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MW3 armory unlocks explained

Here's how to access armory unlocks in MW3

Screenshot of the Modern Warfare 3 training room
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Activision

Looking for a rundown of how armory unlocks work in Modern Warfare 3? Armory unlocks in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are essentially how you can get new weapons, attachments and more. It's a slightly convoluted system, in the way it lets you prioritise the order in which you can unlock the items on offer through the use of armory points, but luckily we're here to explain exactly how it works.

For a full rundown of the armory unlocks system in Modern Warfare 3, including how to unlock challenges, earn points and more, read on below.

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How to get armory unlocks in MW3?

Screenshot of the Modern Warfare 3 level-up screen, featuring armory unlocks
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Activision

You'll only gain access to the armory when you reach level 25 in the game. Once you've made it to level 25, you can prioritise three attachments, weapons, killstreaks or equipment to unlock in the armory by adding them to your queue. If you ignore the armory, new items will be unlocked randomly, so you're in for a whole lot of micro-managing, unfortunately.

Once you have three unlocks selected, you can complete daily challenges to earn points. Each unlock requires a specified amount of points to get and you can earn up to four points per day. There are usually three daily challenges to complete plus a bonus challenge, which can be completed to earn a point towards an armory unlock.

For an extra point, you can also complete all three of the daily Zombies challenges, so don't forget to check these out in the Zombies tab under the 'Daily Challenges' menu. Items may have additional unlock requirements, too, so remember to also check those before spending precious armory points.

Image of the daily challenges screen in Modern Warfare 3
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Activision

Best armory unlocks in MW3

Overall, there are 58 armory unlocks to choose from (not counting attachments), which can be a little overwhelming when choosing which to prioritise. As such, we've listed below the best armory unlocks we think are worth picking up first. This is of course, down to opinion, so don't worry if your faves didn't make the list!

  • Longbow: The Longbow is one of the best sniper rifles in Modern Warfare 3 currently. Although you can access the Longbow straight away with a purchase of MW3 Vault Edition, other players have to unlock it within the armory at level 25.
  • Rival-9: The Rival-9 makes our list of the best SMGs in Modern Warfare 3 due to its quickfire-style that goes hand-in-hand with a solid close combat build. You can unlock the Rival-9 at the armory at level 25.
  • Marksman Gloves: The Marksman Gloves are one of the best gloves in Modern Warfare 3, and make many of our best loadout guides as a result. This is thanks to their ability to reduce flinch and sway while ADS, which is a fantastic perk, especially for any quickscope builds.
  • Covert Sneakers: The Covert Sneakers are essential for any sniper build. They eliminate the sound of your footsteps to enemies, ensuring maximum stealth.
  • Semtex: As far as Lethal equipment goes, the Semtex is a valuable asset, providing just as much damage and impact as a Frag Grenade. The Semtex is a timed sticky grenade that works particularly well when paired with the Demolition Vest.
  • Ghost T/V Camo: The Ghost T/V Camo is a top-tier Gear option, particularly for stealthier builds. It blocks detention by UAVs, enemy radar sources and Heartbeat Sensors while moving which will make your job much easier as you scope out the map.
Screenshot of some of the best Modern Warfare 3 armory unlocks
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Activision

That rounds off our guide to explaining armory unlocks in Modern Warfare 3. To get a better idea of the full gun meta, you can also check out our list of the best guns in Modern Warfare 3, or if you'd rather see how they all stack up against one another, be sure to have a look at our weapon stats guide as well.

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