Over the last few years, Call of Duty: Warzone has evolved quite a bit. Beginning as a fairly simple but addictive Call of Duty battle royale, Warzone has been heavily updated since its 2020 release, with developers adding more maps, vehicles, weapons, and a handful of additional mechanics. Call of Duty: Warzone 2 takes things one step further, bringing an all-new map to the table and an all-new game mode filled with its own unique gameplay additions.
Titled DMZ, this new PvPvE game mode tasks players with scavenging for loot, and extracting it via helicopter. One of the most important features of Warzone 2's DMZ mode is its range of Strongholds, structures filled with tough enemy AI that reward players with valuable loot if they clear it out successfully. While the premise is pretty clear, Warzone 2's Strongholds have a lot more depth to them than some players might expect, and the game doesn't do a great job of teaching players about this important new addition.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0's DMZ Strongholds Explained
The general gameplay loop of Warzone 2's DMZ mode sees players explore Al Mazrah in search of the best loot. Players can pick up contracts, each with different objectives that reward them with cash and further opportunities to find loot. While players will mainly come into contact with AI enemies, they'll also face off against 65 other players, all of whom are attempting to complete similar objectives. Players have a 20-minute time frame to loot all that they can and extract it via helicopter.
With each match of DMZ lasting for 20 minutes, players need to think carefully about where they loot and what they loot. While players can simply scavenge for valuable parts, their best bet is to take on one of the game's AI Strongholds. Dotted around the map, DMZ's Strongholds are essentially structures that are filled with tough AI enemies. Unlike the AI foes players will see around Al Mazrah, these enemies are heavily armored, and carry some of the best weapons in the game. But the payoff is more than worth the risk.
To access a Stronghold players will need to obtain a keycard for the specific location. There are two ways that a player can do this. Keycards can either be purchased at a Buy Station for $5000, or they can be found on the corpses of killed AI soldiers. A surefire way of finding a Stronghold keycard is by picking a fight with the enemies outside of it. Once inside, players will then need to complete the Stronghold's specific objective. The vast majority of Strongholds require the player to simply kill every soldier inside, but some task players with defending the location against a few waves of enemies.
Completing a Stronghold in Call of Duty: Warzone 2's DMZ mode will reward players with a range of loot, randomized in every match. Players will often be given three-plate armor vests, a range of different killstreaks, gadgets, lethals, and some higher-tier weaponry. For skilled players, these Strongholds are more than worth the risk, but taking them down is easier said than done. Before heading into a Stronghold, players will want to make sure they've got plenty of armor and ammunition, as these fights can take quite a while to finish. Similarly, a self-revive or two wouldn't go amiss. Of course, it's much easier to take down Strongholds as a team, as solo players can get overwhelmed easily by the staggering number of AI enemies.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
