Wardogs has been released into early access on PC. This is a large-scale tactical warfare game, where you can play various roles in order to help your team score enough points to reach a victory. In this guide, we’ll explain how matches of Wardogs are played and how you can earn points for your team.
Wardogs matches explained
This game features matches with large teams fighting for control of a circular “Control Zone” designated on the map. The goal is to have your team hold the majority in this zone in order to score points. About every 30 seconds, the team with the most players in this Control Zone will earn one point, and the first team to 100 wins.
This sounds simple enough, but there is an additional moving “Hot Zone,” which is highlighted in yellow on the map. Each player standing in the Hot Zone counts as two players toward the score, offering teams a way to quickly swing control in their favor if they can get players into this smaller zone.
Controlling towers on the map can also help your team secure a path to victory, and we’ll explain more about them below.
Wardogs features a massive map with sandbox-style gameplay, so there are many ways you can help your team secure the zone and the win.
Money system and loadouts
Matches feature an in-game money system, and you’ll use this cash to purchase weapons, supplies, vehicles, and equipment for each life. Yes, you lose everything when you die. This means you’ll purchase a custom loadout for each life, but you’ll keep your cash earned between matches.
You’ll begin your very first match with $10,000, but it won’t take you long to start building up better funds to work with. As you level up, you’ll unlock better guns, armor, vehicles, and equipment. This will become crucial to you and your team’s success.
Wardogs towers explained
Each match of Wardogs will include locations marked on the map with an icon, and this is a square symbol with something that looks like a screw. These towers start out marked white, which is an unclaimed tower. The icon will change to a team’s color once it’s gained control of the area.
These towers usually offer a good vantage point on the map, and it can also be beneficial to build a FOB (Forward Operating Base) here for better control.
To claim control of a tower for your team, you’ll need to head to the upper floor and interact with the tower’s PC terminal. You’ll need to stand by the terminal to hack the tower, so it’s helpful if you have teammates nearby to protect you. You’ll also want to set up defenses here, as opposing teams can try to overpower you and gain control for themselves.
The biggest advantage of tower control is that each one will give you a single digit number, and if your team is strong enough to capture all four, you’ll have the four-digit secret code (randomized each match) to input at the terminal. This will allow your team to pull the Hot Zone to one of the towers you control, giving you a strategic advantage in the game. Of course, taking this route means you’ll want to have some pretty good defenses, so make sure you build and fortify the area well.
Holding towers and FOBs don’t count any extra toward your team’s points, but having these locations can help give you the positioning, extra equipment, and control to achieve a match win.
How to help your team win
One of the great things about Wardogs is that you don’t have to be good at getting kills in order to level up and be useful to your team. This isn’t like a Team Deathmatch mode found in many other first-person shooters, where you can be a hindrance if you’re just dying and not getting kills. Wardogs offers you several roles you can play to work towards a win, and all of these will reward you with cash and XP.
We have a complete guide to all the roles you can play in Wardogs. All skill tracks in the game can play a critical role towards success, but some of the most vital are medic, support, pilot, and driver.
A support role is a good place to start if you aren’t someone who isn’t going to be slaying out for kills in the Control Zone. Your team will need secure bases for FOBs and towers, and you can grab a hammer and start fortifying these areas. Support also includes repairing vehicles and delivering supplies.
Dying and respawning takes you away for precious time that you could be spending in the Control Zone, so if you have teammates near you, wait and see if they can revive you. This will let you keep your gear, as well as keep you in the fight. You can even bribe players with cash to incentivize them to pick you up.
Flying isn’t easy in Wardogs. If you’re wanting to be a pilot, make sure to check out our guide on how to fly in Wardogs, so you can master the controls.
For other tips, check out what to do if your parachute isn’t working, and how to fix Wardog’s WD-L014 error code.
