Welcome to the Call of Duty 4 101, a new feature to help ease beginners into the CoD4 scene and explain a few of the nuances of competitive play. Call of Duty 4's popularity has flourished in recent months and this guide is aimed at newcomers who may have a background in Counter-Strike, Battlefield or Enemy Territory but are lacking the know-how to get stuck into Call of Duty 4. Although future features will delve more into the tactical side of things, this basic start-up guide will focus on Search & Destroy basics and the commonly used weapons as well as a section on how to get involved in the Call of Duty 4 community online. If you think you are already familiar with these topics then you are unlikely to find anything new here, but for those who aren't, this guide should be a good start to your future in CoD4.

The Basics

Search & Destroy (S&D) is the most common gametype played in Call of Duty 4 and although CTF, DM and TDM are popular on public servers, if you want to play competitive Call of Duty 4 then S&D is the way to go. This gametype involves two teams taking turns to play the attacking and defending side of a certain map and will be familiar to those who have ever played Counter-Strike. The attacking team must plant the "bomb" at either of two locations while the defenders must attempt to stop them. If the bomb is planted within the allotted time, the defenders usually have around one minute to defuse it before it explodes and the attackers win the round. Either team can also win by eliminating the opposition before the bomb is planted. A match is often played with each team playing ten rounds on each side.

On the right you can see an overhead view of the popular map mp_crash. The "A" and "B" bombs are clearly marked and are positioned on either side of the map. The attacking side will spawn in the yellow area while the defenders will start in the red area. It is common practice for the defending side to organize themselves in separate groups to cover each bomb site. For example on mp_crash, the defenders might play a 1-2-2 split, with one player defending the "B" bomb, two players holding the middle area and another two on the "A" bomb. Tactics vary from map to map but the basic premise remains the same.

Although the rules used will depend on the league a team plays in, there are a number of basic standards that change very little. Round time is usually close to two minutes, giving teams a chance to switch between all-out rushes and slow advances. The bomb timer is set between forty-five seconds and one minute, meaning the defenders still have a good chance to re-take the bomb site and pull off the defuse. The standard team size is five players, although 4v4, 3v3 and 2v2 are sometimes also played.

Assault Weapons

M4 Carbine: A great gun for beginners and similar in many ways to the M4 in Counter-Strike. Easy to control and fully automatic, the M4 Carbine is a popular choice at all levels of play. The only weakness is perhaps the lack of damage given out compared to the weapons below, but it's ease of use more than makes up for this.


AK-47: Another popular choice, the AK-47 is again reminiscent of it's Counter-Strike equivalent and is a common sight on the battlefield. Increased recoil makes this gun slightly harder to control than the M4, but those who master it will be rewarded with increased damage and effectiveness - especially at close to mid range.

M16A4: A rarer choice than the other two assault weapons but equally useful when deployed correctly, the M16 can prove a valuable asset to any team. It's three-round burst of fire separates it from the AK and the M4, making the M16 an ideal long range choice, perhaps to cover a cross or choke point.


Sub-Machine Guns

MP5: The basic SMG, the MP5, is a fearsome asset at close range while remaining useful at distance. The MP5 is a very common sight in competitive play these days and is an ideal choice for a fast-paced attacking player. Increased run speed is another benefit of opting not to take a sniper rifle or assault weapon.


AK-74u: The AK-74u might look small but it certainly packs a punch. Even more powerful at close range than the MP5, this mini AK's only weakness is at medium and long range. Ideal in certain situations but tough to get the most out of, the AK-74u remains a popular choice.


Sniper Rifles

M40A3: Although some players prefer the R700, the M40A3 is by far the most popular sniper rifle. Despite not being quite as powerful as in Call of Duty 2, the sniper remains a valuable tool on many maps in Call of Duty 4. Close range effectiveness is particularly decreased, with pulling off a "no-scope" a tough task nowadays.