We’ve already discussed the best places to drop for loot in Blackout as well as the safest places to drop, and now I’m going to give you some general tips for Blackout that will help you increase your win rate and hopefully stop you from dying so early (if that’s what you’ve been doing).
Below are some general tips for Blackout followed by tips for each stage of the game. You should change strategy depending on the circle size and player count:
Always have the right equipment equipped
I’m not talking about weapons here, I’m referring to the Equipment slot i.e. grenades, grapple etc. I see people running around with a Barricade or a Sensor Dart equipped; sure, these are useful items, but you won’t need them in the heat of battle. You would usually always want your grenades equipped in this slot, and there may also be an argument for the grappling hook for a quick exit. This tip is especially important for console players as it generally takes longer to change equipment, and time is something that you don’t have when you’re getting shot.
Plan your route to the circle and leave early
You never want to be running into the circle in a mad panic, at least until the late game when you don’t have much choice. Running into the circle in a panic makes you vulnerable; you’ll have people that are already in the circle looking out, ready to kill anyone coming in, and since you’ve got the circle on your back you won’t have time to take cover to properly defend yourself. Always try to get to the circle early so you can be the one shooting people coming in.
There are, however, some instances where you may actually want to be late to the circle, I talk about this during the ‘late game’ section.
Don’t use vehicles
It’s always tempting to jump in a vehicle when you come across one, but the fact is that doing so will make you stand out like a sore thumb. Although people will find it difficult to hit such a fast moving target, the vehicles make so much noise and are so much easier to spot that it’s a sure-fire way to give up your position and ruin any chance of catching somebody by surprise. Try to avoid using vehicles at all times, unless you’re miles away from the circle and the storm is closing in on you fast.
My favorite weapons
My personal favorite weapons in Blackout are the Swordfish and the Saug 9mm; the Swordfish can pick people off at range and the Saug mows people down at close range. I suck with a sniper rifle so I don’t bother with that side of things, but if I was good with it I would most likely opt to try and equip myself with a sniper and a mid to short range weapon like the Maddox.
Early Game
The early game is simple – you need to get hold of a gun quickly, and if you fail to do so you will probably end up dying. The start of the game is where a good chunk of players will die, so keep your wits about you.
Choosing the best place to drop
This largely depends on your play style, if you run and gun and generally don’t give a shit then you’ll want to drop somewhere with lots of loot, and you can follow that link to checkout our guide on the best places to drop for loot if you need help. If you’re the polar opposite on this and you shit yourself whenever you’re shot at, you’ll want to drop somewhere safe. Either of these strategies work, so don’t feel like you need to be a stone cold killer to win a game of Blackout.
The pump-action shotgun is OP
Similar to Fortnite, the pump-action shotgun is OP in Blackout. It has surprisingly good range and is really good early on while you’re looting buildings and running the risk of bumping into people. I see a lot of people dismissing the shotgun, but don’t, at least not until you have a decent SMG for close quarters combat.
Conserve Inventory Space
Inventory space is a pain in the arse in the early game when you don’t have a backpack. I’ve had games where I haven’t managed to find a backpack for some time, so until you manage to find one conserve your inventory space for things you will most likely need, such as healing and grenades of all kinds. Don’t bother with the perks too much until you have a backpack and have the space.
Mid Game
Mid game is all about gearing up. You should already have a couple of weapons and some other gear but now you’ll want to either get better guns (if you’re not happy with what you have) or you’ll need to hunt for some attachments.
Close range and long range
During the mid game you should be looking to get the weapons that you want. I discussed my favorite weapons above, but you can choose any that you like, just make sure that you have a long range weapon and a short range weapon so you can deal with conflict at various distances. The long range weapon that you choose doesn’t have to be a sniper rifle; burst fire weapons like the Swordfish are just as good, especially if you have a 3x or 4x scope on them. With regards to the short range weapon, I prefer SMG’s over shotguns just because they have a little more range.
The only time this might change is if you picked up a sniper rifle, in this instance I would opt for the sniper and a mid to short range weapon like the Maddox.
Don’t underestimate attachments
Weapon attachments are important, even if you don’t have your weapon of choice. As long as the weapon you do have has attachments it will still be good enough. The most important attachments are a matter of personal preference, but I personally look out for a scope, stock and extended mags; quick reload mags are good too but I prefer having a few extra bullets. The stock will allow you to move quicker while aiming down the sights which is always useful when you’re playing on a map the size of Blackout’s, and (of course) any assault rifle or sniper rifle should have a scope.
Don’t forget that you can swap out attachments too, this is especially useful in Blackout, as the attachments you need can change depending on where the circle is. For example, if the circle is closing on Rivertown (or somewhere else where close quarters combat is likely going to take place) then swap out your 4x scope on the Swordfish to a 2x scope. You might also want to change extended mags for quick reload mags in this instance.
Horde healing
Pick up any healing items that you find. If you’ve already got 20 bandages, pick up more; healing is really hard to come by in the late game and occasionally you might find yourself in the storm or having healing battles at the end of the game – this is essentially where players will camp in the hope to out heal you as the storm closes in on you both.
Late Game
Late game is when you should slow things down a bit. Usually when I play I’m pretty aggressive, but as soon as the circle gets smaller and the player numbers drop you need to slow down in order to survive.
Hug the storm
As the circle gets smaller, it’s a good idea to walk in with the storm. The trick is to walk into the circle via the slow side of the storm; there’s always a slow side of the storm, and the slow side is determined by which side of the storm is closest to the circle itself. The further away the storm is from the circle, the faster it needs to move. (see image above).
So, if you’re not going to be one of the first people into the circle, make your way to the slow side of the storm and be one of the last people there. By this point people should already be battling it out, so you can slip in undetected and take them out for the win.
It’s okay to camp a little
Occasionally the circle will end in a built up area, such as Hydro Dam or Rivertown. If this happens you can bet your life that people are camping somewhere, so don’t feel the need to have to go and hunt them down. As long as you have enough healing, you should be okay to camp a little yourself, or at least take it very slowly so that you don’t get shot by some bitch sitting in the corner of a room.
Use equipment
I strongly advise you to keep hold of certain valuable pieces of equipment until the late game. If you’re in the final circle, chances are that you and your opponent are taking things very slowly (as mentioned earlier) as you’re both unaware of each others whereabouts; this is where the Sensor Dart becomes massive, it can cover a very large portion of the final circle and therefore it can literally win you the game. Also, if the final circle has zoned you down into urban/indoor areas (such as Rivertown or Factory) and you and your opponent are slowly skulking from room to room looking for each other then the Mesh Mine can win you the game without you having to fire a shot.
So, there we have it, my tips for winning more in Call of Duty Blackout. Do you have any more tips that have helped you get that win? Let us know in the comments and we’ll get your tip added – if it’s good enough, of course.
Don’t forget to check out our other Blackout guides:
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