Grab your trio and prepare for non-stop action in Face Off, a new featured playlist now live in Black Ops Cold War after being introduced in the first half of Season One.

Available as a featured Core playlist, as well as a Hardcore playlist through the Quick Play menu, Face Off is a collection of 3v3 game modes that combine Gunfight maps with shortened, more intense versions of Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Kill Confirmed.

The action is fast and frenetic, but tactics and strategy still win the day. Here’s what Face Off is all about, and which strategies are recommended for the initial four maps on offer:

Rules of Engagement

Face Off features 3v3 competition across the four current Gunfight maps – ICBM, Game Show, U-Bahn, and KGB – and three modes in Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, and Domination. To keep the matches snappy, score and time limits are adjusted as follows:

• Team Deathmatch: First team to 50 kills wins. Six-minute time limit.
• Kill Confirmed: First team to confirm 50 kills wins. Six-minute time limit.
• Domination: The first team to earn 100 points wins. One round, faster capture times, and no time limit.

Unlike most Multiplayer modes, Scorestreaks are disabled, so leave Perks like Assassin and Field Upgrades like the Assault Pack back at base. This ultimately puts the emphasis on gun skill, equipment use, teamwork, and most importantly, map knowledge.

Map Strategies

Game Show

Welcome to the limelight, soldiers. Game Show drops players right onto the set of an ‘80s TV game show featuring two contestant stations, a main podium, a rotunda with a brand-new car on display, and flank routes backstage and near the main cameras. Traverse the set or take the backstage route; the quickest path to fame lies in mastery of both.

Strategies

• Paranoid Tracker. Of the four Face Off maps, Game Show may be the trickiest in terms of anticipating where the next attack will originate from. Consider using Paranoia and/or Tracker to improve your situational awareness and intel-gathering potential.
• Backstage Ambush. The backstage dressing rooms are great for staging an ambush against enemies rushing through the top of the map. Likewise, be aware of potential enemy attacks from here. When in doubt, toss in an explosive to dislodge your opponent.
• Pincer Attack. When your team moves to the game show floor, take the backstage area; when they move backstage, take the floor. The wider your team’s field of view, the greater your chances of catching the enemy off guard.

ICBM

Set deep in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, ICBM is the smallest of the four Face Off maps, featuring a circular layout at the center of which rises the eponymous ballistic missile. The sides and middle both feature sunken floors, connected via a tunnel system with ladders at the center for easy traversal between the two levels.

Strategies

• Guns Up. In such a tight environment, it’s vital that you’re prepared to engage at a moment’s notice. Unless you’re running from imminent danger, keep your sights up to get the drop on incoming enemies.
• Center Vantage. Use the obstacles surrounding the middle platform to climb up next to the ICBM. Move around the perimeter and fire down at unsuspecting enemies.
• Watch Your Back. It’s easy to get caught up in a game of ring-around-the-missile here, but don’t get lost in the moment. If there aren’t any enemies ahead of you, there’s a good chance that someone’s angling for an easy kill from behind. Don’t let that happen.

KGB

Combat erupts at KGB Headquarters in the Soviet Union. The stark marble offices offer an open layout with a large central bookshelf at the center surrounded by ground floor office desks. Stairs lead up to a balcony along the top, while the bottom map offers some respite via two small offices.

Strategies

• Assault Rifles Recommended. KGB’s layout encourages mid-range combat, so while you may typically prefer SMGs on small maps, consider the versatility of assault rifles for this one.
• Up on the Railing. The top balcony offers a thick railing which can be climbed upon for a greater view of the ground floor. While you won’t have much cover, this is a great way to land a few kills below before moving on to another area.
• Bottom Flank. With its wide-open layout, it can be difficult to traverse KGB undetected. Travel through the lower interior offices when you need to get to the other side with a low profile.

U-Bahn

U-Bahn takes players underground in the heart of West Berlin. A long map featuring two parked trains alongside elevated platforms, this transit station forces frequent and fierce collisions as teams move against each other from either side. Crouch down in the tracks, fight from above, or take up position as a sentry inside one of the trains.

Strategies

• Small Map Sniping. With its long layout, U-Bahn may be the Face Off map most favorable to sniper play. Pick your favorite and cover your teammates as they rush into combat.
• Catch ‘em Off Guard. Near both trains, on the top and bottom platforms lie small offshoots which can be used to cover your flanks as you attack enemies crossing the map. Use them judiciously, however, to avoid predictable play.
• Trophy System on B. In Domination, the B flag sits right on the center tracks between the two trains, making it an easy target for lobbed grenades from newly spawned enemies. Consider the fast recharging Trophy System to fend off these attacks when going for a cap.

5 Tips for Face Off

1. No Tents Allowed. In Face Off, mobility wins. The more you move around, the more engagements you’ll take part in, and in these shortened game modes, aggressive play is the recipe for success.

2. Laying Traps… Due to this mode’s pace of play, it’s wise to choose Field Upgrades that give hasty enemies a nasty surprise. Consider the Proximity Mine or Gas Mine to lay a trap perfect for landing a pair of kills throughout the match.

3. … And Avoiding Them. If the other team does the same, switch in Spycraft for your third Perk. Not only will you avoid setting off mines, you’ll also cancel out the effects of Paranoia and Tracker: both popular Perks on these small maps.

4. Move with a Whisper. There’s not much use in attempting to flank your enemies if you’re stomping around behind them. If you favor the element of surprise, consider equipping Ninja to keep your movement as quiet as possible.

5. Communicate and Keep up the Fight. When trying out Face Off for the first time, it can seem like unmitigated chaos, but that’s only partly true. Turn on your mic, keep playing to learn the maps, use the Ping system to mark enemies, and control the chaos to your favor.

Execute the mission.