Cold War Cartel Map Guide – Call of Duty

by Jordan November 30, 2020

Call of Duty Cold War has a lot of features for players to get to grips with. First is the extensive loadout system, but even with the best loadouts in the game, you need to master the basics. This includes mechanics like getting better aim, using the right settings, and map knowledge. Knowledge of chokepoints and flow around the map is important for performing your best across every game mode. Cold War doesn’t have a crazy amount of maps at the moment, so you’ll need to know each of those that are present well. This Cartel Cold War map guide covers what you need to do to master this area.

Cartel is a map that takes place in the Nicaraguan jungle, specifically in a compound for a cartel. It terms of the game’s setting and theme, it is undoubtedly connected to the Iran-Contra affair and the CIA’s cocaine trafficking. The lush jungle and illicit compound make for some classic level design in Call of Duty though. Cartel features a fun three-lane map with some heavy foliage for cover. This is what you need to know:

Cartel Map Guide

The cartel map gives plenty of open space with different geometry to cater to different types of players. This is a great map for Cold War snipers, but every player can find a niche on this map. There are interior spaces in warehouses for close combat, central towers for those who want to try and lock things down, and a ridiculous amount of bushes and foliage for stealth. These are the main areas:

The Tower

The central tower can be one of the best places on the map for skilled players. It give a clear view of all of the action heading out above. This is where you should be using a tactical or sniper rifle to make the most out of the position.

The Warehouse

This is the main indoor area on the Cold War cartel map. This is where a lot of the action is concentrated in the game, you can think of it as a bit of a chokepoint in this relatively open map. The warehouse is great for SMGs, so pull out your Milano 821 or MP5 if you want to take over the warehouse.

Chokepoints

The main chokepoint on the map is the larger opening and middle path. There are some natural ways to break through this though. There’s plenty of space for flanking and for longer range players to clear this zone. The warehouses can turn into chokepoints too. Clearing here really just comes down to effective close combat and grenades.

Cold War Cartel Map Tips and Tricks

Those are the main areas and features of Cartel. How exactly do you factor your gameplay to the map though? These are some Cold War cartel tips and tricks to help you get ahead of the competition here:

Bushes – The bushes are kind of a controversial topic in Black Ops Cold War. They give quite a lot of cover, you should take advantage of them whenever you can. When crouching, you can’t be seen in the heavy foliage. Use them to gain some concealment during firefights.
Lanes – There are three separate lanes running through Cartel. This makes it great for flanking. You can always flank around the outside lanes of the map if you’re struggling to find an entrance.
The Middle Path – This area is the most hotly contested in most matches. It can be pretty easily dealt with though. You can use the flanks to get around it, and grenades are fantastic here. You can really clear space by using a few grenades of explosives in the open space.
Hold the Watchtower – It is really helpful for your team if someone can hold the watchtower. Try to keep this in mind.

That’s everything you need to know for the Cartel Cold War map. Our other guides to mechanics and loadouts in Cold War can help you improve anywhere else: