Call of Duty: Vanguard

Vanguard Season 3 Reloaded patch notes: H4 Blixen SMG, Sphere map, bug fixes, more

Liam Mackay
vanguard players in season 3 reloaded sphere map

Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 3 Reloaded brings a brand-new SMG to both multiplayer and Warzone, as well as the new Sphere map. Here’s everything we know about Vanguard’s mid-season update, including the full patch notes.

Vanguard Season 3 has arrived at its halfway point, with the majority of players having had time to unlock the new Nikita AVT Assault Rifle and M1916 Marksman Rifle, and earn a few of the new Ranked Play rewards.

Season 4 is next-up, but before that update, Season 3 Reloaded has brought some new content. This update brings a new SMG and a new multiplayer map, so here’s everything we know including the full patch notes.

warzone and vanguard season 3 roadmap

When is Vanguard Season 3 Reloaded?

Vanguard’s Season 3 Reloaded update arrived on May 24 with the new content appearing in-game on May 25 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST.

The Warzone Season 3 Reloaded update will also be going live at the same time as the content in Vanguard.

H4 Blixen SMG Vanguard

H4 Blixen SMG arrives in Vanguard Season 3 Reloaded

The H4 Blixen SMG will be the final of four Warzone and Vanguard Season 3 weapons to arrive following the midseason update. If you’re interested in testing the weapon, check out our guide on how to unlock H4 Blixen SMG in Vanguard.

The devs revealed that the weapon is a slow-firing SMG that performs incredibly well at medium-range. While fast SMGs tend to be preferred in Vanguard, the H4 Blixen could turn out to be a top Warzone weapon.

vanguard season 3 operator in sphere map

Vanguard Season 3 Reloaded brings Sphere map

Vanguard’s Season 3 update brought the chaotic Mayhem map, styled after a Godzilla-themed movie set, and the Season 3 Reloaded update is set to bring the Sphere map.

Sphere will take the action to an underground weapons lab hidden beneath a coal mine. It seems players will have to juggle between two floors of the map. On the top floor, players can find the remnants of a coal-mining village. Meanwhile, the secrets of the weapons lab are hidden underground on the bottom floor.

Kim Tae Young Operator Vanguard

New Vanguard Operator Kim Tae Young

The third and final member of Task Force Harpy will be coming to Vanguard alongside the midseason update.

The new H4 Blixen SMG is her preferred weapon, which means you’ll want to enter the battle as Kim Tae Young if you want level up the weapon as fast as possible.

Vanguard Season 3 Reloaded patch notes

Multiplayer

Maps

  • NEW with S3 Reloaded: Sphere
    • Hidden below the surface of an inconspicuous mining facility is a weapons lab that offers intense, close-quarters engagements around every turn. Jump into the Sphere 24/7 Playlist at the start of Season Three Reloaded!
  • Berlin
    • Addressed an exploit that allowed players to reach unintended locations near the Office.
  • Castle
    • Care Packages will no longer fall through the stairs near the Palace Outer Walls.
  • Sub Pens
    • Addressed exploits that allowed players to reach unintended locations near the Dry Docks and Loading Dock.

Modes

  • Arms Race
    • Riding a Motorcycle as it explodes will no longer cause the player’s view to rotate.

Operators

  • NEW with S3 Reloaded: Kim Tae Young (Harpy)
    • Trained by her mother as a fighter, Tae Young donned a mask to conceal her identity while helping families cross the North Korean border to safety. She soon earned a reputation amongst the Korean people as a local folk hero and keeper of justice. Even the briefest glimpse of her Dokkaebi mask instills hope in her people and fear in her enemies.
    • Unlocked via Operator Bundle, available for purchase in Season Three Reloaded.

Weapons

  • NEW with S3 Reloaded: H4 Blixen (Submachine Gun)
    • Favored by Special Operations Forces, this hard-hitting SMG offers mobility and accuracy in medium-range engagements.
    • Unlock Challenge: Get 3 Slide Kills in a single match 15 times.
  • STG44 (Assault Rifle)
    • Challenges for the Deadeye Camo Category are now properly tracked.
  • Nikita AVT (Assault Rifle)
    • Zac MS Stock Attachment will no longer obstruct the view of certain Optics.
  • Cooper Carbine (Assault Rifle)
    • Addressed an issue that prevented the M1941 Hand Stop Underbarrel, 14” Gracey Rapid Barrel, and Recoil Booster Muzzle Attachments from unlocking at their designated Weapon Levels.
  • M1 Garand (Marksman Rifle)
    • Mindgames Camo Category now references the correct Magazine Attachment requirement.

Equipment

  • No 69 Stun Grenade (Tactical)
    • Decreased Explosive Damage from 25 to 5.
  • S-Mine 44 (Tactical)
    • Decreased Explosive Damage in Hardcore game modes from 50 to 10.
      • This change was made to prevent lethality toward uninjured players; Explosive Damage in Core game modes remains unchanged.

Perks

  • Overkill (Tactics)
    • Moved from Supply (Slot 3) to Tactics (Slot 1).
  • Piercing Vision (Intel)
    • Increased amount of suppression required to highlight targets.
    • Decreased visibility of highlighted targets.
  • Survival Training (Supply)
    • Moved from Tactics (Slot 1) to Supply (Slot 3).
  • Ninja (Supply)
    • Moved from Tactics (Slot 1) to Supply (Slot 3).

Field Upgrades

  • Trophy System
    • Melee attacks will now properly deal damage to a Trophy System.
    • Ammo Box Field Upgrade can now be destroyed by a Trophy System.
    • Trophy Systems will no longer remain active when thrown out-of-bounds.

Killstreaks

  • Counter Spy Plane (4 Kills)
    • Announcer will now play the correct voice line when an enemy Counter-Spy Plane is activated.

Challenges

  • Seasonal Challenges
    • Progression toward the Season Two Mastery challenge is now properly tracked.

User Interface & Experience

  • Players who have reached Prestige 5 or higher will now see the correct Prestige emblem displayed throughout the menus.
  • Addressed an issue that forced the player back to the Multiplayer menu when using contextual (right-click) menus on PC.

Bundles & Cosmetics

  • Addressed an issue that prevented AS-44 Mechanized Reactive Blueprint from changing colors when inspected.
vanguard season 3 reloaded operator

Zombies

Enemies

  • Zaballa the Deceiver
    • Shortened Zaballa’s mask swap animation to reduce invulnerability time.
    • Players can now deal some damage to Zaballa’s body but should continue to focus on masks.
    • Zaballa’s electrical attacks are more lethal but should now spawn within line of sight to or in the proximity of Zaballa.
    • Zaballa increases the number of electrical attacks by one for every destroyed mask.

Weapons

  • H4 Blixen (Submachine Gun)
    • Description: Favored by Special Operations Forces, this hard-hitting SMG offers mobility and accuracy in medium-range engagements.
    • The new H4 Blixen SMG weapon will be available via in-game challenge in Zombies or via a unique Blueprint version in the Store at the start of Season Three Reloaded.
    • Zombies Unlock Challenge: In Zombies, use SMGs to Eliminate 50 Zaballas.
  • Skal Crusher
    • Resolved an issue that prevented picking up blueprint throwable weapons.

Challenges

  • Reticles
    • Reticles earned in Zombies have been adjusted so that a central dot is always present to assist with aiming.

And that’s everything we know about Vanguard Season 3 Reloaded so far! Keep an eye out for the in-game content on May 25, you can also check out everything we know about Warzone’s Season 3 Reloaded update.

Image Credit: Activision

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