Vanguard League Play: The Best Loadouts For Ranked

Call of Duty's Vanguard ranked mode was unavailable at launch, but it has now arrived. Ranked play offers the competitively minded something more meaningful to grind, but in this mode, the same competitive rules that apply to the CDL are imposed. This means you have to build loadouts with far fewer weapon and equipment options. From what's left, here are the best loadouts you can make, optimized for the three core competitive modes: Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and Control. Luckily, there's no GA system in ranked, so we have slightly more to play with than the pros.

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Best Loadout For Hardpoint

Hardpoint Primary Weapon: MP40

This is the current build we're seeing in the CDL for sub players, although there's an argument between Polymer and Stippled. We prefer the recoil control from Stippled, but if you can do fine without it, then consider going for Polymer grips.

Hardpoint Secondary Weapon: 1911

The restrictions prevent us from making a really effective secondary, but this 1911 should still have enough firepower if we run out of ammo in a tight situation.

Hardpoint Grenades

We've opted for Gammon Bombs over grenades in every ranked loadout because they're as effective as standard grenades for killing, but they have the additional benefit of opening up rotations in destructible environments, while Stuns will be better than smokes because there's going to be so much concentrated CQC.

Hardpoint Perks

Demolition and Fortified are going to be useful in Hardpoint because grenades will be going off constantly, and we don't have access to better perks.

Best Loadout For Search and Destroy

Search and Destroy Primary Weapon: MP40

Unfortunately, we don't get silencers in ranked, which would be fantastic for SnD. Instead, we're taking a similar build to Hardpoint, desinged for fast rwe can rotate between sites even more quickly.

Search and Destroy Secondary Weapon: FS Fighting Knife

It's a knife. There's really not much to say. We're taking it in the SnD build, so we can swap to it at the start of the round and run up to the site as fast as absolutely possible.

Search and Destroy Grenades

We've already explained why Gammon Bombs are better than frags, but in the case of SnD, we'll take smokes. Especially on Berlin and Desert Siege, the enemy can hold angles very effectively with snipes.

Search and Destroy Perks

We've opted for Ninja and Double Time in SnD to make fast, silent rotations, and get up to the bomb sites quickly when the match begins.

Best Loadout For Control

Control Primary Weapon: Automaton

For Control, we've taken an AR, and you may want to consider this build for the other modes if you're slightly more passive or prefer relying on gunskill rather than movement. This is a very conventional Automaton build, we're seeing AR players use in the CDL right now.

Control Secondary Weapon: 1911

This is the same build as we took for Hardpoint, there's not a lot to say except that you may prefer taking the full-auto barrel off if it's feeling too bouncy.

Control Grenades

On attack, we're taking smokes, because these can come in clutch when we're trying to cap an objective, and they've only got their AR players left in the game. For defense, it's back to smokes because we want to push up on them aggressively.

Control Perks

We're using the same perks here as with Hardpoint. For respawn modes, you'll want to keep an eye on explosives more, and hence we've taken Demolition and Fortified.

Those loadouts are currently meta for the three core ranked play modes, but as the meta shifts, we update our loadout guides accordingly. If you're into competitive Call of Duty, then you should check out our hub article on the CDL, with a complete guide to the current season, and a live overview of the current team standings.