Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II – Ground War Guide (Invasion)

The goal: This is war. A gigantic and chaos packed battle with a blend of player and ai fighting side by side and against each team.

Play / Mode Recon / Ground War Invasion

Mode Details

Mission Parameters

Welcome to Invasion, a new mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II that mixes player-controlled Operators and AI-controlled Combatants for a gigantic Deathmatch set across a sprawling battlefield. The only goal is to eliminate or be eliminated.

The game uses a frontline system to decide on respawns after the initial spawn. Instead of using a squad-spawn mechanism, the game will calculate the average player position for each team and utilize that to determine respawn.

In addition, as the scenario progresses toward its finish, JLTVs with.50 caliber turrets, killstreak crates, armored agents, and armored tanks enter the fray.

Scoring (Beta)

Operators earn points for their team by doing the following:

• 1 Point: Eliminating a Combatant
• 2 Points: Shooting down an enemy UAV or Counter-UAV
• 3 Points: Shooting down a VTOL Jet, Support Helo, or Chopper Gunner
• 5 Points: Eliminating an Operator, shooting down an enemy Gunship, or destroying an Operator owned or occupied vehicle.

Match Win Conditions

In Public Matches, the first team to reach a specific number of points — usually 2,000 — wins the match.

Main XP Gains

Achieve XP gains by doing the following:

• Eliminating Operators using a Loadout
• Eliminating large quantities of AI
• Capturing neutral Care Packages

Key Terms and Definitions

Combatants – AI-controlled characters that either work alongside Operators or on their own, non-Faction group. In Invasion, their elimination values are less than that of an Operator.

Topline Tactics

A winning Invasion player:

• Eliminates enemies, prioritizing Operators over Combatants.
• Pushes enemies back toward disadvantageous positions on the map.
• Is not afraid to pilot a vehicle (more on these in Vehicle Customization) to advance spawns forward.

Recruit Tactics

TIP: New Players Welcome!

Thanks to the inclusion of AI soldiers, AI is a fantastic game mode to play as an introduction to Ground War or online play in general. Move with your fellow Operators to eliminate these AI reinforcements — they are not worth as much as Operators, but this low-risk tactic is wonderful for training up to eventually graduate to eliminating Operators.

TIP: Safe Rather than Sorry

Getting a better respawn position for the squad seems great but risking 5 easy points for the other team is not. Newer players should try hanging back with fellow Operators and using that Loadout in its effective range rather than rushing straight through the frontlines and deep into enemy territory.

TIP: Intel Gathering

Handing your entire squad, a ton of intel on enemy Operator, vehicle, and Combatants is a great reason to run these two Killstreaks, especially as a newer player. Play methodically if you have trouble getting 4/5 Kills, use the Hardline Ultimate Perk as a boost toward them, and use them often for the entire team to reap the rewards of good intel.

Veteran Tactics

TIP: “Friendly” Care Packages

The periodic free Care Packages offer a double-edge opportunity: At first, it may be smart to see which Operators are trying to capture them, as they can be easy 5-point plays. No matter what, however, these packages should be more than just bait. If it’s safe to do so, check their contents and do not let items like Gunships, Chopper Gunners, and other score-boosting Killstreaks fall into enemy hands.

TIP: Field Upgrade XP

Certain Field Upgrades can be XP gold mines by targeting dozens of enemies rather than hitting the cap at six in core modes. Try flying Recon Drones around in open spaces to target tons of Operators or Soldiers, or try popping a DDOS in vehicle-heavy areas to wipe out multiple pieces of technology at once.

TIP: Launching a Comeback

Those looking for Launcher challenge completion or who like to use these Secondary equipment pieces should drop into Invasion. With plenty of vehicles and Killstreaks to shoot down — and even more that appear when on the losing team — an Operator with a Launcher can have a field day taking out all that technology. Just remember to have a Spotter to make it easier to find those vehicle and Killstreaks.

Prestige Tactics

TIP: Watch the Minimap

Operators, vehicles, and AI soldiers will flood the Battle Map. Having a general sense of where they all are can help you determine weak spots and flanking opportunities. Check the map frequently to see gaps in enemy lines to ultimately push through, especially after a UAV or another intel-gathering tool reveals player positions.

TIP: All-Out Assault

High-end Killstreaks, such as the Chopper Gunner and Gunship, can eliminate tons of Operators, Combatants, and vehicles in seconds. This encourages highly skilled players to shoot for these hard-earned rewards and use them to wipe the opposition. Adjust that Killstreak setup to something more ambitious, and you may just run the Invasion lobbies.

The Bottomline: Conclusion

1. Hold the Line. Move from HQ and work with the entire team to continue pressing that respawn line forward.
2. AI = Free Points? Each AI elimination is worth 1 point. Even if it won’t be as impactful as getting a 5-point Operator elimination, still take the time to mop up these additional foes.
3. Vehicular Tactics. Vehicles are enabled in Invasion — use them for quick movement and a fast way to rack up eliminations, if your team is behind.
4. Good Reconnaissance. Invasion is a relatively no-frills way to explore Batle Maps— just remember to eliminate or be eliminated.
5. Everything Isn’t Made Up. And the points do matter — remember that Operator eliminations are worth 5x that of AI eliminations and taking down Killstreaks or vehicles also earn score.

Invasion is a welcome first stop for new players or those looking to venture from 6v6 modes into Ground War. Grab the squad — whether you have two or 32 — and prepare to drop into a no-holds-barred massive Deathmatch!