Wardogs has entered early access, offering players a tactical warfare experience centered around team-based objectives rather than strict class roles. Success in Wardogs hinges on understanding how to level up various skill tracks and strategically controlling key map areas to achieve victory.
Skill Progression in Wardogs
Wardogs features six distinct skill tracks: Assault, Medic, Recon, Support, Driver, and Pilot. Players earn experience points (XP) by performing actions relevant to each track, allowing for flexibility in progression. Unlike games with fixed classes, Wardogs enables players to level multiple skills within a single match by engaging in various role-specific activities. The sum of these skill levels contributes to an overall player level, which unlocks new equipment such as ammo types, armor, and other items.
Leveling Specific Skills
The Assault track is advanced by achieving kills and assists. Leveling this skill grants access to more assault rifles and their attachments.
The Medic track rewards players for reviving and healing teammates. Equipping bandages is crucial for generating cash and XP through healing. Reviving teammates is essential, as self-revives do not count. The Medic track offers unlocks like more efficient medical gear, including defibrillators and medical bags, as well as optic attachments and tactical smoke grenades. A free one-time-use Field Resuscitator can be acquired from the vendor at the start of a match for quick revives.
Recon is leveled by spotting enemies and their vehicles with binoculars. Additional XP is awarded if a spotted target is eliminated by a teammate. This track benefits players who favor sniper and stealth playstyles, providing access to better rifles, attachments, and bipods. Lethal equipment such as claymores and a ghillie suit can also be unlocked.
The Support role involves building defensive structures at Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), repairing friendly vehicles, delivering supplies, and destroying enemy vehicles and FOBs. Players earn significant cash and XP through these actions. Leveling the Support skill unlocks improved tools like efficient drills and heavy-duty hammers, as well as launchers for destroying enemy assets. Building and fortifying towers and FOBs are crucial for team control.
The Driver track awards XP for transporting players and supplies into control zones using various vehicles. This role is continuously in demand due to player respawns. Kills earned by either the driver or gunner in combat vehicles also grant Driver XP. Progression in this track unlocks resupply crates, additional vehicle types, and new music tracks for in-vehicle enjoyment. Drivers can also contribute to the Support role by delivering supplies to FOBs.
Pilots are vital for rapid transportation of players and supplies, offering a quick route into the control zone. Similar to the Driver role, the Pilot track provides access to supply crates, music tracks, and new helicopter types, some of which are designed for combat while others prioritize transport. The Z20 Lakota helicopter, for instance, can carry two crew members and up to 11 passengers. Pilots can also combine their role with Support by delivering supplies to FOBs, which can be a lucrative method for accumulating in-game cash.
Achieving Victory in Wardogs
Matches in Wardogs revolve around teams competing to control a circular "Control Zone." The team that maintains the majority of players within this zone earns one point approximately every 30 seconds, with the first team to reach 100 points winning. A dynamic "Hot Zone," marked in yellow on the map, doubles the score contribution of players within it, allowing for rapid shifts in control.
Towers and Strategic Control
Key locations on the map are marked by tower icons. These towers begin as unclaimed (white) and change color to signify team control. Towers offer advantageous vantage points and are ideal locations for building FOBs. To claim a tower, players must interact with its PC terminal on the upper floor, requiring protection from teammates during the hacking process. Each controlled tower provides a digit, and capturing all four towers allows a team to input a randomized four-digit code to manipulate the Hot Zone's location, granting a significant strategic advantage. While holding towers and FOBs does not directly award points, they are instrumental in securing positioning and equipment needed for victory.
The Wardogs Economy and Loadouts
Wardogs features an in-game money system where cash earned is used to purchase weapons, supplies, vehicles, and equipment for each life. All purchased items are lost upon death, requiring players to customize loadouts for every respawn. Cash earned persists between matches. Players begin with $10,000 and can accumulate more to unlock progressively better gear as they level up. This economic system and loadout customization are crucial for team success. While combat prowess is valuable, Wardogs emphasizes that players do not need to be exceptional killers to contribute; various roles are essential for achieving victory.