All beginnings are difficult, and this applies to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. However, once you have fought through the introduction, you can expect many hours of sweaty fun in multiplayer. MeinMMO shows you a loadout for your first attempts in the current CoD.
What is this about? In the multiplayer of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, you need to unlock many of the weapons and equipment through level progressions. From your unlocks, you then create so-called “loadouts”, in English “classes”.
You even have predefined loadouts for the first 4 levels. These are standard classes that you cannot customize. Only at level 4 do you unlock this option and can create your own loadouts. From this point, this article comes into play. MeinMMO shows and explains a strong loadout for the first few hours and beyond.
Beginner Guide – Loadout for Multiplayer Starters
If you are completely new to Call of Duty, start a match against bots. Go to multiplayer mode, and in the modes, you will see the option “Against Bots” at the bottom. Select the game mode “Free for All” and set the bot difficulty to “Recruit”. This will start a “Everyone vs Everyone” match with NPCs that have a very high reaction time to you.
Practice with the controls and shoot your first CoD soldiers down. You should also adjust your game settings. Cold War, for example, has a pre-set blur filter that you should definitely disable in PvP. Here’s the guide for optimal settings in Cold War.
However, you will not earn experience points in bot modes. Once you have familiarized yourself with the controls, start the real PvP modes and go hunting for kills and XP. For your first rounds, use the standard class with the XM4 rifle. This is a strong assault rifle that will serve you well until level 4. Once you reach level 4, you can access your own loadouts.
Beginner Loadout Black Ops Cold War:
- Main weapon: XM4
- Secondary weapon: 1911 or Cigma 2
- Equipment: Frag Grenade / Stimulant / Proximity Mine
- Perks: Engineer / Assassin / Gung-Ho
The best primary weapon to start
Which weapon is best for beginners? For a good start, use the XM4, which you already know from the standard class. You will find it among the assault rifles.
If you have used the XM4 for your first 4 ranks, you will have unlocked a few attachments that you can immediately equip. Because not only does your account have a level (military ranks), but the weapons also have their own levels in Cold War (weapon level).
Why the XM4? Assault rifles are usually the all-rounders among CoD weapons. They are competitive at short distances and offer enough range to shoot enemies at greater distances. The XM4 is a great example of a balanced weapon that allows you to blow away your opponent at any distance.
However, there are weapon classes that are designed for certain ranges. All this is balanced by the aim-down-sight time (the time needed to aim), damage, and damage range so that each weapon class and the individual weapons are unique and come with their own advantages and disadvantages.
- Assault rifles are the all-rounders
- SMGs have a short range with high damage and are fast
- Marksman rifles offer single fire or bursts with high range
- Light MGs resemble assault rifles but have large magazines and are slower
- Sniper rifles offer single-shot and high range
Start with an assault rifle and over time try other weapon classes as well. This way, you will find out which playstyle suits you best and learn how to counter other playstyles – such as the quickscope style.
XM4 setup for beginners
Which attachments fit the XM4 for starters? Attachment combinations are referred to as “setups” in Cold War. When you select a weapon in your loadout, you will see the “Gunsmith” tile next to it.
Here, you can further customize your weapon with unlocked attachments and see exactly what changes to your rifle. You can equip a maximum of 5 attachments, including sights for better aiming, grips for more control, or ammo attachments that increase your magazine size or adjust reloading. With each weapon level, you gain access to another attachment. These attachments for the XM4 should be the ones you take initially:
- Sight: Millstop Reflex – Level 2
- Muzzle: Muzzle Brake 5.56 – Level 3
- Under-barrel: Foregrip – Level 6
- Magazine: 40-Round – Level 7
- Grip: Tape Grip – Level 8
This setup offers you improved recoil control, a larger magazine, and even a small boost to your aim-down-sight time. A sight can also sometimes work wonders if you struggle with the iron sights.
The best secondary weapons to start
Which secondary weapon should I carry at the beginning? Here, choose either a pistol or a rocket launcher.
Why a pistol? A secondary pistol can help you when your primary weapon runs out of ammunition, but you still have an angry enemy in front of you.
However, especially when starting, such mechanics are hard to implement because you have to think of so many other things that become automatic over time.
If you need a few more bullets, take the 1911 pistol with you. You don’t need attachments at the beginning because it’s all about finishing off a nearby opponent when your primary runs out of steam. However, you can equip attachments as you unlock them.
Also interesting: With smaller weapons, you generally run faster. If you want to get somewhere quickly, switch to a pistol or knife, and you will noticeably move faster.
Why a rocket launcher? With the “Cigma 2” launcher, you get a homing rocket launcher right from the start, with which you can support your team from the beginning. If you hear in the match that something hostile is in the air, switch to the launcher and target the enemy aircraft.
The Cigma’s favorite dish: reconnaissance planes. It sometimes happens that you down more than 5 enemy reconnaissance planes per match. This brings great points and you immediately become a valuable member of your team.
Rocket launchers are generally an unpopular secondary weapon class and target large scorestreaks; one must either switch loadouts upon death or rely on diligent launchers. Especially when starting, you should take on this role, as it also brings good experience points. For tips on how to earn more XP in Cold War, check here.
The best equipment to start
In Black Ops Cold War, equipment includes your primary and tactical equipment, as well as field upgrades. At the start, your selection is not particularly large, as you will unlock these gadgets gradually.
Tactical equipment: At level 7, you unlock “Stimulant”. This is a med-pack that starts your healing when your health has suffered a bit. Inject yourself with the little syringe to get back in action quickly. This is a very powerful tactical equipment but requires some practice to always remember when it’s important. The Stimulant also recharges after use.
Primary equipment: At the beginning, you have a frag grenade here. When you press the throw button, it takes 3 seconds for it to explode. But you can also “cook” it. Hold the button down, and you won’t throw the grenade immediately, but the timer will still run. This way, you can achieve powerful and satisfying kills when you throw a perfectly timed grenade into a horde of enemies.
Generally, all primary equipment have their justification and do a good job. At level 12, for example, you get C4 that you can even detonate manually at the push of a button. This allows for exciting tactics but is also harder to handle. Try experimenting a bit here.
Field upgrades: Field upgrades are not available with every life, unlike primary and tactical equipment. They recharge slowly and can then be used. After that, they recharge again.
At level 4, you get your first gadget here, and it’s a really good one: the proximity mine. You simply place the device somewhere on the map where you expect enemies, and any opponent who gets too close will be blown up.
With a good reaction, you can avoid the mine, but it can still be good for an unexpected kill or to secure an area behind you. Because even if it gets shot, you receive a small notification in your HUD and know where an enemy is located.
Tips for the Next Steps
Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, the scorestreaks become interesting. At first, you are limited to 3 here: reconnaissance plane, supplies, and attack helicopter. But this selection increases over time, and in the end, you will have 16 different war equipment available to you. You can find an overview of the best scorestreaks with tips here. You don’t choose scorestreaks in your loadout but in the equipment menu.
Once you have leveled up a few stages, take a look at your “Extras”. These are the colored symbols under your equipment. These so-called “Perks” give you additional abilities that provide you with strong bonuses. However, you only unlock new extras slowly. At level 14, “Wildcards” will be added, which change certain conditions of your loadout and allow you to carry 2 primary weapons, for example. Here’s more information on strong perks and wildcards.
Once you get comfortable with the gunplay of Cold War, try other weapons when you feel ready. While the XM4 is among the strong weapons, there is even more to explore. We present you here the 5 best weapons that a long-time CoD expert considers the best right after release.
With each new level for your account or weapons, you will unlock new equipment and gadgets that help you in the battle for the top of the leaderboard. Always check what you unlock here, and get an overview before you leave the game at the end of your session.
If you have any further questions about the release of Cold War, such as about crossplay or upcoming content, check out our FAQ. Here, MeinMMO answers many questions regarding the current CoD.
