At the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Multiplayer Premiere, we saw a few game modes – both returning and new – showcased by streamers and celebrities. Three of these experiences were ones are familiar to veteran Call of Duty® fans: Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Headquarters.

Team Deathmatch, A.K.A. TDM, has been a staple game mode within the Call of Duty franchise’s Multiplayer experience since 2003. The same can be said for Domination, a three-flag objective game mode that first appeared in Call of Duty®: United Offensive and is in every Call of Duty game since.

Like its Multiplayer brothers in arms, Headquarters made its debut in the original Call of Duty, and after a long main game hiatus, makes its grand return in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

With these three game modes set to be featured as part of the Multiplayer Beta, here’s an official breakdown of these classic Multiplayer experiences:

Team Deathmatch:

“Use teamwork to eliminate players on the opposing team. The first team to reach the score limit wins.”

The Basics:

In Team Deathmatch, two teams face-off with one simple goal: eliminate the opposition.

A standard game of Team Deathmatch has a time limit of 10 minutes and is played on the standard series of Multiplayer maps.

The first team to reach the point limit, or the team that earns the most points within the time limit, wins the match.

Gameplay Notes:

At the beginning of a Team Deathmatch game, two teams spawn into opposite sides of the map. A team member earns a point for their team whenever they take down a player on the other team.

Respawning is enabled in this game mode, meaning that upon death, players will get right back into the action in only a few short moments (albeit with Killstreak progress reset).

There is no overtime nor tiebreaker in TDM. In the rare event that both teams have the same number of points when the clock hits zero, the game will end in a draw.

Additional Intel:

This is one of the easier modes to pick-up-and-play in Multiplayer; due to a lack of objectives, TDM is a great game mode to practice fundamental skills, test out Loadouts, and learn map layouts in a live setting.

Although TDM is not complex, there is an emphasis on individual play, team tactics, and overall awareness that makes every single engagement just as meaningful as the last.

By this game mode’s design, engagements might also be spread out throughout the map, so expect the unexpected in TDM, even if you think you know the map’s popular areas.

While respawns are enabled in TDM, dying to the enemy team might give them a considerable boost in points. In other words, don’t just fight hard, fight smart and avoid untimely deaths when possible.

Domination:

“Capture and defend the designated positions to gain points.”

The Basics:

Two teams are tasked at controlling three areas on the map that are marked with three lettered flags: A, B, and C.

Teams capture these flags by standing on them for a short period of time. Once captured, a single flag gives a team one point every few seconds.

The first team to earn 200 points wins the match.

Gameplay Notes:

Domination, like Team Deathmatch, has respawns enabled, but usually, players respawn in areas near flags that their team owns.

Flags in Domination can be contested, meaning that if at least one player on both teams are in the objective area, progress towards capturing the flag is stalled until only one team is left on the flag.

Teamwork also matters when capturing Domination flags; a player will capture a flag at normal speed, while multiple teammates on the same flag will capture it at a faster rate.

A team that has two flags at once earns two points every few seconds. Capturing all three flags at once is commonly referred to as a “triple cap” or a “Domination,” and awards three points every few seconds.

Additional Intel:

Usually, a team will opt to hold a flag near their spawn (either A or C) and try to take control of the B flag. In theory, that gives a team a 2:1 flag advantage which, by way of simple math, would ultimately win them the game over time. The B flag location, therefore, is typically a hotbed for engagements.

Sometimes, a team will try to “flip” flags by taking the opposing team’s spawn flag (C or A), which could be a good strategy for breaking a seemingly impenetrable defense. However, it may be best to communicate to teammates before doing this, as it could disrupt your team’s objective plans.

As for triple capping, it is a potentially risky strategy, as opponents might respawn randomly around the map. Still, doing this will completely stop the flow of points to the enemy team, which allows for a dominating victory… Or an awesome come-from-behind win.

Headquarters:

“Capture and hold the headquarters to earn points for your team.”

The Basics:

Two teams compete against each other to capture and hold an objective area – a Headquarters – in order to earn points.

Respawns are enabled for both teams until one team captures the Headquarters. Once this happens, the team who captured the HQ earns points over time, but members of that team are unable to respawn.

As for the other team, they are tasked at “breaking” the hill by standing in the objective area and are still able to respawn upon death.

After an attacking team breaks an HQ, a new Headquarters location spawns elsewhere on the map.

The first team to 200 points, or the team with the most points at the end of the time limit, wins.

Gameplay Notes:

At the beginning of a Headquarters match, both teams have a short amount of time before the first HQ location is activated.

Like Domination, an HQ point can be contested at any time, and can be captured faster if there are more soldiers from the same team in the objective area.

A Headquarters location is only active for 60 seconds after it is captured, meaning that even if a rival team fails to defeat a defending team, the HQ will move to a new location.

Additional Intel:

Headquarters is a dynamic objective game mode; being the attacking or defending team are two totally different experiences, and a rotating objective can cause frequent role changes in a single match.

When playing Headquarters, don’t get discouraged if a capture attempt doesn’t go your way. Focus on breaking the hill and be ready to jump on the next one.

Should your team capture a Headquarters, be sure to remember that respawning will be temporarily disabled. On defense, make your life count, as it could be easy for an attacking team to overwhelm a depleted or split team.

Additional Intel: Infinity Ward’s Multiplayer Game Director Geoff Smith told us that the studio’s main goal for Headquarters was to bring it back into the Multiplayer mix while also fine-tuning it. “It’s kind of turned into King of the Hill, with the freestanding buildings and doors and the sieging,” he said. “It’s been fun, and a lot of crazy room-to-room battling.”

2v2 Gunfight

“Small team, multi-round cage matches. First duo to reach the round win limit is victorious.”

This is a four-player, two-versus-two Multiplayer match.

Gameplay Notes:

The object of this game is to eliminate the opposing duo, with every player getting the same loadout that changes every two rounds along with where each team spawns.

If neither team is defeated at the end of the time limit, a flag spawns and a 10-second overtime begins. The team that captures this flag – which takes three seconds to capture – or the team to wipe out their opposition wins the round.

Should the round end with neither team eliminated nor the flag captured, the duo that has the highest combined health wins, with the round ending in a draw in the rare case that both teams end with the exact same health.

The first team to win six rounds takes the match!

Expect new weapon sets and the Gunfight: OSP (On Site Procurement) mode to be added into rotation.

Pre-Launch Intel: Additional Information and Content

Check back at the Activision Games Blog throughout the coming days and weeks for further intel. Check the Related Articles for further Call of Duty: Modern Warfare information.

Pre-orders at participating retailers are available now, or at CallofDuty.com. 

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