Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded update: Release date, Arms Race mode, new Ranked Play rewards, Zombies updates
Vanguard’s Season 2 update brought new maps, weapons, and Ranked Play. But that’s not all Sledgehammer Games have in store, as Season 2 Reloaded brings another major content drop. Here’s everything we know about Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded.
We’re almost halfway through Call of Duty: Vanguard’s second season, which brought new weapons, maps, and Ranked Play at last. That’s not all for Season 2 though, as the Reloaded update brings even more major additions to the game.
Here’s everything we know about Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded, including the release date, Arms Race mode, Ranked Play rewards, Zombies updates, and a new weapon.
Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded update release date
Players will be able to download Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded update on March 22, with the content going live following Warzone’s update on March 23 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 4 PM GMT.
This update brings the brand-new Arms Race mode, the Top 250 Ranked Play Skill Division, more Ranked Play rewards, and new Zombies content.
New Arms Race mode arrives in Vanguard Season 2
Call of Duty’s devs revealed that Vanguard will receive a new mode in the Season 2 Reloaded update – Arms Race.
Arms Race takes place on Alps, “the largest map in Vanguard set in Task Force Yeti’s main area of operations.” Fighting 12v12, players will “drop in across this alpine tundra,” and need to capture all bases to win.
Players can choose to deploy at any point that their team owns, or spawn on squad members. Plus, there will be Champion Hill-esque Buy Stations where you can purchase weapons, Field Upgrades, and Custom Loadouts.
Aside from its scale, what sets Arms Race apart is its vehicle play. Players will take control of the Motorcycle, CD12 Transport, and Tank to help their team secure domination. Players can get their hands on these powerful vehicles by purchasing them at friendly bases.
Arms Race will currently take place exclusively on the Alps map. This new large map was designed specifically for Arms Race with its “iced-over lake and mountainside fortresses.”
It is going to be the biggest map to hit Vanguard when the Season 2 Reloaded update content drops on March 23. Naturally, a large map means a large lobby so players will be split into two teams of 12. Each team will be tasked with capturing bases scattered across the map.
In total, Alps will feature seven bases, “By default, two out of the Alps’ seven potential bases will already be taken out of commission, making it a five-base fight for supremacy.” Captured bases can be used as spawn points, but players can also opt to spawn on fellow squad members.
Accumulating cash and purchasing weapons and equipment will be the key to success. Each friendly base will have several Buy Stations and they will function in a similar fashion to Champion Hill Buy Stations, “purchase weapons, equipment, Killstreaks, Field Upgrades, or even use your Custom Loadouts.”
A Custom Loadout will surely make your task easier so be sure to save up a considerable amount for one.
Vanguard Arms Race vehicles
In addition, cash can also be spent on vehicles which will make quickly traversing the large map easier. There are three vehicles with unique characteristics that Vanguard players will need to get accustomed to.
Motorcycle
This is the only vehicle that can be called in for free at any time throughout the match. The Motorcycle isn’t the sturdiest of vehicles but it sure is quick and it can seat one passenger in addition to the driver.
It is by far the fastest vehicle available in Arms Race and it will conform to your needs and change of strategy with one twist of the handle. The Motorcycle’s glaring weakness is its durability as it can be taken down quite easily by a wave of bullets.
Tank
As you might expect, the Tank is indeed the most expensive vehicle available to players. However, it is also the most powerful therefore saving up for a Tank is a calculated risk that could pay off as you use it to capture an enemy base.
Interestingly enough, the built-in weaponry is controlled by the driver which means the Tank is a one-person vehicle. What makes the Tank so special is its versatility as a weapon that can be used to defend your base or capture an enemy base.
CD12 Transport
This squad-friendly vehicle will transport one driver and three passengers to enemy bases. It isn’t as fast as the Motorcycle, but the ability to carry four soldiers will certainly help when engaging in gunfights as you get to your destination.
The CD12 will cost “a few hundred in-game Cash” so it’s still quite the bargain. The medium-sized vehicle will cause a large explosion when destroyed therefore it “may aid in destroying an enemy base’s gate.”
More Ranked Play rewards arrive in Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded
Ranked Play arrived in Vanguard at the beginning of Season 2, allowing players to play like the pros, climb through the Skill Divisions, and earn rewards to show off. There will be even more rewards to show off following Season 2 Reloaded.
Players can currently earn Calling Cards, Emblems, and an Operator Skin for Solange, but the devs confirmed they will be adding more rewards with Season 2 Reloaded.
The devs are adding one more Skill Division above Challenger called ‘Top 250,’ which shows all of the players in their own leaderboard – expect to see plenty of pros next to some top players you’ve never heard of.
Players of any Skill Division can also earn “two new Pro Issue Blueprints, two Weapon Camos, two Charms, an exclusive Spray and Sticker, and an animated Emblem awarded at the end of the Season based on your final Skill Division.”
Plus, “players can earn the Ranked Legend Solange Operator Skin by winning 25 games in the Master Skill Division or higher, and each Skill Division also has a Charm that can be earned by winning 10 games in that Skill Division.”
The devs are also reducing Skill Rating Restrictions, which you can check out below:
These are the current rules for SR restrictions:
- Players in Master & Challenger can only party up within 500 SR.
- Players in Expert & Elite can only party up within 1000 SR.
- Players below Expert can party up without restrictions.
… and these will be the updated rules going live with Season Two Reloaded:
- Players in Master & Challenger can form parties with players up to one adjacent Skill Division away.
- Players in Elite can form parties with players up to two adjacent Skill Divisions away.
- Players below Elite can party up without restrictions and can party with players who haven’t yet completed their Seasonal Skill Evaluation matches.
- Party Restriction rules are determined by the highest Skill Division represented in the party.
Vanguard Season 2 Reloaded Zombies changes
Although Vanguard players initially called the Zombies mode “embarrassing” for its lack of content, Treyarch have been building on the mode in each of the seasonal updates. It now has two maps, Wonder Weapons, and a Main Quest.
However, players have been desperate for the ability to pause the game, and the feature finally arrives in the Season 2 Reloaded update alongside new Covenants, a new Sacrifice Objective, and bug fixes.
New Vanguard Zombies Covenants
Vanguard Zombies Covenants are abilities players can purchase after completing objectives, and the Season 2 Reloaded update adds two more.
The Season 2 road map revealed that the Critical Expertise and Explosives Expert Covenants will arrive with the Season 2 Reloaded update. Critical Expertise increases the chances of a critical hit, and Explosives Expert does exactly what you’d expect, making your explosives more powerful.
You can check out both of the new Covenants and their abilities below:
Critical Expertise
- Noncritical hits have a chance to become critical hits. Critical kills with Death Blow equipped will return ammo.
- Rare: Noncritical hits have a 10% chance to be critical.
- Epic: Noncritical hits have a 20% chance to be critical.
- Legendary: Noncritical hits have a 30% chance to crit for 50% bonus damage.
Explosives Expert
- Your explosions do more damage to the enemy and less damage to you. Splatterfest and Energy Mine explosion damage is increased. Ray Gun splash damage is not affected.
- Rare: Your explosions do 50% more damage to the enemy and 50% less damage to you.
- Epic: Your explosions do 75% more damage to the enemy and 75% less damage to you.
- Legendary: Your explosions do 100% more damage to the enemy and 100% less damage to you.
Dedicated server pause arrives in Vanguard Zombies
Usually an expected feature, Vanguard players were shocked when Zombies launched without a dedicated pause button, however, it will finally arrive with the Season 2 Reloaded update.
The devs confirmed that “Players in Solo matches and single-player Private matches will be able to pause for up to two hours collectively per match on dedicated servers, and can continue to pause indefinitely in Offline/Local matches.”
New Vanguard Zombies Sacrifice Objective & bug fixes
While details are sparse at the moment, the devs confirmed that Vanguard Zombies players will “take on the new Sacrifice Objective in “Der Anfang” for a wider variety of challenges to take on,” and Treyarch will detail additional bug fixes.
We can expect more information when the official patch notes drop ahead of Vanguard’s update on March 22 at 9 AM PT.
New weapon arrives later in Vanguard Season 2
While Vanguard Season 2’s Battle Pass added the KG M40 and Whitley, the Armaguerra 43 SMG is set to arrive alongside the Gustavo Dos Santos Operator in the Reloaded update.
The Armaguerra is described as a “very high rate-of-fire SMG” that’s “effective at short to medium range engagements.” However, they said that it has high recoil and low damage, so don’t expect to be beaming players across the map.
The devs have revealed that “The Armaguerra 43 can be unlocked in one of two ways: through an SMG-based challenge or via Store Bundle to be released later this season.”
Source: Call of Duty blog
Warzone’s Battle Royale & Vanguard Royale modes merging in Season 2 Reloaded update
Vanguard Royale has been a fan-favorite addition, especially with the changes made in Warzone Pacific Season 2. However, Raven have confirmed that Vanguard Royale won’t return after the Reloaded update, with the devs merging Battle Royale and VG Royale together.
Warzone’s Vanguard Royale offered players a purely WW2 experience, removing modern equipment such as Heartbeat Sensors and only allowing players to use Vanguard guns. Raven Software made changes to separate it from regular Battle Royale in Season 2, increasing the health to 150 and removing UAVs for a few weeks.
Many prefer Vanguard Royale thanks to these changes, but it will be disappearing after the Warzone Season 2 Reloaded update. Raven Software will be merging Vanguard Royale with Battle Royale to create a single experience.
Warzone Pacific Season 2 Reloaded is set to make even more major changes to CoD’s battle royale, with Gas Masks no longer making you fall to your death and Rebirth Reinforced bringing new POIs to Rebirth Island.
Although Vanguard Royale has been a huge success, Raven Software said that they “don’t want two different communities playing two different battle royales.” They explained that Vanguard Royale was an experimental mode, but “now it’s time to take the best of both and make one mode.”
Vanguard Royale will disappear from playlists alongside the Season 2 Reloaded update, where there will just be ‘Battle Royale’ with all squad sizes.
They haven’t revealed all of the Vanguard Royale features that will hit Battle Royale, but we know that the 150 HP will arrive, as well as Big Game Bounties and new Public Events such as the Restock event.
Rebirth Reinforced release date
The devs have stated that the new Rebirth Island map will arrive on March 23 with the Warzone Pacific Season 2 Reloaded update. Expect the update to go live at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 4 PM GMT on all platforms.
When Warzone Season 2’s roadmap was released prior to the new season’s major update, Rebirth Island fans were drawn to the mention of map changes and it seems like the wait is almost over.
Rebirth Reinforced new POIs
Thanks to Beenox and Raven Software, players will receive an updated version of Rebirth Island. The devs have used player feedback to tweak the Rebirth map and there are bound to be some exciting new POI additions.
Rebirth Reinforced Stronghold POI
What Rebirth Island fans knew as Security on the southern tip of the island will soon be known as Stronghold. The new POI seems to have a long road that leads up to a fortress-like building which explains the name Stronghold.
Given how isolated the area is and how there’s really only one way to reach the rear position, it will likely prove to be a difficult area to infiltrate. On the flip side, the power positions could prove to be excellent as enemies funnel up the stretched road to reach you.
Rebirth Reinforced Docks POI
Another interesting addition is the inclusion of the Docks POI. Although Rebirth Island had a Dockside area, we can clearly see that Rebirth Reinforced has a vital Docks POI on the West side of the map.
Of course, the standout feature of this new POI is a massive boat that could be seen on the image of the map. Interestingly enough an identical boat can also be found on the East side of the map near the Factory POI.
Aside from new POIs, players could expect various cosmetic changes, “Head to the main Prison Yard to see it partially reinforced and the construction materials being used on it, which can be used as cover or as platforms for jumping onto the guard wall walkways.”
Rebirth Reinforced features
Weapon Trading Station
What are Weapon Trade Stations in Warzone?
Weapon Trade Stations are a new feature in Warzone Pacific Season 2, arriving as part of the new Rebirth Island Reinforced map.
These new Weapon Trade Stations allow players to “give up their weapon in exchange for one of lesser quality plus additional items, depending on the original weapon’s rarity.”
The devs explained that players can get “Cash, equipment, Armor Satchels, Self-Revive Kits, Killstreaks… or even a Specialist Token,” so it’s well worth trading in any Epic or Legendary weapons you’re not interested in using.
How to unlock Weapon Trade Stations in Warzone
Warzone’s Weapon Trade Stations won’t be available in Rebirth Island immediately after the update. Instead, players need to unlock them through the Rebirth Reinforced Event’s Community Challenges.
The first of these Community Challenges will unlock the Weapon Trade Stations, where players need to achieve a certain amount of kills in Rebirth Island Reinforced. The amount hasn’t been specified yet, but if the kills are achieved, “those who participated will automatically receive 25,000 XP and unlock the use of Weapon Trade Stations on the island.”
Redeploy Balloons
By now, most Warzone players are familiar with Redeploy Balloons thanks to Caldera and they’ll be making their way to Rebirth Reinforced as well. We already know that Redeploy Balloons are excellent tools for repositioning across the map.
With the prison island being so small it will be interesting to note how they’re used in comparison to the massive battlefield of Caldera, “with a shorter ascender cable to properly balance how much ground one can cover with them across the island.”
Rebirth Reinforced modes
Rebirth versions of Payload and Blood Money will be coming to Rebirth Island as the devs believe it’s a good fit for the small map. Blood Money is a Plunder-like mode that provides players with “a significant payout for Kills even if their target has little to no money on them”. this is likely going to be a great mode for grinding weapon levels.
Meanwhile, the Payload mode will task players with either escorting or attempting to stop an armored truck on Rebirth Island. Players will be split up into two 12 vs 12 teams in order to complete the objective.
Finally, players will also receive Rebirth Resurgence Solos which will allow them to test their skill alone. “In this Solo variant, Operators will have their Rebirth meter already activated. This means they will have a free life before needing to earn score for additional respawns”
At the start of Warzone Season 2 Reloaded, players will be treated with the Rebirth Reinforced Event. You will have the chance to earn a Legendary LMG Blueprint, a ton of XP, and more new features. One of these features is the previously mentioned Weapon Trade Stations which will be active during the Rebirth Reinforced Event.
The devs have promised Community Challenges that players will work towards, “The first of these is just earning kills on the island. If the entire community earns enough kills following the update, those who participated will automatically receive 25,000 XP and unlock the use of Weapon Trade Stations on the island.”
Not a lot is known about all the Warzone Changes, but one other is the addition of Portable Buy Stations.
The Warzone Pacific Season 2 Reloaded update has officially been announced, and as well as changes to Rebirth Island and player health, players will also be getting a new way to purchase items from the Buy Station.
As the Portable Decontamination Stations were such a hit, it seems the devs have decided to do something similar for Buy Stations.
During a call with CharlieINTEL, Raven Software revealed that players will be seeing Portable Buy Stations in a Warzone Pacific Season 2 Reloaded update.
Although this feature will not be available upon launch of the update, the devs have insisted that it will arrive “later in Season 2.5.”
These Portable Buy Stations could really change the dynamic of Warzone, especially since a big part of doing well in a match is safely visiting a Buy Station and being able to get what you need from it.
These Portable versions of the Buy Stations will allow players to purchase items on the fly, which means there won’t be as much danger in acquiring UAVs, Loadouts, or anything else that players may need in dire situations.
