Infinity Ward shipped Modern Warfare II on 28 October 2022 as the sequel to the 2019 reboot, and it was the first Call of Duty to launch on Steam since 2017. It rebuilt loadouts around Gunsmith 2.0 weapon platforms and perk packages that unlock during a match rather than at spawn. Multiplayer launched with ten 6v6 Core maps plus a set of larger Battle Maps for 32v32 Ground War.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Farm 18 | Gunsmith 2.0 weapon platforms basics | SMG entry fragger | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Breenbergh Hotel | Perk packages mastery | SMG entry fragger | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Mercado Las Almas | Weapon tuning + gear | Assault rifle anchor or SMG entry fragger | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Taraq | Build optimization | Assault rifle anchor | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Al Bagra Fortress | Min-max | Assault rifle anchor or Sniper lane holder | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Farm 18)
A compact shoot house style training facility with three parallel lanes and heavy indoor fighting. Spawns flip constantly, which rewards short weapons and punishes anyone camping a single room.
Level/Difficulty: 6v6 Core, small Key Rewards: Fast weapon levelling, camo grinding
What to Do in Farm 18
- Learn Gunsmith 2.0 weapon platforms. Weapons are grouped into platforms of up to five receivers that share one attachment pool, so levelling the M4 also unlocks parts for the FSS Hurricane and 556 Icarus. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick SMG entry fragger as your starting role. See our builds guide for why.
- Level the M4 before anything else. It unlocks the FSS Hurricane, 556 Icarus and FTAC Recon along with a shared attachment pool, so hours spent on one gun pay out across four weapons and two weapon classes.
- Acquire your first weapons upgrade: Lachmann Sub or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Gunsmith 2.0 weapon platforms fundamentals
- SMG entry fragger selected and functional
- Farm 18 main content cleared
- Ready for Breenbergh Hotel
Phase 2: Early Game (Breenbergh Hotel)
A three lane hotel with an open central plaza and a maze of interior corridors, lifts and stairwells. The plaza looks like the main route but the interior flanks decide most rounds.
Level/Difficulty: 6v6 Core, medium Key Rewards: Balanced SMG and rifle practice, flanking routes
What to Do in Breenbergh Hotel
- Work on Perk packages. You build a package of two Base Perks, one Bonus Perk and one Ultimate Perk instead of picking three slots. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Lachmann Sub if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Do not tune an attachment until it is fully levelled, because tuning sliders only appear at max attachment rank. Tuning early wastes matches you could spend levelling toward the next tier of parts.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Mercado Las Almas.
- Consider whether Assault rifle anchor might suit your playstyle better than SMG entry fragger.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Perk packages integrated into gameplay
- Lachmann Sub acquired
- Breenbergh Hotel fully cleared
- Ready for Mercado Las Almas
Phase 3: Mid Game (Mercado Las Almas)
A night market packed with stalls, awnings and short sightlines, split by a raised walkway. Verticality is the trap here, since the walkway is watched from more angles than it seems.
Level/Difficulty: 6v6 Core, small to medium Key Rewards: Close range weapon levelling, objective practice
What to Do in Mercado Las Almas
- Master Weapon tuning. Once an attachment is fully levelled you can tune it along two sliders, trading aim down sight speed against recoil steadiness or range against handling. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward M4. It's the best weapon and becomes accessible around now.
- Perk packages change your class mid match. Build around the fact that Ghost or Survivor arrives late, and treat the opening four minutes as a window where you are visible to enemy UAVs no matter what.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Advanced movement set for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Weapon tuning mastered
- M4 acquired or in progress
- Mercado Las Almas fully cleared
- Ready for Taraq
Phase 4: Late Game (Taraq)
A desert village of open courtyards and long lines of sight with buildings along each flank. Assault rifles and marksman rifles dominate the centre while SMGs are forced to the edges.
Level/Difficulty: 6v6 Core, large Key Rewards: Long range weapon levelling, sniper practice
What to Do in Taraq
- Finalize your build. You should be running Assault rifle anchor or SMG entry fragger with optimized gear.
- M4 should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Dolphin diving is a repositioning tool, not a duel winner. Dive backwards behind cover after taking damage rather than diving forward into a room, since the recovery animation leaves you helpless for close to a second.
- Field upgrades and killstreaks optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Al Bagra Fortress.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- M4 upgraded to max
- Taraq fully cleared
- Ready for Al Bagra Fortress
Phase 5: Endgame (Al Bagra Fortress)
A coastal fortress that plays as a 6v6 Core map and also appears in Ground War rotation. Its high stone walls create firing positions that overlook the courtyard from multiple tiers.
Level/Difficulty: 6v6 Core and Ground War Key Rewards: Killstreak farming, vertical angle practice
What to Do in Al Bagra Fortress
- Al Bagra Fortress tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Low cost killstreaks win more matches than high cost ones. A UAV at four kills feeds the whole team information, while a Chopper Gunner at eight is often earned once per match and cancelled by the first enemy launcher.
- The endgame loop: run Al Bagra Fortress, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Sniper lane holder for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Field upgrades and killstreaks mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Al Bagra Fortress fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Spreading weapon XP across many guns instead of finishing one platform first
- Equipping five attachments without checking the cumulative aim down sight speed penalty
- Playing the opening minutes as if Ghost were already active
- Running the Fennec 45 on Taraq or other large maps where its range falls apart
- Picking eight kill streaks on small maps where you rarely survive that long
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Level the M4 before anything else. It unlocks the FSS Hurricane, 556 Icarus and FTAC Recon along with a shared attachment pool, so hours spent on one gun pay out across four weapons and two weapon classes.
- Do not tune an attachment until it is fully levelled, because tuning sliders only appear at max attachment rank. Tuning early wastes matches you could spend levelling toward the next tier of parts.
- Perk packages change your class mid match. Build around the fact that Ghost or Survivor arrives late, and treat the opening four minutes as a window where you are visible to enemy UAVs no matter what.
- Dolphin diving is a repositioning tool, not a duel winner. Dive backwards behind cover after taking damage rather than diving forward into a room, since the recovery animation leaves you helpless for close to a second.
- Low cost killstreaks win more matches than high cost ones. A UAV at four kills feeds the whole team information, while a Chopper Gunner at eight is often earned once per match and cancelled by the first enemy launcher.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Guides
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Overview
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Best Builds
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Tier List
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Beginner's Guide
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Tips & Tricks
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Weapons Guide
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Combat Guide
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Boss Guide
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Maps & Locations
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Crafting Guide
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Classes & Characters
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