How to Win MW3’s Invasion Mode Every Time: 5 Tactical Tips and Tricks

Invasion mode returns in Modern Warfare 3. It’s a PvPvE mode with tons of bots and a couple of dozen players, all on Ground War maps. Getting a W is tricky. But trust me when I say it’s possible. Here, I’ll tell you how to win Invasion mode every time.

How to Increase Your Odds of Winning Invasion Mode in Modern Warfare 3

Simply put, you can’t guarantee an Invasion mode win. You can get a score in the hundreds, but if your team isn’t in the game, don’t expect to win Invasion mode every time. That said, there are a few things that can increase your odds I’ve found consistent and relatively easy.

Shoot every bot you see. Called “Soldiers” in-game, bots are relatively stupid. They’re easy to kill early in a match. And they come in droves. They sometimes hang out with other players, but wander the map in packs at other time, ready for reaping.

If you catch one of their deployment helicopters as it enters, shoot all the bots out of the sky as they descend — or even while they’re in the choppers. The bots are more difficult to kill nearing a match’s, but they’re still not smart enough to pose much of a threat.

Learn the high-traffic areas and stick to them. All of the Invasion maps have high-traffic zones, where players and bots congregate. The spawns are terrible, but it doesn’t take to get back in the fight. Use areas of lower popularity as flanking routes. Rooftops are prime real estate, as well, provided your team holds them.

Use vehicles and killstreak boxes as you can. Vehicle spawns are frequent at your team’s spawn and in the middle of a match. Use ATVs and buggies to get back to the action faster, and when the tanks and heavy troop carriers arrive, use them to rack up easy killstreaks. I’ve watched them quickly nab six or seven kills before exploding. Don’t expect to last long in a light tank, though. You’re a massive target.

Use the most powerful lethal Streaks you can. UAVs and Counter-UAVs are useful. But they don’t increase your team’s overall score as much as a VTOL or a Chopper Gunner. Remote Turrets are also a community favorite because you can place them and get a few kills before they deactivate or get destroyed.

Don’t run headlong into danger. I need to follow this credo much better myself. There are enough players on the enemy team that someone’s liable to be holding a sightline. Instead, play more tactically. Pick your battles as they come. Don’t force your way onto a contested rooftop or a popular chokepoint. That’s a quick way to go right back to spawn. I guarantee it.

Other than those main tips, the best way to win Invasion in MW3 is to play well, kill a lot, and die less. Sometimes your teammates will sandbag enough to give the enemy team tons of streaks, and you’ll just have to deal with it. Hopefully, you’ll have given just as good as you got. For more content on the latest Call of Duty, check out our Modern Warfare 3 guides hub.