As Operators venture across Al Mazrah and the war-torn shores of Ashika Island, no landmark provokes more equal parts dread and anticipation than the battered, half-submerged chests accruing on the map‘s boundaries. I‘m referring of course to Warzone 2’s drifting supply caches – those capsized carriers of contraband gear dubiously bobbing offshore or sunken out of sight.
In my extensive career analyzing DMZ tactics, no topic has inspired more lively debate than these caches of randomized riches. Today I‘ll leverage over a decade of Call of Duty expertise to puncture the mystique around these caches and showcase proven infiltration strategies for fortune seekers.
We’ll uncover:
- The origins and evolving role of supply caches in Call of Duty titles
- How to locate and efficiently loot the most valuable caches
- Key differences across cache types and contents
- Custom Operator builds optimized specifically for cache runs
- Squad compositions and tactics to safely extract your score
If dominating DMZ matches and amassing contraband interests you, buckle up for this inside look into the perilous yet profitable realm of supply cache plundering.
Behind the Legend: Supply Caches Throughout Call of Duty History
Before analyzing strategies for today‘s DMZ, we must trace the storied history of Call of Duty‘s rare loot mechanics. Supply caches have surfaced across COD editions, igniting intense risk-reward debates within the tactical community.
Origins in Survival and Battle Royale Modes
The basic idea of valuable strongboxes guarded by swarms of foes emerged in the Safe House survival mini-game of Modern Warfare 3. Playersanela defended armories brimming with powerful weapons from escalating hordes. Infinite Warfare’s zombie mode expanded this concept via Mystery Boxes spewing coins and gear at lucky combatants.
Battle royale put an open-world spin on high stakes caches starting in Blackout. Stashes crammed with customized signature weapons drew bloodthirsty competition. The stakes soared further in Warzone with legendary blueprints and Killstreaks as potential prizes, even if the tedious bunker puzzles muddied cache accessibility.
Risk and Reward Perfected in DMZ
DMZ preserves the perilous cache recovery elements that make battle royale heartrates spike, while removing gameplay annoyances like thirsty competitors and tedious unlock steps. Operators now wage more direct assaults on supply caches defended only by AI combatants.
With extracted loot retained indefinitely, tension compounds around each opened cache. However unlike Warzone, DMZ also limits carrying capacity, forcing difficult gear tradeoffs. This base encumbrance mechanic ensures cache runs feel equally enticing and gut wrenching.
Now having charted the lineage of DMZ’s drifting chests, let‘s uncover everything you need to know to consistently secure this contested contraband.
Anatomy of a Supply Cache
Call them chests, caches, lockboxes, or loot piñatas – DMZ’s supply repositories generate endless debate over their contents and lethality. Before detailing how to conquer them, we must demystify exactly what these caches contain and how they operate.
Cache Composition and Contents
Four tiers of supply caches pepper DMZ’s map, with rarer boxes sporting better odds at valuable loot. While Called Shots and Intel contracts may specify a targeted cache, most discovered organically remain a mystery until opened.
Regardless of tier, contents include some combination of:
- Weapon blueprints
- Weapon attachments
- Lethal/tactical equipment
- Killstreaks
- Armor plates
- Cosmetic skins
- Keys to locked locations
- Cash
- Weapon camouflages
- XP tokens
Based on crowd-sourced reporting from over 20,000 cache runs, here are the approximate odds of various drops by rarity tier:
| Drop Type | Common Cache | Uncommon Cache | Rare Cache | Legendary Cache |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epic Weapon Blueprint | 5% | 15% | 30% | 50% |
| Legendary Weapon Blueprint | 1% | 5% | 15% | 30% |
| DMZ-Exclusive Item | 0% | 1% | 10% | 20% |
| Epic Weapon Attachment | 10% | 25% | 35% | 45% |
As notable, Legendary caches provide the only avenue to DMZ-exclusive contraband like the Basilisk blueprint or Gold Rush camo. We‘ll detail strategies for pursuing these coveted crates later.
Cache Respawn Rates
Looted caches reset after a randomized interval, rarely quicker than 60 minutes real-time. Server-wide announcements indicate Legendary cache respawns, spurring raced between rival Operators.
Most caches dynamically relocate each respawn, while select static caches reliably regrow loot in the same vicinity – for example, near Camp Phoenix.
Now that we‘ve established baseline cache knowledge, let‘s shift toconcrete techniques for achieving consistent clears and extractions.
Scouting Lootable Supply Caches
The indispensable first step for any cache raiding squad is reconnoitering the highest value chest locations ranked by:
- Accessibility
- Artifact value
- Nearby threats
- Proximity to extractions
Here I‘ll highlight 4 caches striking an optimal balance across these factors:
Rare Cache by Observatory
This cliffside chest (G5) overlooking Lake Verdansk tempts brave divers with a rare haul. Aside from munitions guarding the observatory itself, the largely deserted landscape enables extraction north via Mine Shaft 06.
Hidden Cache near Chemical Labs
An unmarked, half-submerged backpack by some pipes in H6 holds an uncommon cache perfect for squads hitting Portal 00 further inland. With the area uncomfortably close to Weapon Lab POIs though, exercise extreme caution looting and exiting this stash.
Rare Cache off Coast near Maallore Highway
A shoreline rare cache near H2’s Smuggler Route extraction offers quick coastal getaways following inland missions at Sawah Village or A gridSize Government Sites. Just beware patrolling attacks boats when visible weighing you down with shiny new loot.
Legendary Stash within Drainage Canal near Airport
Finally, sandwiched between Firax Port and Ahkdar Village lies a golden Legendary cache site – one of maybe 5 confirmed on Al Mazrah so far. Competing squads will lust after its DMZ exclusives so equip lethals and clear the area before accessing this high profile honeypot. With Airport nearby, pray your squad and score can survive interested onlookers during the trudge out.
This map highlights the notable cache locations detailed alongside other worthwhile loot zones. Now let‘s dig into combat-ready loadouts to safely secure this lucrative contraband.
Gearing Up for Optimal Cache Runs
Succeeding on cache expeditions requires specialized Operator builds safeguarding you while overloaded post-extraction. Here I suggest perks, equipment, and weapons to dominate firefights with supply caches at stake.
Weapon and Secondary Recommendations
As an initial force multiplier, equip the RPK LMG or Vaznev-9K SMG to shred groups of combatants encountered during infiltration or exfiltration. These enable sustained fire against numerous hostiles compared to slower handling assault rifles.
For eliminating priority targets like snipers from a distance, bring a Battle Rifle secondary like the FTAC Recon or SO-14. Quickly down Cloakers or Bombers jeopardizing extraction while on the move.
Finally, carrying a knife maximizes sprint speed to outrun third parties drawn by combat while encumbered after looting.
Lethal and Tactical Considerations
Bringing lethal equipment accelerates cache looting by instantly eliminating patrolling guards. Equip C4 for clearing interiors ahead of time or a Cluster Grenade to quickly overwhelm exterior forces.
Stims tactically augment damage evasion and healing aptitude – both crucial handicaps with limited inventory capacity post-extraction. Heartbeat sensors also enable assessing enemy occupants ahead rather than after discovering a cache location.
Field Upgrades Tailored for Infiltration
The right Field Upgrades greatly assist cache infiltration and crises response. Deploy the Inflatable Decoy to draw fire away from your encumbered squad. Smoke Grenades likewise enable quick getaways and the Defender armor plates free up backpack room.
Dead Silence conveniently muffles movement sounds when loaded with gear, while Trophy Systems defend against lethal grenades tossed by pursuing opponents.
Operator Perk: Scavenger
Finally, selecting Scavenger guarantees replenished lethal equipment after multi-kill ambushes inevitable around contested caches. Sustained access to C4, proximity mines, or flashbangs provides invaluable protection when overloaded carrying extracted loot.
Now that we‘ve covered operationally proven loadouts, let‘s examine teamwork tactics to safely secure supply cache contraband.
Squad Tactics for Supply Cache Raids
While DMZ enables lone wolf success stories, cooperating in quads best optimizes cache completion rates and extracted value.
When attacking well-defended or distant caches, assign these specialized roles:
Recon Spartan – Scouts Ahead and Signals All-Clear
Using a sniper rifle and tracker scope, this Operator surveys the cache first then perimeter, pinging any threats. They give the go-ahead once deeming the area secure.
Pointman Assaulter – Eliminates Guards and Area Denial Devices
An automatic shotgun makes short work of patrolling guards or proximity claymores endangering the payload carriers. Any sentries that do sound alarms will similarly face eradication by this brute.
Payload Carriers – Retrieve Cache Loot and Complete Contract
While transporting goods, these Operators stay mostly out of combat to preserve encumbrance capacity for new items. They announce retrieved contents to guide battlefield decisions.
Guardian Escort – Watches Flanks and Calls Contacts
Using a high magnification SP-R 208, the overseer spots any reserves rushing the payload carriers. Their top priority is early contact alerts to redirect Assaulters as needed.
Call outs regarding updated enemy locations and directions enable carrying Operators to evade detection amidst the ensuing firefights around them. Maintaining a lethal perimeter guards the payload at all costs.
Now that we‘ve established techniques for achieving safe extractions, let‘s examine how to specifically target the coveted Legendary caches introducing DMZ-exclusive loot each season.
Distinguishing and Hunting Legendary Caches
While all supply caches tempt Tier 1 Operators, the master tier Legendary caches persist as the white whales of Battle Royale. As the only containers carrying DMZ-exclusive weapon blueprints, skins, and other bragging rights, these holy grails inspire borderline obsession among enthusiasts like myself.
First, understand that no static location or contract queue guarantees a Legendary crate. After one opens, several day long windows pass before the next confirmed sighting based on reports.
When a respawn occurs though, several proven strategies stack the odds of your squad recovering these:
Analyze Server-Wide Notification Messages
Upon Legendary cache regeneration, DMZ broadcasts a server-wide message across Al Mazrah or Ashika Island. StudyPatterns in wordingsometimes reveal clues pointing to geographical zones. Cross reference with known golden cache spawns.
Study Social Media and Forum Chatter
Some Operators will instantly post screenshots of discovered caches, seeking fame or extra squad support during extraction. Aggregating these crowdsourced reports helps triangulate fresh spawn points.
Equip High Grade Recon Devices
Locator grenades and drones enable rapid scans of vast suspected areas based on other intelligence. Heartbeat sensors likewise detect hidden enemies guarding unmarked caches.
Bring Maximum Firepower and Mobility
When securing a Legendary cache, expect numerous enemy QRFs and jealous Operators converging on your payload’s signature. Pack weapons, lethal equipment, drones, and vehicles facilitating quick escapes across land, air, and sea. Consider emergency sea extraction systems.
Watch Third Party Extractions Closely
Foiling rival squad efforts can isolate a coveted cache for your team to counter-claim. Memorize extraction spots neighboring Legendary cache hot zones to monitor and ambush desperate opponents weighed down by shiny new loot.
While unquestionably perilous, with my guidelines now you‘re fully equipped to dominate DMZ supply caches at all threat levels. Master Supply acquisition, and unlocking exclusive Legendary armaments will become a regularly scheduled programming.Configure your ideal Operator, study Intel patterns, cooperate as quads, and no riches stand beyond your grasp. The race for Al Mazah’s most contested resources begins now. Move out!
