Operation: Rank Up Report Log #1

Day 0 – 08:30:47 PST

Somewhere in California

AGB – Lead Writer

Launch week.

Once I got my copy of Modern Warfare, I went through some initial steps, and I adjusted my options. This included setting my sensitivity to my preferred 9-9 level and the hit marker sound effects to Classic.

I typically begin any new Call of Dutywith a game of Team Deathmatch to get my bearings, but, after writing in-depth features about how the Campaign was made, I was curious and excited to play that mode first.

Another factor; you receive in-game rewards for finishing the Campaign, which really piqued my interest:

By completing the Campaign on any difficulty you can get several Campaign Rewards like Operators AND some XP and Weapon XP Tokens that speed up progression.

I could have played on any difficulty, but I thought why not Realism. Because, as Price says, “We’re all a little bit crazy, aren’t we?

Realism is the “fifth difficulty” setting for the Campaign, as it not only sets the A.I. to Veteran difficulty, but also strips away the entire HUD. Technically, a Trophy can be earned by finishing the Campaign on Veteran or Realism, but I was too curious not to try Realism out.

And oh boy, did Realism hit me hard. 

Here’s my quick tips for playing on Realism:

“Check those corners!”Pay attention to dialogue in the Campaign. There may be commands or tips that your allies may give that are imperative to your survival.

“Keep a low profile.” Not only will you be outmanned and outgunned on Realism, you will also have little health against powerful enemies. Consider using stealth and cover whenever possible, as running into no man’s land is a recipe for disaster.

Know Your Surroundings Without a HUD, you’ll have to rely on the sights and sounds of your surroundings for intel. Watch for glints of sniper scopes, footsteps in the distance, or even birds flying out from bushes to help you find enemies. And, if you are ever confused, you can bring up your objective marker at any time (by pressing the Touchpad, if you play on PS4).

Make Those Shots Count Not having a HUD also means you cannot see how many bullets are left in the chamber. While out of combat, it’s always safe to reload so that you’ll have a full mag for the next encounter.

Enjoy the Show Realism may be hard, but it’s also the most immersive experience out of all the difficulty settings. You’ll truly feel like you’re in the shoes of Alex, Kyle, and Farah and completing the Campaign on this difficulty gives you a great sense of accomplishment.

After 14 missions, and many, many, MANY deaths, I finished the Campaign. The world was saved, my mind was blown at the ending cutscene, and I walked into Multiplayer with some Operators and XP Boosts…

I was ready to jump into Multiplayer when I had the opportunity to join a company-wide Gunfight tournament. 

Gunfight, as you may know, is the tactical 2v2 cage match mode on the smallest maps in the game. The mode features random loadouts every two rounds, and the first to win six rounds takes the match.

To help prepare for the tournament, I listed out some tips and sent them over to my partner…

Master the Fundamentals: Gunfight boils down the Modern Warfare experience to its basics, so mastering it could be as simple as locking down those fundamental gameplay mechanics.

Teamwork:Proper communication and teamwork with the right teammate could lead to success.

Map and Loadout Knowledge: Come to Gunfight ready to use the environment to your advantage and pay attention to the strengths of each loadout given to you.

Advice on Lethals:Every part of your loadout has a purpose; it’s up to you to figure out how these ingredients can make a recipe for success.

Capture the Flag: Overtime flags could be powerful tools to gain the upper hand against an opponent. Sometimes, it may be better to use it as bait against a needy opponent.

Keep your Head Up:Don’t let a losing round get you down too much. It’s a new round, and it may also mean a new loadout. Have a short-term memory when it comes to losses but remember what your opponent did to take the upper hand.

After learning how to become a dynamic duo, we managed to fend off multiple teams before falling in the semifinals in a heartbreaking 6-5 defeat.

Although that loss was tough, it prepared us for online Multiplayer. The Gunfight tournament allowed me to try out a variety of weapons and check out the Operators I earned in Campaign.

 For the first week, I ran with two Operators:

D-Day of the Coalition…

And the “man of the cities, night-life, and excess” Yegor.

Once I earned them, I customized my Operators, choosing between one of three free outfits. You also see some impressive weapons they are holding – we’ll get to that later. 

Along with earning Operators through Campaign, I also had a cache of XP Tokens to speed up progression. It came in handy to boost my XP for my traditional first Team Deathmatch. My stats: a 20 kill, 2.0 K/D performance with the Assault default loadout.

On top of that, I also activated the Boot Camp Challenge before the match, earning a bit more XP to almost reach Rank 4. One more TDM game later, and I was Rank 7, unlocking the custom loadouts feature and a few additional options to craft my first Loadout.

I choose a strong starting loadout to help my climb the Enlisted Ranks. I used Weapon Blueprints that you might also have in your arsenal: The Hammer shotgun, earned by participating in the game’s Beta, and the XRK .357, acquired by a Digital Purchase of the game. I also got the Call of Duty Endowment Defender pack to paint these weapons with some cool camos.

I jumped into more matches, and now I’m at Rank 48 in the Enlisted progression track. How did I get this far in such little time? Here are my tips:

Complete Daily Challenges. Every day, you get a handful of challenges to complete for XP and, in some cases, personalization rewards, such as calling cards. These challenges can range from getting kills with a Killstreak to capturing objectives in a specific game mode. 

… And Those Missions! Like Daily Challenges, Missions are goals that require you to play in a variety of unique ways. You can activate these through the Barracks, and each Mission rewards an Weapon Blueprint weapon. You can activate and deactivate Missions without losing progress, so feel free to play different game modes or mix up your loadout. Just activate the appropriate Mission, so you are always earning extra rewards. 

Use Every Loadout. Despite having a high rank, my Hammer and XRK loadout haven’t reached the max weapon level. That’s because, through Daily Challenges and Missions, I had to use a wide variety of loadouts to complete them. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different weapons, perks and equipment, as it could lead to you finding a new favorite loadout.

Make the Most of XP Tokens and 2XP Events. Did you know that those XP bonuses from completing Daily Challenges and Missions also get the benefits of XP Tokens and 2XP events? If you are nearing completion of a Mission or Challenge, activate a token to double your earnings. Also keep an eye on Infinity Ward’s social media @InfinityWard to learn when Double XP events are happening.

Play with the Squad.While on my journey towards the Officer Ranks, I partied up with friends from around the office, back home, and even people I’ve met while playing online. The journey of ranking up can be a lot more fun with friends, so grab a few battle buddies and hop into some matches!

So, in the span of one week after launch, I’ve come close to hitting the Officer Ranks, completed the Campaign on Realism, and did brushed up on my Gunfight skills. 

I’ve played a lot of Modern Warfare so far, and I’m looking forward to sharing some more tips and tricks as I report my weekly performance every Friday.

Until then, I’ll see you online. Stay frosty.

For more information and the latest intel on Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofdutyand follow @InfinityWard and @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.

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