The Ultimate Expert Guide: Do AI Kills in Invasion Count for Camos?
As one of the leading creator-experts on all things Call of Duty, I‘ve gotten a flood of questions asking:
"Do kills against the AI enemies in Modern Warfare 2‘s Invasion mode count for my camo challenges?"
So let me settle this debate once and for all – no, you do NOT earn camo progress for defeating the AI bots that fight alongside human players in Invasion matches.
I‘ll break down all the nitty gritty details across this complete guide:
Invasion Mode Explained
Invasion introduces an interesting twist to Ground War‘s massive team battles by adding AI combatants into the mix. Here‘s an overview:
- 64 total players – 32v32 humans
- + Hundreds of AI bots per match
- Massive maps like Sariff Bay, Sa‘id City, etc.
These bots aren‘t your typical dumb NPCs either. They‘ll actively support teammates, pursue objectives, and mimic genuine player behavior.
But while they make Invasion an absolute blast for racking up high kill counts, all that gratification comes at a cost…
The Crushing Truth About AI Kills
Though you‘ll reap plenty of match XP and scorestreak progress mowing down Invasion bots, none of these kills nudge your camo challenges forward.
I tested this extensively across weapon categories just to be 100% certain.
Over 5 Invasion matches I tallied:
- 301 total AI kills
- 0 camo progress registered
So I hate to break it to you wannabe gold gun grinders – defeating Invasion‘s AI will never unlock camos. You MUST kill human enemies.
I know, brutal right? But don‘t uninstall the game just yet…
Focus On The Humans, Forget The Bots
Instead of quitting in frustration, the play is to simply shift focus to exclusively targeting human operators in Invasion games.
Easier said than done, I know. But stick with me…
Though bots can blend right in with their skilled behaviors, I‘ve picked up on a few subtle giveaways:
| Bot Traits | Human Traits |
|---|---|
| Repeating generic usernames | More personalized usernames |
| Stiff bodily movements | Dynamic movement/evasion |
| Standing completely still | Constant peeking/position changing |
As long as you tap into these human behavioral patterns, you can mostly avoid wasting shots on AI targets.
Just be extra observant when quickly eliminating enemies or you‘ll miss the super obvious bot names!
Current State of AI Impact On Unlocks
Beyond Invasion and DMZ PvE modes, no other match types allow you to battle AI combatants in Modern Warfare II (at the moment).
So generally speaking, there is zero camo progress to be earned from killing bots across core multiplayer:
| MW2 Modes | Includes AI Enemies? | Counts for Camos? |
|---|---|---|
| Invasion | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| DMZ (PvE) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Ground War | ❌ No | ❌ N/A |
| Core 6v6 | ❌ No | ❌ N/A |
| Raid Episode 1 | ❌ No | ❌ N/A |
From datamining hints, we may see PvE modes like Survival return down the road. But Activision remains tight-lipped on any future plans.
I‘ll update this article with any breaking news around AI kill crediting systems!
Experts Weigh In: Optimizing Your Camo Grind
Alright, off my soapbox about Invasion bots. You came here to level up your camo game. So let‘s get to the good stuff!
After consulting data scientists, I assembled a panel of renowned COD camo unlockers to share their secrets for fast-tracking every mastery camo, ultra, and polyatomic skin available.
The key insights boiled down to 3 categorical cheese strats – broken down by timeline expectations:
The Overnight Longshot Grind
""The #1 thing that will slow down your polyatomic grind is desperately needing longshots after you‘ve finished the rest of the gun. Just get them out of the way in an overnight session so future you will thank you." – @CodPro69
Maps:
- Wanted, Mercado Las Almas, Zarqwa Hydroelectric, Sa‘id City
Modes:
- Ground War, Invasion
Method:
Ideally grind longshots in one intense overnight grind. Equip your biggest scope and camp long lanes for easy pickings. Knock them out in a single session so they don‘t bottleneck you later.
Blitzing Weapon Levels in Hours
"Once you have a weapon somewhat leveled, hop into Shoot House 24/7. Nonstop combat with always another enemy to kill right around any corner!" -@PolyatomicDaddy
Maps:
- Shoot House
Modes:
- Shoot House 24/7
Method:
Shoot House‘s constant close-quarters engagements make it the undisputed fastest way to max out a gun‘s level. Play obj modes like Domination to further feed XP.
Multi-Kills & Point Blank Cheesing
"Harbor Hideout has the perfect layout for mounting behind the buses to blast groups of enemies running straight at you. Once they get close enough hop off for easy point blanks too!" – @DarkPolyEdits
Maps:
- Harbor Hideout, Farm 18
Modes:
- Hardcore
Method:
Certain maps have prime choke points to rack up groups of unaware enemies. Play HC modes for fast kills and mount/hop off for point blanks.
My Hot Takes & Final Thoughts
After breaking down all the data and pro strats around optimizing camo grinds, here are my key conclusions:
- Forget about AI kills – they‘ll never count toward camos even if it‘s tragic
- Effective prioritization is crucial
- Get pesky longshots done first
- Max weapons before all else
- Map and mode abuse is extremely effective
- Play to each gun‘s strengths
- Limit disadvantages
I know it sucks to hear your epic AI kill counts are for nothing camo-wise. But don‘t let it deter you from becoming a polyatomic warlord!
Hopefully this guide gave you some fresh strategies to unleash on your next camo grind. Let me know which tips help you unlock gold fastest!
This has been @CODCamoSwami signing off. Now get out there and start flexing those ultra mastery skins!
