Best weapons & top tips to master Der Anfang in CoD Vanguard Zombies

Andrew Highton
der anfang and cod vanguard logo over von list

Treyarch has returned in Call of Duty: Vanguard to carry on their Zombies story, and we’ve put together a complete guide covering the best weapons and tips to ensure your survival in Der Anfang.

Treyarch delivered some of the franchise’s best-ever Zombies content in Black Ops Cold War with memorable experiences to be had playing Die Maschine, Firebase Z, Mauer der Toten, and Forsaken. Not only that, but they revolutionized the Zombies formula with the new variation – Outbreak.

Whereas Sledgehammer Games have developed Vanguard’s campaign and multiplayer, Treyarch has carried on with Zombies, and their newest creation – Der Anfang – is a curious combination of Outbreak and round-based Zombies.

This is why we’ve put together a handy guide that should assist you in your survival as you ascend to Der Anfang’s later rounds in Vanguard Zombies.

1. Best weapons to use in Vanguard’s Der Anfang Zombies

mp40 smg in cod vanguard

As usual, whilst most weapons are quite viable in one way or the other, certain ones are better suited to your purpose.

Here are the best weapons you should use in Der Anfang Zombies in CoD Vanguard.

MP-40

A familiar weapon to most players we’re sure, the MP40 really came to prominence in Call of Duty: World at War, and the gun is still very powerful in Vanguard. As a consistent SMG, you can slap on bigger ammo clips and lay into an oncoming siege of Zombies with ease.

Take a look at our best MP40 loadout to use in Vanguard.

MG42

Accuracy is less of an issue in CoD Zombies, as is reload speed to an extent, meaning that a beastly LMG like the MG42 is a great option to use.

It comes with a hefty ammo belt as it is, and if you can make sure you upgrade your Demonic Frenzy Perk ASAP, then you should have no problem with hordes or Elite enemies.

Combat Shotgun

The Hauer 77 and Gallo absolutely dominated in Cold War Zombies, and it looks like the Combat Shotgun is here to take the crown for Vanguard. It’s incredibly powerful and can one-hit early on before being Pack-A-Punched, plus, its fire rate is fairly decent as well.

2. Mystery Box

der anfang zombies mystery box

With Treyarch opting to remove wall buys from Call of Duty: Vanguard, this means there’s a greater emphasis on players making use of the Mystery Box to get new guns.

Sadly, there’s no Ray Gun or any Wonder Weapons to obtain at launch, but the game’s full arsenal of weapons is available in the random generator to select from.

The further you progress into the rounds, the better your chances of getting a high-rarity weapon to go with, or replace, your main weapon.

3. Upgrade key Perks first

Diabolical Damage perk in cod zombies

Der Anfang has five different fountains for you to drink from, with each representing a different Perk that Zombies fans will be familiar with.

We feel that some are more important than others in Der Anfang, and it’s vital that you focus on them first. Each Perk can be obtained for free the first time round, but then you’ll have to cough up some Essence to upgrade it a further three more times.

We would personally concentrate on Diabolical Damage, Demonic Frenzy, and Fiendish Fortitude above all else. This will increase your Critical Hit Damage, vital if you love headshots, increase your reload speed, good for an LMG, and give you more health.

4. Keep moving – don’t get crowded!

zombies in cod vanguard der anfang map

Due to the nature of Der Anfang’s objective-based gameplay, you can end up in some tight areas in some of Vanguard’s multiplayer maps.

So quite simply, keep moving! Stay in one corner or one spot too long and you’ll eventually be crowded by Zombies, especially in later levels, as you try to collect runestones or guide the floating head.

5. Look out for chests and crystals

der anfang crystals

Every little helps and that’s why Treyarch has dropped some chests and crystals in the hub area for you to collect.

They won’t offer a life-changing amount of Essence, but they might drop you just enough to afford your next Pack-A-Punch upgrade or even drop a handy item like a Monkey Bomb for you to unleash on the undead.


These top tips and guns are great foundations to build a healthy run in Vanguard’s Der Anfang Zombies game mode.

For more Vanguard guides and content, check out how to remove the green dots from Vanguard’s menus and how to open, close & peek doors in Vanguard & Warzone.

Image Credits: Activision / Treyarch

About The Author

A content creator for Charlie INTEL / Dexerto that earned a degree, wrote for PlusXP, Twinfinite, and Keengamer, before finally securing his dream job of being a professional video game writer. When not writing about games, he's very busy playing every game in existence and adding to his 11,000+ PlayStation Trophies and 150+ Platinums. You can contact him at [email protected].