Call of Duty: Warzone’s Rebirth Island was implemented in December 2020, as part of the Black Ops Cold War integration. This additional map is a lot smaller than Verdansk and plays differently, with more fast-paced action that often results in riskier play styles. Matches tend to go by quicker, and things get hectic as soon as you touch the ground.
One of its main differences aside from the size of the map is that you’re able to respawn as long as at least one of your team members is alive. There’s a lot of nuance to how this works, and it forces you to be strategic when approaching certain situations.
Since it’s such a vastly different experience from what you might be used to, you can’t approach combat in the same way you would on Verdansk. Whether you’re new to Rebirth Island or are just looking for some extra pointers, this guide is sure to help you out. Here’s our list of Warzone Rebirth Island tips that will help you bring home more victories.
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What is Rebirth Island?
Rebirth Island is an all-new way to play Call of Duty: Warzone. Forty players drop on Rebirth Island, a map slightly bigger than Port in Verdansk. They’ll operate as they normally would, doing contracts, looting, and finding money. However, Rebirth Island has one essential mechanic that you’ll need to adapt to.
Respawning is huge on Rebirth Island as there is no Gulag. If you die, you’ll have to wait for an allotted amount of time (anywhere from 15-45 seconds) until you drop back in. However, one of your teammates must stay alive to respawn. If the entire team dies, that’s it — game over.
The surviving teammate can help in decreasing the respawn time by getting kills, opening chests, or completing contracts. They can also buy back teammates in an emergency; however, buybacks aren’t totally viable on Rebirth. Once the final circle closes, you won’t be able to respawn, similar to when the Gulag closes in Verdansk. Your teammate could buy you back at this point, but it’s a serious gamble.
Lastly, Rebirth Island’s final “eclipsing” circle is twice as big as Verdansk’s. Your position is key at the end. Forcing players to run toward you is almost an instant win. That’s the basic layout of Rebirth Island, and as you can see it’s a major departure from the standard battle royale mode.
The Drop — Be the first or the last one out
The drop onto the island is like jumping off a tall building in downtown Verdansk. It’s nothing compared to the drop you’re accustomed to, and you’ll be on the ground (or on a rooftop) faster than you can say, “I’m being shot out of the sky!” Thankfully, being killed before you hit the ground is a rarity on Rebirth Island.
Rebirth Island is about starting fast. You want to be the first team on the ground with weapons or the last team out of the plane, hoping to get the drop on another squad. Jumping mid-flight will be pure chaos as most of the lobby heads for Prison Block and its surrounding buildings.
Ideally, you should land close to a Buy Station so you can quickly purchase a Loadout Drop (more on that below). There are numerous strategies for landing. Some players land in the same spot each time no matter what, while others tend to gravitate toward contracts to rack up money fast. Where you land could be determined by the position of the first circle, as well.
In general, you can certainly experiment, but one constant should be to land close to a Buy Station. If you see a ton of players heading to the same spot, quickly communicate with your team to reassess your drop point. You may need to pull back and adjust if a particular spot is too hot.
It’s imperative that your team lands together in an area you’re accustomed to, as this leads nicely into the next tip…
Wipe the squad you land with
More often than not, you’re going to land with another squad. Rebirth Island is only a fraction of the size of Verdansk. Contracts and loot are spread evenly around the Island, with a handful of Buy Stations in between. This is why it is imperative that your team lands in a building/area you’re used to. You’ll learn where other players like to land as well as where you should drop to grab weapons and gear immediately.
Sometimes this won’t go your way, and your team may end up getting sent back to the lobby right away. However, if you stick with your team and communicate effectively, it should work out most of the time. It’s important to wipe the squad you land with because the worst thing you can do is end up in a five-minute respawn loop as your squad and another take turns killing each other. Neither team is going to benefit, and the gas is going to be closing in quickly. Play aggressively on the landing. Once that first circle closes, half the lobby is already gone. Be in the other half.
As you land, you might see different pieces of loot spread out on rooftops. Try to make a beeline for a weapon right away, even if it’s not something you’d typically use. Grabbing a weapon first can be the difference between winning and losing a gunfight. It’s also smart to listen to see if other squads are joining you to your landing destination. As soon as you’re aware a team is landing with you, make a call out so your entire squad is aware.
Buy your own loadout
This is probably the most important tip on this list. If you haven’t already discovered, Loadout Drops only cost $7,500 on Rebirth Island. That money should be easy to come by, and your squad should aim to get a Loadout Drop before anyone else. There is still a free Loadout that will fall as the first circle is almost closed (about 10 seconds remaining). However, these Loadouts are incredibly dangerous and should not be the team’s priority. Plus, you should leave a free Loadout Drop untouched just in case you die, that way you can try to head toward it (if it’s safe to do so) after you come back.
If you’re respawning, or your team wasn’t able to scrounge up enough cash for a Loadout, the free one is worth hitting, but don’t expect to get out of there safely. There’s a chance nobody is watching the box, but it’s slim. You will never get an isolated Loadout Drop on Rebirth Island. If you do, you should drop everything and buy a lottery ticket.
The other thing to consider is the loadout itself. You’ll want to deck out your builds and perks in a way that works well on Rebirth. It doesn’t do a lot of good to bring only long-range weapons with you since many of your firefights will occur at close to medium range. Your perks are also important, which we’ll cover in more detail below.
Overkill or Ghost?
You can get away with gravitating toward the Overkill perk more so than Ghost while playing on Rebirth Island. This is because the map is so condensed that enemy players can pretty much assume at least one team is at every main point of interest. Even if a team manages to throw up a UAV, your chances of getting eliminated aren’t as high, simply due to the layout of the map.
However, as the end of the game approaches, having Ghost can give you a major leg up, especially when facing off against other teams that are spawning back in. Remember, when you die and come back, you lose all of your perks and must acquire a new loadout to regain them.
So when it comes to Overkill versus Ghost, there’s a strategy you could use. Start off with Overkill if you’re comfortable, to be well-equipped to outlast the competition. Then, after multiple teams die off, you can grab a second loadout to switch to Ghost, which will help you through the rest of the match.
The thing is, you can easily grab an enemy player’s primary weapon to replace your secondary, though it’s a gamble what you’ll end up with. When we play on Rebirth, we typically start off with Ghost, since there’s such a high chance of coming across a usable primary weapon, so ultimately it’s up to you. Some of the floor loot weapons are great as well, like the Streetsweeper shotgun.
Don’t get stuck in the respawn loop
The respawn loop happens when two teams can’t wipe one another, and players keep spawning, getting one kill and then dying again. This is especially harmful when it happens just after landing. Your squad and another will end up preoccupied with one another for the entirety of the first circle.
Even if you manage to wipe the other team, you’ve got no ammo, no money, no loadout, and the gas is coming. Admit defeat if two of your teammates get killed. The remaining players should hide long enough to allow their teammates to respawn and move to a different building. This is something many players overlook, as their egos can sometimes get the better of them. Live to fight another day and move onto a different area — hopefully a secluded spot. Be sure to pay attention when selecting a new area to move toward.
Remember, enemies will be getting the “enemy soldier incoming!” notification, so there’s no sense in trying to surprise anybody, especially when all you have is a handgun.
Contracts
Rebirth Island’s contracts work exactly how they do on Verdansk, only the map’s size will often alter how quickly you can complete them. Here, you’ll find recon, bounty, supply run, and scavenger contracts, and it pays to be familiar with how they work.
Many players tend to overlook recon contracts since they do give away your position while capturing a point, just like on Verdansk. However, the capture point often spawns close to where you grab the contract, so they’re worth doing depending on how far along you are in the match. Of course, attempting a recon during late-game portions is way riskier, but at the start of the match, completing these contracts is highly useful since it tells you where the next circle will be and grants you quick cash (and some loot).
Bounties are also worth grabbing, though if you aren’t an aggressive player, they might not be as useful. Still, other people usually play more aggressively on Rebirth, meaning your bounty could — at the very least — get poached, which still nets you some cash. Other times, it could be a great way to simply know where an enemy team is, which is useful information.
Supply run contracts are similar to recons, in that you must visit a certain nearby location, specifically a Buy Station. These are often riskier to attempt since Buy Stations are frequently visited, but it’s usually not too difficult to quickly pass by to complete the contract. Plus, you get a discount on one item from the store (along with a free Self-Revive Kit) after it’s finished.
Finally, finishing a scavenger contract is the safest way to make quick cash. To complete a scavenger contract, you must open three consecutive chests that spawn in random locations around the map. They always spawn nearby one another so the risk is relatively low, provided that you and your team are on the same page. In short, complete contracts to earn loot and cash to get ahead in the match.
Get the high ground
While this tip is an obvious one to any seasoned Warzone player, it couldn’t be more important on Rebirth Island. The Prison Block roof in the center of the island is the most coveted location mid-game. While there are many ways up top, your team should have a relatively easy time defending it. There should only be a few squads left at this point.
From the Prison Block roof, your team can jump to any location to reposition as the gas is moving. The end game comes fast on Rebirth Island. Keep track of how many enemy teams are remaining and hold the roof, or position yourself so that enemies will have to push in your direction. Be ready for a fight at all times as Rebirth Island’s high points are highly sought after.
If you can’t manage to take the roof for whatever reason, do keep in mind there are two high spots on either end. There’s the water tower on the north side and the tall watchtower to the south. Both of these spots overlook the Prison Block roof, so you can climb up to get a better vantage point.
Learn alternate routes
Nearly every major point of interest has multiple access points. For instance, the Prison Block rooftop has a handful of rappels that can be used to reach the top, along with two sets of stairs, a ladder, and even a gondola. Other buildings have ledges and windows you can climb through, so it’s good to be aware of the locations. The point is, you should always try to infiltrate a building from one of the lesser-known entry points to catch your opponents by surprise. It won’t do you any good to walk in through the front door, right into their line of sight.
It’s also a good idea to use helicopters to access certain areas. If you’re sure an enemy team is located in the big green house of Living Quarters, you’ll have an easier time catching them by surprise if you execute an aerial maneuver to infiltrate through a window instead of predictably coming up the steps. Check out our video below to see what we mean.
How's this for an entrance? #Warzone pic.twitter.com/0XddHeFcaU
— Joseph Yaden (@JosephYaden) May 3, 2021
There are tons of similar strategies you can use to overtake your enemies, even if you aren’t the most accurate player. Sometimes, pulling off one of these moves can allow you to wipe an entire squad that you might have trouble taking on otherwise. Look up at the windows for alternate routes, or other means to access buildings that will allow you to drop in on your foes.
Learn how and when to use killstreaks
This is more of an advanced technique, but one you should be aware of regardless of skill level. You should learn how and when to use killstreaks to maximize effectiveness, not only on Rebirth Island but Verdansk as well. Though, on Rebirth, killstreaks can be much more deadly owing to the close proximity of enemy teams. Ideally, you should hold your aerial killstreaks, such as a Precision Airstrike or Cluster Strike, for when you need them. Many players will often just fire away a killstreak at a nearby building in hopes that it will down an enemy player through the roof. While this can sometimes work, you’re far less likely to even secure an elimination since killstreaks are easy to avoid (and players get revived so often).
There are two main strategies when it comes to using killstreaks effectively. One is to wait until you or your teammates down a player from afar. As soon as this happens, place a Cluster or Precision right on top of the downed player to increase your likelihood of securing the elimination. If you’re lucky, you might wipe out multiple players, as one might be attempting to revive the person who got downed in the first place.
The second useful tactic when utilizing killstreaks is to save one until the end of the match and place it right along the path an enemy must take to reach safety. For instance, if you know an enemy team is on top of Prison Block roof and the final circle is to the northwest by Shore, you should wait until the last minute, and then place the airstrike right in front of the opponents so they run into the killstreak as they attempt to reach the safe zone. This is tougher to execute properly, as timing is crucial, but is something you can learn more about as you play.
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