Call of Duty: WWII: Complete Guide

A player's guide to Call of Duty: WWII on PC covering the campaign, multiplayer Divisions and modes, War Mode, Headquarters, Nazi Zombies, and how to get the most from the game in 2026.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the final major PC content (DLC 4 "Shadow War" era, 2018; the last official Steam news post is the July 2018 free weekend). The game is no longer receiving new content; online services run on Activision's servers. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

1. Three games in one. Campaign, Multiplayer (with War Mode and Headquarters), and Nazi Zombies each have separate progression.
2. Pick a Division in multiplayer — it's your class identity and gives a signature weapon skill.
3. Play War Mode if you like objectives; it's the most distinctive mode in the game.
4. Visit Headquarters for Orders, Contracts, the Quartermaster, Supply Drops, and Payroll (Armory Credits on a timer).
5. Zombies is playable solo. Start with The Final Reich and turn on the easier settings if available.
6. The campaign is short and linear. Play on Regular or Hardened; Veteran is punishing.
7. Health doesn't regenerate in the campaign — you use health packs and rely on squadmates for supplies.
8. Check online status before a session: Activision's online services page lists server issues.

Campaign

You play as Private Ronald "Red" Daniels of the 1st Infantry Division. The story follows real 1944-45 battles (per Wikipedia):

Campaign mechanics

• Squad abilities: squadmates can give you health packs, ammo, grenades, mortar strikes, or spot enemies when their ability meters fill. Look for the prompts.
• Health packs: health does not fully regenerate; carry and use packs.
• Heroic Actions: rescue wounded soldiers, drag them to safety, or accept surrenders to earn Heroic Actions (these contribute to achievements).
• Mementos: each mission hides collectible mementos.
• Stealth sections: some missions (for example the French resistance mission) use disguises and stealth.

Difficulty tips: use cover heavily, throw grenades back when prompted, and use squad abilities liberally — they recharge.

Multiplayer

Divisions

There are eight Divisions (per Wikipedia): Infantry, Airborne, Armored, Mountain, Expeditionary, Resistance, Cavalry, Commando. Each has:

• Basic Training — a perk-like bonus you choose separately.
• Division Training — passive skills that unlock as you level the Division.
• Weapon skill — a signature weapon bonus.

Division trainings were reworked more than once in 2018, so check the in-game Division menu for the exact current perks.

Details of Cavalry come from the July 2018 patch notes: faster Domination captures and S&D plants, faster building/destroying walls in War Mode, extra objective score, two assists counting as a kill, and the Cavalry Shield.

Beginner picks: Airborne for SMG run-and-gun, Infantry for rifles, Cavalry if you play objectives.

Modes

• Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, Kill Confirmed, Free-for-All.
• Gridiron — a rugby-style objective mode.
• War Mode — narrative, multi-stage objective battles (e.g. Operation Neptune: storming the beach, destroying guns, holding objectives). Attacking and defending teams swap.
• Ranked Play — competitive playlist with seasons (Season 5 launched in July 2018).
• Ground War — larger teams.
• Event modes from 2018 community events (e.g. Infected, Prop Hunt, Gun Game in HQ).

War Mode playbook

War maps chain several objectives: attackers must complete each stage (capture a point, build a bridge, escort a tank, destroy guns) before the timer expires; defenders just need to hold.

Attacking:

• Push together. Staggered solo pushes feed the defenders kills and waste time.
• Use smoke grenades to cover open ground and building/escort objectives.
• Build and repair tasks happen faster with more players on them — bring Cavalry for its objective speed.
• Kill the defenders' machine-gun nests and snipers first; they lock down lanes.

Defending:

• Destroy half-built attacker structures (bridges, walls) whenever you can.
• Set up crossfires rather than stacking in one spot.
• Fall back to the next stage early if a stage is lost — the defenders' next position needs setup time.

Operation Neptune (storming Omaha Beach), Operation Breakout, and Operation Griffin were the launch War maps; more were added through the DLC and events.

Headquarters (HQ)

HQ is a social hub on Omaha Beach (up to 48 players) where you:

• Collect Orders and Contracts — daily/weekly challenges for XP and Supply Drops.
• Open Supply Drops — cosmetics and weapon variants; some variants have minor stat differences.
• Collect Payroll — Armory Credits (AC) on a timer (raised to 200 AC every 4 hours in the March 2018 patch).
• Use the Quartermaster — spend AC or trade duplicate items.
• Watch other players open drops, practise at the firing range, or take on 1v1 Pit challenges.

Weapons and meta

Popular weapons over the game's life included the STG44, PPSh-41, Type 100, Waffe 28, Grease Gun, Thompson, M1 Garand, Kar98k, BAR, and the shotguns. Balance hasn't changed in years; test in private matches to find what suits you.

General loadout advice:

• Pick a weapon that matches your Division's weapon skill.
• Choose Basic Training for your playstyle (e.g. more lethals, faster reload, or more scorestreaks).
• Scorestreaks like Paratroopers, Fighter Pilot, Artillery Barrage, and Flamethrower can swing games.

Prestige

Level up to prestige; since the May 2018 update, Master Prestige players get a 300 Armory Credit log-in bonus. Prestige resets levels and unlocks, not cosmetics.

Nazi Zombies

A separate co-op mode with its own progression. Maps (per Wikipedia; DLC dates are the first-release dates, and the DLC packs were a timed PlayStation 4 exclusive, so PC got each one later):

Zombies basics:

• Earn Jolts (points) by damaging and killing zombies; spend on weapons, doors, and upgrades.
• Power on the map to unlock more features.
• Special abilities (per character loadout) like Camouflage or Frontline help survival.
• Pack-a-Punch equivalents upgrade weapons late.
• Main quest ("Easter egg") on each map requires coordinated steps — look up a step-by-step guide.

Solo tips: train zombies in circles in open areas, kite heavy enemies, and don't open every door early.

PC Settings and Tips

• Frame rate: set a frame cap slightly above your monitor refresh.
• FOV: the PC version has a FOV slider — raise it for better awareness.
• Mouse: disable mouse acceleration and use raw input if available.
• Audio: footstep audio matters in MP — use headphones.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Ignoring Division bonuses. Playing a sniper in the wrong Division costs you its perks.
• Sprinting everywhere. Sprint-out time gets you killed; slow down near corners.
• Neglecting objective in War Mode. Kills don't win War.
• Ignoring Payroll and Orders. They're free rewards.
• Opening every door in Zombies early. You'll run out of points.
• Rushing the campaign on Veteran without learning the squad abilities.

Advanced Tips

• Pre-aim common angles and watch the minimap for teammates' deaths — they tell you where the enemy is.
• Use Cavalry Shield to block and push objectives.
• Swap divisions between War stages if your team lacks a role.
• In Zombies, pick a stable wall weapon early and keep upgrading one gun.
• Headshots matter — most weapons have headshot multipliers.
• Play Ranked Play only after mastering maps; it's competitive and less forgiving.

FAQ

Is Call of Duty: WWII still playable online? Yes, online services run through Activision's servers, but the population is smaller than at launch. Check Activision's online services page if you can't connect.

How many Divisions are there? Eight: Infantry, Airborne, Armored, Mountain, Expeditionary, Resistance, Cavalry, Commando.

What is War Mode? Objective-based, multi-stage battles where attackers push through phases and defenders try to stop them.

Can I play Zombies solo? Yes, Nazi Zombies supports solo play.

What are the Zombies DLC maps? The Darkest Shore, The Shadowed Throne, The Tortured Path, and The Frozen Dawn.

Is there a new Call of Duty WWII game? Not as a direct sequel; later CoD entries have gone in other directions.

Sources

• Call of Duty: WWII — Wikipedia
• Call of Duty: WWII — Steam news (2018 patch notes)
• Activision online services status