With every new season of Call of Duty: Warzone comes a different way to play what is arguably the most popular battle royal title of all time. Players were introduced to games such as Juggernaut Royale, Realism Royale, and Stimulus Royale. Activision seems to be subscribing to the ‘wide net’ strategy. They’ll continue to throw new game modes at the community and the players will let them know what sticks.
With Season 5 delivering on pretty much all fronts, it's no wonder that developers saved Mini Royale for their ‘big season.’ Dropping in on condensed areas around Verdansk, squads of three in a lobby of 75 players battle it out in a much faster-paced version of Call of Duty: Warzone. This guide will touch on the more intricate mechanics of Mini Royale, as well as some useful strategies to pick up some mini wins.
Call of Duty: Warzone - Mini Royale Strategies
The most important thing to know about Mini Royale is that players will be involved in engagements right off the rip. Unless the team gets lucky and lands completely isolated, be ready for a fight. Thankfully, Mini Royale is full of great ground loot weapons. Within 30 seconds, players should be fully loaded and ready to take meaningful shots at rival squads. Bunker key cards ARE in play in Mini Royale, but there is little time and opportunity to get to one. Should a team member find a key card, hop in the closest vehicle and gun it.
Speaking of vehicles, everything is in play in Mini Royale. It is always a great start to the game if the team can grab a helicopter to maximize their looting potential before the first circle begins closing… and it comes up quickly.
Mini Royale starts at the point in which a normal game of Warzone’s second circle is getting ready to close. Players will be dropped in knowing where they’ll have to run in order to avoid the gas. However, the circle does close slowly, so players will be able to out run the gas and rotate as they normally do. It’s important to note that players should not feel rushed as the circle begins closing and loot as much as they can along the way. Cash and contracts are scarce simply due to lack of time. Players Should be relying on gun skill, positioning, and smart movement rather than buying kill streaks. Keep 4,000 in one’s pocket at all times. The ability to buy back a dead teammate is crucial as the final circle tends to come down to broken teams and a few solos. Heading in with a full squad is almost a guaranteed win.
Loadout drops are, of course, in play. However, these drops come very quickly and only once per game. They’ll fall a few seconds after the first circle begins to close. They work the same way as normal Warzone Loadouts do (multiple boxes for multiple teams in a vicinity) However, these boxes work more like the second free Loadout does in normal Warzone. They will always drop-in zone. Players landing on the outskirts will have to pick up their custom classes on the edge of the safe zone. This can be both a blessing and a curse (and why a helicopter is huge). Players on the outside looking in will know where their Loadout is going to fall. Pay attention to the white line signifying the ‘fastest route’ to zone. When the Loadout falls, it will land right near the end of that line. Anticipate this and get a head start in the helicopter (should the team be lucky enough to have one) Teams that are already in zone when the Loadout falls will notice it act more like the first free Loadout in a normal Warzone game. Again, count the boxes and plan accordingly. Most teams are only getting this one Loadout drop each game. It would be wise to pick up a Ghost Class and take one of the upgraded ground loot guns as a secondary. Remember, EVERYONE uses either a Bruen, Grau or MP5/7. Kill a squad and take their guns as secondaries.
Let’s blend the two Loadout Drop situations. Let’s say Team A is safely in zone when the Loadouts fall, however, they notice it fall on the precipice of the circle with another box. Team A can safely assume that Team B is coming from outside of zone.
As mentioned before, the ability to buy back a teammate is huge in Mini Royale. This is because the Gulag will close when the first circle does. Players have a very small window of error at the beginning of the game. These Gulags are a must-win. Buy boxes are few and far between once that first Mini Royale circle closes. One can have all the money in the world, but it’s worthless if there’s nowhere to spend it. It’s important to note that ‘Jailbreak’ is still in play as a valuable way to get back in the game, but players shouldn’t be relying on it. Most wanted contracts also take far too long to complete in these late-game scenarios. Unless perfectly hidden or floating around in a chopper, a Most Wanted will most likely result in a trip back to the lobby.
So with all that in mind, what is the best course of action for winning games of Mini Royale? For starters, land outside of zone. Jump ASAP if the circle calls for it, and ideally land near a vehicle, especially a helicopter. Take 30 seconds to loot up and begin working towards the circle. The gas will be closing in very shortly. Predict where the Loadout will fall and get a head start on it. Fly in with a helicopter, or drive Bertha in for cover. Pick up a Ghost class and equip one of those ground loot guns as a secondary. Here is where patience becomes important. Stick to smart rotations and positioning. Predict where enemy teams will flock too. Mini Royale requires a handful of split decisions. Take advantage of an enemy squad’s mistakes, and avoid popular buildings such as the Red Restaurant. Should one of those popular buildings be the only option, try to find an alternative route in, or position quietly on the bottom floor, waiting to ambush the enemy squad when they leave. End game comes quickly in Mini Royale so pay attention to the number of squads and players left. There will only be 3 or 4 teams left, each broken or possibly solo.
Unfortunately, Mini Royale stats don’t count on the Warzone leaderboards. However, the game does make for great practice and lots of fast-paced fun. Getting killed early on isn’t too bad as the games load and move quickly. It isn’t nearly as discouraging as spending upwards of seven minutes, looting, completing contracts and getting Loadouts only to be lit up be the first Bruen squad players come across. Hopefully, Mini Royale sticks around for a while longer, but as the past shows, these game types come and go. Players should get their fix before it’s too late.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC