Sledgehammer Games is back with their latest entry to the Call of Duty franchise. Vanguard sees us return to World War II to fight across four areas – The Eastern Front, North Africa, The Western Front, and The Pacific. All in time for bonfire night. What better way to celebrate than to blow stuff up in Call of Duty, and to take a look at some pretty RGB systems and peripherals.
2017’s Call of Duty: WWII focused on notable moments of the second world war, including massive battles that shifted the balance of the war. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s campaign places us into a crack squad of international forces working as a unit to take down the remains of the Nazi Regime towards the end of the war. Fighting the underground remnants of Nazis in the shadow of the Reich as Berlin burns and across the fronts may just be the best backdrop for a World War II FPS to date. We are excited.
From stunning level design and atmospheric lighting, all the way to the stories and motivations of the characters, this entry into the campaign is looking to be a memorable one. From sniping to aerial combat, the campaigns’ unit, Task Force One, has something for everyone.
Kingsley
Commanding with kindness, Kingsley is the heart of Task Force One. Determined to see the Axis defeated, he will lead the team against overwhelming odds and through their darkest hours.
Polina Petrova
Wanting nothing but vengeance against the Reich who has destroyed her homeland of Stalingrad and took her life away. Polina Petrova is the squad’s sharpshooter and the best sniper in Russia.
Wade Jackson
Our Hotshot maverick pilot from Brooklyn. Wade is the most dangerous thing in the sky, and won’t let you forget it. Fuelled by adrenaline, the squad’s ace won’t let you down and ensures we’re in for air superiority.
Lucas Riggs
The squad’s down under demolitions expert. Lucas is loud but efficient, and is yet to find a problem that cannot be solved with explosives. Highly strung, the Australian demo expert has issues with authority, but is always ready to blow stuff up.
Richard Webb
Kingsley’s right-hand man, friend, and confidant, Richard always has his back. A master of strategy and dry wit, he’s always ready with a quick solution to even the trickiest situations you’ll find yourself in throughout Vanguard.
Obviously, the most important member of your squad is your gaming PC. Vanguard is bringing expansive customisation for PC players with over 200 individual setting options to customise your visuals, audio and interface. Whether you’re playing on an ultrawide monitor or multiple displays the experience is going to be great. If you’re looking to get the most out of this entry into the Call of Duty franchise, here’s the system requirements and three tasty PCs we recommend.
| Minimum | Recommended | Competitive | Ultra RTX | |
| OS | Windows 10 64 Bit (Latest Update) | Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update) or Windows 11 64 Bit (latest update) | Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update) or Windows 11 64 Bit (latest update) | Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update) or Windows 11 64 Bit (latest update) |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300 | Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X | Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X | Intel Core i9-9900K or AMD Ryzen 9 3900X |
| RAM | 8GB RAM | 12GB RAM | 16GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Storage Space | 36GB at launch (Multiplayer and Zombies only | 61GB at launch | 61GB at launch | 61GB at launch |
| Hi-Rez Assets Cache | Up to 32GB | Up to 32GB | Up to 32GB | Up to 64GB |
| Video Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070/RTX 3060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070/RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT |
| Video Memory | 2GB | 4GB | 8GB | 10GB |
Swarm MK2 Gaming PC
- Intel Core i9 11900K
- RTX 3080 10GB
- Full custom water cooling
- Fully customisable
- Stunning looks
If you’re looking for max settings, ray tracking and drop-dead gorgeous looks you’ve come to the right place. This INFIN8 Swarm MK2 is not only packed to the brim with high-end hardware but is fully customisable, so you can achieve your perfect aesthetic whilst you pwn noobs.
Oxygen Gaming PC
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- RTX 3060TI
- AiO water cooling
- Fully customisable
- Sleek design
Get competitive with the right specs to run at a high FPS, perfect for use with a high refresh rate monitor. You don’t have to sacrifice quality to get competitive frame rates. The Oxygen Gaming PC boasts an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, 16GB of RAM, and a 3060TI, perfect for the latest AAA titles at competitive settings. Oh, and there is some pretty RGB as well.
Spectra Gaming PC
- Intel Core i5 9400F
- GTX 1660 Super
- Fully customisable
- Plenty of RGB
Where the majority of us fall and there’s good reason for that, AAA titles still look great and medium to high settings. A great way to get into PC gaming is our Spectra PC. Sporting 16GB of RAM, a GTX 1660 Super, and an i5 9400F, this PC more than meets the recommended hardware. What’s more, there’s plenty of RGB fans in this system and you can customise the spec to suit your budget.
Multiplayer, zombies and all that good stuff
As excited, we are for a new World War II based campaign, it wouldn’t be COD without some multiplayer action.
There are even more ways to play than ever before. With an extensive multiplayer experience, Vanguard will see us battle across 20 maps at launch, with more coming in the Season One DLC. From day one, you can expect to see maps from the games diverse set of biomes: The Pacific, Western Front, Eastern Front, and North Africa.
New game modes include Champion Hill – a multi-arena survival tournament, where you’ll need to combine tactics and strategy with fast action if you want to survive. Patrol brings a new take on the Hardpoint mode, with a moving objective that travels across the map. You’ll need to work as a squad to own the roaming patrol point.
Call of Duty: Vanguard may be launching on Bonfire night, but you best believe there is plenty of scary Zombie action. Arguably the best part of the COD franchise, Vanguard adds plenty of new content to the infamous zombie mode.
Treyarch is back! The studio that brought zombies to Call of Duty more than a decade ago returns to the helm setting the stage for a new zombie experience. Black Ops Cold War allowed the team to begin this story with the gateway at project end station. It is time to fight a new kind of evil, make new allies, and make new enemies.
Next-Gen Technology
Not only is Vanguard bringing new and exciting gameplay to the franchise, but also the next-gen features we deserve. Crossplay, cross-progression, and cross-gen support are all available from launch, meaning you can play across consoles and PC with your friends. Utilising the engine introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Vanguard delivers breath-taking visual fidelity and a photorealistic world alongside lifelike characters and optimised performance.
RGB Goodness
Whether you’re fighting with Task Force One in the shadow of the Reich, battling against hordes of undead Nazi monsters in zombie gameplay, or playing online with your squad, you need the right equipment. Get the most out of Call of Duty: Vanguard and equip yourself with some RGB peripherals to celebrate Bonfire Night with some Call of Duty explosions and rainbow lighting. Rainbow wave RGB makes the game run faster, right?
Cherry Xtrfy M4 RGB Gaming Mouse Retro Edition
- Low weight of only 69 grams
- High-accuracy 16,000 CPI optical sensor
- 1,000 hertz polling rate and one millisecond response time
- Matte UV coating
- RGB LED strip
With a max CPI of 16,000, the Xtrfy M4 RGB Retro edition gaming mouse is perfect for sniping with Polina Petrova in Vanguards campaign. Even better the RGB LED lighting will make you look glorious whilst doing so.
Kolink Void RGB Midi Tower Case
- V-Shaped cut-out with infinity mirror effects and RGB lighting
- Tempered glass side panel
- Pre-installed 120mm fan with digitally addressable RGB
- PSU shroud with air inlets for a cleaner look
- Support for radiators up to 240mm
Already got a top tier system? Well, then how about upgrading your PC chassis to one with some RGB goodness. The Kolink Void adds a tasteful amount of RGB to your setup with an RGB rear fan and RGB V-shaped infinity mirror on the front.
ASUS 43″ ROG STRIX XG43UQ 3840×2160 4K
- 43″ 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) DSC gaming monitor with 144 Hz refresh rate
- FreeSync™ Premium Pro offers smooth HDR visuals
- ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB Sync)
- RGB logo projector
Get the most out of Call of Duty: Vanguards stunning visuals with a 43” 4K monitor. The Asus ROG Strix XG43UQ not only boasts incredible picture quality but supports 4K resolutions at up to 144Hz for buttery smooth gameplay.
ASUS ROG Delta S Lightweight USB-C RGB Hi-Res Audio Gaming Headset
- AI noise-canceling mic
- High-Resolution ESS 9281 Quad-DAC
- Soundwave Light Effects
- Crafted for Comfort
Complete your full RGB setup with the ASUS ROG Delta S Hi-Res gaming headset. Not only does this headset have great RGB but also a noise-cancelling microphone, perfect for directing your squad in new multiplayer modes in Vanguard.
Are you excited for Vanguard?
Are you ready to take on the Nazi Regime in the campaign? Or are you more excited for new multiplayer modes, and fighting off hordes of the undead? Let us know what you’re ready for below.
- 9 min read
Robert Mullane
Author
When not working, you'll find me in VR or losing in bottom-tier Valorant matches. I write about all topic's tech and gaming with a particular focus on representation in gaming, virtual reality, and LGBTQ+ themes. If you're still not fed up with me, you can also catch me over on the Overclockers UK TikTok and YouTube accounts.
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