Two weeks ago Call of Duty (CoD) introduced Warzone, their new Battle Royale (BR) mode, and with it they included a wrinkle not seen before in the genre. Death in most BR games means “GAME OVER”, a boot back to the main menu and a sense of profound shame.

Enter the Gulag. No seriously, get in there, because you poked your head around the corner and a Twitch streamer with an itchy trigger finger, godlike reflexes, and a sniper rifle just sent you packing. The Gulag is CoD’s version of a second chance. Whether you’re playing on a team or solo, the first time you die, you’re dragged (literally) into an arena for a 1 on 1 battle to the death (*when playing on a team, you can be revived by a teammate even if killed in the Gulag). The survivor re-enters the game, while the loser has a good rage-cry before having to start all over again (*or, a rage-cry while they wait for their team to revive them at a buy station for $4500).

The goal of this article is to help you improve your odds in the Gulag. First, you’ll need to better understand the rules, map layouts, loadouts, and equipment. We’ve also included some general tips and tricks you will want to keep in mind to be successful. Maybe you’ll even earn your father’s admiration and respect. Stranger things have happened and frankly – you’re tired of awkward Thanksgiving dinners.

Rules Of Play

• Health does NOT regenerate and your loadouts are completely random. (You can randomly receive Stim as a tactical. Don’t be afraid to use it when damaged.)
• Each round is 40 seconds long. If no one dies, sudden death begins and a flag spawns in the center of the map.
  • Either player has a few seconds to capture the flag. Capture time is 3 uninterrupted seconds.
• In overtime, you win either by killing your opponent or capturing the flag.
• If overtime expires and neither player kills their opponent or captures the flag, the player with the most health wins. If health is even, both players die.

Loadouts

Loadouts in the Gulag are randomized (your opponent will always have a matching loadout). It is extremely important you pay attention to what you’ve been given (generally a pistol or shotgun, along with a tactical and lethal grenade (the grenades are locked on a five-second timer at the start of the match).

Map Layouts

Map 1

Map 1 has two large shower stalls at the spawn points, which makes things tight and conducive to a close-quarters battle. Obstructed views along either side make sightlines challenging. The shower stall in the center creates a more wide-open killing floor. The stall itself has a small ledge that you can peek over into the flag area to score a quick kill on anyone trying to win with a degree in pacifism.

Map 2

Map 2 offers a much more open spawn point, which means rushing an opponent will leave you exposed. Long-range weapons can be used along the north and south lanes for maximum efficacy. The shower stall at the center offers two large openings which leads to extremely tense firefights when the flag spawns. If I had a nickel for every bullet sandwich I’ve been fed trying to claim the flag, there would be a global nickel shortage.

Map 3

This is where you’ll want to come equipped with a shotgun. Close quarters combat is on the menu as tight spaces and a double barrier at the center create claustrophobic conditions. The two broken stalls at the center, along with the four curved walls surrounding it cut down sightlines and make longer-range weapons more problematic. Keep in mind these walls do not reach all the way to the ceiling, so lobbing a piece of accurate equipment can be the difference between life and death.

Equipment

Tactical and Lethal grenades are your best friend, treat them well. Flushing out opponents with various tools is imperative to winning. Many opponents like to use various nooks and crannies along the wall to camp out and wait for aggressive opponents to run by. A well-timed tactical to one side and a lethal to the left creates confusion and panic in your opponent and keeps them moving. *REMINDER* Grenades are on cooldown to start.

Pre-Match

Before you begin your match, you’ll be in a queue, waiting on a balcony above the arena. From here, you can do a lot of things:

• Tag opponents with your various sprays. This sticks to them into their match and makes them brighter and easier to spot in-match.
• If causing havoc is your raison-d’être, you are equipped with an arsenal of rocks that can not only damage players in the arena (I’ve killed someone before) but they can also trigger claymores that the participants’ place (I’ve blown those up too). I can barely describe the satisfaction of blowing someone up from a balcony with a rock. It’s a phenomenal flex.
• DON’T run around punching people in the head. It’s annoying, especially for teammates who are trying to give advice to an active teammate over their headset (you know who you are).

Tips & Tricks

• If you’re playing teams and two or more are sent to the Gulag at once, verbally assisting a teammate is a MASSIVE advantage. Scope the arena for your teammates’ opponent and call out his movements. Ensure you give them directions based on THEIR view (your left, your right) and be clear. Nobody likes a confused commentator.
  • Come up with a common language for directing your teammates. For example, Back-right, Middle-Center, Offensive-Right — these are helpful to come up with ahead of time in order to get the jump on opponents.
• Use the flag as bait. Eventually, someone cracks and heads to the center. Remember, you can still win by elimination, but be diligent on timing. There’s nothing worse than being a shotgun blast away from victory and getting the L because they clinched the flag.

Before you begin your match, you’ll be in a queue, waiting on a balcony above the arena. From here, you can do a lot of things:

• Tag opponents with your various sprays. This sticks to them into their match and makes them brighter and easier to spot in-match.
• If causing havoc is your raison-d’être, you are equipped with an arsenal of rocks that can not only damage players in the arena (I’ve killed someone before) but they can also trigger claymores that the participants’ place (I’ve blown those up too). I can barely describe the satisfaction of blowing someone up from a balcony with a rock. It’s a phenomenal flex.
• DON’T run around punching people in the head. It’s annoying, especially for teammates who are trying to give advice to an active teammate over their headset (you know who you are).

Tips & Tricks

• If you’re playing teams and two or more are sent to the Gulag at once, verbally assisting a teammate is a MASSIVE advantage. Scope the arena for your teammates’ opponent and call out his movements. Ensure you give them directions based on THEIR view (your left, your right) and be clear. Nobody likes a confused commentator.
  • Come up with a common language for directing your teammates. For example, Back-right, Middle-Center, Offensive-Right — these are helpful to come up with ahead of time in order to get the jump on opponents.
• Use the flag as bait. Eventually, someone cracks and heads to the center. Remember, you can still win by elimination, but be diligent on timing. There’s nothing worse than being a shotgun blast away from victory and getting the L because they clinched the flag.