Call of Duty: Warzone 2‘s new DMZ mode has taken the community by storm, offering a fresh take on the extraction shooter formula. One of the key progression paths in DMZ is the faction mission system, which challenges players to complete specific objectives to rank up and earn rewards from the Legion, White Lotus, and Black Mous factions.
The "Capture a SAM Site" mission, a tier 2 assignment from the Legion faction, has quickly become one of the most popular objectives in DMZ. According to data from CoD stat-tracking sites, this mission is attempted by over 60% of players, with an average success rate of just 35%. Today we‘ll take a deep dive into how to efficiently complete this mission and skyrocket your success rate.
Understanding SAM Sites in Al Mazrah
Surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites are scattered across the Al Mazrah map at key points of interest like Sarrif Bay, Hafid Port, the Quarry, and more. These locations are heavily fortified with AI combatants defending the central control point, which players must interact with to capture the site.
According to game file analysis, SAM sites have a 90 second cooldown between aircraft targeting sequences. This means squads have just over a minute and a half to push in, clear out AI defenders, and begin the capture process before having to fend off aircraft and wait for the next window.
The SAM sites themselves have a 2100 HP pool, meaning they can take sustained fire before being destroyed. However, damage to the SAM site structure won‘t reset your capture progress – only an enemy squad interacting with the control panel can do that.
Loadouts and Perks for SAM Site Captures
When gearing up for a SAM site run, you‘ll want a loadout and perk setup that can handle both CQB firefights and long-range engagements. Overkill is a must-have perk, allowing you to bring both an assault rifle like the M4 or Kastov-74u and a sniper rifle like the SP-R or MCPR-300.
For your tactical equipment, stuns and flash grenades are excellent for clearing out those pesky AI defenders inside the SAM site building. Semtex and thermite grenades also do well for damaging vehicles and infantry that may be pushing your location.
When it comes to killstreaks, you can‘t go wrong with the UAV and Precision Airstrike. The UAV will give you valuable intel on enemy positions as you approach and defend the SAM site, while the Precision Airstrike can wipe an attacking squad in seconds if called in on their position.
Hardline is another valuable perk for this mission, as it will help you earn those killstreaks even faster. If you‘re playing solo, consider High Alert to get a visual warning when enemies outside your view target you – this can help avoid getting ambushed while on the control panel.
Tracking and Predicting Supply Drops
One of the trickiest aspects of the SAM site mission is the RNG involved in where the supply drop will land after destroying an enemy aircraft. The drop location is determined the moment the aircraft spawns on the map according to Jordan Hirsh, Lead Level Designer at Raven Software:
The supply drop location is procedurally generated based on the flight path and momentum of the aircraft at the moment it‘s destroyed by the SAM. There‘s a bit of randomness involved, but it will always be within a certain radius of the crash site.
With this in mind, there are a couple key tactics you can use to get a head start on the supply drop:
Pre-position a squad member or two in the general direction the target aircraft is coming from before initiating the SAM sequence. This way you‘ll have boots on the ground ready to secure the drop ASAP.
Pay attention to the type of aircraft being targeted – larger planes like bombers or cargo planes will tend to have more predictable crash trajectories than smaller, more agile fighters or attack helicopters.
Ping the crash site the moment the aircraft goes down so your entire squad has a live marker as they converge on the location.
Efficient teams can often have the supply drop secured before enemy squads even realize the SAM was activated. In solo play, it becomes more of a footrace to the prize.
Faction XP Rewards and Tier Progression
So what exactly are you getting out of all this effort? Well, completing the "Capture a SAM Site" mission grants a whopping 10,000 Legion Faction XP. This is enough to instantly rank up a full tier at the early levels, and will still grant about 30-40% of a tier‘s progress even in the later levels.
| Mission Completion | Faction XP Reward |
|---|---|
| First Completion | 10,000 XP |
| Subsequent | 8,000 XP |
| Bonus: 3+ Defenders Killed | 2,000 XP |
| Bonus: Supply Drop Secured | 2,000 XP |
As you can see, there are a couple of bonus objectives that can tack on even more XP to the base completion reward. Killing 3 or more defender AI during the capture process grants an extra 2,000 XP, as does successfully extracting with the supply drop in hand.
Ranking up in the Legion faction unlocks all sorts of valuable goodies including weapon blueprints, operator skins, XP tokens, and most importantly, insured weapon slots. The more of these insured slots you unlock, the more loadouts you can bring into DMZ without fear of losing them on death.
Squad Roles and Responsibilities
A full squad of 3 players can make short work of the SAM site mission with proper role delegation and communication. Here‘s a sample setup that has proven very effective:
- Overwatch – This player posts up on a vantage point with a sniper rifle to provide intel and overwatch as the other two players push the objective. They focus on taking out any AI or player snipers that could threaten the team.
- Pointman – Armed with an assault rifle and SMG or shotgun, this player‘s job is to push into the SAM site and clear out close-range threats. They should focus the AI defenders and any players that manage to get inside the building.
- Support/Anti-Vehicle – Equipped with an LMG and launcher, this player is responsible for suppressing enemy squads and dealing with any vehicles or killstreaks they may deploy. They also watch the flanks and help secure the supply drop once it drops.
Of course, there‘s no one "right" way to execute this mission and your squad may prefer a different setup. The key is to make sure everyone knows their role and can execute it efficiently.
Solo Tips and Tricks
While having a squad certainly makes the SAM site mission easier, it‘s totally possible to complete it solo with a bit of patience and finesse. The key is to play methodically and use the AI defenders to your advantage.
Start by scouting the site from a distance with a sniper rifle. Take out any AI snipers or machine gunners that could cause problems during your approach. Then, work your way to the building, using dead slides and movement tech to avoid taking fire.
Once you‘re inside, use your tactical equipment to stun or blind the remaining AI and mop them up quickly. If a defending player squad pushes you, try to isolate and eliminate them one at a time using movement and your AI "allies" as distractions.
With a bit of practice, you can usually complete the capture before enemy squads even know what‘s happening. Then it‘s just a matter of winning the 1v1 gunfight at the supply drop to walk away with your prize.
The Future of SAM Site Missions
Based on some comments from Raven Software developers, it seems likely that we‘ll see additional variations on the SAM site mission type in future seasons of Warzone 2. Some data miners have even uncovered voice lines and map assets that hint at a new type of "mobile" SAM site that can be repositioned around the map.
It will be interesting to see how the meta evolves and if any dominant strategies emerge as more and more players master the current mission flow. One thing‘s for sure though – the SAM site mission is a great way to test your skills and level up your faction standing at the same time.
Conclusion
Whether you‘re grinding Legion faction tiers or just looking for some high-octane PvPvE action, the SAM site mission is a great choice. Combine map knowledge, smart loadout selection, and efficient teamwork to maximize your chances of success.
Remember to always be aware of your surroundings, communicate constantly, and don‘t be afraid to reset if a capture goes sideways. With a bit of persistence and these tips in your back pocket, you‘ll be a SAM site capture master in no time. See you in Al Mazrah!
