By now you must have some understanding of Battle Royale games and the dangers that lay within the confines of the map. Not just opposing players, not just terrain dangers and traps, but also the map itself. Each of the current battle royale games out there have their own dangers. Warzone is no different with the incoming storm of gas.

In this guide, we are going to talk about the best strategies to use the gas to your advantage, how to survive exposure, and how to use it as a weapon. Lastly, we will be covering the advanced strategy of “rotating” with the zone.

For those of you that may be entirely new to Warzone, you may be asking yourself: what is the gas? It’s a barrier that moves inward, gradually creating less of a distance between players. If you get caught inside the gas, the barrier will cause you to take periodic damage until you are dead.

First thing to remember is to not freak out. The gas will not kill you instantly. Though it may seem like the best idea, don’t start sprinting just to make it into the safe zone immediately. This will put you at a disadvantage when encountering enemy players, especially if they are waiting for people to run out into the open to get inside of the gas.

You have to be smooth, calculated, and think on the fly as you prepare yourself for whatever may be in the next house, around the next corner, or coming out of the gas guns blazing!

Moving Zones

Generally, the main strategy is to stay within the safe zones and avoid exposure to the gas. But just like making it to dinner with your significant other’s parents, things can get in the way. So here are a few ways to make it less stressful when moving to (or with the safe zone).

Find a gas mask. In Warzone, you can find and equip a gas mask that will protect you from damage for several seconds when you are within the gas.

Track the zones. Each zone has a timer that will tell you when it starts to close and when it has finished closing (until a few minutes later). Keep an eye on those timers, as well as the minimap (which by now should be a square instead of circle if you followed our last tips and tricks article) so that you can maximize what you can see. By keeping an eye on the map, you can track your distance from the next safe zone.

Learn the maps and know your routes. After you play the maps a few times, you should start getting some familiarity with the routes that will take you to specific areas. Knowing these routes will allow you to avoid any obstacles that can get in your way to the safe zone (should you be caught in the gas).

Know how fast you can run or drive. Now that driving vehicles is a thing in almost all battle royale games, you should become familiar with using vehicles and routes to get to the safe zones. When you can, it's important to know how each of the vehicles handle, especially when considering terrain challenges. You can safely extract yourself or your team to the zone in a short period of time with the use of vehicles!

Remember, the safe zone is not the safest place, especially at the border of the gas. Some squads may be using the safe zone as a weapon to kill teams rotating out of the gas. Watching and waiting for slow players who have suffered damage from the gas is definitely a popular strategy amongst defensive players. Always enter the safe zone from the gas carefully and always check surrounding structures for glints or enemies in windows. Then, if you are safe, you can visit buy stations or restock on gear.

Lastly, as you find yourself in the final safe zone, make sure to set up with opportunity for coverage. Put yourself in a safe spot, watch your teammates backs, and keep an eye out for incoming enemies. My recommendation is that if you see a lot of people fighting, consider using the line from the Godzilla movie, “let them fight”. Keep out of it, let them take each other out, and then pick up the scraps. Cowardly? Not really. Strategic? Definitely.

Using the gas as a weapon

Some players are confident enough to use the barrier as a strategy (or even as a weapon). If you know what you are doing and can execute your plan, you can take out a squad or a player before your own life runs out.

Another thing to consider is that after the fourth ring closes, the Gulag will be also. Use this to your advantage because it will be a lot harder for your enemies to bring back fallen squadmates, so they may try and play a bit safer.

If your enemies need to buy back their team, they will be on the hunt for money to buy them back. If you really want to shut enemies out of revival, keep an eye on buy stations.

Cover & Concealment

The gas, which is not very transparent, can be used to cover your approach, your flank, or even your tracks while in combat with an enemy squad. If an enemy is within the safezone looking out into the gas, it is very difficult to spot enemies.

It can also be used to help you escape an altercation that you are not ready for or that you do not have the firepower to win. Maybe you need a few seconds for the rest of your squad to back you up in a firefight: just pop into the gas and wait for support! Be warned though: stay near the safe zone barrier in case you do not have a gas mask or the health to stay in the gas.

Rotating with the Zone

Regardless of your intention in Call of Duty Warzone (whether that is to win or to just have high kill rates), one of the more intense and aggressive strategies that some elite players use is “rotating with the zone” which has three aspects to it.

1. Identify the next zone and the speed to get there
2. Calculate your movements and the movements of others while considering constants (terrain, structures, etc.) and variables (enemy, vehicles, etc.)
3. Execute your plan and adjust when needed

In order to take the most advantage of this strategy, there are a few factors that you need to consider. Know the map and use it. Though it sounds obvious, we cannot stress the importance enough. The map will give you very identifiable strategies based on where the next zone is moving and the terrain between you and safety.

To maximize your rotation strategy, you should try predicting how enemies will also rotate into safety. This will allow you to better position yourself for success when entering the next zone.

Another popular strategy is to complete recon contracts which reveal future safe zones. By completing multiple recon contracts, the final safe zone will eventually be revealed giving you the most opportunity for rotation and winning!

So, now you know how the elite players consistently get those wins. It may seem like they always know what is going on, but at the end of the day, they know the map and consistently strategize about rotating with the zones. With practice, you will be consistently winning too!

We hope that you learned some new skills here, and, if you happen to have any additional advice to offer, feel free to share them with us over on Twitter.

Next time you are playing Call of Duty: Warzone, don’t forget to put your GameFace on!