Gun Game

Gun Game is a Wager Match game mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops and private match custom game mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The game consists of six players competing in a free-for-all-style game. Each player starts with a pistol; As players get more kills, the player will receive different weapons. Upon death by knife or suicide, the player goes down one weapon tier, but knife kills do not advance the killer to a new weapon. The first person to achieve a kill with all twenty weapon tiers wins. However, if the match ends without a kill with all twenty weapons, the player on the highest weapon tier wins the match.

Black Ops

 * 1) Python Speed Reloader
 * 2) Makarov Dual Wield
 * 3) SPAS-12
 * 4) Stakeout
 * 5) MP5K
 * 6) Skorpion Dual Wield
 * 7) AK74u
 * 8) M14
 * 9) M16
 * 10) Famas
 * 11) AUG
 * 12) HK21
 * 13) M60
 * 14) L96A1
 * 15) WA2000
 * 16) Grim Reaper (formerly RPG-7)
 * 17) M72 LAW
 * 18) China Lake
 * 19) Crossbow Explosive Tip
 * 20) Ballistic Knife

Modern Warfare 3 (Private match only)
(Note that the above order is the default Gun Game loadout only. In the Private Match options, other orders can be created. However, Attachments will be automatically assigned in a fashion similar to how the defaults are.)
 * 1) Desert Eagle Tactical Knife
 * 2) G18 Red Dot Sight
 * 3) MP9 Red Dot Sight
 * 4) MP5 Red Dot Sight
 * 5) P90 Red Dot Sight
 * 6) MP7 Red Dot Sight
 * 7) AK-47 Red Dot Sight
 * 8) SCAR-L Red Dot Sight
 * 9) PKP Pecheneg Foregrip
 * 10) MG36 Foregrip
 * 11) SPAS-12 Foregrip
 * 12) Model 1887
 * 13) Type 95 Red Dot Sight
 * 14) MK14 Red Dot Sight
 * 15) Barrett .50cal
 * 16) MSR
 * 17) XM25
 * 18) Javelin

Strategy

 * There are twenty weapons to get through and they are all varying levels of difficulty. Tiers 1-4 can be tough to get through at first due to the fact that the first tier, a Python with a Speed Reloader, can be tough to get kills with due to its arcing recoil, especially when other players have the higher tier weapons. As such, it is much more effective to hipfire it, rather than relying entirely on the iron sights.
 * The Makarovs are usually easy to progress from, but only attempt kills at close range.
 * The SPAS-12 is relatively easy to use - just get close, aim in the general direction of another player and rapidly tap the fire button.
 * The Stakeout is harder to use than the SPAS-12, as it is not semi-automatic, however it is one-shot kill at close range, as long as the player aims correctly. Using ADS is also useful as it tightens the spread of the shot.
 * The SMGs from weapon tiers 5-7 are a little more "rusher" friendly and can be easy to get kills with due to their high rates of fire and killing time. Use hipfire at close range and aim carefully at long range.
 * The Assault Rifles from weapons tiers 8-11 are more manageable to use and can be used at a variety of ranges. However, be cautious when receiving the M14 and M16 as these weapons are more suited for long range.
 * The LMGs from weapon tiers 12-13 are slightly tougher to use than other weapon tiers due to the fact that they slow down the player's movement speed and are very loud, so other players can hear them more than other weapons from previous tiers. They are also harder to use at range due to their recoil. Firing in bursts helps to counter this, and taking a position on high ground will allow players to take advantage of their long range and high power.
 * The sniper rifles from tiers 14-15 are arguably some of the harder weapons to use in Gun Game, especially on small maps such as Nuketown. It is not uncommon for players further back to catch up to the top players once they reach these tiers. Those currently using sniper rifles are best fighting at long range, at higher elevation.
 * For the snipers, It is advised to survey the map and pick out the high combat areas and then pick off other players from a distance. They are difficult to use mainly because it's more likely that unless the entire lobby of players are at a nearby level, the majority of opposing players will be carrying weapons better suited to close quarters engagement (the core of Gun Game).
 * This same strategy can be used for weapon tiers 16-20. In this group of weapons it is all about being at the right place at the right time. The weapons from this tier are considerably harder to use than other weapon tiers in the Gun Game due to their situational nature. Try to find a high-traffic area and remain hidden in cover.
 * Be cautious when using the Dual Wield weapons, the Skorpion and Makarov, as these limit the weapons' effectiveness at range. Closing the gap between your foe means a much higher chance of killing them, so stay close.
 * Players should be careful when trying to camp. This will both waste time and increase the chances that they will be knifed. In the Gun Game, the best way of winning is to engage the enemy in head-on combat. Being ready with the strategy with the next weapon class is also advisable.

Tips

 * While the knife can be useful for those who are out of the money, those in the money should refrain from using it, as it is a much better idea to get the weapon kills in order to advance and win the game. Obviously, if a player has progressed to Ballistic Knife or Crossbow, it would be almost essential to stab them in order to stop them winning the game.
 * Some players like to knife everyone once when they get the Ballistic Knife instead of go for the winning kill. The player should be cautious about these types of players, since they can demote people a lot and prevent them from winning the game, or being "In the Money."
 * On the same note, griefers often enter the Gun Game matches solely to knife and demote others regardless of the fact they will likely not advance tiers and lose their wager. With Modern Warfare 3, this could become even more common, given that there is no cost for losing and that the first weapon given is a Desert Eagle with Tactical Knife.

Trivia

 * David Vonderhaar, the design director for Treyarch, states that the idea for this game mode came "straight from the community," which was a thread created on their own Community Forums. Gun Game had an overwhelming demand from the majority of the community.
 * Gun Game was originally a modded game type for Counter-Strike, an immensely popular PC game.
 * In Black Ops, the only guns with attachments are the Python with Speed Reloader, the Dual Wield Makarovs and the Dual Skorpions. This is opposite in Modern Warfare 3, where almost all of the weapons have attachments.
 * Even though the icon for Gun Game is a Commando, it is not featured in the game mode.

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