Mika
Moody
Introduction
Hi and welcome to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 achievement guide. In the following post I will try to guide you on your way to completing the game and unlocking the 50 achievements totaling 1000G. With the exception of a few Special Ops missions, the achievements are not hard at all and luckily there are no multiplayer achievements to worry about. The bulk of them will be unlocked by completing both the campaign and the Special Ops mission on Veteran, the highest difficulty setting.
I think the fastest way to 1000G is to first play through the campaign on Veteran. This is nowhere near as hard as the Call of Duty 4 Veteran campaign and you should be able to finish it much quicker. At this point, it would not worry about other achievements. After you managed to beat the campaign on Veteran, you should use the ‘Mission Select’ feature to start collecting the enemy intel items needed for Leave No Stone Unturned and to also accomplish as many mission specific achievements (see For the Record for more details). After you have done all that, the most difficult part is about to begin: the Spec Ops missions. They may be the most difficult, but they are not that difficult. Grab a friend and start going through them one at a time. With enough patience, skill and a bit of luck, you will get through them in no time. By the time you finish all the Spec Op missions on Veteran, you should have unlocked most of the achievements related to the game. Check out what achievements you are missing and use this guide to help you achievement them.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Achievements
Back in the Saddle (15G)
Help train the local militia.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the tutorial mission of the game - S.S.D.D. - on any difficulty setting.
Danger Close (15G)
Get hand picked for Shepherd's elite squad.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 2nd mission of the game - Team Player - on any difficulty setting.
Cold Shoulder (15G)
Infiltrate the snowy mountain side base.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 3rd mission of the game - Cliffhanger - on any difficulty setting.
Tag 'em and bag 'em (15G)
Find Rojas in the Favelas.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 5th mission of the game - Takedown - on any difficulty setting.
Royale with Cheese (15G)
Defend Burger Town.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 6th mission of the game - Wolverines! - on any difficulty setting.
Soap on a Rope (15G)
Storm the gulag.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 10th mission of the game - The Gulag - on any difficulty setting.
Desperate Times (15G)
Execute the plan to help the Americans.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 12th mission of the game - Contingency - on any difficulty setting.
Whiskey Hotel (15G)
Take back Whiskey Hotel.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 14th mission of the game - Whiskey Hotel - on any difficulty setting.
The Pawn (15G)
Assault Makarov's safe house.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 15th mission of the game - Loose ends - on any difficulty setting.
Out of the Frying Pan… (15G)
Complete the mission in the airplane graveyard.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 16th mission of the game - The Enemy of My Enemy - on any difficulty setting.
For the Record (35G)
Complete the Single Player campaign on any difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty.
To unlock this achievement, all you have to do is beat the single player campaign on any difficulty you see fit. There are a total of 18 missions (one of them is optional) in the game, which are split into 3 acts. So start the game and when you get to the credits screen, the achievement should be yours. Below is the list of all the missions found in the game and what mission specific achievements you can obtain while playing through them:
ACT I
The Price of War (90G)
Complete the single player campaign on Hardened or Veteran Difficulty.
You will get this achievement if you complete the singleplayer campaign on either Hardened or Veteran difficulty. Considering that there are mission specific achievements for finishing them on Veteran, if you are going to try and unlock all the achievements, it is not worth it to play on Hardened and you should do it directly on Veteran. If you have any experience playing on Veteran any of the previous Call of Duty titles, this will be a cakewalk. It is not going to be easy, but it is definitely much easier than any previous title in the series. . You will die. A LOT! You should get used to the idea. Sometimes it might get very frustrating, but finishing the campaign on the Veteran difficulty setting is one of the most intense and rewarding experiences that I have ever experienced in singleplayer. Below are a few basic advices I can give you, but in the end it is all up to you:
First Day of School (25G)
Complete 'S.S.D.D' and 'Team Player' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 1st and 2nd missions of the game on Veteran.
Black Diamond (25G)
Complete 'Cliffhanger' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 3rd mission of the game on Veteran.
Turistas (25G)
Complete 'Takedown' and 'The Hornet's Nest' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 5th and 7th missions of the game on Veteran.
Red Dawn (25G)
Complete 'Wolverines!' and 'Exodus' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 6th and 8th missions of the game on Veteran.
Prisoner #627 (25G)
Complete 'The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday' and 'The Gulag' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 9th and 10th missions of the game on Veteran.
Ends Justify the Means (25G)
Complete 'Contingency' on Veteran Difficulty
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 12th mission of the game on Veteran.
Homecoming (25G)
Complete 'Of Their Own Accord', 'Second Sun', and 'Whiskey Hotel' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 11th, 13th and 14th missions of the game on Veteran.
Queen takes Rook (25G)
Complete 'Loose Ends' and 'The Enemy of My Enemy' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 15th and 16th missions of the game on Veteran.
Off the Grid (25G)
Complete 'Just Like Old Times' and 'Endgame' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 17th and 18th missions of the game on Veteran.
If you played on Veteran so far, when you unlock this achievement, you should also unlock The Price of War.
Pit Boss (10G)
Run The Pit in 'S.S.D.D' and finish with a final time under 30 seconds.
This is a mission specific achievement that you can only obtain in the 1st mission (S.S.D.D.). You will have to finish The Pit in less than 30 seconds. The Pit is the training area with a lot of cardboard enemies and some civilians. As in the previous Modern Warfare, you do not have to actually complete the game in less than 30 seconds, as having a high accuracy will deduct some seconds from your final time. This is why I recommend using pistol (M9 and Desert Eagle) because then you won’t be spraying bullets away and they also reload faster. You must also hit every target and you cannot hit any civilians. This will basically come down to practice. If you run through the course a few times and memorize which ones are civilians and which ones are targets, you will be able to run through the course really fast after a few times and you should not have a problem finishing it in under 30 seconds. The achievement will pop up as soon as you go through the final gate and your final time is less than 30 seconds.
Ghost (10G)
Plant the C4 in 'Cliffhanger' without alerting or injuring anyone in the blizzard.
First of all, this achievement can be obtained on any difficulty, so I recommend that you play on Recruit as it will be easier to obtain this way. Right at the start of the mission you will encounter two pairs of guards. It does not matter if you kill them or you let Soap take them out. The part that is important for this achievement only comes after this, when the blizzard start and you and Soap split up. You have to plant a C4 without alerting or killing any guards. Take out your heartbeat monitor and slowly start walking towards your objective. Try to keep as much distance as possible between you and the patrolling guards. Soap will help you by taking out a few of them, but do not rely on this. If you are spotted, pause the game immediately and restart from the last chapter so you do not have to start the whole mission again.
Colonel Sanderson (10G)
Kill 7 chickens in under 10 seconds in 'The Hornet's Nest'.
This achievement is mission specific and can only be obtained while playing through The Hornet’s Nest mission. You will at one point come at a marketplace that will be full of enemies and you can see chickens around locked in cages. After you have killed everyone in sight, check to see if you have enough live chickens to obtain the achievement. If there are more than 7 chickens around, kill them all in less than 10 seconds and the achievement is yours. However, if by some chance the chickens were killed in the gunfight, there is another place where you can get this. After the fight, keep going but keep to your right and go to the next area (still in the marketplace) and at the end of an alley you will find 4-5 chickens together and another 3-4 just to the left. Make sure you kill them all in less than 10 seconds (you can use an explosive to make this easier) and the achievement should unlock right away.
Gold Star (20G)
Earn 1 star in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Hotel Bravo (20G)
Earn 4 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Charlie On Our Six (20G)
Earn 8 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
It Goes to Eleven (20G)
Earn at least 1 star in 11 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Operational Asset (20G)
Earn all 3 stars in at least 5 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Blackjack (20G)
Earn 21 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Honor Roll (20G)
Earn at least 1 star in each Special Op mission.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Operative (30G)
Earn all 3 stars in at least 10 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Specialist (30G)
Earn 30 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Professional (30G)
Earn all 3 stars in at least 15 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Star 69 (90G)
Earn 69 stars in Special Ops.
This is probably the hardest and most time consuming achievement of the whole game. There are a total of 23 Special Ops missions that you will need to finish on Veteran (this awards you 3 stars) to unlock this achievement. You can complete the missions either by yourself or with a friend (there are 2 exceptions which require another player to finish them), but it is much easier and highly recommended that you play with a friend because if you get shot down you can be revived and keep on going. The 23 mission that you will need to complete are the following:
Alpha Missions
Echo Missions
Most of the missions are pretty straightforward and should not be too much of a problem with a few tries, but if you find yourself stuck at a particular mission, check out this guide for some mission specific tips.
Downed but Not Out (10G)
Kill 4 enemies in a row while downed in Special Ops.
To obtain this enemy, you will need to kill 4 enemies while you are downed. To do this, you have to play with another friend in co-op as playing by yourself, you won’t get downed; you will die automatically. Once you are down, you have to kill 4 enemies before you get up. The easiest mission you can get this is Semper Fi, the second one. You can either let yourself get downed and wait for the enemies to come up the ladders one by one or you can use a Predator missile. To do so, get the missile and when you see 4 enemies close to each other fire the missile but get your friend to down you before the missile reaches the enemies and the achievement should unlock. It goes without saying, but you should try this on Recruit as it is easier to obtain this way and you are harder to kill.
I'm the Juggernaut… (10G)
Kill a Juggernaut in Special Ops.
If you are trying to finish all the Special Ops missions, you are going to have to kill more than your fair share of Juggernauts. If you are not sure which ones are the Juggernauts, they are the very big and heavily armored guys that are really hard to kill. Only high caliber weapons and explosives affect them. There are 4 missions where you can obtain this achievement: Snatch and Grab, Estate Takedown, High Explosive and Armor Piercing. The achievement will unlock as soon as the Juggernaut dies by your hand.
Ten plus foot-mobiles (10G)
Kill at least 10 enemies with one Predator missile in Single Player or Special Ops.
You can obtain this achievement either in Spec Ops or in Singleplayer. I think the easiest way to get this achievement is by playing the Wolverines! singleplayer mission. When you get near the end of it, you will be attacked by large waves of enemies and this is your chance. Lucky for you, they are grouped pretty close together and they usually consist of more than 10 enemies. Simply equip your Predator Missile and aim it at the center of a large group of enemies and if you manage to get more than 10, the achievements is yours. Do not worry if you miss, because there are more waves coming and you can try again.
Unnecessary Roughness (10G)
Use a riot shield to beat down an enemy in Single Player or Special Ops.
This is really easy to do once you get your hands on a riot shield. The first place where you can get this is in the No Russian mission, once you get outside and you will see riot police. Kill a policeman, take his shield and attack another policeman (preferably without a shield) by pressing down on the Right Stick. Considering this mission is option, if you prefer not to do it, you can get it in The Gulag mission. At one point you will pick up a riot shield, whether you want it or not. Simply make your way to the closest enemy and bash him until the achievement appears.
Knock-knock (10G)
Kill 4 enemies with 4 shots during a slow-mo breach in Single Player or Special Ops.
This achievement can be really easily obtained in the Spec Ops mission Breach and Clear. You should start equipped with an M4 carbine that also has a grenade launcher. Switch to the grenade launcher before breaching through the wall and once you are in the slow-mo part just shoot the grenade right in the middle of the enemies (there are more than 4) and if you manage to kill at least 4 the achievement is yours.
Some Like it Hot (10G)
Kill 6 enemies in a row using a thermal weapon in Single Player or Special Ops.
To get this achievement, you will need to consecutively kill 6 enemies with a weapon that has a thermal scope. There are many opportunities where you can do this, but one of the easiest ones is in the Spec Ops mission Homeland Security. Make sure you get the M21 EBR at the beginning of the mission and go to the Diner, at the front. Start killing enemies without changing your weapon and as soon as you have 6, the achievement will unlock.
Two Birds with One Stone (10G)
Kill 2 enemies with a single bullet in Single Player or Special Ops.
You will probably unlock this by simply playing through the campaign, just by chance. However, if you finished the campaign and you still do not have this achievement, go to the Spec Ops mission Hidden. Once you start the mission, go through the first container and there will be an enemy to your right. Take him out and keep on going forward where you will see another enemy by some blue barrels. Take him out as well and quietly go through the two containers in front. You will see two enemies talking in front of you. Pull out your sniper rifle and make sure you line up the shot so that the bullet hits both of them in the torso area (you do not need to aim for the head). If you did it right, you will hear you ally telling you “Double Kill! Excellent!” and then you know you did it. The achievement should pop up shortly after.
The Road Less Traveled (10G)
Collect 22 enemy intel items.
Please check the description of the Leave No Stone Unturned achievement for more details on the intel items.
Leave No Stone Unturned (10G)
Collect 45 enemy intel items.
The 45 enemy intel items are scattered throughout the game and you need to pick them all up for this achievement. Luckily, they carry over playthroughs so you do not need to worry about that. Also, as soon as you pick up an item, it is saved. So if you are only playing through a mission to pick up the intel items, as soon as you have all of them, you can safely quit and go for the next one. The same thing applies if you die right after you picked up the intel item.
For the locations of all the intel items, check the bottom of this post for the complete collectibles guide.
Drive By (10G)
Kill 20 enemies in a row while driving a vehicle in Single Player or Special Ops.
The easiest place where you can try to get this achievement is during the Spec Ops mission Race. You will start on a snowmobile (and that counts as a vehicle) with access to infinite ammo and respawning enemies. What more could you want? Anyway, go as slow as possible and in the process kill 20 enemies and the achievement will unlock right away. As always, make sure you set the difficulty to Recruit to make things easier for you.
The Harder They Fall (10G)
Kill 2 rappelling enemies in a row before they land on their feet in Single Player or Special Ops.
There are quite a few places where you can get this achievement. You can try and get it in the Suspension Spec Ops mission. Right at the beginning start moving and you will see enemies rappelling from both sides of the bridge. If you manage to get two before they hit the ground, the achievement is yours. Also, in the Overwatch mission, where one player is on the ground and the other Is in the AC-130, you can get this achievement by destroying the helicopters while people are rappelling down from them. Asides from Spec Ops, this achievement can very easily be done in singleplayer in a lot of missions (Whiskey Hotel, The Only Easy Day…, etc.).
Desperado (10G)
Kill 5 enemies in a row using 5 different weapons or attachments in Single Player or Special Ops.
To unlock this achievement, you will need to kill 5 enemies in a row with 5 different weapons/attachments. That means that you can only kill one enemy with each weapon/attachment. While playing through the Special Ops mission O Cristo Redentor, you have a good chance of unlocking this achievement because the enemies use a lot of different weapons and that will help you. First of all, start by using your primary weapon and its attachments (e.g. grenade launcher, shotgun, etc.). After you kill a couple of enemies pick up one of their weapons and kill another enemy with it. Check to see if he has a different weapon and if he does, pick it up and kill someone else with it. Do not forget that you also have a secondary gun that counts towards this achievement. Just remember what weapons, you have already used and only kill one enemy with each one and the achievement will come really easy. It goes without saying, but playing on Recruit will make your job a lot easier.
Look Ma Two Hands (10G)
Kill 10 enemies in a row using akimbo weapons in Single Player or Special Ops.
This is not as complicated as it sounds. Akimbo weapons are practically dual-wielded weapons, where you hold a weapon in each hand but you cannot aim down the sights. You can do this with a lot of SMGs and pistols. You can also get this in a lot of places either in the campaign of in the Special Ops missions as longs as you remember not to switch weapons or use any other items (grenades, knives, etc.). In the Special Ops mission Bomb Squad you start with a pair of G18 Glocks that you can easily use to kill 10 enemies and as soon as you do that the achievement should pop.
No Rest For the Wary (10G)
Knife an enemy without him ever knowing you were there in Single Player or Special Ops.
You can obtain this achievement as soon as you get to the 3rd mission of the game (Cliffhanger). Once the blizzard starts and you split up from Soap, check your heartbeat monitor. You will see a patrolling enemy very close to you, but Soap will take care of him. After that, go forward and you will see a tent to your left right away. Get into the tent and you will see an enemy sleeping at the far end. Get close to him and knife him and that’s it: achievement unlocked.
Three-some (10G)
Kill at least 3 enemies with a single shot from a grenade launcher in Single Player or Special Ops.
This achievement can be really easily obtained in the Spec Ops mission Breach and Clear. You should start equipped with an M4 carbine that also has a grenade launcher. Switch to the grenade launcher before breaching through the wall and once you are in the slow-mo part just shoot the grenade right in the middle of the enemies (there are more than 3) and if you manage to kill at least 3 the achievement is yours.
Collectibles Guide
ACT I
Missions: S.S.D.D. - Team Player - Cliffhanger - Takedown
ACT II
Mission: Wolverines! - The Hornet’s Nest - Exodus
Missions: The Only Easy Day… Was Yesterday - The Gulag - Of Their Own Accord
ACT III
Missions: Second Sun - Whiskey Hotel - Loose Ends
Missions: The Enemy of My Enemy - Just Like Old Times - Endgame
END OF GUIDE
That’s it, everyone! Thanks for coming this far and good luck on your quest to completing this game. I really enjoyed playing through this game and I found the achievements to be really enjoyable to unlock. Even if it’s not on the same level with its predecessor, it’s still a solid game (but don’t get me started on the multiplayer)!
As always, if you have any suggestions, feedback or constructive criticism, I am looking forward to hear from you and you can do this by posting in this thread or by sending me a private message. Also, if you have any problems with an achievement or you need help with a certain achievement, let me know and I will try to help you if I can.
Thank You & Enjoy Your Game!
Mika
Hi and welcome to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 achievement guide. In the following post I will try to guide you on your way to completing the game and unlocking the 50 achievements totaling 1000G. With the exception of a few Special Ops missions, the achievements are not hard at all and luckily there are no multiplayer achievements to worry about. The bulk of them will be unlocked by completing both the campaign and the Special Ops mission on Veteran, the highest difficulty setting.
I think the fastest way to 1000G is to first play through the campaign on Veteran. This is nowhere near as hard as the Call of Duty 4 Veteran campaign and you should be able to finish it much quicker. At this point, it would not worry about other achievements. After you managed to beat the campaign on Veteran, you should use the ‘Mission Select’ feature to start collecting the enemy intel items needed for Leave No Stone Unturned and to also accomplish as many mission specific achievements (see For the Record for more details). After you have done all that, the most difficult part is about to begin: the Spec Ops missions. They may be the most difficult, but they are not that difficult. Grab a friend and start going through them one at a time. With enough patience, skill and a bit of luck, you will get through them in no time. By the time you finish all the Spec Op missions on Veteran, you should have unlocked most of the achievements related to the game. Check out what achievements you are missing and use this guide to help you achievement them.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Achievements
Back in the Saddle (15G)
Help train the local militia.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the tutorial mission of the game - S.S.D.D. - on any difficulty setting.
Danger Close (15G)
Get hand picked for Shepherd's elite squad.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 2nd mission of the game - Team Player - on any difficulty setting.
Cold Shoulder (15G)
Infiltrate the snowy mountain side base.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 3rd mission of the game - Cliffhanger - on any difficulty setting.
Tag 'em and bag 'em (15G)
Find Rojas in the Favelas.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 5th mission of the game - Takedown - on any difficulty setting.
Royale with Cheese (15G)
Defend Burger Town.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 6th mission of the game - Wolverines! - on any difficulty setting.
Soap on a Rope (15G)
Storm the gulag.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 10th mission of the game - The Gulag - on any difficulty setting.
Desperate Times (15G)
Execute the plan to help the Americans.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 12th mission of the game - Contingency - on any difficulty setting.
Whiskey Hotel (15G)
Take back Whiskey Hotel.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 14th mission of the game - Whiskey Hotel - on any difficulty setting.
The Pawn (15G)
Assault Makarov's safe house.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 15th mission of the game - Loose ends - on any difficulty setting.
Out of the Frying Pan… (15G)
Complete the mission in the airplane graveyard.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty. Read the description of ‘For the War’ for more details on the campaign.
You will obtain this achievement automatically as soon as you finish the 16th mission of the game - The Enemy of My Enemy - on any difficulty setting.
For the Record (35G)
Complete the Single Player campaign on any difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on any difficulty.
To unlock this achievement, all you have to do is beat the single player campaign on any difficulty you see fit. There are a total of 18 missions (one of them is optional) in the game, which are split into 3 acts. So start the game and when you get to the credits screen, the achievement should be yours. Below is the list of all the missions found in the game and what mission specific achievements you can obtain while playing through them:
ACT I
- Mission 1- S.S.D.D. (only while playing through this mission you can unlock the Pit Boss achievement)
- Mission 2 - Team Player
- Mission 3- Cliffhanger (only while playing through this mission you can unlock the Ghost achievement and it is also very easy to obtain No Rest for the Wary here)
- Mission 4 - No Russian! (this mission is optional because of its content)
- Mission 5- Takedown
- Mission 6 - Wolverines! (during this mission you can obtain the Ten plus foot-mobiles achievement easily)
- Mission 7 - The Hornet's Nest (only while playing through this mission you can unlock the Colonel Sanderson achievement)
- Mission 8 - Exodus
- Mission 9 - The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday (during this mission you can obtain the Some Like it Hot achievement easily)
- Mission 10 - The Gulag (during this mission you can obtain the Unnecessary Roughness achievement easily)
- Mission 11 - Of Their own Accord
- Mission 12 - Contingency
- Mission 13 - Second Sun
- Mission 14 - Whiskey Hotel (during this mission you can obtain the The Harder They Fall achievement easily)
- Mission 15 - Loose Ends
- Mission 16 - The Enemy of My Enemy
- Mission 17 - Just Like Old Times
- Mission 18 - Endgame (during this mission you can obtain the Drive By achievement easily)
The Price of War (90G)
Complete the single player campaign on Hardened or Veteran Difficulty.
You will get this achievement if you complete the singleplayer campaign on either Hardened or Veteran difficulty. Considering that there are mission specific achievements for finishing them on Veteran, if you are going to try and unlock all the achievements, it is not worth it to play on Hardened and you should do it directly on Veteran. If you have any experience playing on Veteran any of the previous Call of Duty titles, this will be a cakewalk. It is not going to be easy, but it is definitely much easier than any previous title in the series. . You will die. A LOT! You should get used to the idea. Sometimes it might get very frustrating, but finishing the campaign on the Veteran difficulty setting is one of the most intense and rewarding experiences that I have ever experienced in singleplayer. Below are a few basic advices I can give you, but in the end it is all up to you:
- The most important thing you have to do to have a chance is always use cover. Without doing this, you won't stand a chance and you will die really quickly. Always keep an eye out for safe cover spots where you can hide if you get hit and if you are close do dying. When your screen is starting to get red, immediately hide behind the first object you see. Some of the hardest missions in the games are the ones where there is very little cover that you can use.
- Continuing on the previous tip, you can stay in cover for a pretty long time compared to Call of Duty 5, where enemies would throw hundreds of grenades at you and you constantly had to move places.
- Use you grenades effectively. If you see a few enemies grouped together in a small space, that is always a good place to use a frag grenade. Flashbang grenades can be a godsend in certain situations, but use them carefully because you will not find a lot of them around.
- Reloading is very important. When you reload, always do it behind cover. Also, make sure your weapon is always full before you get out of cover because storming an enemy position just to notice that your weapon ran out of ammo is not a fun moment.
- When you are playing stealth missions, make sure you are not detected. Those mission where designed with stealth in mind so being discovered will make this a lot harder for you.
- Take it easy. There is no rush, so plan your moves carefully and always have a plan before going forward. Make sure you do not find yourself too far ahead of your fellow soldier as this will in most cases be a certain death.
- Advance. It may sound contradictory to the previous tip, but Modern Warfare 2 suffers from the same problems all the previous games in the series did: endless enemies until you cross an invisible line. So if you stay in the same spot for too long, you will most definitely be overwhelmed by enemies sooner or later.
- Make good use of your teammates. They are not the pumped up killing machine that you are, but they will definitely come in handy more than once. Do not rely on them too much but do not forget that you are not fighting alone.
- Keep calm. I know just how frustrating the game can get, but trying to stay calm and trying again will always work better than getting worked up over it.
- Change your tactic. If you are really struggling on a certain mission, try a different route or try using a different weapon (or maybe more grenades) until you find a sweet spot and manage to pass that difficult spot.
- Lastly, have a break. If you are struggling on one mission and you tried all the strategies that you can think of, put the controller down for the day and try again after a good rest. You will be amazed how well this works!
First Day of School (25G)
Complete 'S.S.D.D' and 'Team Player' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 1st and 2nd missions of the game on Veteran.
Black Diamond (25G)
Complete 'Cliffhanger' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 3rd mission of the game on Veteran.
Turistas (25G)
Complete 'Takedown' and 'The Hornet's Nest' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 5th and 7th missions of the game on Veteran.
Red Dawn (25G)
Complete 'Wolverines!' and 'Exodus' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 6th and 8th missions of the game on Veteran.
Prisoner #627 (25G)
Complete 'The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday' and 'The Gulag' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 9th and 10th missions of the game on Veteran.
Ends Justify the Means (25G)
Complete 'Contingency' on Veteran Difficulty
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 12th mission of the game on Veteran.
Homecoming (25G)
Complete 'Of Their Own Accord', 'Second Sun', and 'Whiskey Hotel' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 11th, 13th and 14th missions of the game on Veteran.
Queen takes Rook (25G)
Complete 'Loose Ends' and 'The Enemy of My Enemy' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 15th and 16th missions of the game on Veteran.
Off the Grid (25G)
Complete 'Just Like Old Times' and 'Endgame' on Veteran Difficulty.
This achievement is story related and you will unlock it by simply playing through the game on Veteran. Check the description of “The Price of War” achievement for tips on completing the campaign on Veteran.
This achievement will unlock as soon as you finish the 17th and 18th missions of the game on Veteran.
If you played on Veteran so far, when you unlock this achievement, you should also unlock The Price of War.
Pit Boss (10G)
Run The Pit in 'S.S.D.D' and finish with a final time under 30 seconds.
This is a mission specific achievement that you can only obtain in the 1st mission (S.S.D.D.). You will have to finish The Pit in less than 30 seconds. The Pit is the training area with a lot of cardboard enemies and some civilians. As in the previous Modern Warfare, you do not have to actually complete the game in less than 30 seconds, as having a high accuracy will deduct some seconds from your final time. This is why I recommend using pistol (M9 and Desert Eagle) because then you won’t be spraying bullets away and they also reload faster. You must also hit every target and you cannot hit any civilians. This will basically come down to practice. If you run through the course a few times and memorize which ones are civilians and which ones are targets, you will be able to run through the course really fast after a few times and you should not have a problem finishing it in under 30 seconds. The achievement will pop up as soon as you go through the final gate and your final time is less than 30 seconds.
Ghost (10G)
Plant the C4 in 'Cliffhanger' without alerting or injuring anyone in the blizzard.
First of all, this achievement can be obtained on any difficulty, so I recommend that you play on Recruit as it will be easier to obtain this way. Right at the start of the mission you will encounter two pairs of guards. It does not matter if you kill them or you let Soap take them out. The part that is important for this achievement only comes after this, when the blizzard start and you and Soap split up. You have to plant a C4 without alerting or killing any guards. Take out your heartbeat monitor and slowly start walking towards your objective. Try to keep as much distance as possible between you and the patrolling guards. Soap will help you by taking out a few of them, but do not rely on this. If you are spotted, pause the game immediately and restart from the last chapter so you do not have to start the whole mission again.
Colonel Sanderson (10G)
Kill 7 chickens in under 10 seconds in 'The Hornet's Nest'.
This achievement is mission specific and can only be obtained while playing through The Hornet’s Nest mission. You will at one point come at a marketplace that will be full of enemies and you can see chickens around locked in cages. After you have killed everyone in sight, check to see if you have enough live chickens to obtain the achievement. If there are more than 7 chickens around, kill them all in less than 10 seconds and the achievement is yours. However, if by some chance the chickens were killed in the gunfight, there is another place where you can get this. After the fight, keep going but keep to your right and go to the next area (still in the marketplace) and at the end of an alley you will find 4-5 chickens together and another 3-4 just to the left. Make sure you kill them all in less than 10 seconds (you can use an explosive to make this easier) and the achievement should unlock right away.
Gold Star (20G)
Earn 1 star in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Hotel Bravo (20G)
Earn 4 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Charlie On Our Six (20G)
Earn 8 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
It Goes to Eleven (20G)
Earn at least 1 star in 11 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Operational Asset (20G)
Earn all 3 stars in at least 5 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Blackjack (20G)
Earn 21 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Honor Roll (20G)
Earn at least 1 star in each Special Op mission.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Operative (30G)
Earn all 3 stars in at least 10 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Specialist (30G)
Earn 30 stars in Special Ops.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Professional (30G)
Earn all 3 stars in at least 15 different Special Op missions.
Please check the description of Star 69 for more details on the Special Ops missions.
Star 69 (90G)
Earn 69 stars in Special Ops.
This is probably the hardest and most time consuming achievement of the whole game. There are a total of 23 Special Ops missions that you will need to finish on Veteran (this awards you 3 stars) to unlock this achievement. You can complete the missions either by yourself or with a friend (there are 2 exceptions which require another player to finish them), but it is much easier and highly recommended that you play with a friend because if you get shot down you can be revived and keep on going. The 23 mission that you will need to complete are the following:
Alpha Missions
- The Pit
- Sniper Fi
- O Cristo Redentor
- Evasion
- Suspension
- Overwatch
- Body Count
- Bomb Squad
- Race
- Big Brother
- Hidden
- Breach and Clear
- Time Trial
- Homeland Security
- Wardriving
- Wreckage
- Acceptable Losses
- Terminal
- Estate
Echo Missions
- Wetwork
- High Explosive
- Armor Piercing
Most of the missions are pretty straightforward and should not be too much of a problem with a few tries, but if you find yourself stuck at a particular mission, check out this guide for some mission specific tips.
Downed but Not Out (10G)
Kill 4 enemies in a row while downed in Special Ops.
To obtain this enemy, you will need to kill 4 enemies while you are downed. To do this, you have to play with another friend in co-op as playing by yourself, you won’t get downed; you will die automatically. Once you are down, you have to kill 4 enemies before you get up. The easiest mission you can get this is Semper Fi, the second one. You can either let yourself get downed and wait for the enemies to come up the ladders one by one or you can use a Predator missile. To do so, get the missile and when you see 4 enemies close to each other fire the missile but get your friend to down you before the missile reaches the enemies and the achievement should unlock. It goes without saying, but you should try this on Recruit as it is easier to obtain this way and you are harder to kill.
I'm the Juggernaut… (10G)
Kill a Juggernaut in Special Ops.
If you are trying to finish all the Special Ops missions, you are going to have to kill more than your fair share of Juggernauts. If you are not sure which ones are the Juggernauts, they are the very big and heavily armored guys that are really hard to kill. Only high caliber weapons and explosives affect them. There are 4 missions where you can obtain this achievement: Snatch and Grab, Estate Takedown, High Explosive and Armor Piercing. The achievement will unlock as soon as the Juggernaut dies by your hand.
Ten plus foot-mobiles (10G)
Kill at least 10 enemies with one Predator missile in Single Player or Special Ops.
You can obtain this achievement either in Spec Ops or in Singleplayer. I think the easiest way to get this achievement is by playing the Wolverines! singleplayer mission. When you get near the end of it, you will be attacked by large waves of enemies and this is your chance. Lucky for you, they are grouped pretty close together and they usually consist of more than 10 enemies. Simply equip your Predator Missile and aim it at the center of a large group of enemies and if you manage to get more than 10, the achievements is yours. Do not worry if you miss, because there are more waves coming and you can try again.
Unnecessary Roughness (10G)
Use a riot shield to beat down an enemy in Single Player or Special Ops.
This is really easy to do once you get your hands on a riot shield. The first place where you can get this is in the No Russian mission, once you get outside and you will see riot police. Kill a policeman, take his shield and attack another policeman (preferably without a shield) by pressing down on the Right Stick. Considering this mission is option, if you prefer not to do it, you can get it in The Gulag mission. At one point you will pick up a riot shield, whether you want it or not. Simply make your way to the closest enemy and bash him until the achievement appears.
Knock-knock (10G)
Kill 4 enemies with 4 shots during a slow-mo breach in Single Player or Special Ops.
This achievement can be really easily obtained in the Spec Ops mission Breach and Clear. You should start equipped with an M4 carbine that also has a grenade launcher. Switch to the grenade launcher before breaching through the wall and once you are in the slow-mo part just shoot the grenade right in the middle of the enemies (there are more than 4) and if you manage to kill at least 4 the achievement is yours.
Some Like it Hot (10G)
Kill 6 enemies in a row using a thermal weapon in Single Player or Special Ops.
To get this achievement, you will need to consecutively kill 6 enemies with a weapon that has a thermal scope. There are many opportunities where you can do this, but one of the easiest ones is in the Spec Ops mission Homeland Security. Make sure you get the M21 EBR at the beginning of the mission and go to the Diner, at the front. Start killing enemies without changing your weapon and as soon as you have 6, the achievement will unlock.
Two Birds with One Stone (10G)
Kill 2 enemies with a single bullet in Single Player or Special Ops.
You will probably unlock this by simply playing through the campaign, just by chance. However, if you finished the campaign and you still do not have this achievement, go to the Spec Ops mission Hidden. Once you start the mission, go through the first container and there will be an enemy to your right. Take him out and keep on going forward where you will see another enemy by some blue barrels. Take him out as well and quietly go through the two containers in front. You will see two enemies talking in front of you. Pull out your sniper rifle and make sure you line up the shot so that the bullet hits both of them in the torso area (you do not need to aim for the head). If you did it right, you will hear you ally telling you “Double Kill! Excellent!” and then you know you did it. The achievement should pop up shortly after.
The Road Less Traveled (10G)
Collect 22 enemy intel items.
Please check the description of the Leave No Stone Unturned achievement for more details on the intel items.
Leave No Stone Unturned (10G)
Collect 45 enemy intel items.
The 45 enemy intel items are scattered throughout the game and you need to pick them all up for this achievement. Luckily, they carry over playthroughs so you do not need to worry about that. Also, as soon as you pick up an item, it is saved. So if you are only playing through a mission to pick up the intel items, as soon as you have all of them, you can safely quit and go for the next one. The same thing applies if you die right after you picked up the intel item.
For the locations of all the intel items, check the bottom of this post for the complete collectibles guide.
Drive By (10G)
Kill 20 enemies in a row while driving a vehicle in Single Player or Special Ops.
The easiest place where you can try to get this achievement is during the Spec Ops mission Race. You will start on a snowmobile (and that counts as a vehicle) with access to infinite ammo and respawning enemies. What more could you want? Anyway, go as slow as possible and in the process kill 20 enemies and the achievement will unlock right away. As always, make sure you set the difficulty to Recruit to make things easier for you.
The Harder They Fall (10G)
Kill 2 rappelling enemies in a row before they land on their feet in Single Player or Special Ops.
There are quite a few places where you can get this achievement. You can try and get it in the Suspension Spec Ops mission. Right at the beginning start moving and you will see enemies rappelling from both sides of the bridge. If you manage to get two before they hit the ground, the achievement is yours. Also, in the Overwatch mission, where one player is on the ground and the other Is in the AC-130, you can get this achievement by destroying the helicopters while people are rappelling down from them. Asides from Spec Ops, this achievement can very easily be done in singleplayer in a lot of missions (Whiskey Hotel, The Only Easy Day…, etc.).
Desperado (10G)
Kill 5 enemies in a row using 5 different weapons or attachments in Single Player or Special Ops.
To unlock this achievement, you will need to kill 5 enemies in a row with 5 different weapons/attachments. That means that you can only kill one enemy with each weapon/attachment. While playing through the Special Ops mission O Cristo Redentor, you have a good chance of unlocking this achievement because the enemies use a lot of different weapons and that will help you. First of all, start by using your primary weapon and its attachments (e.g. grenade launcher, shotgun, etc.). After you kill a couple of enemies pick up one of their weapons and kill another enemy with it. Check to see if he has a different weapon and if he does, pick it up and kill someone else with it. Do not forget that you also have a secondary gun that counts towards this achievement. Just remember what weapons, you have already used and only kill one enemy with each one and the achievement will come really easy. It goes without saying, but playing on Recruit will make your job a lot easier.
Look Ma Two Hands (10G)
Kill 10 enemies in a row using akimbo weapons in Single Player or Special Ops.
This is not as complicated as it sounds. Akimbo weapons are practically dual-wielded weapons, where you hold a weapon in each hand but you cannot aim down the sights. You can do this with a lot of SMGs and pistols. You can also get this in a lot of places either in the campaign of in the Special Ops missions as longs as you remember not to switch weapons or use any other items (grenades, knives, etc.). In the Special Ops mission Bomb Squad you start with a pair of G18 Glocks that you can easily use to kill 10 enemies and as soon as you do that the achievement should pop.
No Rest For the Wary (10G)
Knife an enemy without him ever knowing you were there in Single Player or Special Ops.
You can obtain this achievement as soon as you get to the 3rd mission of the game (Cliffhanger). Once the blizzard starts and you split up from Soap, check your heartbeat monitor. You will see a patrolling enemy very close to you, but Soap will take care of him. After that, go forward and you will see a tent to your left right away. Get into the tent and you will see an enemy sleeping at the far end. Get close to him and knife him and that’s it: achievement unlocked.
Three-some (10G)
Kill at least 3 enemies with a single shot from a grenade launcher in Single Player or Special Ops.
This achievement can be really easily obtained in the Spec Ops mission Breach and Clear. You should start equipped with an M4 carbine that also has a grenade launcher. Switch to the grenade launcher before breaching through the wall and once you are in the slow-mo part just shoot the grenade right in the middle of the enemies (there are more than 3) and if you manage to kill at least 3 the achievement is yours.
Collectibles Guide
ACT I
Missions: S.S.D.D. - Team Player - Cliffhanger - Takedown
ACT II
Mission: Wolverines! - The Hornet’s Nest - Exodus
Missions: The Only Easy Day… Was Yesterday - The Gulag - Of Their Own Accord
ACT III
Missions: Second Sun - Whiskey Hotel - Loose Ends
Missions: The Enemy of My Enemy - Just Like Old Times - Endgame
END OF GUIDE
That’s it, everyone! Thanks for coming this far and good luck on your quest to completing this game. I really enjoyed playing through this game and I found the achievements to be really enjoyable to unlock. Even if it’s not on the same level with its predecessor, it’s still a solid game (but don’t get me started on the multiplayer)!
As always, if you have any suggestions, feedback or constructive criticism, I am looking forward to hear from you and you can do this by posting in this thread or by sending me a private message. Also, if you have any problems with an achievement or you need help with a certain achievement, let me know and I will try to help you if I can.
Thank You & Enjoy Your Game!
Mika