New World Interactive released this tactical shooter on 12 December 2018, and it still refuses to give you a crosshair, a killcam or a minimap. Matches run up to 14 versus 14 in PvP or as co-op Checkpoint missions against AI, and one rifle round through a doorway usually ends the argument. Focus Entertainment keeps shipping free updates, with Operation Shell Shock in October 2025 adding the S12K and US12 shotguns.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best characters, weapons worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
Supply point loadout budget
Every item you take costs supply points from a fixed budget, so a rifle, heavy armour, a magnified optic and a full grenade set will not fit together. Most players end up choosing between staying alive longer and shooting more accurately.
Eight roles with team limits
Rifleman, Breacher, Advisor, Marksman, Demolitions, Gunner, Observer and Commander cover different jobs, and most are capped. One Commander and one Gunner per team, up to two Breachers and two Observers, with Rifleman left unlimited.
Commander and Observer fire support
The Commander calls strikes through binoculars but only while standing close to an Observer, so the two have to move as a pair. That single dependency is the reason an enemy team hunts your Observer rather than your Commander.
Magazine based ammunition
You track magazines, not rounds, and reloading mid magazine keeps the partial one rather than topping it up. Checking weight with the inspect key before a push is the only way to know what you are actually carrying.
Push and Checkpoint objectives
Push runs attackers against a sequence of defended points with finite reinforcement waves, while Checkpoint is the co-op version against AI. The map list also covers Firefight, Skirmish, Frontline, Domination, Ambush, Outpost, Team Deathmatch and Survival.
For a deeper dive into how these systems interact, see our Insurgency: Sandstorm combat guide.
Characters Overview
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifleman | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Breacher | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Marksman | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Demolitions | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Commander | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Insurgency: Sandstorm builds guide. For rankings, check the tier list.
Weapons Guide
| Weapon | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| M4A1 | The Security workhorse, controllable in bursts and cheap enough in supply points that you can still afford armour and an optic. | Rifleman and Advisor players who want one gun that works on every map layout |
| AKM | The Insurgent counterpart, hitting noticeably harder per round with a stiffer recoil pattern that punishes full auto past 50 metres. | Insurgent Riflemen trading rate of fire for stopping power at short and medium range |
| MP5A5 | A controllable submachine gun that stays on target through a full burst indoors, which matters on Ministry, Precinct and the interiors of Hideout. | Breachers clearing rooms and stairwells at under 20 metres |
| M249 | The Gunner light machine gun, limited to one player per team. | Holding a fixed lane or covering a flank on Crossing and Farmhouse |
| M110 SASS | A semi automatic marksman rifle that keeps its lethality at range while allowing a fast second shot. | Marksmen covering the long approaches to an objective before the assault begins |
M4A1: The Security workhorse, controllable in bursts and cheap enough in supply points that you can still afford armour and an optic. It handles the 50 to 150 metre band where most Push firefights actually happen.
AKM: The Insurgent counterpart, hitting noticeably harder per round with a stiffer recoil pattern that punishes full auto past 50 metres. Its low supply cost is a large part of why it is so common.
MP5A5: A controllable submachine gun that stays on target through a full burst indoors, which matters on Ministry, Precinct and the interiors of Hideout. Damage falls off quickly, so it is a poor choice on open maps.
M249: The Gunner light machine gun, limited to one player per team. Deployed on a windowsill or wall it suppresses an entire approach, but its weight and slow aim transition make it useless for anyone trying to move with the assault.
M110 SASS: A semi automatic marksman rifle that keeps its lethality at range while allowing a fast second shot. It costs enough supply points that a magnified optic usually means going without heavy armour.
Full breakdowns in our Insurgency: Sandstorm weapons guide.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Farmhouse | Strong in Push and Firefight | Long sightline practice, marksman and machine gun value, disciplined smoke usage |
| Crossing | Strong in Push and Skirmish | Elevation play, long range rifle work, and the clearest lesson in why smoke grenades exist |
| Hideout | Strong in Push and Checkpoint | Room clearing practice, vertical fights through stairwells, flexible loadout choices |
| Precinct | Strong in Push and Firefight | Close quarters discipline, breaching practice, and clear value for the Breacher role |
| Summit | Strong in Push and Frontline | Vertical angles, ambush positions, and practice fighting uphill under fire support |
Farmhouse: A large rural map built around medium to long range engagements between farm buildings and open fields. Crossing open ground without smoke is close to suicide, and the buildings themselves are the only reliable cover.
Crossing: Set in a canyon, which is why its internal name is Canyon. The terrain gives enormous sightlines along the valley floor with limited cover, so flanking through the higher ground beats pushing straight down the middle.
Hideout: A dense suburban map, internally named Town, with a large number of enterable buildings. The mix of long streets and packed interiors means both a marksman and a shotgun Breacher find work on the same objective.
Precinct: Urban fighting through a police compound and the blocks around it, where most of the objective work happens indoors at very short range. Grenades and flashbangs decide rooms far more often than marksmanship does.
Summit: A mountain map, internally named Mountain, where elevation changes break sightlines into short unpredictable segments. Holding the high ground helps, but the approaches to it are exposed enough that taking it usually costs bodies.
See our maps & locations guide for detailed area breakdowns and our walkthrough for the optimal progression path.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Lean with the dedicated keys instead of stepping out from cover. Peeking with a lean exposes a fraction of your body and lets you return behind the wall in one keypress, which is the difference between trading and dying.
- Reloading before a magazine is empty keeps the partial magazine rather than merging the rounds. Inspect your weapon before a push so you know whether you are holding three full magazines or five nearly empty ones.
- Free aim moves the barrel independently of your view, so the gun is not centred until you shoulder it. Aim down sights early when clearing a corner, because the first shot from the hip usually goes nowhere near the target.
- The Commander only has fire support while an Observer is nearby, which makes the Observer the highest value target on the enemy team. Kill the radio operator and the artillery stops, no matter where the Commander is.
- Spend supply points on armour and grenades before optics. Heavy armour survives hits that light armour does not, and a frag through a doorway takes an objective that a 4x scope will not.
- Sound carries and sprinting is loud. Walking the last 20 metres to an objective is slower than sprinting and considerably more likely to end with you shooting first.
- There is no minimap, so callouts have to be verbal and specific. Naming the building and the floor beats saying enemy left, and it is the main reason coordinated squads beat better individual shooters here.
- Move after every two or three shots from a static position. Without a killcam the enemy is finding you by muzzle flash and sound, and both point at where you were rather than where you are.
- In Checkpoint against AI, clear objectives from multiple angles at once. AI reacts to the first contact it sees, so a second player entering from another side kills a room that would grind down a single player.
- Smoke is not just concealment on this game's maps, it is the only way to cross the open ground on Crossing and Farmhouse. Carry at least one even when the loadout budget is tight.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Spending the whole supply budget on a magnified optic and pushing an objective in light armour with two magazines.
- Taking Marksman on Precinct or Ministry, where almost every engagement happens under 20 metres.
- Sprinting the final approach to an objective and announcing your position to every defender in the building.
- Leaving the Observer behind while the Commander pushes forward, which silences fire support for the rest of the round.
- Reloading reflexively after every firefight and ending up with six magazines holding four rounds each.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Insurgency: Sandstorm playable solo?
Yes, through co-op Checkpoint and Survival against AI, which are full modes rather than tutorials. Most of the PvP map list also runs with bots on community servers.
Is there crossplay?
Yes. Focus Entertainment added global crossplay alongside the Operation Resurgence update, connecting PC and console players in the same matches.
Is the game still getting updates?
Yes. Operation Overrun added a forest map and a limited time mode, and Operation Shell Shock, update 1.19 in October 2025, added the S12K shotgun for Security and the US12 for Insurgents as free content.
How do supply points work?
Each loadout item costs points from a fixed budget set by the mode and server. Weapons, optics, magazine upgrades, armour, explosives and equipment all draw from the same pool, so every build is a trade rather than a wishlist.
Which class should a new player pick?
Rifleman. It has no team cap, its weapons are cheap in supply points, and it leaves budget for armour and grenades while you learn map layouts and lean timing.
More Insurgency: Sandstorm Guides
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Best Builds
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Tier List
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Walkthrough
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Beginner's Guide
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Tips & Tricks
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Weapons Guide
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Combat Guide
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Boss Guide
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Maps & Locations
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Crafting Guide
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Classes & Characters
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