Profile – Training in how to avoid detection by the enemy. [[REDACTED]]
· Survival Training – Maximized resistance to stun effects. Immune to gas.
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
Perk 2
· High Alert – Your vision pulses when enemies outside of your view see you.
· Radar – Enemies appear on your minimap when they fire an unsilenced weapon.
· Forward Intel – See indicators for enemy reinforcements on your minimap. Minimap shows a larger area.
· Tracker – Enemies leave behind a footprint trail. See markers at enemy death locations and hide the death markers of enemies you kill.
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
Perk 3
· Demolition – Extra lethal on spawn. Thrown lethals display an indicator showing the path of the lethal.
· Double Time – Double the duration of Tactical Sprint. Increase crouch movement speed by 30%.
· Tactician – Restock your tactical equipment every 30 seconds.
· Overkill – Carry two primary weapons.
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
Lethals
· MK2 Frag Grenade – Cookable fragmentation grenade.
· Gammon Bomb – Impact Grenade.
· Molotov Cocktail – Improvised incendiary device that explodes on impact.
· Demolition Charge – Large explosive that sticks to surfaces and can be detonated remotely when the equipment is depleted. Double-tapping the command to reload always detonates the explosive.
· Thermite – Explosive which burns fiercely for a short time after impact. Sticks to surfaces.
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
Tacticals
· M18 Smoke Grenade – Deploys a smoke screen that blocks vision
· No. 69 Stun Grenade – Slows victim’s movement and aiming.
· MK V Gas – Explodes on impact with the ground, releasing a lingering cloud of tear gas that causes slowed movement, blurred vision, and coughing.
· Stim – Military stimulant that cauterizes combat wounds and refreshes Tactical Sprint.
· S-Mine 44 (Only Available in Champion Hill) – Proximity-triggered explosive.
· [[REDACTED]] – [[REDACTED]]
Field Upgrades
Outside of their loadout, an Operator never leaves HQ without a Field Upgrade, advanced pieces of field munitions and active abilities that can help you and/or squadmates or hinder the opposition.
Unlike all other equipment pieces, Field Upgrades are unavailable at the start of a match. Each Field Upgrade has a designated charge time and, once used, must recharge before it is available again.
Five Field Upgrades will be available for use during the Beta:
· Supply Box – Deploys a box of ammo and equipment for you and your teammates. Explodes when shot. Recharge Rate: Fast
· Goliath – A small remote-controlled bomb on tracks. Controllable for 30 seconds, after which it self-destructs. Can be detonated early. Recharge Rate: Slow
· Field Mic – Reveals nearby enemy movement on the minimap. Recharge Rate: Medium.
· Dead Silence – Temporarily makes your footsteps silent. Gun, melee, and throwing knife kills refresh duration. Recharge Rate: Fast.
· Armor Plates – Equip body armor. Recharge Rate: Fast.
Killstreaks
Killstreaks are powerful, potentially tide-turning, abilities unlocked in-game by earning kills in a single life without dying.
Like Field Upgrades, Killstreaks are equipped separate to a loadout – even if you switch loadouts in-game, you will be on track to earn the same Killstreaks selected before the match begins. The relative power level of a Killstreak is determined through how many kills are needed to earn them, and up to three can be equipped at a time.
Upon starting the Vanguard Beta, players will have access to the following Killstreaks:
· Intel: Reveals nearby enemies to the summoning player through repeated pings on the minimap over a short period.
· Glide Bomb: Drops a bomb whose path can be guided towards enemies, killing them instantly.
· Attack Dogs: Summons a pack of attack dogs which target nearby enemies for a period of time.
By levelling up, you can unlock more Killstreaks throughout the Beta – in order of difficulty to achieve, here’s what you could use in Multiplayer, including one Killstreak that you may see on Champion Hill and elsewhere…
· Spy Plane: Calls in a spy plane which reveals all enemy positions on the minimap to allies. Can be shot down.
· Care Package: Drops a single care package which rewards a random Killstreak on pickup.
· Counter Spy Plane: Calls in a counter spy plane which obscures the minimap for all enemies. Can be shot down.
· Deathmachine: Equips a machine gun with explosive rounds and a fixed number of bullets. Persists through death until ammo is depleted.
· Mortar Barrage: Toss a flare canister to mark an area for repeated mortar fire.
· Warmachine: Equips a semi-automatic grenade launcher with a fixed number of grenades. Persists through death until ammo is depleted.
· Flamenaut: Receive a flamethrower with unlimited fuel and a protective suit. Both are lost on death.
· V2 Rocket: Drops a V2 Rocket, killing all players and ending the match… Earned in Champion Hill by purchasing it for $25,000. Earned in regular Multiplayer through [[TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED]]
Beta Progression
The Vanguard Beta features a truncated version of the Multiplayer’s XP and levelling system.
From earning eliminations to capturing objectives, and even just finishing a match without leaving it, you will earn a variety of XP types. In the full game, you can expect to earn five different types of XP in total.
Here is a mostly-declassified version of all five XP types – we expect all intel to be revealed closer to the full game’s launch:
· Player XP – Your main experience points. This is extremely important for unlocking additional Default Loadouts (at Levels 2 and 3), the ability to use Custom Loadouts (at Level 4), all base Loadout items – e.g. Weapons, Equipment, Perks, Killstreaks, and Field Upgrades – available at Launch and, after unlocking everything in the game, [[REDACTED]].
· Weapon XP – Earning eliminations or doing certain actions – e.g. objective plays – while using a weapon will award that specific armament with Weapon XP, tracked separately than Player XP. Weapon XP is used for Weapon Levels, which tied to unlocking specific attachments for each weapon.
· Battle Pass XP – Used to level up through all 100 Tiers of a seasonal Battle Pass, this kind of XP is based primarily on the amount of time you play. However, actions that would earn Player XP – i.e. kills and contracts – will factor into a faster Tier earning rate.
· Operator XP – [[FULLY REDACTED]] (Available in full game)
· Clan XP– [[FULLY REDACTED]] (Available in full game)
During the Beta, players will be able to progress up to Level 30 for Player Rank. Level 30 is also the Beta’s Weapon Level cap.
As for Battle Pass XP, it does not go towards a Vanguard Battle Pass (yet), but Battle Pass XP earned in Vanguard still amounts to something….
Beta Participation Awards – Cross-Progression, Weapon Blueprint, and More
Playing the Call of Duty: Vanguard Beta has its perks outside of getting your hands on the game before its release:
Most notably, for the first time in Call of Duty history, this Beta will feature cross-progression for the current Battle Pass in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone.
While your player and weapon levels will not carry over to the full game on November 5, you will gain Battle Pass XP towards the Season Five Battle Pass, allowing you to earn Tiers that instantly award content for Black Ops Cold War and Warzone.
In other words, play the Vanguard Beta over these two September weekends and, during the week and following the conclusion of the Beta, you can hop back into Warzone and Black Ops Cold War to find some new weapon blueprints, operator skins, and more ready to use.
Additionally, hitting Level 20 within the Vanguard Beta will award you with an exclusive Weapon Blueprint known as the “Rat-a-Tat.” These will be available in Vanguard on November 5th and in Warzone at a later date.
An eight-attachment Epic Weapon Blueprint, the “Rat-a-Tat” assault rifle takes a weapon built for versatility and alters it for use in a long-range role.
Mainly, this is done through a magazine that increases the caliber of ammunition for better damage, velocity, and range, as well as through its muzzle and high-magnification optic. It also rewards players who are highly accurate – two other attachments on this Weapon Blueprint are the Vital Proficiency, which increases the vital area for critical hits, and a barrel that significantly improves damage to vital areas, such as Headshots.
Combined, they reward players who can hit Headshots or the upper part of the neck consistently despite the marginal increase in recoil.
10 Tips
1. Spend Time in Settings. While “menus” aren’t the first thing we associate with frenetic, fast-paced, and fun Multiplayer, the Settings menu can be crucial to enjoying Vanguard’s Beta. Whether it’s adjusting controller sensitivity or changing HUD elements to account for color blindness, be sure to stop in the Settings to adjust dozens of sliders, toggles, and options for the benefit of your Vanguard experience.
2. Combat Intensity: Play Your Way. Whether in Quick Play or Featured Playlist, knowing the Combat Intensity for a match is important to understanding how a typical engagement will be like. Tactical Combat Pacing means that it may be more common to find yourself in an intense duel or small squad fight, Assault targets a more familiar engagement size and feel to previous Call of Duty games’ Core Multiplayer matches, and Blitz… is where you can expect plenty of crossfire and multi-person fights, especially in objective modes.
3. Red Star: The Spacing Game. Red Star is the Beta’s largest map, with its exposed central area a focal point for crossfire from long-ranged weaponry. Those who prefer CQB should stick to the buildings on the perimeter; this is where shotguns and SMGs can shine against snipers attempting to take up a power position.
4. Gavutu: Ship Shape. Found in the middle of the map, Gavutu’s ship is an anchor for engagements, particularly in objective modes like Domination where the B flag can be found on the lower deck. It may be wise to focus fire here, noting the verticality whenever possible. For example: a ladder found on one side of the ship is great for using a Sidearm on, as pistols can be used while climbing.
5. Hotel Royal: Fright from the Skylight. It can be easy to forget Hotel Royal’s roof section, which sits above high-traffic routes and potential objective locations. Learn where the skylights are and how to look through them at an angle into the rooms below, and you may find yourself making a truly next-level play.
6. Hotel Royal and [[REDACTED]]: Don’t Look Down: Unlike Gavutu, the boundaries on these maps are unforgiving, as one can easily step off the playable area and die instantly. Watch your step on their outskirts, especially if you are a Call of Duty League veteran – trust us, even the best players in the world can, and will, fall off the map.
7. [[REDACTED]]
8. Patrol: Harder to Hit a Moving Target. Those who remain stationary in Patrol are doomed to lose. Consider where the Patrol zone is moving along its path when plotting an attack or defense, including when placing a stationary Field Upgrade that could significantly help your squad while on the objective.
9. The Gunsmith: Every Attachment Counts. The Gunsmith in Vanguard includes plenty of attachments that fundamentally change how a weapon operates. Pay close attention to what each attachment changes and consider taking a few “practice games” to test out your latest creation in the field.
10. Play the Game, Get Rewarded. While this is rarely a tip, simply playing the Vanguard Beta has a massive impact for both you and the community. By playing it, you can earn Battle Pass XP for the current Season Five Battle Pass, as well as an awesome Weapon Blueprint for use in the full Vanguard game (and Warzone, when available after launch). In exchange, you are helping the community, especially the developers, gather crucial feedback for Vanguard’s full Multiplayer experience before it launches on November 5th…
And just to think, this is just one pillar of the full Vanguard game.
Preorder Now on Digital
This Beta is just a sample of Call of Duty: Vanguard. Expect more modes, maps, and weapons in the game’s full Multiplayer experience available on November 5. Vanguard will also include a gripping Campaign across four major theaters of war and a franchise-first, universe-expanding Zombies crossover crafted by sister studio Treyarch.
Visit CallofDuty.com to digitally preorder now and get instant rewards like the Night Raid Mastercraft Weapon Blueprint for immediate use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone;* secure early access to the Open Beta,** first on PS5 and PS4; and receive additional preorder rewards to be available in Call of Duty: Vanguard at launch, such as the Frontline Weapon Pack.
That’s it for the guide and tips. Happy hunting in the beta soldiers!
Call of Duty: Vanguard is set to be released on November 5, 2021 for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: Call of Duty
