The word ‘mayhem’ gets tossed around during intense Multiplayer matches; so many people in the same place, fighting for the same objective. But – as anybody who’s played Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® knows –  there’s ‘mayhem’ and then there’s ‘Shipment mayhem’. So, hold on to your pants, limber up those thumbs and grab a helmet because Shipment has come to Call of Duty: WWII. 

(hold for applause)

That’s right - your favorite compact map is making its WWII debut, becoming available to Season Pass holders first on March 13, with everyone joining the party on Friday, March 16. This little gem is the epitome of beauty in simplicity. It’s simple, symmetrical and spartan, with few permanent structures, a couple vehicles and a handful of shipping containers. Aside from that, it’s nothing but a raw, uncut brawlfest. Sound like fun? ***** right it is. For those new to this micro-madhouse, here’s some tips on what to expect and how to get by.

Everything Goes Boom

When you cram two teams of six into such a small space, anything that explodes becomes exponentially more valuable. That five-foot blast radius of a Frag Grenade may feel small on a map like Gustav Cannon, but on Shipment 1944 it feels like a quarter of the map. With so few places to run, you should make use of explosives and expect others to do the same. Satchel Charges, Frags, Stickies, S-Mines – expect everyone to roll with at least one of these on Shipment 1944. Oh, and if that Panzerschreck has been collecting dust in your armory, now’s the time to get reacquainted; just remember Launchers take up your Basic Training. Along with the Launcher Basic Training, running Armored is a wise choice - you’ll take way less explosive damage at Armored IV. But if you aren’t the Armored-type or haven’t hit Level IV yet, swap the Launcher for Hunker Basic Training and enjoy that reduced explosive damage as well as frag fuse reset on throwback. It will come in handy. Trust us.

Reloading: Who needs it?

With all the explosives clouding your vision and bullets whizzing past your head, it can be easy to forget the task at hand: objectives and/or kills. When you get your head screwed on straight, you’ll quickly find Shipment 1944 throws off your regular shooting cadence – you won’t have much time to reload. And whenever you do, you’re probably going to get shot. There are too many people in too small of a space to not run into enemies. So here are a few things to consider/remember:

1. LMGs have huge ammo clips.
2. Extended Mags are your friend.
3. Rifleman. Because why switch to a pistol when you can swap for a Shotgun?
4. Shifty Basic Training reloads your Pistol with ammo any time you switch back to it from your Primary.

Any of these can help you weather the storm of Shipment 1944. Which one(s) you choose is up to you.

Navigation (If You Can Call It That) 

As you’ve probably gathered, Shipment 1944 is not big. So, while navigation is always important, it becomes less important when you kind of already know where everybody is. Be that as it may, there are a couple things to keep in mind. 

- There are only two shipping containers that are open on both ends, they’re on the north and south ends of the map. 

- Every other container you enter is, literally, a dead end. You may think ‘oh, boy I’ll be safe in here’. Not true. If enemies know you’re in there, expect incoming explosives and to be shot through the container. They may be closed containers, but bullets don’t seem to care (particularly FMJ ones).

So, while the containers may seem like a great place for sneaking around or taking cover, be aware of the sightlines they create. Key takeaway: when playing Shipment 1944, you’d best stay moving unless you want the last thing you see before the killcam to be the inside of a shipping container.

That’s your quick and dirty introduction to Call of Duty: WWII’s latest map, Shipment 1944. If you're a Season Pass holder, you get first crack starting March 13 at 10AM PT. If not, you've got an extra three days to prepare with the map coming to you on March 16. It gives close-quarters an entirely new meaning, resulting in some of the most action-packed TDM matches you’ve ever seen. And, if you end up playing Domination on here? Well, yikes. We did say bring a helmet. Good luck.