Call of Duty: Vanguard introduces some interesting new features, and most have been fairly well received by the community. Operator levels add a bit of depth and give players a reason to play as each character available to them, with more cosmetics providing additional customization. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s destruction mechanic, while a bit out of hand on certain maps, is excellent when used sparingly.
However, it is Combat Pacing that serves as the very best addition to Call of Duty: Vanguard. While some may not think much of the matchmaking feature initially, it is brilliant in practice, and it gives players the ability to tailor their multiplayer matches so that they play out exactly how they want them to. With it improving the experience of this year’s game so significantly, there is no reason for Combat Pacing to not become a staple of the franchise going forward.
How Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Combat Pacing Works
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Combat Pacing is a mechanic that adjusts the number of players in a match. There are three different playlists available: Tactical, Assault, and Blitz. Tactical matches are usually 6v6, offering a slower and more traditional Call of Duty experience. Assault matches are middle-of-the-road, with 10-14 players on each team. This will make small maps like Das Haus hectic, but will feel perfect for big maps such as Desert Siege. Finally, there is Blitz, which will put up to 24 players on each team - ensuring that even Red Star feels fast-paced.
While there are adjustments here and there, like Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Shipment offering 7v7 on Assault and 8v8 on Blitz, players know what to expect from each playlist option. Sledgehammer Games was careful to keep XP outputs fair for each playlist as well, as gamers will rack up less weapon and profile XP for kills earned in Blitz - a fair move considering that players will be getting many more kills. More XP will be awarded for Tactical playlists, keeping things balanced.
Perhaps the best thing about this Call of Duty: Vanguard feature is the fact that players get to choose whether they engage with it. Players can select one or two of the pacing options to tailor their experience, with matchmaking placing them in the chosen playlists only. However, they can also leave the feature unadjusted, meaning that they get the full array of player counts. With the system focused on determining the best player count for each map, each match should provide a similar feel regardless of the type of mode and size of map gamers end up with.
How Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Combat Pacing Improves The Game
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Combat Pacing has been a huge boon for the game, especially when it comes to its map lineup. Locations like Berlin would have felt painfully large in older Call of Duty games, as 6v6 play would mean a lack of action and an overall slow pace. However, with Assault and Blitz playlists, Berlin feels full of life, and because of that it is one of the rare occasions when a big map is one of the best that the game has to offer. Combat Pacing gives Sledgehammer Games the freedom to be flexible with its map design, crafting small and large maps that all play well.
Combat Pacing is also hugely beneficial for players grinding Call of Duty: Vanguard’s camo challenges. Getting point blank kills could take painfully long with certain weapons, but if players want to complete the challenges quicker, they can hop into a more hectic match through Combat Pacing. With more targets to shoot, challenges can be grinded out easily, speeding up the process and letting players focus more on having fun. Players have access to this fast-paced experience at all times, too, not needing to wait for such a mode to enter the playlist rotation.
Combat Pacing not getting in the way of 6v6 is another huge strength. For example, the biggest reason players dislike Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies is because Treyarch did not give players options, with only an objective-focused mode and nothing in the iconic round-based style. Combat Pacing does not take anything away, however. Traditional 6v6 Call of Duty is still fully accessible, and if that is what players prefer, they can play in the Tactical playlist only. Nobody is funneled into one style of play, which is one of the smartest things about the Combat Pacing system.
How Combat Pacing Would Make Other Call of Duty Games Better
When looking at older Call of Duty games, it is easy to think of scenarios where Combat Pacing would have made the experience better. The first situation that should instantly jump out at longtime fans is 2013’s Call of Duty: Ghosts. The unpopular Infinity Ward title’s biggest issue was its map design, with ridiculously big locations like Stonehaven being unfit for a small player count. However, if it was possible to go back in time and make an Assault or Blitz playlist available to Call of Duty: Ghosts players, Stonehaven and other maps could be looked back at more fondly.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s 12v12 playlist came after release and quickly became one of the most popular ways to play the game, so much so that gamers demanded it become permanent. A good portion of Call of Duty fans have always liked hectic matches, which is why maps like Nuketown and Shipment are so popular. The Blitz Pacing gives gamers that intense style of gameplay where a fight is lurking around every corner, and it does so on every map. If Combat Pacing existed for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War from the start, players may have been more patient as they waited for content to be added.
Hopefully, 2022’s Call of Duty game brings back Combat Pacing, with the feature pushed every year after so that it becomes a major part of each release. There are no downsides to Combat Pacing, as the feature provides something for all types of player. Fans who want traditional Call of Duty have an option available to them, as do those who want hectic games whenever they are playing. Fans who want something in between can get that, too, with the feature showing respect for the entire Call of Duty community. While fans of the series will rarely agree unanimously on something being a positive, it would be hard to find someone who dislikes the addition of Combat Pacing – and that says something.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.