Best Ranked Play loadouts for Vanguard Season 5

❘ Published: 2022-08-29T20:48:00

Vanguard Ranked Play enters its final chapter following the Season 5 update and we’ve got the best loadouts to help you dominate like Call of Duty League pros.

After much anticipation, Ranked Play arrived in Vanguard to offer players a competitive Call of Duty experience. In Season 3, Ranked Play finally left its Beta as ranks reset, and Season 5 delivered new rewards up for grabs.

If you’re looking to jump straight into Ranked Play you’ll need to know which loadouts to use and we’ve got just the guide to get you shooting like a CDL pro.

Ranked Play is a highly-competitive mode, so you’ll need the best weapons, Perks, Field Upgrades, and more to succeed. Here’s everything you need to dominate Vanguard’s Ranked Play after the Season 5 update.

Best Ranked Play primary weapons
Best Ranked Play secondary weapons
Best Ranked Play Lethals and Tacticals
Best Ranked Play Perks
Best Ranked Play Field Upgrades

Best Ranked Play primary weapons

The primary weapon you decide to equip will likely dictate the role you play in a Ranked Play match. If you’re looking to hold down a lane then the Automaton AR is your best bet, while the MP40 will allow you to get up close and personal with your opponents.

Regardless of which role you prefer, here are the best primary weapons in Vanguard Ranked Play.

Automaton Assault Rifle Ranked Play class

Muzzle: F8 Stabilizer
Barrel: Anastasia Sniper
Optic: Slate Reflector
Stock: Zac Skeletal
Underbarrel: M1941 Hand Stop
Magazine: –
Ammo Type: FMJ
Rear Grip: Fabric Grip
Proficiency: Tight Grip
Kit: On-hand

The ideal Automaton class has seen a ton of changes since the beginning of Vanguard. The attachments listed above are a combination of what the majority of CDL Assault Rifle players use.

There are variations that you could experiment with in order to find your ideal combination. On-hand, Quick, and Fully Loaded are the three most popular Kit attachments. Meanwhile, the Granular Grip is another viable Rear Grip attachment. Some pros also prefer Sleight of Hand over Tight Grip.

MP40 Submachine Gun Ranked Play class

Muzzle: No. 3 Rifle Break
Barrel: Krausnick 317mm 04B
Optic: Krausnick IS01M
Stock: Krausnick 33m Folding
Underbarrel: SMLE Pistol Grip
Magazine: –
Ammo Type: Lengthened
Rear Grip: Fabric Grip
Proficiency: Brace
Kit: Quick

The best MP40 loadout attachments for Ranked Play are way less open to interpretation than the Automaton. These attachments are used by most of the league’s players including Shotzzy and Scump.

The one attachment that could come down to preference is the inclusion of On-hand instead of Quick.

Kar98k Sniper Rifle Ranked Play class

Muzzle: L Brake
Barrel: VDD660mm 05HE
Optic: –
Stock: VDD 98
Underbarrel: Heavy Foregrip
Magazine: –
Ammo Type: Lengthened
Rear Grip: Granular Grip
Proficiency: Driller
Kit: Deep Breath

Snipers were back in competitive Call of Duty and they looked better than ever. In Season 5, these are the optimal attachments for the best Kar98k loadout for Ranked Play. The Sniper will be an excellent choice for the Search & Destroy game mode, and having one ready if needed is a great idea.

The Kar98k received a buff with the Season 2 Reloaded update that improved the quality of all Vanguard Sniper Rifles.

Unfortunately, the once viable Volk has been restricted in Ranked Play following the Season 3 update, which means players shifted back to a two-weapon meta.

Best Ranked Play secondary weapons

The list of Ranked Play secondary weapons is a short one seeing as Launchers are banned as secondary weapons for the competitive mode. Most players opt for the Ratt, but using the FS Fighting Knife on a few loadouts is a great way to get around quicker.

Ratt Ranked Play class

Muzzle: F8 Stabilizer
Barrel: –
Optic: –
Trigger Action: Heavy Trigger
Magazine: –
Ammo Type: Lengthened
Rear Grip: Stippled Grip
Proficiency: Fleet
Kit: Quick

You may notice that a few attachments are left blank and that’s because Magazine attachments and Trigger attachments that increase fire rate are on the banned list. Nonetheless, the Ratt is still a lethal weapon to have at your disposal if you aren’t opting for a Knife.

Best Ranked Play Lethals and Tacticals

There was one viable Lethal option throughout the CDL season and that would be the MK2 Frag Grenade. Season 2’s Sticky Bomb is banned both in Ranked Play and the CDL.

MK2 Frag Grenade

If used properly or in coordination with your teammates the Frag Grenade can be tough to deal with, even with Trophy Systems in the game.

NO 69 Stun Grenade

Along the same lines, Stun Grenades are troublesome to deal with. Your first taste of sitting on a Hardpoint in Ranked Play will likely result in a parade of Frag and Stun Grenades.

While it’s true that most players will utilize Fortified or Survival Training to combat the frequent use of equipment, getting tags with your Grenades can provide vital information in all three game modes.

Best Ranked Play Perks

The best Ranked Play weapons are nothing without the optimal Perks to accompany them. Ranked Play offers a decent list of Perks to choose from but here are the ones you’ll want to equip.

Fortified

Fortified is a great counter to MK2 Grenades in Ranked Play. Not only will Fortified reduce the damage of explosives but it will allow you to regenerate health caused by explosives at a faster rate. Ninja moved out of the Perk 1 slot and into the Perk 3 slot following the Season 3 Reloaded update and Fortified became the top Perk 1 option even in Search & Destroy.

Survival Training

Survival Training is another option in the Perk 1 slot and works in a similar fashion to Fortified. The Perk will maximize resistance to Stun Grenades which will allow you to keep zooming around the map.

Radar

With High Alert, Tracker, and Forward Intel all banned in Vanguard Ranked Play, Radar is one of the only options remaining in the Perk 2 slot. The Perk will allow enemies who fire unsilenced weapons to appear on your minimap.

Reading your minimap is an integral part of Ranked Play success therefore Radar is a no-brainer.

Ninja

Ninja is a unique selection in that it should only be equipped when playing Search & Destroy. The last thing you want is to be stomping around for your enemies to hear so make sure you have Ninja equipped on a few loadouts for S&D matches. In Season 3 it was moved to the third Perk slot.

Double Time

Movement is extremely important in competitive Call of Duty. Making your way around the map and constantly moving in respawn game modes will be a key factor of your Ranked Play experience therefore Double Time should be locked in as your Perk 3 when playing Hardpoint and Control. The Perk will increase the duration of your Tactical Sprint.

Best Ranked Play Field Upgrades

Trophy System

Players can finally equip the Trophy System after the Field Upgrade was added to Vanguard in Season 3. Players were relentless in their pursuit of the item and the devs delivered in Season 3.

The Trophy System is a vital tool in Ranked Play as it “destroys up to three nearby pieces of equipment and projectiles.” Placing one near a Hardpoint hill is a great strategy as it should keep you safe from a few Grenades.

What’s more, this valuable Field Upgrade has one of the fastest recharge times in the game, which should assist players attempting to play the objective.

Dead Silence

Despite the addition of a Trophy System, Dead Silence still brings a ton of value to the table, especially in Search & Destroy.

The Field Upgrade will make your footsteps silent for a short period of time allowing players to make some truly stunning plays when it is active. Dead Silence is great for making sneaky plays and the Field Upgrade will also allow players to open doors and windows silently when it is activated.

If competitive Call of Duty isn’t your thing you can always check out our guide to the best weapons for Vanguard multiplayer and Warzone.

Image Credit: Activision