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Call of Duty: Vanguard has thousands of loadout combinations to fit anyone's preferred playstyle. Vanguards updated gunsmith is the series most ambitious to date, allowing for each weapon to take up to 10 attachments including specialized perks that fundamentally change the way loadouts have worked in the series' past. While the current meta is totally dominating the game's multiplayer, players looking to take a break and put down their STGs can enjoy a surplus of customization options, including a fun stealth loadout.

Stealth loadouts in the Call of Duty franchise have always been a fan-favorite playstyle for multiplayer, even if some are a bit off-meta. Luckily, Call of Duty: Vanguards stealth options are actually very viable and extremely useful when trying to navigate maps with larger player counts. Thanks to Vanguard's new pacing system, public matches can be anywhere between 4v4 on tactical pacing to 24v24 on the game's chaotic blitz pacing. This makes enemy killstreaks, like personal intel and spy plans, extremely abundant. Having a good stealth class to hide and flank large enemy teams, as well as enemy squads in the new upcoming Warzone map, is more useful in Vanguard than in any other Call of Duty game.

Related: Call of Duty: Vanguard - How to Change Weapon Attachments In a Match

With over 30 weapons to choose from, Vanguards arsenal provides a lot of options in terms of a primary weapon for a stealth loadout. While one could easily make a solid stealth loadout with the game's most used weapon, the STG-44, there is a much more overlooked assault rifle that some players are gravitating toward. The Automation is a fast-firing AR unlocked right after the STG and is far more effective than it at close to medium range, which is where players will want to get into combat when using a stealth loadout. The weapon is sometimes outgunned at long range by the STG, but that's because the Automation lacks the damage range that the STG has. Still, a skilled player should be able to use this nearly recoilless weapon at all ranges. For players looking to look visually stealthy while using the following loadout, try to avoid more flashy operator skins in Vanguard.

Best Stealth Loadout for Multiplayer

Vanguard Operator Polina Scoped Rifle

Here is the best combination of weapons, attachments, perks, equipment, and field upgrades to stealthy take out enemies in Call of Duty: Vanguard:

Primary Weapon/Attachments:

  • The Automation
  • Muzzle: MX/Mercury Silencer
  • Barrel: Anastasia Sniper
  • Optic: Slate Reflector
  • Stock: Empress Broadsword
  • Underbarrel: M3 Ready Grip (for ADS speed) or Carver Grip (for recoil control)
  • Magazine: 6.5MM Sakura 45 Round
  • Ammo Type: Lengthened
  • Rear Grip: Fabric Grip (for ADS speed) or Polymer Grip (for recoil control)
  • Proficiency: Frenzy
  • Kit: Fully Loaded

Secondary Weapon:

  • FS Fighting Knife: To quickly traverse the map and silently take out opponents.

Equipment:

  • Lethal: Throwing Knife
  • Tactical: Stun or Flash grenades

Perks/Field Upgrade:

  • Perk 1: Ghost
  • Perk 2: Foward Intel
  • Perk 3: Lightweight
  • Field Upgrade: Dead Silence

These are the best picks for a stealthy loadout if players are looking to change their run & gun playstyle. The fast-firing and silenced Automation with the 45 round mag allow the player to take out multiple enemies before they even know what hit them.  Taking out the FS Fighting Knife can allow for quick escapes and fast melee kills in tight situations. Ghost and Dead Silence allow the player to keep off enemy radar and reduce the noise of their footsteps for a short time. When combined with Foward Intel, players will be able to plan their routes off spawn, and stealthy execute them. While this is one of the most effective stealth loadouts to run in Vanguardthe updated gunsmith allows for thousands of more weapon/attachment combinations that could also suit the playstyle.

Next: Why Call Of Duty: Warzone's Gulag Change Is A Great Idea

Call of Duty: Vanguard is available now on Xbox, Playstation, and PC.