Following on from last year’s title, the Call of Duty MW3 missions will take you on a globe-trotting adventure as different members of Task Force 141, as you plan to stop Vladimir Makarov. The full MW3 mission list comes a little shorter than Modern Warfare 2 (2022), but offers an excellent change in the standard COD formula, thanks to Open Combat Missions.
While we didn’t praise the MW3 campaign during our Call of Duty MW3 review, we found the addition of Open Combat Missions to be exciting for the series, if not a little underdeveloped. So, if you’re hoping to use the best MW3 guns while taking part in the new missions for the latest entry in one of the best FPS game series, here’s how many you’ll need to complete to beat the story.
Call of Duty MW3 missions list
The 14 Call of Duty MW3 missions in order are:
- Operation 627 (15-20 minutes)
- Precious Cargo (10-20 minutes)
- Reactor (10-20 minutes)
- Payload (20-25 minutes)
- Deep Cover (10-15 minutes)
- Passenger (5 minutes)
- Crash Site (10-15 minutes)
- Flashpoint (15-20 minutes)
- Oligarch (15-20 minutes)
- Highrise (15-20 minutes)
- Frozen Tundra (25-30 minutes)
- Gora Dam (10-15 minutes)
- Danger Close (10-15 minutes)
- Trojan Horse (20-25 minutes)
While these missions are bombastic and expansive in all the right ways, the MW3 missions list is undeniably shorter than its predecessor.
For reference, the MW2 missions list features 17 levels with unique gameplay moments and impeccable cutscenes. Meanwhile, MW (2019) features 14 missions, so MW3 (2023) is at least in line with this entry. However, it’s worth considering that MW3 breaks new ground for the series with the addition of Open Combat Missions, which provide for much more expansive missions that, arguably, equate to more than a single traditional level.
While the campaign offers a runtime of around four or five hours for most players, including cutscenes, you can increase this by unlocking all of the weapons and equipment during the Open Combat Missions. Admittedly, this won’t increase it by much and isn’t necessary to complete each level, but if you’re looking to get your money’s worth that’s the best bet.
For reference, the original Modern Warfare 3 (2011) offered six hours during the story, which is on par with most Call of Duty campaigns. The longest campaign in Call of Duty history is currently Black Ops 3, which takes most players between 9-10 hours to beat, with the rest of the games in the series usually offering 6-7 hours for the campaign.
Nevertheless, the shorter length is one of the many reasons why the reception to the MW3 campaign missions has been remarkably poor, as our own review expands upon. With a very limited development time, it’s clear that the underdeveloped Open Combat Mission structure is a calculated move to make less guided and cinematic missions while offering rather bland sandboxes taken from the new Warzone map in return. Currently, the game sits at an average critic score of 56 on Metacritic for the PS5 version of the game, while the user average is an unreasonably low 1.8.
Overall, there’s not all that much of what long-time CoD fans would expect from the MW3 missions, namely focused, cinematic levels. However, some have praised the added freedom of the OCM, at least in how they could be improved in the future to innovate on the traditional campaign structure.
Despite a mediocre experience overall, the campaign is still worth playing solely for some great rewards. Each mission offers some rewards for you to use in the MW3 multiplayer and MW3 Zombies modes. You can find each of the missions in detail below, including what rewards each level offers.
Operation 627
- Reward: Breather calling card
- Operator: Alpha 2-1
In Operation 627, you play as Alpha Team as they infiltrate a Russian gulag in the dead of night. That’s right, you play as the baddies looking to free Makarov from the gulag.
It’s certainly our favorite of the MW3 missions thanks to its more cinematic nature, and the infiltration setup in the dead of night is thrilling. Overall, Operation 627 is a thrilling start that introduces you to the immersive gunplay and environments you can expect going forward.
What you might not know is that Operation 627 mimics the Modern Warfare 2 (2009) mission ‘The Gulag’, in which Task Force 141 set about breaking Prisoner #627, Captain Price, from the floating stronghold. MW3’s mission Operation 627 is, therefore, an inversion of what fans had expected after this mission was initially revealed by Activision ahead of launch. Rather than saving Price as the heroes, you’re freeing the villain as the very enemies you’ll be facing off against for the remaining MW3 campaign missions.
Nevertheless, like the original inspiration, there is plenty of verticality involved, particularly when you’re rappelling down the prison’s interior.
Precious Cargo
- Rewards: 30 minutes XP Token, 30 minutes Weapon XP Token
- Operator: Farah
In Precious Cargo, Farah and the ULF prepare to receive a secret arms shipment at a port in Urzikstan. However, things don’t go according to plan as Farah’s car is blown up and the arms shipments are threatened by Konni. During the mission, you’ll have to track down the three shipments to place tracking devices.
As the first Open Combat Mission in the campaign, it’s a great feeling being dropped into such a large environment with an expansive toolbox to mess around with. In fact, there’s a total of 21 weapons and items to discover, including hidden vehicles.
For example, we found a buggy tucked away inside a blue cargo container in the docks which proved great in navigating the area. If you’re not here for immersion, then you could also use this vehicle as a weapon in and of itself.
Reactor
- Reward: ‘Corso’ Operator unlock
- Operator: Price
Reactor is the second Open Combat Mission and sees Task Force 141 assaulting Konni forces at a nuclear power plant in Northern Urzikstan. The main objective is to take out three helicopters spread around the location by any means necessary, such as rockets or C4. In fact, we even strapped C4 to a jeep and drove the jeep off a ramp and into the helicopter to destroy one of them.
After you’ve destroyed the helicopters, you’ll be sent into the main building where you’ll face off against waves of enemies as toxic fumes rise. It’s certainly tense as you race against the clock and try to stay alive with limited cover.
Once again, you’re given a lot of items to play around with, a total of 29 in fact, as it’s even larger than the previous mission, Precious Cargo.
Payload
- Reward: Ghillie Guy calling card
- Operator: Price
Mission 4, Payload, sees a return to the traditional level structure as Task Force 141 rendezvous with Farah in Urzikstan to recover stolen missiles.
This begins with one of the best sections of the campaign, as you’re given control over a drone that can mark enemies. Armed with a suppressed pistol and rifle, you have to sneak inside and take enemies out efficiently to succeed.
What starts as a stealth mission soon breaks out into all-out action though, as you proceed inside the facility and meet up with Farah. This mission ends with a challenging shootout as you’re forced to escape the facility. The biggest threat you’ll encounter is two juggernauts decked out in heavy armor. However, unloading a machine gun into their helmet will do the trick.
Deep Cover
- Reward: 30 minutes XP Token, 30 minutes Weapon XP Token
- Operator: Laswell
The tensions heighten in Deep Cover as Laswell infiltrates Arklov Peak Military Base to meet with a Russian asset. This is a stealth mission akin to the Brick in the Wall mission from Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. However, there’s a unique mechanic where you can stow your weapon to avoid detection, though it will take longer to get it back out when you need it in a pinch.
Passenger
- Reward: N/A
- Operator: Samara
Mission six, Passenger, is one of the most intense levels in the whole campaign. Echoing the iconic No Russian mission from the original MW2, hijackers take control of Russian Flight 761, which is bound for Sochi, Russia.
When it begins, you can either choose to do a takedown on the terrorist or just follow him down the plane. Taking him down will give you a gun and you can fight some of the terrorists but you’ll eventually get knocked out and dragged to the same part of the plane you would have walked to.
Passenger is, in fact, the mission teased at the end of MW2 (2022), when we see a group of passengers on a plane with their hoods up, later revealed to be armed terrorists. That’s right, Passenger has clearly been a long time in the making.
Crash Site
- Reward: ‘Pathfinder’ Operator unlock
- Operator: Farah
Mission seven, Crash Site, is the third Open Combat Mission in the MW3 missions list. Here, Farah races to the site of a crashed Russian Airliner to protect the ULF from being framed. After all, we know who’s really behind it.
With only ten weapons and items to discover, Crash Site is smaller than the previous Open Combat Missions, though it is dripping in atmosphere.
Flashpoint
- Reward: Toxic Drip calling card
- Operator: Soap
Flashpoint once again returns to the traditional CoD campaign formula, even more so as it’s yet another reference to MW2’s infamous No Russian mission. In Flashpoint, you’ll be sent back in time as Price recounts Bravo Team’s last encounter with Makarov in Verdansk, explaining the ominous MW2 (2022) ending scene:
As you chase Makarov through the stadium, chaos breaks out. It’s certainly one of the most devastating and intense levels in the MW3 missions list.
Oligarch
- Reward: 1 hour XP Token, 1 hour Weapon XP Token
- Operator: Soap
In Oligarch, another Open Combat Mission, you play as Soap as he infiltrates a private island alongside Ghost to investigate Makarov’s financier.
With 21 weapons and items to uncover, Oligarch is quite a substantial mission, and the environment you’ll get to explore is visually stunning to boot.
Highrise
- Reward: ‘Doc’ Operator unlock
- Operator: Gaz
Off the back of Oligarch, Highrise is the fifth Open Combat Mission, though it’s the first and only time we get to play as Gaz. In High Rise, Price and Gaz must assault a Konni safehouse in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Unlike the majority of the previous Open Combat Missions, Highrise is significantly more urban, though just as dripping in atmosphere. With 19 weapons and items to collect, there’s a lot to find as you creep through the tight alleyways and interiors.
Frozen Tundra
- Reward: Skull Rhapsody calling card
- Operator: Price
Swapping back to standard CoD missions, Frozen Tundra sees Task Force 141 ambushing Makarov’s convey in the frozen tundra of Siberia. With such deep blue colors from the ice and freezing water, Frozen Tundra is certainly a spectacle.
Gora Dam
- Reward: 1 hour XP Token, 1 hour Weapon XP Token
- Operator: Ghost
Switching over to one of the grandest Open Combat Missions, Gora Dam sees you engaging Konni forces at Verdansk’s Gora Damn to prevent a false flag attack. You’ll do this as Ghost, so while stealth isn’t mandatory, it’s certainly fitting.
There are 21 weapons and items to find as well, so there’s a great incentive to explore the large map, even if you think you know all its nooks and crannies from Warzone.
Danger Close
- Reward: ‘Jabber’ Operator unlock
- Operator: Shadow Company
With the MW3 missions list nearly at a close, Danger Close is very much a traditional, linear level. Here, Price, Gaz, Farah, and Alex search a Konni airbase, while you play as Shadow Company providing support from the air.
Danger Close is similar to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’s Death From Above level which put you in the gunner seat of an AC-130 gunship to provide air support for Captain Price’s SAS team.
Trojan Horse
- Reward: ‘Brogue’ Weapon Blueprint unlock
- Operator: Soap/Price
The final MW3 mission, Trojan Horse, wraps up the campaign story, though it’s clear the story isn’t over quite yet. In Trojan Horse, Task Force 141 has followed a lead in London to find and kill Makarov.
Most interestingly, you’ll play as three different Operators throughout. You begin as Soap when you’re tracking a Blackhat hacker, then Ghost while you scrub some CCTV cameras, then finally Price for the remainder of the mission when things get very intense, to say the least. You can read more about what happens during this mission in our Call of Duty MW3 ending guide.
That’s the full Call of Duty MW3 missions list for the campaign mode in 2023’s game. Be sure to bookmark this page and come back so you know how far through the missions you are, especially if you’ve got your eyes on a specific reward. And if you’re ready for some multiplayer action, take a look at the MW3 meta and all the MW3 best loadouts to use. Otherwise, be sure to check out some of the other best Xbox FPS games and best PS5 FPS games you can play afterward.