An Unprecedented Free Drop—Earn Vanguard Items by Playing Warzone and Black Ops Cold War

Call of Duty: Vanguard’s integration with Warzone is set for the end of the year, but before then—less than a month before Vanguard’s launch—you can get a taste of what it will offer through the Season Six Battle Pass.

In partnership with their fellow studios, including Warzone’s lead studio Raven, Sledgehammer Games is making 24 items from Vanguard available prior to the game’s full release.

All of them can be found in the Battle Pass, and all of them can be earned—for free—just by playing Warzone or Black Ops Cold War.

This has never happened in Call of Duty history, and we have plenty to explain. Here’s what you need to know, including intel on how the two new functional weapons can find a place in your Loadouts:

How the New Free Tiers and Vanguard Weapon Progression Work

The 24 additional Battle Pass Tiers for the Season Six Battle Pass are like that of the Warzone and Black Ops Cold War hybrid Tiers, where unlocking a specific Tier grants one piece of content in Black Ops Cold War and another in Warzone.

When viewing the Battle Pass in Warzone or Black Ops Cold War, you will see 24 additional Tiers—all free—appear alongside existing ones and are visible on a toggle. For example, at Tier 1 of the Season Six Battle Pass, there is already a free Legendary Sticker for use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone. Following an update today, Tier 1 will also offer a Double Weapon XP Token for use in either Vanguard (upon its release) or Warzone (immediately).

If you already progressed through a Tier that now has a Vanguard item associated with it (e.g., you hit Tier 1 before October 12), then you should receive all items that those Tiers contain. If not, play the game or purchase Tier Skips (150 COD Points each) to get these Vanguard rewards in addition to what you would normally already receive in Warzone and Black Ops Cold War.

This marks the beginning of the Vanguard and Warzone integration. As in previous years with Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, weapons, Operators, and other content will ultimately be shared between Vanguard and Warzone.

These 24 pieces of Vanguard content can be unlocked as of October 12 and used immediately in Warzone. They will also be available in Vanguard when the game launches on November 5.

Vanguard Weaponry—An Opportunity to Level Up Before Release

With these free new Tiers comes two new weapons: an all-around German-manufactured Assault Rifle and the U.S. standard service Marksman Rifle known as the M1 Garand. These will be available as Weapon Blueprints—two for each base weapon—through the free Tiers of the Battle Pass.

When using the two Weapon Blueprints in Warzone only, you will earn Weapon XP for these two weapons. This progress will be tracked and will carry over into Vanguard. When the integration happens later this year, it will carry over into Warzone. Weapon XP allows you to unlock attachments and camo challenges for a specific weapon family, whether you use its base version or, if the base weapon is unlocked, any Weapon Blueprint.

There are some restrictions to this, however: the Gunsmith will not be available for these two base weapons when they are initially released via their Weapon Blueprints on October 12. The weapon attachments and the weapon camos (and their challenges) will also be inaccessible.

Those features will be enabled for those weapons, and the dozens of other weapons that the game will provide, in Vanguard on November 5, and in Warzone later this year.

In other words, while you cannot edit the Weapon Blueprints or use the base weapons, playing with those Weapon Blueprints now will give you a head start on using those base weapons, their Weapon Blueprints, and the full suite of their attachments and camouflages within Vanguard at launch and within Warzone after the Season One integration.

Vanguard Tiers—Weapon Detail and Meta

The ability to earn Weapon XP on two weapons prior to Vanguard’s launch may sound great, but you may be wondering if these weapons matter in Warzone’s 100+-weapon meta.

As seen within the Loadout menu, the most obvious difference between these four Vanguard Weapon Blueprints and any Black Ops Cold War or Modern Warfare weapon is the number of attachment slots. These Weapon Blueprints have seven to ten preconfigured attachments, more than what is possible for other weaponry in the Gunsmith. Iron Trials ’84 introduced weapons with more than five attachments via Classified Weapons. The new Vanguard and Warzone Weapon Blueprints are setting a new limit, with one Weapon Blueprint having ten attachments.

Does this mean these weapons are automatically phenomenal? Not quite—think versatility over power. Having ten attachments may help a weapon better fit a particular combat role or make it more well-rounded, but a five-attachment weapon could still go toe-to-toe with it. And of course, if the Operator behind the ten-attachment weapon can’t shoot straight, then it’s not going to be effective.

Think of these Weapon Blueprints as the blueprint for the foundational changes that Vanguard’s integration will provide to Warzone. Through these Weapon Blueprints, you will see what’s possible with the additional attachment slots, and you’ll be able to decide if these Weapon Blueprints fit within your personal meta right now in Season Six.

“Bonerattler” Assault Rifle (Tier 24)

A seven-attachment Weapon Blueprint and a new close-quarters battle option, the “Bonerattler” looks to shake up more than just a few pieces of the opponent’s skeleton.

Although this configuration cuts down on the base weapon’s range, its attachments—specifically, a shorter barrel, removed stock, and a smooth rear grip—make it better suited for quicker playstyles.

The included extended magazines also make the weapon a great choice for larger squad game modes, as the extra ammo may come in handy against a full Trio or Quad.

If the extended magazine runs dry, the “Bonerattler” does come with the Fast Melee Perk, which is similar to that seen on Modern Warfare weaponry. In case of a fight devolving into fisticuffs, try the “shot-punch” method for engagement: shoot a few rounds first, then finish the job by hitting them swiftly with the weapon’s stock.

This weapon can be suitable for Resurgence Rebirth modes due to its strengths. However, it could also find its place in a standard Battle Royale Loadout as a backup to a Sniper or Marksman Rifle.

“Warning Track” Assault Rifle (Tier 64)

As the lone ten-attachment Weapon Blueprint in Season Six Battle Pass’s four free Vanguard Tiers, the “Warning Track” exemplifies how these new weapons can be drastically changed by swapping the attachments around.

Unlike the other Assault Rifle Weapon Blueprints, the “Warning Track” is for those who want sustained, accurate fire at longer ranges. Some of its attachments allow it to go long—a longer barrel, increased ammo, and a silencer that also suppresses fire—while others, like the foregrip and stock, keep recoil in check. And of course, the high-zoom optic lets the Operator behind it see far ahead for those long shots.

What may be an intangible for this Assault Rifle is the Vital Perk. Yes, Fully Loaded will restock all Assault Rifle ammo, but Vital will effectively make headshots more valuable from a damage perspective. Essentially, those vital shots will count a whole lot more with this weapon, and since it has extended mags, it could be an absolute force for a single Operator brave enough to face a whole squad.

Our in-house expert believes this weapon will be a contender among the main mid- to long-range Primary Weapons in standard Battle Royale Loadouts. Whether it’s a powerhouse or just a ten-attachment champion on paper is yet to be determined—and it may be up to the community to find out where it fits in the overall meta.

“White Obsidian” Tactical Rifle (Tier 34)

Brandishing Vanguard’s V on its stock like its “Warning Track” Assault Rifle sibling, the “White Obsidian” is similarly suited for long-range combat.

Its eight preconfigured attachments build this Tactical Rifle for one type of long-range combat role: an Operator who throws down sustained fire at even the most extreme ranges to mark targets, especially when using the Combat Scout Perk.

This is mainly done by downgrading the caliber of bullets the weapon chambers while massively increasing magazine capacity through just one of its attachments.

While the damage per bullet is directly affected by this attachment, another attachment significantly changes damage drop-off due to range: the Shrouded Barrel reduces damage loss over distance, steadies the weapon, and provides a great bullet-velocity boost. Other attachments, such as the Muzzle and Underbarrel, also help control the weapon when there is sustained semi-auto fire, but this weapon does require some patience when it comes to movement.

Operators who may not be as experienced as their squadmates but who know how to shoot a target downrange may enjoy “White Obsidian.” Use this weapon to hit and call out enemies in squad-based modes, and you may become the engagement-starter your squad needs for victory.

“Heirloom” Tactical Rifle (Tier 72)

Our in-house pick for flashiest Weapon Blueprint is the “Heirloom.” This eight-attachment Tactical Rifle configuration leans in another direction for mid- to long-range play.

This weapon is built for the squad-wiping sharpshooter who picks off foes at long ranges with accurate fire. The two attachments that contribute most to this role are its Barrel and its lone Perk.

A Custom Barrel bumps up the weapon’s Accuracy stat significantly. Specifically, it allows for much better horizontal recoil and idle sway control, quicker centering speed, and slightly better range. However, it does make the weapon much slower to handle and makes its vertical recoil a bit tougher to manage.

Its Perk, Acquisition, gives it better Accuracy—in the form of recoil control—for a few seconds after a longshot kill. If you finish an enemy off (not just down them) at long range while using this weapon, you may find it slightly easier to control those next few shots to that poor sap’s squadmates.

The rest of the attachments either attempt to cut into the barrel’s drawbacks, play more into the weapon’s long-range role, or extend its magazine to make it suitable for squad-based modes. Although the Operator behind the weapon will have to be accurate and may need a trigger finger quick enough to hit its reasonable fire rate cap, the “Heirloom” could be a great choice for the more seasoned squad wipers.

Vanguard Tiers—20 Additional Rewards, XP Tokens, Profile Items, and More

In addition to those two weapons and their two Weapon Blueprints each, there are 20 other rewards that can be used immediately in Warzone and in Vanguard when it launches.

Specifically, across Tiers 1 through 98, you can unlock the following outside of the four Weapon Blueprints:

• Six total Double XP tokens—two for standard XP, two for weapons, and two that are “Operator XP,” tied to progression with Vanguard Operators. The first two types can be used immediately in Warzone. We recommend saving the Operator XP tokens until they’re usable at Vanguard’s launch and/or Warzone later this year.
• Three Calling Cards and two Emblems for your Player Profile.
• Three Sprays to tag up Verdansk, Rebirth Island, or Vanguard’s Multiplayer and Zombies maps and eventually the new Warzone map.
• Three Weapon Charms and two Stickers to place on nearly every Vanguard weapon, when they become available for Gunsmith customization.
• A timeless “Clocked In” Watch Wrist Accessory, which is the final reward in the Season Six Battle Pass for Vanguard and Warzone at Tier 98.

At length, those are the 24 new Tiers of Vanguard and Warzone content available now through the Season Six Battle Pass.

Reap the Full Rewards in Warzone—Pick Up the Battle Pass Bundle and Pre-purchase Vanguard

Head into Warzone today to play and unlock these items for use before they become available in Vanguard. Or, if you just play Black Ops Cold War Multiplayer or Zombies and are looking forward to playing those modes in Vanguard, you can progress through the Battle Pass, try out those new items in Warzone, and ultimately be ready to find them all waiting for you in Vanguard on November 5.

Want to unlock these free Tiers faster? Pick up the Battle Pass Bundle for 2,400 COD Points and get 20 Tier Skips that cut through a fifth of the full Battle Pass in one shot, as well as three bonus panda-themed Operator Skins for the “Bulldozer” Operator in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone as a limited-time Bundle Topper (available until Oct. 21). This also gives you the ability to unlock every piece of Warzone and Black Ops Cold War content across the 100 Tiers, including the new Mason Operator, an Ultra Weapon Blueprint, and more.

Finally, there is more content for you to unlock in Vanguard and Warzone before November 5: pre-purchase the game now and you can receive the following benefits, including the Arthur Kingsley Operator for immediate use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone:

More information about pre-purchasing Vanguard can be found here.

Rise on every front.