Headquarters (game mode)

Headquarters (also known as King of the Hill) is a multiplayer game mode featured in all Call of Duty games following Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, as well as Call of Duty 2. In Headquarters, teams capture a set point in the map (the "headquarters") to gain points. It is one of the most popular game modes, as it offers experience per time that the headquarters is held, allowing for larger sums of points earned. Teams must coordinate a steadfast and solid defensive perimeter around a captured headquarters in order to hold it. In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops the headquarters is marked by a metal box with a computer on top; each game using slightly different representations. In Call of Duty: World at War a wooden table with a radio and helmet is used.

How it works

Victory

Points to win: 250 (200 in Modern Warfare 2)
Time limit: 15 minutes (20 minutes in Modern Warfare 2)

Team score

Capture an HQ: 5 points (50 in Black Ops)
Hold HQ: 5 points every 5 seconds (50 in Black Ops)

Individual score

Kill: 50 points* (5 points in Modern Warfare and World at War)
Assist: 20 points (1-4 points in World at War and 10-80 in Black Ops)*
Capture HQ: 20 points (250 points in Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops)
Destroy HQ: 15 points (250 points in Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops)
Hold HQ: 5 points each 5 seconds (10 points each 5 seconds in Modern Warfare 2 50 points each 5 seconds in Black Ops)

°Killing a player that is in the process of capturing a headquarters will yield double points. °Individual score values in Modern Warfare 2 are multiplied by ten (10)

How?

In order to capture the headquarters location, at least one player from a team must stay within a close proximity of the location; more players accelerates the rate at which the location is captured. Once a headquarters is captured, the defending team may not respawn. Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops feature activation delays, allowing each team to attempt to gain hold of the location before the headquarters may be captured for points.

Tips

Bring Bouncing Betties, Claymores and C4 - Bouncing Betties, Claymores, and C4 are very effective when defending a headquarters, many attackers will rush the location, making easy targets.

Teamwork is essential - The defensive nature of the headquarters game mode means that "lone wolf" tactics in use by the entire team is detrimental, many teams lose due to non-objective offensive tactics (going for kills rather than the headquarters). It should be noted that the use of such tactics by one or two players can be very useful, disorienting, frustrating and disrupting enemy cohesion.

Spray and pray - High-volume covering fire (spray and pray) can be very useful in capturing a headquarters, used in cooperation with rushing and various explosives, this tactic can clear up defenders for close-quarters fighting while stunned.

Explosives work - Defenders will almost always be enclosed behind cover; grenades and launchers of all sorts can be very effective in "softening up" the enemy for close-quarters, high-rate-of-fire and shotgun attacks.

Have Support Ready - For efficient protection of an HQ it's always good to know where the enemy's at. When capturing an open headquarters or defending, the UAV or Blackbird is essential; attacking a held location does not warrant either, most enemy players will be in the conveniently provided cover surrounding the location.

No care packages - Care Packages while defending a headquarters are a horrible idea, the defenders are incapable of respawning, many a care package have been lost after being called in by a defender.

Trivia

In Call of Duty 4, the laptops in Headquarters are the same as the pieces of enemy intel found throughout the single player campaign.

Headquarters Pro (Modern Warfare 2)

The Headquarters game mode in MW2 is somewhat modified from its predecessors. In HQ Pro, the Headquarters' location is marked but remains inactive for thirty seconds before it can be captured, giving both teams a fair chance to get into position. This was done to address the problems in the previous games, where oftentimes the team that captured the first Headquarters would win the game, given each HQ location after it is where they respawn. Additionally, the goal score is 200 instead of 250 in previous games. Also, once defending teammates are eliminated, they no longer score XP for themselves.

A Hardcore Ricochet mode is available for HQ; despite it being hardcore players respawn immediately (as long as they are not defending an HQ). If teammates are shot, the player takes the damage or dies, depending on the team damage inflicted.