Call of Duty: Vanguard continues the tradition of games in the series that take very little skill to pick up and unfathomable amounts of skill to master. Hardcore gamers need raw talent and top-tier reflexes to win their games. The average gamer may or may not be able to hone their own skills and become recognized as an elite player.
But for those who would like to merely just be good, there are a few simple habits to avoid in Call of Duty: Vanguard. There is no shame in kicking these habits, everybody who picks up the game falls into these traps. The idea isn't to be perfect, it's to recognize these mistakes and practice better strategy afterward,
10 Trying To "Fix" A Gun
As players scan the variety of weapons available, they are bound to see some that are close to perfect for their playstyle. The natural reaction is to scan for any weaknesses and shore these up with attachments at the gunsmith.
This is a bad idea because while it may shore up a problem area for the gun, it also prevents the use of attachments that make the gun special. When making the best loadout for the G-43, don't bother trying to boost the lowest attributes, stick to boosting the highest attributes.
9 Joining Multiplayer Too Fast
Jumping right into multiplayer is fun and easy. But this means using a level one gun with little understanding of how it works. Are most of the other players going to be using level one weapons? Not a chance. This leads to a cycle of losses and bad experience gains.
Instead, learn to master the Zombies mode. At level twenty-one, guns will have access to at least one attachment in every slot. It's faster, too. Even solo Zombies players can get to wave twelve on a double experience weekend and unlock every attachment slot. It's alright not to have each attachment unlocked, but this is a head start going into the multiplayer.
8 Having A Single Loadout
Players will have the best DP27 loadout possible and then stick with it for their entire careers. Players always ask each other about their favorite weapon and their loadout. But this is a trick question for those who know better.
The best weapons and loadout should change depending on the map and the mode. There is a place for every gun, it's just a matter of using it at the right time. Using a single weapon no matter what is a losing proposition more often than not.
7 Ignoring Enemy Killstreaks
With so much of the action on the ground, it's easy to forget about the quieter skies. Gamers can use the best Double Barrel loadout possible, but if the enemy knows they are coming, no amount of powerful attachments are going to win the fight.
Always have a means of blowing up enemy aircraft. If it's not realistic for the build, have a friend that can take care of it. Many players use the minimap more than the field of vision itself, so getting control of the skies is an important tactical advantage.
6 Taking Shortcuts
The maps in the game are brilliantly designed so that every destination has multiple routes of getting there. New players will push straight forward to the frontlines or the objective. It's a quick path, but it is also tragically predictable.
The shortest route is not the safest and rarely the smartest. By being unpredictable and going around the edges of the map, opponents are less likely to guess at which direction they should be aiming, giving the player a few extra kills each match.
5 Fighting At The Wrong Distance
No gun is great at covering any distance. Some can kill from all the way across the map, but that doesn't mean they are effective up close. A rookie move is to see fighting and join in from whatever angle gets them there the fastest.
But combat on the gun's terms is critical to coming out on top more often than not. Mid-to-long range guns should back up when a fight is happening at mid-to-short range and vice versa. It's a quick fix that makes mountains of difference.
4 Selecting Expensive Killstreak Rewards
Everybody wants to be the hero. The high killstreak rewards are correctly placed at the top because they can be big difference makers. But too many of these rewards and it's unlikely that players will ever see them unless they get incredibly lucky.
Always keep in mind that a 1:1 kill-to-death ratio is normal. Getting three kills in one life is a huge success, which qualifies for the lowest reward. It's not "settling" for low killstreak rewards if they are attained more often.
3 Not Retreating
There is a healthy desire within most gamers to finish what they start. "Kill or be killed" goes the refrain. But at low health, hopping right back into combat is asking for trouble. It's tempting to try and finish off an enemy, but if they get to cover, the advantage is theirs.
Retreating or taking cover after suffering damage is the right choice. Being at full health for each encounter maximizes the odds of survival. This results in more killstreaks and less squandered lives.
2 "Tanking"
There is no "tanking" in Call of Duty: Vanguard. Yes, it's possible to boost explosive resistance, put on chest plates, wear a suit of armor, and throw down cover. But taking damage directly is a bad idea no matter how many of these bonuses are stacked on top of each other.
Avoid taking damage. The aforementioned bonuses are phenomenal insurance policies but it's a death wish to count on them. Frontline combatants should be fast, elusive, and quiet, not clanky sponges that welcome a flurry of bullets.
1 Raging On The Chat
Everybody gets angry at some point playing Call of Duty: Vanguard. There are too many games to not at least occasionally feel a heartbreaking loss or get the idea that teammates are playing poorly on purpose. Raging on the chat is the natural vent for these emotions.
Doing so helps nobody. Instead of anger, channel these moments into sharing clarity and wisdom. Between lives, help teammates locate opponents and offer them some direction. In cases where it's too much to bear, just hop off of chat and clear the comms for more level-headed players.
Call of Duty: Vanguard was released on November 5th, 2021, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.