Call of Duty: Vanguard tried to spice up multiplayer, with a load of maps at launch, some interesting new gameplay mechanics, such as destructible environments, and much more. But one new addition that everyone was curious about was Champion Hill – the evolution of the Gunfight mode that was introduced in 2019’s Modern Warfare.
Champion Hill looked to take the Gunfight formula – small teams on small maps partaking in fast and frenetic gameplay – and gave it a couple of twists. Champion Hill added battle royale and round-based elements to the DNA of Gunfight to create a new mutant mode.
So, here’s all you need to know about one of Call of Duty Vanguard’s largest additions.
Champion Hill gameplay
Gameplay in Vanguard’s Champion Hill mode was similar to past Gunfight modes, but each match saw you face eight other teams in a mini tournament-style battle royale. Teams played each other across four different maps with the aim of knocking off as many lives as possible. Once a team reached zero lives, they were eliminated and sent packing to the central buy station area to watch the rest of the action from the sidelines.
Throughout these games, you could upgrade your loadout using cash. Cash was earned by picking up cash drops that appeared on each map, or by killing enemies. Between rounds at the buy station, you could upgrade your starting weapons and purchase new armaments, equipment, perks, and killstreaks.
Champion Hill maps
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Champion Hill had four different maps to compete in, better thought of as arenas rather than maps in the traditional sense. Champion Hill was technically one large map with five separate sections (the four maps and a central buy station area) with no loading zones between them.
These were the four Champion Hill maps in Vanguard:
- Airstrip
- Trainyard
- Market
- Courtyard
Champion Hill didn’t quite catch on like wildfire as Activision had likely hoped, though it did offer a unique gameplay experience. Unfortunately, these smaller-scale, more intricate and intense modes have often failed to capture the wider Call of Duty audience. Vanguard’s Champion Hill was no different.