Care Package

Care Package is a multiplayer killstreak reward in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

After achieving a killstreak of 4, (or 3 with the Hardline perk), the player will be given a special Smoke Grenade that emits red smoke. A helicopter drops a large crate at the point designated by the smoke. This crate can contain a full ammo restock, or any killstreak except Emergency Airdrop, a Tactical Nuke, or another Care Package. This helicopter can be shot down before dropping the care package, although it's relatively difficult to do so.

There were initially two major glitches with the Care Package, Sentry Gun, and Emergency Airdrop. While holding the smoke grenade, players would receive a large increase in movement speed, which was often combined with Marathon, Lightweight, and Commando for extremely fast knifing classes. The other glitch allowed players to have infinite smoke grenades to continuously call in whichever smoke grenade based killstreak reward they had. A patch to fix the problems was finally released on PC and PS3 on January 29, and on Xbox 360 on February 12.

Advantages and Disadvantages
Care packages are a gamble, while they may contain rewards which would otherwise require many more kills than the 4 required for a drop they may also contain less useful items including ammo resupplies. Data on the odds of the various care package rewards is available below and has been produced from the PC version it is assumed to be and highly likely that this hold for PS3 and Xbox360 versions some of the figures have been confirmed by Infinity Ward.

Care Packages are risky if playing on a small map such as Highrise, or Rust because of it's higher chances of it getting taken by an enemy or a teammate.

Opening care packages is almost instantaneous for the owner, however, any player may open the package (including enemies) although it will take 5 seconds.

The care package is heavy and will kill anyone it lands on or rolls onto. While this is a rare event, because care packages readily bounce off walls, the care package marker can be positioned to maximize the probability it will hit someone.

Care packages are dropped from above and so may land on structures rather than falling to the ground or otherwise accessible location, Underpass is notorious for this happening. As mentioned above care packages can be picked up by anyone it is therefore advisable that a isolated location is used to prevent this as the red smoke and radar will notify it's location to all players.

If the helicopter is shot down before the drop zone it will fall out where ever it is shot down, however shooting down Little Bird helicopters is very hard and provides no experience, and is therefore rarely done.

The player can kill an enemy with the care package marker by direct impact. Any kills attained through the Care Package killstreak does not count towards a player's killstreak, except if it lands or falls on an enemy, in which case that kill counts towards the killstreak of whoever called in the care package, and will also award that player the title "Droppin' Crates" if the kill is in the game winning killcam. Also, if on any prestige, killing an enemy by dropping a crate on them will give the player the title "Heads Up," regardless of whether it was in the game winning killcam or not.

Content Probabilities
The probability of any given item is as follows (according to PC code):
 * 14.78% - UAV
 * 14.78% - Ammo
 * 13.04% - Counter-UAV
 * 10.43% - Sentry Gun
 * 10.43% - Predator Missile
 * 9.57% - Precision Airstrike
 * 6.09% - Harrier Airstrike
 * 6.09% - Attack Helicopter
 * 4.35% - Pave Low
 * 4.35% - Stealth Bomber
 * 2.61% - Chopper Gunner
 * 2.61% - AC-130
 * 0.87% - EMP
 * 0% - Care Package*
 * 0% - Emergency Airdrop*
 * 0% - Tactical Nuke*

Figures confirmed by Infinity Ward are indicated by an asterisk (*).

Tips

 * Most players run to the edge of their team's side of the map (which is usually remote) and have the care package dropped in front of them. This ensures a long run for enemy players.
 * Calling in a drop is quite risky, it can get stuck on a roof when in confined quarters.
 * Be careful while picking up Care Packages, as enemies will often look for easy kills and a free killstreak reward when Care Packages are called in.
 * A Care Package can be used as bait during large firefights, in game modes such as Ground War as, all players attempt to gain an advantage over the opposing team.
 * Also, be careful of standing near the smoke since the crate can actually kill the player if it lands on him/her. They also have a tendency to roll downhill, so always stay uphill when waiting for it.
 * While waiting, go in a confined space and come out after the crate has been dropped.
 * Care Packages can smash through glass, which is useful when indoors, especially on Terminal when the other team controls the tarmac. This is also particularly useful on Highrise when in the US Army office.
 * Look up before throwing the care package marker to make sure there is nothing above the marker that the package will get stuck on, especially the map, "Underpass." is quite notorious for this.
 * If a UAV or Counter-UAV is dropped, leave it for a teammate as this will award the "Share Package" XP bonus while having the exact same effect, as UAVs and Counter-UAVs apply to the whole team.
 * Deploy Care Packages when a Counter UAV is jamming the opposing team or a UAV is scanning. If the UAV is up, the player can be alerted while trying to collect the crate, unless someone has cold-blooded equipped. If a Counter UAV is up, then the enemy will have trouble finding where you dropped it unless they happened to stumble upon your site\.
 * It's often a good idea to wait until there are teammates nearby to drop a Care Package, as they have a chance to get it before the enemy in the event of getting killed.
 * While the player who drops the Care Package can't add to their killstreak with it, if a team mate picks up the package, it counts to theirs.
 * A tactical Insertion is handy in case the player is killed. Once the player respawns, they can attempt to kill the enemy before the care package is stolen.
 * Be careful holding on to Care Package Markers. It can be beneficial to carry them until especially needed, but can also be harmful; the game can end before the Care Package is retrieved, or before the awarded Killstreak is used to its full potential. Keep an eye on the scores and the time. Make full use of every Care Package and Killstreak. They can mean the difference between winning and losing a game.
 * Drop a crate where the action is away. This reduces the chances of getting killed and robbed of rewards.
 * Sometimes the player will die with two or more Care Packages, if the player is in a safe area, away from all the carnage, the player can call in both packages at the same time and collect and use both without having to wait for the package to be delivered.
 * If you want to kill an enemy using a care package, use it on someone who is looking through a sniper scope or in an enemy controlled killstreak.
 * Be sure to sit in a safe place when waiting for your Care Package, since your enemies always will be looking for you to kill and steal the Care Package.

Tips on Stealing Enemy Care Packages

 * A good class for being a Care Package thief is to have Marathon in your class and a submachine gun for high mobility, such as the Mini Uzi.
 * Cold-Blooded Pro is also recommended, when traveling in a high plant area, you can be easily masked.
 * Stay away from all the action, you are more likely to get killed trying to go headfirst into the enemy front.
 * Light a tactical Insertion near where enemies like to drop their crates, you will have much less time to run back, plus the enemy will likely not suspect you for a while allowing an easy kill.
 * Don't collect the crate as soon as the original player dies, there could be his teammates lurking and waiting for you to show up.
 * If you get killed trying to get the reward, you can look on the Killcam to see what reward it is. Typically it is a UAV or extra ammo, not worth going for.

Trivia

 * If you get a Sentry Gun, you will get it right out of the box instead of having to pop another smoke like the regular Sentry Gun killstreak.
 * There is no way of getting a Tactical Nuke, Emergency Airdrop, or another Care Package in a Care Package, except through the use of modifications (see next bullet).
 * Nukes were available in care packages through a mod which has since been patched for PC. An Xbox 360, and PS3 patch has yet to be released. When seen in care packages it was called nuclear strike which was the original name for a Tactical Nuke. It was an infection mod meaning if a player was to host the next match care packages would have Nukes in them. Players also made the mod so care packages only had the higher killstreaks in them (e.g Harrier, Pave Low, AC-130, Chopper Gunner etc.)
 * The care package emblem shows the packages falling with parachutes attached, although in the game no parachutes are seen. This is probably to save time in the packages falling, and the parachutes shown to make a point they were in mid air, in the emblem.
 * Any kills scored through the reward gained from a Care Package will not count towards earning additional killstreaks (with the exception of getting a Sentry Gun or Pave Low in a care package before the player has died a single time). However the Care package can add kills towards killstreaks if it crushes a hostile player by landing on him.
 * Though a difficult feat due to the small amount of time it spends on the map, the care package delivery helicopter can be shot down. However, no points are awarded to the player that manages to do so, but will count toward challenges that involve destroying killstreaks (I.E. Cold Blooded Pro). Care package delivery helicopters can also be shot down before they drop their load. This feat is most easily pulled off if the player positions himself on a high area with a full 360 degree, unobstructed view of the skies. The player will need to pay close attention to his map and respond quickly to the incoming delivery helicopter. If lucky, the delivery helicopter will take a longer route than normal and cross over more of the map than necessary before dropping off its care package. This gives the player an opportunity to shoot it down. When shot down with the care package still attached, the care package detaches from the helicopter and falls down. No points are awarded for this either. Having to concentrate on this one task ruins your game however, and since there are no awards it is usually never attempted by anyone. However if an EMP is detonated while the Little Bird is in the air it will be destroyed.
 * Like Tactical Insertion, the player can choose to forgo using the package, and instead use it as bait for ambushing an unsuspecting enemy. However, the player may be killed by the intended victim(s), who may then take the package for themselves, or even teammates might steal the package.Care_Package.gif
 * A player can be killed if the care package hits them when coming down.
 * If you call in 50 Care Packages, you get an emblem with a Care Package on it; the parachute is visible.
 * The killstreak icon for the Care Package sees it dropping down with a parachute attached. However in game the Little Bird drops it straight down with no parachute.
 * The radius from which players can open a care package actually forms a sphere - allowing some lucky players to capture a care package from underneath it. This can commonly be done in maps like Favela, where Care Packages can land on roofs or other structures.
 * It is generally inadvisable to use the Care Package killstreak on Hardcore game types, as particularly malicious teammates will simply kill the player and steal the package (Unless playing on one of the "Ricochet" game types). This is even more applicable towards Emergency Airdrops for the same reason.
 * A player cannot survive being crushed with a package even if the care package hits their riot shield.
 * It is generally frowned upon attempting to take a teammates care package unless they are killed before capturing it.
 * There is a nice tactic for safely obtaining the Care Package. When the player throws a marker, he or she should deploy a Tactical Insertion near it. Thus, if they are killed by the enemy, they will respawn near the Package, with high chances of killing a foe and obtaining ammo or killstreak.
 * There is a Challenge to be completed when later unlocked under Finishing Moves to drop a care package on a hostile and winning the match as per last kill.
 * If one knifes an opponent while the care package canister is in hand, the knife will still knife, but make a different noise, noticeably softer than the normal knife sound. It sounds very much like the melee sound from Call of Duty 2. (NOTE: This has been patched. It used to increase running speed and you were generally harder to hit. Now you actually use your knife, and you run your normal speed).
 * Care packages carry on to new rounds in gametypes like Capture the Flag, Search and Destroy and Demolition. Remember to watch the timer to see if there is enough time for you to retrieve your care package. If you do not have enough time save it till the next round.
 * When a player knifes while holding a care package, they bend over in a strange way.
 * The challenge "Droppin' Crates" (Obtain the Game Winning Kill by dropping a crate on an enemy) is a possible reference to the song "Droppin' Plates" by Disturbed.
 * There is a glitch where a Care Package cannot be called in. (Confirmed on PC)
 * Care Packages are indestructible, therefore they can make good cover provided no-one tries stealing it.
 * There is a small glitch where if you throw the care package as soon as the match ends you don't get XP for throwing it even though the Little Bird delivers the package.
 * Care Package is probably not original name of this killstreak: there was Little Bird and Airdrop killstreaks, but they was cut and their effects are unknown.

Video
thumb|350px|left|A user-made montage on care packages.