I just spent 72 hours grinding the #Vanguard beta, and wow – Sledgehammer Games is serving serious Modern Warfare nostalgia with a WWII twist! 🎮💥 As someone who’s played every COD since Black Ops, I’m shook by how heavily this borrows from Infinity Ward’s 2019 masterpiece. Gunsmith’s back (with 10 attachment slots?!), tactical sprint feels buttery, and mounting your weapon on debris? Chef’s kiss. But don’t sleep on the new Combat Pacing system – it literally transforms how you experience every map. Let me break down why this might be COD’s most ambitious multiplayer since Warzone dropped.
🔄 Modern Warfare’s DNA Is EVERYWHERE
Right off the spawn, Vanguard screams "2019 MW remix." The Gunsmith customization? Nearly identical – but now you can stack TEN attachments/perks on one gun. I slapped extended mags, recoil boosters, and incendiary rounds on my STG-44 and melted lobbies. 😂 Other carryovers:
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Tactical sprinting & weapon mounting
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Killstreaks (Death Machine’s back!)
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Door interactions (campers beware!)
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Dead Silence as a Field Upgrade
That visceral MW gunplay? Intact. TTK feels identical – 3 shots and they’re toast. Even the hitmarker sound is ASMR-level satisfying.
💥 Maps & Destruction: 16 Maps & BUILDINGS THAT CRUMBLE!
We tested 4 of the 16 launch maps (biggest roster in years!), each with unique vibes:
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Hotel Royal (Paris rooftop): MAX destruction! Blast through walls to create new angles. 💣
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Red Star (Stalingrad snow): Sniper heaven – bring your Kar98k. ❄️
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Eagle’s Nest (Alpine fortress): SMG/shottie chaos... but spawns are BROKEN.
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Gavutu (Tropical storm): Visually STUNNING with dynamic rain 🌧️
Hotel Royal’s destruction shocked me – not Battlefield-level, but plaster walls and wooden beams disintegrate. Eagle’s Nest needs spawn fixes ASAP though – got trapped behind enemies 3 times in one match!
🔫 Weapons: Classic WWII Gunsmith Madness
The beta arsenal’s balanced AF:
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Assaults: STG-44, BAR (hits like a truck!)
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SMGs: MP-40, Sten (hip-fire gods)
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LMGs: MG42, Bren
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Snipers: Kar98k, M1 Garand ping!
With 10 attachment slots, the customization depth is insane. I turned the MP-40 into a recoilless laser beam – but grinding weapon XP took ages.
🎮 Game Modes: Patrol Is a GENIUS Anti-Camp Tool
New mode alert: Patrol! 🚨 Unlike Hardpoint’s static zones, this objective CIRCLE moves constantly. Campers? Can’t exist. Teams must rotate together – so much teamwork! Sadly, my Patrol matches crashed twice ☠️ (fix this, Sledgehammer!). Classics like Domination and Kill Confirmed feel fresh with destructible environments too.
⚡ Combat Pacing: Your Personal Playstyle Savior
THIS feature changes EVERYTHING. Choose your chaos level:
| Pacing Type | Player Count | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Tactical | 6v6 | Slow, strategic |
| Assault | 9v9 | Classic COD rush |
| Blitz | 12v12 or 24v24 | Pure madness |
Tactical made Eagle’s Nest playable (spawn fixes itself!). Blitz on Hotel Royal? Chaotic fun. But 24v24 on Red Star? Absolute mess – LMGs sprayed everywhere!
💎 Final Verdict: MW’s Soul in a WWII Skin
If you loved Modern Warfare’s weighty gunplay, you’ll ADORE Vanguard. The WWII setting feels fresh with destructible maps and era-accurate guns. Combat Pacing could revolutionize COD matchmaking – imagine playing Shipment 1944 with 24 players! 🤯 Needs polish (spawns, crashes), but the foundation? Rock solid. Pre-ordered instantly after the beta. See you in the trenches November 5! ✨
❓ People Also Ask: Vanguard Beta FAQ
Q: Does Vanguard feel like Black Ops Cold War?
A: NOPE! It abandons BOCW’s arcade vibe for MW’s realism. TTK is faster, guns kick harder.
Q: Will War mode from WWII return?
A: Beta didn’t show it, but leaks suggest it’s coming post-launch! 🤞
Q: How’s the Gunsmith different?
A: Attachment slots DOUBLED to 10! Build OP laser guns or meme setups.
Q: Is Patrol mode replacing Hardpoint?
A: Both exist! Patrol’s the anti-camp innovation we needed.
Q: Will Combat Pacing split the player base?
A: Genius part – it ADAPTS maps/modes to player counts so queues stay fast!