MW3 Skidrow Map - Modern Warfare 3

Tactical Overview

In team-based modes, squads will either spawn at the Containers (north) or by the Playground in Police (southeast).

The central buildings separate the teams, though it won’t be long before they meet inside. Flank routes along the wings of the map give passage to those who would rather fight outside.

For the purpose of this guide, we’ve divided Skidrow into five sections based on key areas around the map:

• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Containers (+ Loading Dock, Parking Lot, Warehouse)
• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Police (+ Playground, Burnt Car, Apartments)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Hallway (+ Movie Store, Garage, IED Room, Destroyed Apartment, Roof)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Mural Alley (+ Back Alley)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Tunnel

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Containers (NORTH)

Containers and the rest of the northern spawn area tend to attract snipers and other long-ranged sharpshooters. Though the fenced-in portion obstructs the view, there are long sights from the Warehouse and from atop the Containers. Midranged weapons perform well around and within the fence.

Use the tarp and boarded-up sections to stay out of sight from long-ranged attackers; once you’re spotted, though, look for more substantial cover. Watch your head in this area, too: There’s little overhead cover, making air-to-ground-based streaks a real threat.

The fenced-in area is also a good spot for placing Care Packages. Call one in when the fight is more focused on the center and southern portions of the map.

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Police (SOUTH)

Positioned in the southeast corner, Police funnels Operators toward the Playground, a risky exterior location covered by vantage points on all sides, above and below. Expect cross fire between the southern Apartments and the south-facing Destroyed Apartment, where flames threaten to consume the structure.

The Laundromat and the closed off-street opposite make up the ground-based threats here, so standing around Playground or Burnt Car is nearly asking to be eliminated.

Veterans of 2009’s Skidrow map will notice that the stationary minigun is missing from the southern apartments. This time around, it’s just you and your Loadout weapon.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Hallway

The Hallway and the other central interior locations remain a hot spot throughout much of each match, whether players are vying for an objective within or using its many outward sights to control the surrounding streets. The bottom floor consists of a Garage and a Movie Store, providing a quick, though risky, route down the center of the map.

Upstairs, the fight gets tighter as Operators battle across a long and narrow Hallway punctuated by small rooms and access to the north-facing Roof power position. Use your Tactical Sprint when crossing the hallway to minimize your exposure to cross fire.

There are no longer busted floorboards in the middle of the Hallway, so you don’t need to worry about attacks from the Movie Store below. Save your focus for enemies appearing down the hall or from within any of the connecting rooms.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Mural Alley

The western flanking path provides a more concealed route down the map, as well as access to several power positions. Use the steps halfway through that lead into the Hallway to target enemies on the other end or to reach the Roof for a north-facing vantage point.

Its south end extends into the Back Alley and Laundromat, where you’ll have a strong ground-based position looking out over the Playground. You can also climb the stairs at the end of the Back Alley to reach the Apartments’ upper-level vantage point, a great power position for covering the southern part of the map.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Tunnel

Operators in the east who want to cross the map without exposure to the center can take the Tunnel route instead. The path here is a bit more complex compared to the opposite Mural Alley. On the path’s south end, the Barbershop offers a strong ambush point against movement near the Tunnel, and the Stairwell leading over it heads directly to the main Hallway.

To the north, watch out when approaching the Warehouse; enemies can attack from the ground-floor doorway or through the window up top. Use the cover objects in the middle of the Tunnel for added defense when engaging enemies here.

Objective Overview

Overall Tactics

Skidrow rewards Operators who maximize the effectiveness of their Loadout on the map, whether they’re running into close-range conflicts or eliminating enemies from afar.

No matter where the objective takes you, there are routes available for all playstyles. Match your weapon to the right route and win.

Close-ranged Loadouts should take advantage of the map’s interior spaces. Use the side rooms in the Hallway to flank; clear out enemies in the Barbershop and Apartments where sightlines are tight. When you’re forced to cross out in the open, move fast and know your cover options.

Longer-ranged Loadouts should utilize the map’s choke points to home in on distant targets. The Hallway, Roof, and Mural Alley are obvious candidates for keeping enemies at a distance, but don’t neglect such power positions as the Warehouse and Police, which both offer wide coverage of their respective areas.

Domination

It’s a battle for the Hallway as teams vie for control of the B flag placed right in the center.

You’ll need some fast sharpshooters covering the length of the Hallway; add in a Trophy System or two to protect Operators capturing the objective. Once the flag is yours, it’s easier to break up into the various side rooms to flank incoming enemies.

It’s possible to surround the Hallway in a play for A and C, a good tactic when the enemy team is throwing everything on B. Watch out for the A flag’s exposure to aerial streaks. Once the objective is in your hands, move into the Warehouse to defend it for overhead coverage and a good view of the surrounding area.

If you can afford it, it’s worth keeping an Operator on the ground floor around the Garage and Movie Store. Not only is it a prime path toward the B flag but it also provides quick passage down the map. The team who controls this area gains a huge advantage in mobility.

Hardpoint

Become proficient in every corner of the map. After the first objective in the central Destroyed Apartment, the remaining Hardpoints move around the perimeter, focusing much of the fight in the map’s outer streets.

You’ll need your full arsenal of equipment here, especially in the more open environments around the Warehouse, Containers, and along Mural Alley. These Hardpoints allow for a strong defense, so it’s extra important to break through early and start building up score. If you can’t break through the enemy’s hold on a point, consider leaving it and building up your defense early on for the next one. If you can get there before the onscreen indicator appears, even better.

Don’t get stuck into one style of play unless it’s working and you’re in the lead. The tactics needed to take each point can vary greatly, and a change of weapons and equipment might be all it takes to break out of a jam. Look for any weaknesses in your squad’s approach — or in the enemy’s — and exploit it.

Cutthroat

Cutthroat’s a wild ride on Skidrow; you’ll do well to deploy with a coordinated squad, as communication becomes doubly important when taking on two teams at a time.

Stick together as much as possible at the start of the round to improve your chances of winning skirmishes and picking up fallen teammates early on. Maintaining a full squad in the opening thirty seconds can be a huge advantage as the other teams continue to whittle each other down. With Skidrow’s tight layout, it also paves the way toward winning through having the most team health at the end of the round, provided no enemies nab the overtime flag beforehand.

Consider designating a finisher on your team, as well, being the Operator who eliminates fallen enemies. Designate your best player in this role to help them accumulate points toward their first streak, ideally the UAV for the intel it provides on enemy movement. Hold onto it until you really need it, an ace up your sleeve whether you need to catch up in win rounds or secure your final point to win the match.

Search & Destroy

When you’re ready to take your map knowledge to the next level, Search & Destroy is the mode for you.

With the A bomb site right in the Hallway, you need to know all the ins and outs of the central building. It’s not just about racing directly to the objective; it’s also about outplaying the enemies you may encounter along the way.

The attacking team can also swing wide toward Mural Alley to emerge through the back of the B bomb site. This play pushes far into the enemy spawn, so move in fast if you’re taking it early or plant later in the round, once the enemy team has moved up to the middle of the map.

With a quick break off the start, the defending team can get a lot of use out of the Roof’s power position, gaining views against enemies moving toward Mural Alley and the central Hallway. Though it may be tempting to send the full squad to A, consider leaving an Operator or two behind to watch for movement near B; you don’t want to get forced into a fight with an entrenched enemy here who has planted the bomb.

Modern Warfare III Multiplayer: History Modernized

What’s your favorite Call of Duty Multiplayer map?

As Call of Duty nears its 20th anniversary, veteran fans could have over 100 potential answers to that question, and that’s not including the 16 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer maps that debuted in 2009 — one of the greatest Day One Multiplayer offerings of all time.

Afghan. Derail. Estate. Favela. Karachi. Highrise. Invasion. Quarry. Rundown. Rust. Scrapyard. Skidrow. Sub Base. Terminal. Underpass. Wasteland.

As previously revealed, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare® III will launch with meticulously crafted, modernized versions of these 16 Core Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, constructed to maintain the authenticity and accuracy of the originals.

Multiplayer Maps: Then and Now

Fourteen years later, Sledgehammer Games and Infinity Ward have a wealth of game engine and design tech advancements at their disposal, such as variable-rate shading, and numerous runtime systems for better enemy visibility, to name a few.

These new, ever-advancing technological tools are vital in faithfully re-creating the Modern Warfare 2 (2009) classic maps just as fans remember them.

“There are places where the metrics of the level are adjusted to fit more modern gameplay,” Zach states, “but for the most part, it’s going to feel incredibly similar. The biggest changes are in a fidelity sense.”

In other words, those who played Favela, Terminal, or Scrapyard in 2009 may expect a wave of nostalgia as they encounter the visual updates, and more experienced veterans may appreciate the modernization updates for gameplay flow purposes.

One example is the vehicles lining the streets in various locations throughout the map pool; these are different models compared to the 2009 versions. As you explore these newly modernized maps, you’ll notice other areas have received touches that both improve gameplay and enhance scenic detail and visibility.

Buildings and other features may be a different color or material entirely, such as the old dirt-and-grass soccer pitch in Favela, which is now paved over with blue acrylic-coated blacktop.

And when it comes to lighting, this revision of the game engine truly shines.

The game’s in-game illumination techniques noticeably brighten areas like Favela’s central alleyways, allowing players to see enemy Operators more clearly, rather than have targets blend into the shadows.

However, the most important changes to the 16 Multiplayer Maps aren’t how they look but how they ultimately play.

Because of technological advancements in Call of Duty’s animation and movement techniques over the past 14 years, Operators can Tactical Sprint and leap between rooftops, mantle, and navigate alleyways with Tac-Stance, giving players more confidence during these frenetic, close-quarters engagements.

Essentially, a “modernized” Modern Warfare 2 (2009) map means an authentic Multiplayer experience with learnings from the Call of Duty franchise’s rich history.

Memorable Map Areas Modernized for Modern Warfare III

Many other updates and features are coming to all the maps, though each still retains its authenticity and core design. To that end, all the Modern Warfare III launch maps were built from the ground up (rather than being taken from existing points of interest in other maps, like Al Mazrah).

Prior to more Multiplayer map revelations at Call of Duty: Next on October 5, here’s a brief glimpse at some of the memorable areas contained within a few of the other Modern Warfare III launch maps. Sledgehammer Games’ careful and considerate modernization is set to offer the same maps you remember, but with a refreshing multiplayer experience:

Estate

The lake behind the boathouse is now accessible for wetworks. Operators can now maneuver in and under the water and can swim out to a platform overlooking the area. There’s also a greater military presence on the Estate grounds than there was before. While the original lodge offered a luxurious getaway, this one features intel posted on the wall and a tank sitting on the main road outside.

Skidrow

The bookshop is now a movie store, and the ceiling has been repaired; the lights are back on for greater visibility when passing through. Further lighting improvements to areas like the hallway and tunnel ensure that Operators are clearly visible against the environment.

Rust

Remember that open pipe jutting out in a corner that many a camper took roost in? It’s been replaced by a small building, keeping the fight out in the open. Also, be sure to take advantage of Rust’s verticality by climbing the center tower and the surrounding containers with greater agility than ever before.

Highrise

The standard office layout from 2009 has been updated for the new tenant, a company whose arcade machines, movie posters, and video game systems profess their love for entertainment. Though the occupants are different, both buildings retain their most notorious power positions. The crane still provides a killer view from the northern building, while those willing to scale the front of Actibase will be rewarded with an unmatched rooftop position.

20 Maps at Launch, All-New Core Maps Come to Live Seasons

As detailed in the Modern Warfare III Reveal blog, in addition to these 16 authentic modernizations of Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, Modern Warfare III Multiplayer will also include four massive environments comprising three brand-new Battle Maps — where Ground War and Invasion game modes will be fought against monumental backdrops. There will also be a gargantuan War map as Modern Warfare III marks the welcome return and evolution of the legendary War Mode.

Expect the flow of free post launch content including Core 6v6 Maps and additional Multiplayer content to continue after launch. As previously stated, we’ll have over 12 all-new Core 6v6 Maps in our seasons, with three all-new 6v6 maps hitting in Season 01 and three all-new 6v6 maps hitting in Season 02, along with additional maps and modes throughout future seasons.