Verdansk (Cyrillic: Верданск) is a major city in Kastovia, a fictional country featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Verdansk serves as a playground for the Special Ops Operations and Ground War maps as well as the Battle Royale and Plunder mode of Call of Duty: Warzone.
History
After the Cold War, Russia and the Western nations worked together to rebuild Verdansk.
On October 24th, 2019, CIA Officer "Alex" and several US Marines were deployed in Verdansk to confirm the presence of chlorine gas inside a depot and prevent the forces of Russian general Roman Barkov from sending the gas to Urzikstan. The gas, however, was stolen during the mission by a group of insurgents led by Hadir Karim.
On March 3rd, 2020, the terrorist organization Al-Qatala, under the leadership of Khaled Al-Asad, and heavily supplied by Imran Zakhaev, invaded Kastovia and launched a full-scale assault against Verdansk, occupying the city and its surroundings. A new alliance, Armistice, was formed to stop Al-Qatala and prevent it from pushing through to Urzikstan.
Several Operations were mounted to find, fix and finish off high-value targets of Al-Qatala's network in Verdansk with the purpose of stopping and crippling the organization access to weapons, funds, intelligence and hardware. These missions were carried out by the Arm-4 team.
As Armistice launched its Operations, people were held hostage inside the BCH4 TV Station. As his men were gathering the civilians, Al-Asad watched a skirmish between the Coalition and the Allegiance in Urzikstan over a cargo chopper carrying chemical weapons, derived from Barkov's chlorine gas, en route to Verdansk. Al-Asad reassured his men, stating they had plenty more gas.
Sometimes after the Operations were conducted, a massive cloud of toxic gas was released by Al-Qatala upon Verdansk, leading Armistice operatives to fight among themselves to survive. Inside the city, lieutenant Simon Riley, member of the Task Force 141, started an investigation of the situation requesting Task Force 141 leader, captain John Price, to send him fighters he could trust to assist him.
Geography and Infrastructures
Verdansk is surrounded by mountains with Arklov Peak located in the north-west of the region. Two rivers run through the city, the Gora River in the east and the Karst River in the west. Both rivers flow into the Kastovian Sea in the south. An upstream dam, the Gora Dam, was built upstream of the Gora River, creating an artificial lake.
Verdansk is divided into five main sectors with each sector divided into multiple zones containing several landmarks and points of interest in the region.[1]
North
The northern part of Verdansk is divided into five difference zones, from A to E. The western zone features the Gora Dam and its frozen lake as well as the Gora River also frozen. The Arklov Military Base is also located in the northern part of the city with a spomenik located south of the base. The massive quarry is located on the most western zone next to the Karst River.
Gora Dam (Zone 1A)
The Gora Dam is a massive dam located in the north of Verdansk, the artificial lake created by the dam is currently frozen as the rest of the Gora River downstream. The dam is accessible by two main entrance, west and east. A fire station is also located next to the dam.
A highway tunnel leading to the Verdansk Airport is located next to the dam. Two small villages are also located south of the dam, the Bloc 16 and Bloc 16, featuring few houses, hamlets, garages as well as a restaurant and a police station.
Jarvdinsk Spomenik (Zone 1B)
The Jarvdinsk spomenik is a large soviet monument looking like a pair of giant wings commemorating the lives lost locally in World War II[1]. In the north of the spomenik is located the Bloc 23 consisting of small villages and hamlets with a fire station.
The Riverside village is located in the south of the spomenik. The village features a police station as well as a small pharmacy, a elementary school and a restaurant. A small broken wooden bridge is also located next to the village and used to lead to the Bloc 16 village next to the Verdansk Airport.
Arklov Peak Military Facility (Zone 1C)
The Arklov Peak Military Facility is a small military base located in the north of Verdansk. The base was the first location to be attacked by Al-Qatala during its invasion of the city. The base features several warehouses and storage units as well as barracks and a training facility. The base also features a main hangar with five smaller ones and two runways blocked by dolosse. Two comms towers are also located in the base.
Karst River Quarry (Zone 1D)
The Karst River Quarry was established in 1961. Located next to the Arklov Peak Military Facility and the Karst River, it features a large gravel pit with an excavation site and refinery next to it. The quarry also features railroads and a train station part of the eastern railroad system of Verdansk connecting the quarry with the Lumber yard and the Port of Verdansk in the south. The railroad also offers a way out through the mountains in the north.
Lozoff Pass (Zone 1E)
The Lozoff Pass is a massive zone located south of the quarry and military base. It features a apartment block with a small bank, "Guns and Ammo" store and a Burger Town restaurant with an Auto Dealer next to the apartment block. A crashed plane can be found next to a small frozen lake north of the block.
The pass also features two small villages, Bloc 14 and Bloc 15, featuring small houses and a gas station. Two comms towers can also be found within the pass. In the south, one can find a abandonned camp for the World Humanitarian Project.
West
The western part of Verdansk is divided into eight different zones, from A to H. This sector is dominated by the Verdansk International Airport with a massive yard for airport maintenance located east of the airport. A superstore, the largest in Verdansk, can be found south of the airport with also a storage town next to it. A large aircraft boneyard is also located south of the sector.
Verdansk Airport (Zone 2A)
The Verdansk International Airport is located north of the West sector. The building is partly destroyed but still features several terminals and shops, such as pharmacies, coffee shop, clothing stores and jewelry shops.
A parking lot and skybridges can be found south of the aiport and a highway junction next to it leading to the Gora Dam in the north and the Storage Town in the south. Several apartments as well as a closed off subway entrance and a vehicle showroom are located east of the parking structure. A small park of beech and sycamore trees can also be found next to the skybridges with a statue of "The Mother of Verdansk" in its center[1].
A destroyed plane can be found outside the airport in the north near the two main runways and the control tower.
Airport Maintenance (Zone 2B)
The Airport Maintenance is located next to the airport and features several hangars and warehouses. There are also a police station and fire station as well as an electronics store. One can also find several water tanks and a comms tower.
Junkyard (Zone 2C)
The Junkyard is the western part of Verdansk and features a family-owned junkyard with a small homestead in the south. In the north, one can find a warehouse owned by the Gardar Shipment Company[1] with a wind farm next to it. A comms tower is also located in this zone.
Storage Town (Zone 2D)
The Storage Town is a large collection of 35 self-storage garages with six alleyways running north to south and three alleys running east to west. An old farmstead with two red silos is located next to the Town. One can also find a gas station and a Burger Town restaurant in the eastern part of the zone.
The destroyed Obrovnik Swimming Pool is located in the south of the Storage Town with a gas station next to it.
Atlas Superstore (Zone 2E)
The Atlas Superstore is a massive supercenter located south of the Airport and west of the Storage Town.
Verdansk Graveyard (Zone 2F)
The Verdansk Graveyard is surrounded by apartment complexes as well as warehouses and storage units. There are also a fire station, police station, gas station, pharmacy and a small bank located in the vicinity.
Torsk Bloc (Zone 2G)
The Torsk Bloc is a zone filled with tenement blocks next to a beech tree hill. The Bloc also features a Twin Apartment complex with a closed off subway entrance between the two complexes. One can also find a Burger Town restaurant and a "Guns and Ammo" store.
Zhokov Boneyard (Zone 2H)
The Zhokov Boneyard is located in the south of the West sector, it features several warehouses, storage and office buildings as well as a dilapidated gas station. The main feature of the zone are the dozens of airplane parts scattered around the boneyard with its central area called Scrapyard.
Southwest
The southwestern part of Verdansk is divided into five different zones, from A to E. This sector is dominated by the Verdansk Train Station and Hospital. Several promenades are also present in this sector with various housing buildings and stores. In the south of the sector, one can be found the Grazna Novi Hills with another spomenik located near the coastal line. A kart racing track can also be found in this sector on the western part.
Verdansk Hospital (Zone 3A)
The Verdansk Hospital is the main location of the zone, it's a large L-shaped building. Several apartments and barracks as well as some tents from the World Humanitarian Project can be found next to it. A Burger Town restaurant can be found close to the hospital. A Comms Tower as well as a small playground can be found in the northern part of the zone.
Verdansk Train Station (Zone 3B)
The Train station is the center of the railroad system in western Verdansk. It features a main platform with a west and east platform. Outside of the station, one can find a bus terminal next to a military checkpoint. A closed off subway entrance can also be found in front of the train station.
Barakett Promenade West (Zone 3C)
The Promenade West is located west of the Train Station and features several small marketplaces. A small bank and several housing blocks can also be found within the Promenade. A gas station and fire station are located in the northern part of the Promenade while a Burger Town and a second gas station are located in the southern part.
Barakett Promenade East (Zone 3D)
Unlike the west Promenade, the Promenade East mainly features apartement and housing blocks. The Promenade also features a school and library as well as a car showroom, gas station and a small bank. A ferris wheel can also be found on the eastern part of the zone with a closed off entrance for the Verdansk subway in the south.
Novi Grazna Hills (Zone 3E)
The Novi Grazna Hills is a massive zone located on the western coastline of Verdansk. It features various suburb houses and apartment blocks as well as a police station and a fire station.
The main landmark of the Hills is the Zozsni Spomenik in the south. A comms tower can also be found and a kart racing track is located in the western part of the zone.
Central & South
The central and southern sector of Verdansk is divided into five different zones, from A to E. This sector featured the heart of Verdansk, Tavorsk District with its governmental, economical and artistical districts as well as several housing buildings and hotels. This sector also featured a massive stadium and a large TV Station located north of Tavorsk. A park can also be found in the south which features a third spomenik.
BCH 4 TV Station (Zone 4A)
The BCH 4 TV Station is a massive building for the Verdansk News Service which provided "a dedicated trust team" to the locals before it was unceremoniously shut down and the news reporters "forcefully disbanded"[1]. Next to the station is a comms tower. The Grazna Bridge can be found west of the TV Station, leading to the Verdansk Hospital and the western part of Verdansk.
Bloc 6 (Zone 4B)
The Bloc 6 is a small suburbia located between the Grazna Bridge in the north and the Great Bridge in the south. It features a Burger Town next to a gas station but also a small pharmacy and auxiliary bank. A Sergio's restaurant is also featured in the center of the bloc with several other tenements and warehouses.
Verdansk Stadium (Zone 4C)
The Acropolis National Arena is a massive stadium located north of Tavorsk District. While the stadium itself and parking lots are closed off, several entries are featured all around it with small plazas. A fire station can be found next to it and a small fumigation warehouse is located north of the arena.
Tavorsk District (Zone 4D)
Tavorsk District is the center of Verdansk and its most urban part. Locked between the Gora River in the west and the Karst River in the east, Tavorsk features many housing buildings and apartements including several hotels such as the Hotel Volodymyr or the Hotel of the Art District. In the north of Tavorsk, one can find a soccer pitch as well as a police station. The Art District features an art school and several clothing stores and coffee shops as well as a tall hotel. This district is dominating by the Verdansk Museum of Contemporary Art, a massive art museum made in concrete which bear the scars of the Al-Qatala attack.
On the west side, one can find the entertainment district with several stores, pharmacies, coffee shops and public toilets. The BCH4's Downtown studio can also be found in this district. A construction site can be found south of this district.
In the center of Tavorsk is located a rotunda which served as the Parliament of Verdansk. Next to it are the SKN Comm broadcast tower, a small Burger Town and the Acropolis National Bank. A small square can be found east of the Parliament with a closed off entry of the Verdansk subway. North of that square is a roundabout with a small monument commemorating the lives of the soldiers who died during World War II.
In the south part of Tavorsk, one can find a post office and other government buildings as well as a the main pharmacy in Verdansk, the XK architect office, several shops and stores such as the Rothwynn-Donna Complex, housing buildings as well as a police station and a fire station.
Four bridges link Tavorsk with the rest of Verdansk. The Great Bridge in the north, the West Bridge in the west, the Gora Bridge in the south and the Tavorsk Bridge in the east, leading to the Port of Verdansk.
Tavorsk Park (Zone 4E)
The Varskaya Park[1] is a large park located south of Tavorsk District along the central coastline of Verdansk between the Gora and Karst rivers. It features a fountain with small kiosk as well as a Sergio's restaurant located in the center of a drained lake.
The Styor Spomenik can also be found within the park, the monument commemorates those lost in past conflicts[1]. A comms tower can also be found in the eastern part of the park.
East
The eastern part of Verdansk is divided into five different zones, from A to E. This sector features multiple farmlands which provided food for the city. A small rural village on the eastern side of the Karst River can be found in the north next to a lumber yard. The large port of Verdansk is located in the south. The coast line also features a massive castle turned into a prison complex.
Bloc 18 (Zone 5A)
The Bloc 18 is a small rural village located north of the eastern sector. The Road Bridge is located north of the village. The Bloc 18 also features a police station, fire station and "Guns and Ammo" store as well as a gas station. The Karst Bridge allows to cross the Karst River and access a small military checkpoint. A rail bridge is also located next to the gas station.
Gorengard Lumber Yard (Zone 5B)
The lumber yard, ran by the Gorengard company, is located north of the Krovnik Farmland. The lumber yard features a factory and several warehouses. The lumber yard also features a rail bridge and a dam for a small river coming from the east. An iron bridge can be found in the northeast allowing people to cross a small gorge. A train station and a water tower are located next to the lumber yard and a small fishing hut can be found on the other side of the Karst River. In the south, four small cottages can be found.
Krovnik Farmland (Zone 5C)
The Krovnik Farmland is the largest zone of the East sector. It features several plowed fields with the largest one in the eastern part of the farmlands. Several cattle farms, barns, hay storages and silos can also be found in the area. In the north of the farmlands are located three massive old wooden windmills. Pastures and a water tower can be found in the south part of the zone close to the prison complex.
Port of Verdansk (Zone 5D)
The City of Verdansk Port is a large port featured in the western part of the sector. It features many buildings and offices as well as massive cranes. The port is next to the Karst River with four massive metal flood gates separating the river from the Kastovian sea. In the south of the port, one can find a makeshift military camp made by the forces that rolled into Verdansk to protect it against the Al-Qatala attack. Next to the camp is the rail terminus which is the end of the eastern rail road.
Zordaya Prison Complex (Zone 5E)
The Zordaya Prison Complex is the largest landmark of the sector, located on the coastline. It started as a medieval castle before being turned into a prison complex for political prisoner and other criminals in the early 20th century with a Gulag control tower added in its center. The underground levels featured four showers with only one accessible. Several swamps are located west of the complex and on the eastern part, one can find a bunker and a hatch leading to it.
Gallery
Trivia
- The Verdansk International Airport is inspired by the Donetsk Airport which was destroyed during the War in Donbass. The Stadium is also inspired by the Donbass Arena. Furthermore, Verdansk is referred as donetsk in the Modern Warfare game files.
- Verdansk features several easter-eggs and references to the original Modern Warfare trilogy.
- A slightly modified version of Killhouse from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare can be found in Arklov Peak Military Base.
- The BCH4 TV Station is a reference to the TV Station featured in the campaign mission Charlie Don't Surf and multiplayer map Broadcast from Call of Duty 4.
- A slightly modified version of Vacant from Call of Duty 4 can be found within the Port of Verdansk.
- The swimming pool located south of the Storage Town is inspired by the Prypiat swimming pool featured in the Call of Duty 4 campaign mission One Shot, One Kill.
- Several Burger Town (Бургер Град) restaurants from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 can be found throughout Verdansk.
- The map Scrapyard from Modern Warfare 2 can be found within the Zhokov Boneyard.
- The Gulag featured in the south of Verdansk is based on the prison complex featured in the Modern Warfare 2 campaign mission, The Gulag.
- Alongside a new version, several Teddy Bears from Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 can be found throughout Verdansk.
- The destroyed plane outside the Verdansk Airport is owned by the "NVSFT Airlines", this is a reference to Neversoft which merged with Infinity Ward in 2014.
- Portraits of Infinity Ward employees can be found throughout Verdansk in various buildings such as police stations, the Parliament or the Acropolis National Bank.
- Several posters and boxes for a Rothwynn's 120GB console called "ACTIBASE" can be found throughout Tavorsk District. The posters feature a phrase that translate to "This is just the beginning" (Это только начало) with November 25, 2020 as release date.
- This is a nod to Activision and the ninth generation of video game consoles with the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X set to be released in late 2020.