Skip to main content

Turn this Warzone 2.0 rifle into a powerhouse with one easy trick

There are a handful of midrange to long-range meta weapons in Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, with nearly all of them performing in a balanced way. Some, like the Kastov 762, hit like a truck, but are hard to control, while the ISO Hemlock deals less damage, but has virtually no recoil.

But the Cronen Squall, a battle rifle that launched during Season 3, is immensely overpowered, and has almost zero recoil. It has the ability to take down an opponent in three to six shots, making it grossly unbalanced, but the weapon does not perform this well by default.

Recommended Videos

Overpowered Cronen Squall build

Aiming with Cronen Squall in Warzone 2.0.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The key to achieving three-shot kills is to switch the weapon to semi-auto mode by pressing left on the D-pad. This actually changes the weapon’s damage profile, allowing it to achieve a ridiculously fast time to kill (TTK). But since the weapon is semi-auto, its recoil is much more manageable than its fully-auto counterpart, as it recenters after each shot. YouTuber and Call of Duty guru JGOD demonstrates this in his latest video, showcasing just how easy the semi-auto version is to control.

Cronen Squall is Breaking Warzone 2...

The best long-range build can be seen below, but keep in mind, there’s lots of wiggle room here. As long as you switch to semi-auto, you’ll be able to secure those three-shot eliminations. Build the weapon to suit your playstyle and watch as you dominate the battlefield.

Barrel HR 6.8 Barrel
Muzzle Sakin Tread-40
Underbarrel FTAC Ripper 56
Optic Teplo-OP3 Scope
Magazine 30 Round Mag

This will likely get nerfed alongside the Season 4 update, so you’ll want to utilize this weapon while you can.

Joseph Yaden
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
Call of Duty: Warzone devs share the design secrets of the best battle royale map
Overhead shot of Vondel map in Warzone.

The Vondel map in Call of Duty: Warzone is one of the best battlegrounds in the history of the battle royale genre. It's a small-scale, densely packed map with a wide variety of points of interest (POIs) that feel distinct. Modeled after European cities, Vondel is a feat of level design as it simultaneously feels fun and functional. It's a city that you can truly imagine as a real place, with a slew of different shops to enter, a canal, and even a water taxi service that moves throughout the map.

But behind the scenes, there are countless design choices that help the flow and pacing of the map. To get a better sense of just what makes this map work so well, I spoke with Beenox Senior Level Designer Fred Wilson and Lead Artist Guillaume Alain. The duo revealed how Vondel's composition seeps into the players' subconscious, with intuitive design choices that work better than any Warzone map that's come before.
Pacing is king

Read more
You’re probably using the wrong close-range Warzone weapon
Call of Duty Warzone screenshot of 3 characters walking towards the camera.

Following the Call of Duty: Warzone Season 4 Reloaded update, players have flocked to various close-range weapons, including the Lachmann Sub, the FSS Hurricane, or the ISO 45. However, these close-range weapons pale in comparison to the X13 Auto, a sidearm that has found its way to the top of the close-range meta.

The beauty of this weapon is that, not only does it take down your foes faster than any SMG in the game, but it also doesn't require the use of the Overkill perk, as it's just a sidearm. But how exactly should you build the X13 Auto? Here's a recommended loadout, which focuses on practicality up-close. Just use it while you still can, as it may not last long.
The best X13 Auto loadout

Read more
Call of Duty: Warzone tips and tricks
Player on the Vondel map in Warzone.

The current version of Call of Duty: Warzone, much like its predecessor, is a complicated beast of a game, full of little intricacies that even veteran players might not be aware of. Of course, winning a match often comes down to luck, but there are many things you can do to increase your odds of being the last squad standing.

In this guide, we'll go through eight essential tips and tricks to help you survive and excel in Warzone.
Communicate effectively

Read more