Use a suppressed Han 86 with a 60-round drum, a close-range VEL 46 or PPSh-41, a three-plate carrier, extra armor, a Large Scavenger Backpack and a self-revive. Deploy through Operation Iron Citadel, upgrade the Multi-Use Air Base Access Card in Admin Complex No. 2, collect the three code notes, then open the Armory and fight the Colossus from cover. Chang-san’s exterior is a Critical-threat area and its bunker is Extreme, so a normal free or lightly armored loadout is not enough.
The route below follows the independent-guide consensus available in November 2026. Activision has confirmed the threat levels and location, but has not published an official keypad walkthrough or Colossus strategy.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Han 86 + VEL 46 | Default Armory run | Han 86: 740 RPM, 34.5% DMZ pick; VEL 46: 13.1% pick | MW4 DMZ on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox on PC, Battle.net and Steam | Nov 2026 |
| Han 86 + PPSh-41 | Players who want the fastest bunker SMG handling | PPSh-41 ADS reduced to 280 ms in the Oct. 28, 2026 patch; 5.1% pick | MW4 DMZ on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox on PC, Battle.net and Steam | Nov 2026 |
| Kastov 762 + VEL 46 | Armored AI and the Colossus | 7.62 rifle; max-damage range raised to 1,050 in the Oct. 28 patch | MW4 DMZ on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox on PC, Battle.net and Steam | Nov 2026 |
| M4 + ISO Nightshade | New players without Han 86 attachments | M4 max-damage range raised to 1,020; both guns are early unlocks | MW4 DMZ on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox on PC, Battle.net and Steam | Nov 2026 |
What is the best MW4 DMZ loadout for the Air Base Armory?
The strongest general-purpose setup is a suppressed Han 86 with a 60-round magazine and recoil-control attachments, paired with a VEL 46 or PPSh-41. Add a three-plate carrier, a Large Scavenger Backpack, an Armor Box, smoke grenades, a self-revive, extra plates and at least one medkit. This combination handles courtyard fights, the alarm spike after the card upgrade and the close rooms around the vault without changing weapons constantly.
Recommended weapons
| Slot | Recommendation | Build or reason |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Han 86 | FSS IS300 muzzle, Hanbit RK8 406mm barrel, FSS Fireline Grip, 60 Round Drum and SZ SRE-7 optic. The suppressed, high-capacity 5.56 setup is controllable at courtyard range and does not force a reload during a dense AI push. |
| Secondary | VEL 46 | Use it for bunker hallways, stairwells and the final scramble around the Armory door. CODMunity listed it as an Absolute Meta close-range weapon at 13.1% pick rate in late October 2026. |
| Alternative secondary | PPSh-41 | The Oct. 28 patch improved arm and hand multipliers and reduced ADS time from 300 to 280 ms. It is a strong substitute if your PPSh-41 is unlocked. |
Call of Duty Staff lists the Han 86 at 740 rounds per minute, 30-round base capacity and 90 reserve rounds, unlocked at Player Level 4. The Oct. 28 weapon pass increased its maximum damage range from 1,120 to 1,200, although neck and upper-torso multipliers fell from 1.1 to 1.0. CODMunity’s Oct. 28 tracker placed the Han 86 Long Range build at 34.5% pick rate, the highest in its DMZ snapshot.
When to choose the M4 or Kastov 762
The M4 is the forgiving option for a new operator. NoobFeed’s listed setup uses an FSS IS300, 16-inch Highmark Barrel, FSS Fireline Grip, 60 Round Drum and SZ SRE-7. It unlocks at Player Level 14, and Infinity Ward raised its maximum damage range from 990 to 1,020 in the Oct. 28 patch.
Choose the Kastov 762 when armored AI or the Colossus is your main concern. Its 7.62 damage profile is less forgiving on recoil, but its maximum damage range increased from 950 to 1,050 in the same patch. The Vault Edition’s Voltspine blueprint can provide an early Kastov 762 blueprint use, although the edition is not required to enter DMZ.
Do not make the Oden your plan for this run. Skycoach’s Extreme-threat guidance calls it poor for this mode, and the Oct. 28 patch reduced its torso multipliers.
Why does Chang-san require an Extreme-threat loadout?
Activision’s Hajin deep dive rates the Air Base Exterior as Critical and the Air Base Bunker as Extreme; they are two of only two named Extreme starting zones in the map material, alongside Nenshin Tech Complex. Combat raises a location’s Threat level and brings more capable reinforcements, while rival Operators are tracked separately and do not appear in that meter.
“Operators are advised to move with extreme caution when reconnoitering this sprawling North Korean air base,” Call of Duty Staff wrote on 5 October 2026, describing a granite hillside that conceals an underground complex larger than the surface base.
The official briefing says the eastern cliffs make a direct approach difficult and that recon teams have reached the base from elevated woodland to the south. It also warns that finding a gap in the concrete perimeter while staying hidden from watchtowers requires exceptional skill. That is why the suppressor matters during the search phase: unsuppressed fire can bring the compound to Extreme before you have the card.
Stealth does not make the whole mission quiet. The Server Room upgrade triggers an alarm, and the bunker becomes Extreme during the sequence. Use stealth to preserve plates, ammunition and healing while searching; once the alarm sounds, switch to deliberate, sustained fire.
“Stealth eliminations using melee weapons, throwing knives, or suppressed shots are an excellent way to move through higher threat areas without being noticed,” the official deep dive advises.
How do I enter and unlock the Chang-san Air Base Armory?
Deploy on Operation Iron Citadel and follow this order. The sequence comes from converging independent guides rather than an Activision walkthrough. GamingProMax describes Iron Citadel as a Tier 2 story mission that requires Critical Extraction, Silent Ledger and Shopping Hacks first; it also says the mission card is what becomes the Armory keycard. Other guides treat Iron Citadel as the correct deployment rather than proving that every non-mission entry is impossible, so use the mission and do not rely on an unconfirmed shortcut.
- Select Operation Iron Citadel before deployment. The mission places you outside Chang-san, adds objective markers and is widely described as preventing rival squads from spawning at the same POI. You can abandon the mission later and keep your loot if you prefer another exfil.
- Approach from the southern woodland. Move through a crouch-sized gap in the perimeter wall instead of the main gates. Eliminate or bypass the guard tower with sight of the compound before crossing open ground.
- Search the four central buildings. Find the Epic Air Base Access Card – Multi Use. It does not have one fixed building spawn, so clear and search all four rather than repeating a single room.
- Reach Admin Complex No. 2. This large building is on the southern side of the base. Swipe the card at the rear entrance, climb to the Server Room and kill the two guards before using the terminal.
- Upgrade the card. The terminal converts the Multi-Use card into an Airbase Armory Keycard (Single Use, Legendary). The upgrade raises the bunker to Extreme and starts the base alarm, according to GamingProMax.
- Enter the underground bunker. From the bottom of the Server Room stairs, take the left-hand door and follow the bunker route to the Armory doors. Keep the AR ready because the alarm can add reinforcements.
- Collect all three notes. Their locations are fixed: the Recovery Room reception desk, the Administrative Wing dining room on the east side and the Security Wing downstairs. Each note supplies two digits in GamingProMax’s six-digit account, while XboxPlay describes the keypad as three digits. Because the code is randomized every deployment, never copy a code from a video; collect every note and use the digits shown on your HUD as Known Digits.
- Use both locks. Enter the randomized code on the keypad, then swipe the upgraded single-use card on the reader to the right of the door. The code alone and the card alone do not open the Armory.
- Prepare for the Colossus. The Commander is immediately inside. Move to the left side of the doorway or the metal staircase before committing to the fight.
The official Hajin enemy list names “Boss: Commander: Colossus.” Its field report describes a belt-fed minigun mounted to its armor, and guides report a toxic gas cloud around some patrols. Expect a sudden boss fight rather than a safe loot room.
What equipment should I bring for an Extreme-threat bunker?
Armor and sustain determine whether the Armory is profitable. Skycoach’s Extreme-threat rule of thumb is suppressors, 60-round magazines and penetrative ammunition; COD Central’s Iron Citadel list adds a self-revive and a Scavenger Backpack. Treat a two-plate vest as the floor for ordinary DMZ, not as an appropriate Armory target.
- Armor: a three-plate carrier and a large stack of spare plates. An Armor Box is the preferred field upgrade because the compound and bunker consume plates quickly.
- Backpack: a Large Scavenger Backpack for the full mission. A medium pack with a secure slot is a general-run minimum but leaves less room for recipes, manuals and mission items.
- Healing: at least one medkit and bandages; Skycoach recommends two medkits for a solo Extreme run and three when using Possum with a self-revive.
- Self-revive: bring one. COD Central includes it in the Iron Citadel kit and subtracts the starting-kit value when calculating the run’s return.
- Tactical: smoke grenades break watchtower and hallway sight lines. A snapshot grenade is useful if you expect rival Operators near an exfil.
- Lethal: save ammunition for the Colossus. Skycoach lists C4 for lieutenants, while GamingProMax says explosives and grenades do no damage to the boss; COD Central says the boss takes a lot of ammunition or Thermite. Treat explosive damage as unresolved rather than depending on a grenade kill.
- Field upgrade alternatives: Armor Box or Fulton for Extreme; DDOS or portable radar for a normal air-base sweep.
- Headgear: the Armory is not radiation-gated like Haneul Reactor, so a gas mask is optional. It remains useful if the Colossus patrols through toxic gas as GamingProMax reports.
- Killstreak: UAV or Advanced UAV is luxury protection against Operators, not a requirement for the AI garrison.
- Optional key: the Air Base DRC Weapons Locker key is an Ultra key mapped by LoadoutVault to grid B6. The locker moves inside the Armory each deployment, so bring the key only if it is already in your stash.
How do DMZ weapon and Gunsmith unlocks affect this run?
DMZ progression is separate from simply owning a multiplayer class. The vendor opens at DMZ level 5, Gunsmith at DMZ level 10, and a base weapon generally needs an extracted Weapon Manual before you can buy it. Until then, use the Free Loadout, looted guns and the Vendor. Weapon levels and attachment unlocks are shared, but the DMZ weapon and manual gates still apply.
Blueprints provide a free initial DMZ use. That makes a Vault Edition signature blueprint such as Kastov 762 Voltspine or ISO Nightshade a genuine early-game shortcut, not a requirement. The official DMZ weapon-carry rule allows two Primaries, two Secondaries or one of each, with additional weapons available through a specific Weapon Backpack type; an AR plus SMG therefore uses a normal two-slot setup.
Attachment priorities
For this POI, prioritize a suppressor or recoil-control muzzle, the largest magazine, a range-and-velocity barrel, a roughly 2.1x AR optic and an underbarrel or rear grip that improves ADS or recoil. The order matches the route’s needs: quiet kills in the courtyard, long bursts against armored guards and enough rounds for the alarm wave.
How do I kill or cheese the Colossus in the Air Base Armory?
The safest community method is a left-doorway shoulder angle. Do not sprint through the vault entrance. Move to the left side, go prone and fire at the exposed shoulder while the doorway blocks much of the minigun’s return fire. Gamer.org warns that the angle is not invulnerable; retreat, re-plate and re-angle as soon as rounds start connecting.
- Reload the AR before opening the door and switch to the 60-round magazine.
- Open the door, immediately move left and drop prone behind the doorframe.
- Keep sustained fire on the exposed shoulder rather than wasting rounds on armor that is not visible.
- Use smoke to break the boss’s line of sight if the doorway becomes unsafe.
- Fall back to the stairs, re-plate and reload before peeking again.
GamingProMax gives a second option: fight from the metal staircase, keep above the gas cloud and use the elevated angle. This is less dependent on the exact doorway position but exposes more of your body.
Do not teach or rely on the old Drill Charge exploit. Skycoach says that exploit was fixed, and Infinity Ward’s 29 October notes mention several closed exploits without naming the Colossus. The sources also conflict on explosives: GamingProMax says grenades do no damage, while COD Central says Thermite can work. The dependable plan is a large-magazine AR or Kastov 762, sustained shoulder fire and enough plates to survive a reset.
What should I loot, and when should I leave?
The Armory is valuable because it concentrates progression items, not because every container pays the same amount. Guides list six or more Gun Lockers, weapon blueprints, 3D Printer recipes, loot caches, ordnance crates and an Armory Manifest for Iron Citadel. A separate DRC Weapons Locker appears if you brought its Ultra key. XboxPlay also lists elite plates, revive kits and top-tier weapons in the valuable supply cache.
After the boss dies, loot quickly and leave. Reverse the bunker route if you are abandoning the mission. If you are completing Iron Citadel, plant charges on the marked crates, strike the aircraft, capture the north-west SAM site and take the mission helicopter on the airstrip. You may instead drive to another exfil while keeping everything already looted.
What does an Iron Citadel run return?
COD Central’s October 2026 runs, which are that outlet’s figures rather than site testing, produced the following results:
| Team | Run time | Backpack value | Resources | Cash banked | Starting value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | 48:00 | $91,200 | 542 | $11,550 | $12,000 |
| Solo | 25:40 | $108,500 | 586 | $17,250 | $18,600 |
| Solo | 48:40 | $125,900 | 642 | $22,800 | $20,000 |
| Squad of three | 12:05 | $84,100 | 197 | $20,550 | $33,000 |
Across that strategy, COD Central calculated about $170,000 of value per hour, roughly 930 resources per hour, an average backpack value near $108,500, about 38 minutes for a solo run and 12 minutes for a three-person squad. The outlet rated the mission Very hard, reported well over 100 enemies in a solo clear and often more than 200 chemicals on the route. Its comparison found safe runs at about $240,000 cash per hour and air-base sweeps at about 1,470 resources per hour, but neither opens the Armory. Iron Citadel is the largest single bag, not the best hourly-cash strategy.
GamingProMax names the Supreme Leader’s Bunker Access Card as the mission completion reward. The 29 October economy update increased cash rewards for Dynamic Ops, Side Ops and Story Mission replays, which slightly improves repeat missions without changing the recommended loadout.
What commonly goes wrong on the Armory route?
The card never appears
The Multi-Use card is not tied to one central building. Search all four central buildings and check every floor after clearing guards. If you deployed without Iron Citadel, you may not receive the objective markers or the mission-specific card path described by the guides.
The keypad rejects the code
Do not use a static code from a video. The notes provide a randomized deployment code, and the sources disagree whether the interface displays three or six digits. Collect all three notes, verify the Known Digits on your HUD, enter the complete code and then swipe the upgraded card on the reader to the right.
The alarm overwhelms the squad
That alarm is expected after the Server Room terminal. Fall back to a defensible doorway, deploy the Armor Box, reload and let reinforcements enter your firing lane. The suppressor is most valuable before the alarm, not as a promise that the bunker will remain quiet.
The Colossus kills the operator at the door
Do not stand in the middle of the vault entrance. Use the left prone shoulder angle or the metal stairs, keep smoke available and retreat to re-plate when hit. A second player should watch the rear corridor instead of adding uncoordinated fire from the open room.
The squad extracts with an empty backpack
Looting every side fight after the Armory erases the value of the run. Take the Gun Lockers, recipes, manuals, elite plates and mission items first, then reverse the bunker or use the Iron Citadel helicopter. Extra kills are optional; surviving with the Armory contents is the objective.
How were these loadout recommendations chosen?
The choices match the documented route rather than a general DMZ tier list: Critical-to-Extreme threat, a guaranteed alarm after the card upgrade, dense AI in courtyards and corridors, and a Commander immediately behind the Armory door. The primary therefore needs a suppressor, recoil control and a 60-round magazine; the secondary must clear rooms quickly; and the equipment must support plate and healing consumption over a long solo mission. Han 86 leads the late-October pick-rate snapshot, M4 is the easier early alternative, and Kastov 762 trades handling for armored-target damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring two primary weapons into DMZ for the Armory?
Yes. The official DMZ carry rule permits two Primary weapons, two Secondary weapons or one of each. An AR plus SMG is the simplest pairing, while a second AR is useful only if your squad has a clear long-range role and enough ammunition space.
Does the Armory keypad code stay the same between deployments?
No. The independent walkthroughs describe a randomized code generated for each deployment. The three note locations stay fixed, so learning those rooms is useful, but memorizing a code is not.
Can rival Operators spawn inside the Air Base during Iron Citadel?
Guides widely describe Operation Iron Citadel as keeping rival squads from spawning on the same POI, but that is a community report rather than an Activision guarantee. Human Operators also do not contribute to the Threat meter, so keep snapshot or UAV support for the exfil approach.
Is the DRC Weapons Locker part of the Armory unlock?
No. It is a separate Ultra-key locker that can appear inside the Armory after you open the room. Bring the Air Base DRC Weapons Locker key from your stash if you want that extra cache; it is not required for the keypad, card swipe or Colossus fight.