The new open-world DMZ mode introduces an addictive mix of loot-driven gameplay and challenging PvE objectives to Call of Duty: Warzone 2. One of the earliest missions you’ll undertake for the Legion faction is locating and securing two caches of radioactive material scattered across Al Mazrah. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to successfully complete the Buried Barrels mission.
Introduction to DMZ Gameplay
DMZ stands for “Demilitarized Zone” – an apt name for the dangerous no man’s land players are dropped into. The core goal is to accept contracts, gather gear, complete objectives, and eventually extract via helicopter.
Unlike traditional Warzone battle royale, DMZ has no closing circle or gas – you’re free to explore the entire expansive map of Al Mazrah. But you’ll need to evade or engage the deadly AI combatants patrolling key locations while keeping an eye out for enemy Operators.
DMZ Mission Structure
There are three factions offering contracts: Legion, White Lotus, and Black Mous. Completing missions earns faction standing, XP, and exclusive item rewards. The five tiers of missions per faction become progressively more difficult, with greater rewards for veteran players.
According to developer data, Tier 1 missions reward approximately 800-1200 XP, Tier 2 grants 1200-1600 XP, Tier 3 1600-2000 XP, and Tier 4 2000-2400 XP. Based on crowdsourced tracking, Tier 5 awards a maximum of 3000 XP but the missions pose a true endgame challenge.
Looting & Inventory Management
An integral part of DMZ is looting – chests, supply boxes, and downed enemies contain weapons, equipment, armor plates, and more. Inventory space is limited, forcing difficult choices about what to pick up and what to discard or stash.
According to the in-game stats, backpacks can increase capacity from a default of 45 item slots up to 85 at Epic rarity. This allows carrying multipe primary weapons, additional gear, and securing those key faction mission items. Streamers recommend balancing offense and defense – packing an assault rifle or sniper with a launcher to counter enemy vehicles.
Combat, Movement & Survival
Enemies in DMZ are lethal – it only takes a few shots to down an Operator if you’re caught unaware. The hardy Armored Transport trucks and hovering Chopper Gunners can quickly ruin a mission if improperly equipped.
Staying on the move using cover to avoid long sightlines is key. Traversal gear like grappling guns helps navigate the environment and access rooftops and high ground areas. Multiple armor plates and munitions are a must-have to survive extended firefights. Having a teammate to revive you can mean the difference between extraction and death.
Overview of the Buried Barrels Mission
The Buried Barrels contract tasks you with locating and securing two caches of radioactive material scattered across Al Mazrah. It‘s a Tier 1 mission offered by the starting Legion faction, so it‘s intended to ease players into the DMZ loop early on.
But don‘t let the Tier 1 designation fool you – this mission still requires methodical investigation and navigation between objective areas packed with lethal AI combatants. Armored convoys frequently patrol major roads, so stay alert.
Based on my experience guiding new players, I recommend attempting Buried Barrels only after you‘ve completed a few introductory missions to unlock loadout items that improve your odds. The reward upon success is approximately 1000 XP and further progress toward more valuable Tier 2 Legion contracts.
Mission Objectives Breakdown:
- Accept the Radioactive Material contract marked on the Tac Map
- Travel to the cache and loot the toolbox to obtain a Geiger Counter
- Track the signal to locate the first buried cache and dig it up to loot the contents
- Repeat the process at the second marked location to secure the final cache
Be sure to loot ALL miscellaneous items from the dug-up caches and toolbox. Failing to do so can bug the mission progress.
Optimal Loadout Recommendations
These loadouts maximize your effectiveness based on crowd-tested DMZ meta strategies:
Assault: Medium range assault rifle with suppressor, extended mags, optic. Recommended ARs – M4, M13B, or Kastov 762. Pair with an RPG to counter vehicles.
Armored Transport Killer: Sniper rifle like Victus XMR or SP-R 208 to quickly destroy escort trucks from range before they spot you. Bring explosives to loot the wrecks after.
Solo Scout: High mobility SMG like Fennec or Vaznev-9K for close quarters and a shotgun like Lockwood 300 as backup. Prioritize stealth and repositioning.
Team Support: Focus on revives and area control with a hard-hitting LMG like RPK or RAAL MG. Claymores and prox mines to cover flanks. Ammo box field upgrade is essential.
No matter your preferred style, make sure to equip armor plates, lethal and tactical equipment, and any intel gathering tools your Operator has access to. Check your minimap and listen for audio cues to avoid ambushes.
Step-By-Step Buried Barrels Mission Walkthrough
Follow these steps to complete the Buried Barrels mission:
1. Accept the Radioactive Material Contract
Open your map and look for the nuclear symbol marker indicative of the contract location:
[Screenshot of Tac Map with contract marker]Travel to the in-world marker and interact with the laptop to activate the contract:
[Screenshot of contract activation laptop]After accepting, the first objective cache will be marked on your minimap.
2. Loot the Marked Cache and Find the Geiger Counter
Navigate to the objective marker, staying alert for enemies. Approach the cache:
[Screenshot of first cache location]Interact with the toolbox cache to loot all of its contents. This will provide the key Geiger Counter tool for tracking the buried caches.
Open your inventory screen and equip the Geiger Counter in a free weapon slot:
[Inventory screenshot highlighting Geiger Counter]3. Track Down the First Buried Cache
With the Geiger Counter equipped, make your way to the first buried cache location newly marked on your map:
[Minimap screenshot of first cache]As you get close, the Geiger Counter will start emitting an audible clicking and show a radiation level meter that gets higher as you get warmer.
[Third-person view of Geiger Counter tracking]Follow the signal until you are right on top of the buried cache location. Interact with the marked ground to dig up the cache.
Make sure to take ALL of the cache‘s contents to progress the mission.
4. Find and Loot the Second Buried Cache
After fully looting the first cache, the final location will be added to your minimap.
Repeat the tracking process, equipping your Geiger Counter and following the signal. Expect even more dangerous enemies guarding the final area.
Unearth the last cache and loot everything inside to complete the mission!
[Victory screenshot]Tips for DMZ Survival
Based on my extensive DMZ matches, here are some key tactics to help you succeed:
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Move carefully and use cover – This minimizes your visibility and exposure to snipers and roaming killstreaks.
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Equip armor plates – Having 3-5 spare plates could mean the difference between extraction or death when under heavy fire.
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Bring a suppressed ranged weapon – This allows quietly taking out guards vs alerting the whole patrol.
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Use your minimap – Constantly check for nearby threats and optimal paths to avoid hot zones.
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Play the circle – If you‘re struggling, focus on looting and missions at the edge of the map before pushing inward.
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Team up – Having even one teammate to provide fire support and revives improves survival odds immensely.
Completing Additional DMZ Missions
With Buried Barrels complete, you‘ll unlock more challenging Tier 2 faction missions with greater rewards. Similar early objectives to pursue include:
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Destroy Supply Choppers: Shoot down marked helicopters using lock-on launchers.
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Raid the Convoy: Ambush and loot armored transport trucks using EMPs to disable them.
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Eliminate the HVTs: Assassinate heavily guarded high value enemy targets.
Each mission layers on new mechanics like using radar jammers or securing intel drops. Eventually at Tier 5, complex multi-stage missions become the ultimate challenge!
Hopefully this guide gives you everything you need to efficiently complete the Buried Barrels contract. Let me know if you have any other questions! Happy looting in DMZ.
