Zombie Mode Solo Guide - Guide for Call of Duty: Black Ops

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombie mode solo FAQ
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Section 0: Copyright and Contact info
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This Guide was written by DdubEezy and may not be reproduced in any form
except for private use. It may not be posted or placed on any public site
without expressed permission beforehand.
To submit comments or request permission to use this FAQ please e-mail to
[email protected] with the header Black Ops FAQ.

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Table of Contents
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1. Introduction [Int1]

2. General tactics tips and strategies [Gen2]
 2.1. Basics [Bas2]
 2.2. Advanced tactics [Adv2]
 2.3. Weapons tactics [Wep2]

3. Level specific tactics and strategies [Lev3]
 3.1. Kino Der Toten [Der3]
 3.2. Five [Fiv3]
 3.3. Ascension [Asc3]

4. Converting Solo skill into successful team play [Mul4]

5. Outro   [Out5]



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1.Introduction [Int1]
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Firstly, thank you for reading my FAQ on Call of Duty: Black Ops. This
FAQ is my first contribution to Gamefaqs, so prepare to be underwhelmed.

So you've decided to go it alone huh? Got something to prove? Are you a
isolated loner? Got no friends? Or are you just sick of playing with horrible
randoms who get you killed before your first dog round? Either way, have no
fear for DdubEezy is here to help you layeth the smackdown on every ugly
legdragger that stumbles your way.

Firstly, credentials are important to establish. Who would listen to someone
who cant even find the power switches. So I am happy to inform you that I have
a LOT of zombies experience, both in 2,3 and 4 player teams and solo mode.
I have made it up to round 37 in split screen, 32 in 3 player, and 30 in 4 man
team play. In solo, I can make it to round 40 on average, and sometimes past
that. Now, when you get good enough you will understand, but at a certain
point, getting further in zombies becomes less dependent on skill and more
on patience. Can I get past round 50+? Sure. Am I willing to sit for the 2-3+
hours it would take playing a single game? Not so much.

So how do you obtain such a level of zombie massacring ability? For one,
read my FAQ. Here i will provide you with everything you need to survive
endless waves of zombies while trapped inside a small Theatre/pentagon/
cosmonaut facility (until you die of starvation of course). Secondly,
Practice is key. Even with the proper tactics, it takes a while to get them
right and learn the maps well enough to utilize them for all they're worth.

Well enough useless talk, lets get you started on your path to being the Brock
Samson of zombies.


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2. General Tactics Tips and Strategies  [Gen2]
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2.1: The basics  [Bas2]
===============

Alright so what do you need to know? The best and foremost advice I can
give is: A. don't get hit, B. Kill the zombies, and C. Get Points.
I guess that was kinda obvious though. The important thing is how to do those
things, and do them well.

-KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
This is a big one. If you aren't close to them, the zombies cant hit you and you
are free to fill their heads with many bullets. Make sure you keep moving,
especially in the later rounds and run forwards. I cant express enough how
dangerous it is to backpedal and not know where you are going. That half second
that you get caught up can be death, and if you backpedal into an unexpected
zombie, well....thats not good.

Many people swear by the Bowie/Ballistic knife, and not for nothing. It is
a great tool, but comes with many disadvantages as well. One being the close
proximity needed to use it. The same goes for shotguns, but more will be
discussed on this later in the weapons section.

-HEADS WERE MADE TO SHOOT
If you hadn't figured it out already, shooting for the head is your friend.
Not only do you do more damage (A LOT more with some guns) but you get more
points. Sounds like a win/win to me.

-UTILIZE YOUR BONUSES
Now this one takes some consideration. You want points. They are the
lifeblood of zombies mode, and without them you can generally end up
pretty screwed. If its and early round, and you get a nuke from the first
few zombies, ignore it. This is a tough one, as the promise of killing a
ton of zombies along with the shiny, sparkly green light makes you want it
all the more, but killing what could be 20+ zombies (2000+ points) is reduced
to a mere 400. this can easily screw you up in an early round. Always kill as
much as you can before hitting a nuke, and then only if you aren't trying to
leave one or there are only few zombies left.
Instakill is your friend, coupled with a 2x points it is a godsend. When you
get an instakill, you are allowed to go berserk. Go on a knifing spree, its
an easy way to save ammo, and safely get a ton of points. That being said,
DONT BE STUPID! Instakills do not make you invulnerable. Do not go running into
a swarm just to knife one zombie. Create some distance and knife the solo
zombies. Don't be afraid to shoot a burst from your gun to thin a big group so
you can knife the stragglers.
Make sure you always reload before getting a max ammo.


2.2. Advanced Tactics  [Adv2]
=====================

So you got the basics, Good! But the basics alone will only get you so far. Now
we get serious.

-CREATE A RUN ROUTE
This is the A no.1 thing you need as a solo zombies player. Being only one
person it is near impossible to hold down one area. The key to survival is
knowing your route and running it, getting the zombies to follow you and
killing them at your own pace. The main thing is to make sure you don't ever get
stuck. Run facing forward, killing anything in your way and only stop to kill
the zombies behind you at a recommended stop point, or in short
intervals. I will provide more detail on this later on each map's specific
section.

-SPRAY DONT PRAY
As a tip, if zombies are close/mid range, DONT aim down. Not only does it
kill your mobility, but it actually reduces your chance to hit what you want.
Zombies can be unexpectedly quick, and move out of your sights before you
know it. If you are being swarmed, a little spray is a good thing, as the
wider spray can hit more targets. As you become more adept at this, try
stopping and standing still for a moment when you hipfire and you will notice
a distinct difference in crosshair spread. Please be aware that actually
spraying will only waste ammo, so be sure to.....

-LAY OFF THE TRIGGER
Everyone knows that firing in short bursts yields higher accuracy, so don't
hold your trigger down. In most cases firing full auto will only obstruct your
vision and cause you to waste gobs of precious ammo. In contrast, if you are
obstructed and NEED to kill something to ensure your safety, let 'er rip.
What does ammo matter if your dead?

-TAKE YOUR TIME
This one is a little odd. If you always want to stay moving, and not let the
zombies get close, why take your time? Sometimes when running, or facing down a
giant bunch of incoming corpses you'll need to break through them in order to
avoid getting stuck. This could be as easy as circling around them, or as
difficult as leaping through an entire swarm over a legless crawling zombie.
In situations like this it is important not to rush your move. Take a moment,
assess the situation, identify the best escape route, and then hit it as fast
as your digital legs can. A lot of the time rushing a decision will get you
stuck, swarmed and screwed. Always avoid the 3 S's.

A good example of this would be to stand in a corner of an open room, waiting
for the zombies to close in, then breaking along the wall for the opposite
corner to get around, past and behind the incoming swarm.

-USE ALL THE SPACE YOU HAVE
If you are in a big open area with a horde coming at you from the front, don't
backpedal straight to the wall. Make sure you use all the space available to
you. Serpentine back and forth from left to right to maximize the room and
eliminate as many zombies as you can. Backpedaling straight may give you 2 or 3
seconds of firing time before the group closes in where zig-zagging will triple
or even quadruple the amount of time you have before being cornered.

-LEGLESS IS YOUR FRIEND
Always try to leave the last zombie alive. This is so you can get perks, power
up your guns, place claymores, hit the box etc.
This is done easily by identifying when zombies stop spawning (they stop
coming through the doors) and hitting the last swarm with a grenade. Then you
can easily pick off the crawlers until you only have one left. For tons of fun
especially with friends, you can lie prone and knife duel the crawlers face to
face.

-IT'S A TRAP!
Traps are a great way to thin out a round's zombies but be smart about it.
Killing zombies with traps gets you no points, so don't use traps until you
are already set with everything you need to survive. If you follow this FAQ,
traps, with the exception of the auto-turrets are mostly unnecessary.

-JUG! JUG! JUG! JUG!
The second most important thing to a solo zombies player, and the most
important upgrade to buy. When running or breaking through swarms it is
near impossible to avoid taking a hit or two as you run past a zombie.
Always, always, ALWAYS have juggernog after the power is on. In other
words, don't turn the power on until you are sure you can afford juggernog.

-IT'S TIME FOR THE PERK-U-LATOR
No, I'm not telling you to dance on a glass table (lol). Be smart about
your perks. You always want to have quick revive at all times. Most people
wont buy Q.R in the early rounds because they feel it's a waste seeing as
you only get to use it 3 times. The thing is that in the later rounds, if
you go down, you're likely to see a game over soon anyway even if you have
a couple Q.R's left. Also, once you know what you're doing, you shouldn't
be going down anyway. Personally, I feel it's better to use a Q.R in an early
round before you get everything set up if you have to than to save it and lose
without using it. Mistakes happen, especially when trying to squeak out a few
extra points in an early round. A lot more than later on, when you have good
guns and a good run route. Nothing is more annoying than having to constantly
restart.
Speed cola is useful, but not as much when on solo. Since you will be running
constantly, you will have time to reload. Only get Speed cola when you have
extra points to spend. Personally I hardly ever get speed cola until very
late. Even if you have a slow reload gun, usually it gets better after you
upgrade it, which should be done as soon as possible.
Double tap isn't too useful. Fire rate increase also means faster ammo
consumption. I recommend only buying double tap if you're using the Hk-21. No
other guns that need it are worth using. I personally never use Double Tap.
In ascension, you also can get P.H.D Flopper and Stamin Up. I will address
both these perks in the ascension section.

-REPAIR STUFF WITH YOUR BACK
Unlike reviving someone, you can repair a door just by being near it. If you're
repairing a door, keep your back to it, and an eye in front. If you
know how you can even aim down and shoot while repairing. I always try to double
tap the repair button to also reload when i repair. The last 1 or 2
repairs can be done without you there. It takes a while to get the timing
but you can finish repairing while taking off to your next destination.

2.3. Weapons Tactics [Wep2]
====================

Sweet, so we have points, we have a run route and you're nigh untouchable now.
But you aren't gonna use the M1911 the whole time, are you? Lets go over some
weapons now.

-OLYMPIA? REALLY?
Please...please...please. Don't buy the olympia. You're only hurting yourself.
If you're any good at zombies, you should be doing at least the first 3 rounds
without buying any gun. If you aren't thats okay, but buy the m14. M14's have
good hipfire and can at least get some headshots. Personally I always buy a
Quick Revive with my first 500, and wait for the Mpl.

-THERE'S GUNS IN THE WALLS
Wall guns are a toss up and are another of those odd elements of zombies.
Obviously, early on wall guns are necessary, but they are easily outclassed
by the mystery box guns early on. But then, something strange happens. Wall
guns become useful again later on. See, in the later rounds, the zombies are
unbelievably resilient and you chew through ammo in one or two rounds. It is
in this that wall guns are useful. You can buy ammo off the wall and never run
out, even for their upgraded versions (albeit at higher cost). Sure you can
try the mystery box again, but finding time for that if its in a bad position
can be tough, and if you get a bad gun...well yea.

-IS THAT A PISTOL IN YOUR POCKET
Pistols are the first gun class you encounter and they're not bad.
The m1911 is terrible, but its upgrade shoots grenades and is pretty useful.
However, in solo, there are many better guns, and these can actually hurt you
more than help sometimes. So for me, its a pass.
The Cz75's come in single and dual wield variants. Both are awesome at early
rounds as they headshot kill with one bullet. Never underestimate these if the
box gives them to you. The extra speed is also a nice bonus. Both upgrade to
full auto with 20 in a clip making them still useful to upgrade, but the dual
variant wins out in the long run. The one problem these have is the ammo use
after upgrading. Once I used upgraded dual Cz75's all the way to round 32.
The python is the last pistol you can get, and it isn't too bad. If this is
given to you in the box don't hesitate to take it if it's the the best you can
get. It works for a few rounds, but unfortunately the slow reload and rate of
fire handicap it quite quickly. The upgraded version isn't worth the money.

-SMG-ZUS
Contrary to the bullet point, SMG's are the worst class of guns in my opinion.
Combine low damage with small clips and ammo capacity, and you have one giant
meh. SMG's are primarily used early on and then forgotten about. None are
really worth the points to upgrade, because the main problems still persist.
The only SMG worth noting past round 10 is the AK-47u and thats only to buy
off the wall if you're out of ammo. It gives good mobility and point return,
and has "unlimited" ammo because it's a wall gun. Top that with it having the
best damage and clip size of the SMG class and we have a winner for best
mediocre gun.

-ASSAULT AND BATTERY
Assault rifles make up the second best class of guns to have. Instead of
listing each one Im going list out my opinion on best to worst for each
category of AR.
Full auto rifles go Galil>Commando>Aug>Famas
The Galil has highest damage and ammo capacity. Its awesome.
The Commando edges out the Aug for its slightly increased ammo and the dual
mags which eliminates the need for speed cola. Plus the shotgun the Aug gains
isn't as useful as it seems to be.
The Famas is pure garbage. I personally never even pick it up.
Burst rifles are a little different as each one has its perks.
The G11 gains full auto when upgraded which oddly helps save ammo and has the
fastest full auto fire rate of any gun. Cons for it are the low power scope
and low ammo. An okay choice.
The FN-FAL is okay, but the upgrade is 3 shot burst which wastes more ammo.
In my opinion, its a pass.
The M16, as a wall gun has "unlimited" ammo and gains a grenade launcher when
upgraded. Useful in later rounds when ammo is scarce.
The M14 is trash. Don't keep it.

-SHOTTIE TO YA BODY
Shotguns are the classic zombie fighting weapon, and even though they work
fine as a breakthrough gun, they actually aren't too useful.
The Olympia is terrible, but its upgrade is pretty fun as it shoots incendiary
rounds. Its slow reload and clip is still a problem though.
The Stakeout isn't worth buying by the time you can buy it, even though its a
wall gun.
The Spas-12 is my personal favorite zombies shotgun. The fast fire rate and 12
round clip is nice, but the reload is horridly slow. The upgrade fixes the
slow reload, as reloading 1 shell gives you a whopping 24 shots of Full-auto
Shotgun goodness. Thats right, full auto. The only problem is ammo, and damage
at higher rounds.
The HS10 is okay also, but its the upgrade that makes it worth it, as it
becomes dual wield. Again ammo is the issue, and the reload is somewhat long.

-CHOP CHOP CHOP
LMG's are a good class, but I find them to be overrated. Most people swear by
one, but even the high ammo capacity doesn't make up for the slow run speed
and slow fire rate (Hk-21 only). Both LMG's are about the same, as the Rpk has
superior fire rate and the HK-21 has superior ammo capcacity. Even with the
high max ammo, you will find yourself running out quite constantly. Slow
reloads also cripple you, so make sure you have speed cola, or a reliable
secondary gun. Personally i'd take a Galil over either LMG.

-ITS RAININ' LIMBS
Explosives aren't the most useful weapons but they aren't useless either.
Hint, don't use them at close range.
The China lake isn't worth using. Don't pick it up.
The LAW is also quite terrible, only less so seeing as if you upgrade it
it gets 10 a clip and can rapidly fire. The main issue here is that it
leaves zombies alive a lot (albeit crawlers) and the giant smoke clouds
it leave obscures view.
The crossbow wins as best explosive, but only for its upgrade which lures
zombies toward the bolt. Sometimes when fired, the zombies stand still and
stare into space instead of going after it, which sucks. Also, be aware that
the zombies don't go after it immidiately. If you're already surrounded before
firing, there's a chance you're goin' down.

-LIKE A KID IN A ZOMBIE SHOP
This section will cover the "other" weapons you can get.
The Raygun is amazing. If it comes up, take it. The key to using this great
gun is to aim at the ground and fire into crowds. The ray blasts "explode"
when they hit something, so hitting the ground in a group can hurt a whole
lot of them at once. A lot of time this will make crawlers though, so hit em
again to give the Coup de grace. Upgrade this gun and you're good for a while.
The Thundergun is a great utility gun, and paired with a good AR or a Raygun
its perfect. The key to using this gun is to group zombies up into big
swarms before firing, so you kill 10-20 in one shot. Be aware that if a
zombie is at a distance it may be blown away and not die.
The Winter's Howl is Exclusive to Five and Freezes zombies in an icy cloud.
Honestly not too great for solo, but usable and fun.
The Last thing you can get is Monkey bombs/Black holes/Cluster bombs.
You can only carry one, and black holes and cluster bombs are only available
on Ascension. Cluster bombs explode into smaller exploding fragments and are
the worst utility grenade. Monkey bombs and black holes both draw zombies in
but the back holes are better because monkeys wont kill everything around it
whereas the black holes instakill all that touch it. Both take a good while
to throw so throw early.

-LAY MORE CLAYMORE
Claymores are a great investment, especially at early rounds. Every round or
max ammo pickup gives you 2 more, so find a quiet corner and start stocking
up. When you get to the later rounds and your ammo count is 0/0 you'll be
happy you did.

-I HAVE GRENADES?
Yes. You have grenades too, and you get 2 back at the end of each round! When
running from zombies it is extremely simple to cook a grenade for a second,
bounce it off a wall and leave a nasty shrapnel surprise for your shambling
foes.

-MAY I MELEE
The 3 melee options you have are your standard knife, the ballistic knife, and
the bowie knife/scythe. Buying the bowie/scythe will only replace your knife
when you have the points to spare, buy away. The ballistic knife counts as a
gun and speeds up your melee, and slightly increases BOWIE/SCYTHE damage.
Many people buy the bowie right away, but to be honest there isn't much point
to it. The extra 30 points per kill does add up after a while, but by the time
it makes a difference, you'll have all you need and a steady supply of points
anyway. I'll take the safety of a bullet over having to get close any day. If
you really need points, buy a wall gun and go for body shots. Knifing is a
sure fire way to get yourself killed eventually, and especially in solo, the
ballistic knife is just a waste of space that could be used for better guns.

-SNIPER NO SNIPING
Look, im not going to go into it, but don't use snipers. Unless you're just
messing around they aren't worth it.

-ALL PURPOSE AND BREAKTHROUGH
So here's my deal, I always try to carry one all purpose gun, and one
"Breakthrough" gun. The difference in that an all purpose is meant for
the majority of zombie killing, and a breakthrough gun is for when a zombie
or two is blocking you and you need to get past them quickly. Here are my
top AP guns and Breakthrough guns in order from best to worst.

All Purpose
-----------
Raygun
Galil
Commando
Hk-21
Rpk
G11
Aug
Dual Cz75
Fn-Fal
Single Cz75

Breakthrough
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Thundergun
Spas-12
HS10
Crossbow(upgrade only)
Raygun
Dual Cz75

Now that isn't to say other guns cant do these jobs, but these are in my
opinion the best for it. If you have one gun from each of these lists, you're
set to go. If not, i'd get one and upgrade it, then try for another before
upgrading my second gun. As you may notice if you have a Raygun, you can
choose whatever you want as a secondary as it doubles as both. Be careful
though, as not only will you run out of ammo, but when using the raygun to
breakthrough the rays will damage you as well if you use it at close range.
Don't be the guy who kills himself with his own rays. Dual Cz75's should not be
used for breakthrough unless thats all you use it for. The reason it
makes the list at all is for its fast fire rate and run speed while holding
it.


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3.Level Specific Tactics and Strategies   [Lev3]
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So you're moving smart, and you know exactly what guns you want, but wait...
WHERE THE HELL AM I???
What good is having everything you need if you aren't where you need.
So now I'm going to go through each map. For each one I'm going to outline
my strategy and then give a few key notes. Understand that these are my
strategies and you are free to try whatever you want. Just be aware that
if you do stick to my strategies, that they are built to utilize all of my
previous bullet points, specialized for my gun selections, and meant to be for
solo play only. Some can be used with multiple people, but they were designed
for the loner in mind. On every map, My strategy will involve buying the same
gun, the Mpl. The Mpl is a good start gun with very low hipfire spread, but it
pays for it with its small 24 bullet clip. As such, RELOAD! Reload early and
often. In you kill 1 zombie and none are around, reload. If you kill a bunch,
and another 10 or so are behind them but need time to close in, reload. I
don't care if you have 22 or 5 bullets left, if you have the time to, reload.
Keep in mind that I also am assuming you have some familiarity with these
levels as I wont be going into detail on them.

3.1. Kino der Toten   [Der3]
===================
Righty o'. The good 'ole theatre of the dead, and im my opinion the easiest
of the zombie maps. Great for beginners and veterans alike, and easy to get a
grasp of. Here we go...

Round 1-3:
Starting in the main lobby, go behind the bar and buy your quick revive.
Zombies only take 1 knife to kill, so save your ammo and knife. Let the
zombies come through the walls. This is for two reasons. First, you can repair
the doors for up to 40 points, and second, the zombies only drop pickups when
they are inside the play area. This way you have a chance for a Max ammo or a
2x points. At the end of the round, board up the door closest to Quick revive
and the upstairs door. This way you can deal with the zombies in "waves".
Stay mobile and knife up until round 3. At round 2 its 2 knifes, and round 3 its
3. At round 3 it gets tough, so board all the doors you can and start
using your pistol. 1 full clip and a knife usually does the trick if a couple
of shots hit the head. Just don't headshot the whole clip or it will kill your
undead friend. Use grenades if you get overwhelmed.

Round 3-7:
As soon as you finish round 3, if you have one left repair all the doors. If
not, then at least repair the downstairs door next to the double doors that
connect to the theatre. If you don't know which one it is, its the double
doors that you cant open. After this you are going to open the downstairs
door and go buy the Mpl off of the wall. Facing into the room, its next to
the spawn door on the right. Using the Mpl to hipfire headshot, you should
run a path from the door next to the Mpl to the door on the opposite side
of the room, clearing and zombies off the door. This should only take 1-2
shots per zombie if done right. Remember little taps and stationary hipfire.
As you run back and forth, make sure to check down the long hall and clear
any incoming zombies before maintaining your door cleaning. Don't let the
zombies break down the side doors. This sounds a little complicated, but
its easier that it sounds. If they do break through, use grenades and run
zig-zag from corner to corner behind the wall partition. Buy ammo for the
Mpl whenever you need to, but I usually don't have to.
Around round 5-7 you will hit your first dog round. Make sure you have enough
ammo, and get ready. Try to shoot the dogs as soon as they appear in the flash
of lightning. These are pretty easy, and if you get into trouble, just run.
You are faster than the dogs and can always run away.
You should be able to hit around 7000 points before long, sometimes even
before dogs come. Once you do, leave one zombie (crawler) and open the door
to the alleyway. Continue all the way around buying doors until you get to the
stage. If you pass the mystery box, ignore it for now. Hit the power, buy
juggernog and spend the rest of your points on the mystery box. You want to
get at least one decent gun, but even if you get a good gun on your first try,
use the rest of your points to try to get another, or a better one. If you get
2 usable guns right away, and have 1000 points left, consider buying claymores
as the sooner you do, the better.

Round 7-20:
From here on, its simple really. If you didn't get a good gun to upgrade from
the box, continue to leave one at the end of the round until you do, and then
save up to upgrade it. Once you have one upgraded gun, try to get another
worth keeping and save to upgrade that one. Once you have Juggernog and two
good upgraded guns, you are free to spend your points how you see fit.
So basically, a lot of people like to use the other route to get to the stage,
because it opens up the route to speed cola as well. So why do I go the other
way? Because when you are on the stage, you want to stand in front of the room
that leads to the dressing room. When that door is closed it makes for a great
start point for your run route. Every round you are going to start back here.
On the other hand, if you go through the dressing room to make it to the stage
then you have to start on the other side, where its more cramped and easier to
stuck, swarmed and screwed. 3 S's = Bad. When you start to get overwhelmed,
use the large area of the stage to evade the hordes and head out towards the
main lobby where the game started. From there its out to the alley, and back
around to the stage, where it all begins anew. Simple. When running your route
make sure that you only stop to shoot for a short time. If you spend too much
time in one place, the zombies will block you on your way back to the stage
when you are on the stairs. This is very bad. While the stairs are a terrible
place to be against zombies, against the dogs it makes the perfect place.
Get some marshmallows and camp down.

Round 20+:
Basically its the same strategy, but since the zombies get stronger you need
to conserve ammo more. If you have saved claymores, feel free to use em as you
need em. If you have extra points, hit the auto-turret on the stage to help
you out. Always keep the teleporter active in case you need it, and stick to
your run route. Basically you're indestructible until you're own boredom
kills you.

Recommended Stop Points:
So when running there are a few good spots to stop, turn around and vaporize a
few zombie domes. There is the top of the stairs leading from the theatre to
the main lobby, then the end of the hallway leading to the Mpl room. You can
stop and get a few as they turn the corner in the alley, but I find it's
better to hi-tail it to the stage as soon as you hit the alley. Then whip
around and watch the door you just came through (from the stairs) and get
a ton of headshots as everything spills out in a single file line.

3.2. Five   [Fiv3]
==========

Ahh, Five. Second of the three zombies maps, and in my opinion the hardest
one. Five is smaller than the other maps, and you cant get the
thundergun, so it takes a lot more time to get down. Lets hope the name isn't
the same as the number of rounds you survive.

Round 1-3:
Starting off the the boardroom, buy your quick revive, and smash all the
windows yourself. Its fun, and it saves the time of waiting for the zombies to
break them down. Knife only and make short work of round 1. Next repair the
two doors closest to quick revive, and if any zombies broke through the wall
then repair them too. Try to only use knife on round 2, but 4 pistol shots and
a knife will do it if you must. Grenade if you get overwhelmed. Try to repair
all doors before round 3 starts, and go with the 8 shot (full clip) and knife
strategy. Try to knife off as many as you can before they get through the
doors.

Rounds 3-6:
Now I say 6, but sometimes, its less and sometimes its more. Basically, you
want to have around 7000 in points. So after round 3, buy the first door and
get yourself, you guessed it, the Mpl. Buy the barricade blocking the elevator
and defend in front of it. Clear any zombies of the doors to your left and
right and keep an eye on the hallway. If you get overrun, you have 2 options.
You can take the elevator down and try to do circles around the catwalks until
you have 7000, which is the easier choice to get away, but the catwalks are
very hard to stay alive on. You can also try what I do, which is to lure the
zombies at the leftmost corner (facing away from elevator) near the elevator,
then sprint down the left wall, through the metal detectors and into the
board room. This was hard for me at first, but now is as easy as punching a
baby. Buy ammo in between rounds if you get low, because getting it mid round
is really tough. Once you have 7000, leave one (crawler) and go down the the
elevator, buying your way all the way down to the 3rd floor and hit the power.
Peek in the lab windows and find the mystery box to try and get 1 good gun.
Ideally you want to get a good gun, with enough money left to get Juggernug
after but this is not always possible. Use the teleporters to save money if
going to get juggernog. After obtaining a good gun, use the teleporters until
you get back to the board room, and take up back by the elevator again. Try to
hit the defcon switches now while you can. Also, call the elevator back to the
second floor.

Round 7:
I say 7 but this may be 8 depending on what happened earlier. If everything
went right you should be on the top floor, in front of the elevator again.
This round might end up being the thief round, and if it is make sure you
take out your weakest weapon. I will cover fighting the thief later, so read
on for a strategy on him. Usually for me, this round is a regular round, so
the idea here is to hold out in front of the elevator like before until you
get overwhelmed. Once you do, go down the elevator and if you couldn't before,
buy juggernog. You should have enough now, if not...well good luck. After
buying Juggernog, quickly sprint over to the 3rd floor elevator and either
call it, or if you did before, take it down to the labs. Once down in the labs
run straight as far as you can. Usually a few zombies turn the corner right
away as soon as you get out the elevator so break through them. Basically,
the idea now is that the entire third floor is your run route. There are 3
labs down here and the small power room. One lab has the bowie knife, one
has the grenades, and the third has claymores and only one entrance.
Immediately as soon as possible, open up the bowie, and grenade labs. If
you were lucky earlier, one of these you would have already opened to get
to the mystery box. The idea here is to use the long hallways, and weave in
and out of the different labs to keep moving. Don't go down the dead ends
and try not to use the teleporters. If they send you somewhere you don't
want to be, prepare to succumb to the 3 S's. Remember to take your time.
Lure the zombies in before going through a lab so they don't cut you off
on the other side.

Round 8+:
Using the third floor to keep moving avoid the hordes to the best of your
ability. If you need to, use the elevator to escape, or if no other option
presents itself use a teleporter. When you save up enough to upgrade, leave
one, or sprint up to activate the last defcon switch (you should have it
always set up) to upgrade your guns. Then get back to the basement.

While this level has the simplest plan, it is very hard to do right.
Eventually I got it down, and now only getting a gun stolen by the thief
screws me up.

Thief Rounds:
Okay...So this is pretty tough on solo. Firstly, always make sure you have him
steal your weakest gun. Then chase him around the labs and shoot him. If you
lose him into a teleporter, you can chase after him, but there is a good
chance you'll lose him. Personally, I like to wait in the main intersections
and look for the red mist that he leaves behind. The best way to take care of
this annoying jerk is to buy claymores as soon as possible and when the thief
round starts set up as many as you can so that he either runs into them as
he comes at you, or after he steals your gun and is running around.
Another good way to do this is to put your claymores on the second floor
in front of the elevator. You do this by leaving one zombie and putting them all
down when he's crawling around. Since you're always on the 3rd floor
nothing will set them off, and at the beginning you can take the elevator
up and lure him into a minefield.

Recommended Stop Points:
So while you're running around in the maze that is the 3rd floor, where should
you stop and shoot? Well, I feel the best places are at corners and
intersections. The corner behind the grenade lab, with the teleporter right
in the corner is a great spot. The halls are wide, and the lead up is long.
At any intersection, make sure you check down each way, assess and identify
your escape route first, then turn around and take a few shots. Keep moving
more than normal here, for many blind corners can get you trapped if you
stay in one place.

Another interesting note for five, is that I feel speed cola is much more
valuable. Since the map is smaller, you have less time to reload than
usual.

3.3. Ascension   [Asc3]
===============
Okay, the first of what I hope will be more Dlc zombies maps for Black Ops.
Ascension is easier than five, but still harder than Kino. To open the
PaP machine you must use all 3 landers (not the one near the start) and then
launch the missile via a button by the power switch.

Round 1-3:
So you start in the G-Force training room, so head under the revolving arm
and buy your quick revive. Make sure if you hear the siren, you aren't inside
the circle on the floor, trust me. So as per usual, let your brainless buddies
stumble in and knife them in their faces. Easy enough. For round 2 you don't
need to repair any doors, but I always repair the one under the stairs. What
you wanna do is stand in the area of the downstairs that houses the landing
pad, and lure the zombies to you. Use the 2 knife strategy until round 3.
Repair all doors before round 3. Go back to the pad, and use the full clip
and knife strategy to pass round 3. Use grenades if you need to. Run the
corners if you get overwhelmed and break through around the revolving arm.

Round 3-6:
After round 3, buy the door by the quick revive, and buy...THE MPL!
You're gonna stand by the broken wall on the first floor under the stairs,
clearing any zombies from it, and defending from any coming through the door
first and foremost. If nothing is blocking the door, take care of the ones
coming down the stairs as they come at you. Usually they'll come at you in a
straight line. If you get overwhelmed, you want to head back through the door
into the G-force training room and take up back at the landing pad alcove.
From there hug the corner closest to the fence and headshot everything in a
straight line. When they get too close run along the walls to the opposite
corner and straight out under the revolving arm, and either in a circle there,
or back into the mpl room. Stay with this strategy until you have 7000 points,
whether its round 6 or 7. Buy ammo as needed. When you get 7000+ points, leave
one (crawler) and buy up as far as you can, all the way to the power switch.
Hit the power, and backtrack to juggernog. Now, this stage is not the same as
the rest. If you buy Juggernog now, you will have to fight the monkey round
earlier than usual, but it's negligible whether thats really all that bad. In
other words, if you are confident that you wont get hit, don't buy it. Wait
until after your first monkey round. After getting Juggernog (or not) go and
spin the mystery box. It always starts up by the power switch. There are two
scenarios here. Ideally you want to have enough left to open the gate out to
the landing pad area (over by where the grenades are), But sometimes the box
is not so generous. If you don't end up with enough, spend another round in
the Mpl room and save one at the end to open up to the landing pad.

Round 7+:
So the deal here is the landing pad is going to be your start point now for
all rounds except the monkey rounds. Stay back against the left side wall
(facing out towards the rest of the map) and watch the opening in front and
the door on your left. Ideally you want to be by the little window by where
the mystery box spawns so you can see the door on the left without being in
there. When they start to overwhelm you, use the space in the landing pad to
your advantage to break through past the zombies, down the stairs and to the
left of the gate you unlocked to get here. This way, there is an auto-turret
and a door back to the G-force room. You guessed it, open the door to the
G-force room, and you have your run route. Continuously run up, then out
toward the landing pad and back to the G-force room. In the later rounds,
after opening the PaP and upgrading your guns you can open the door opposite
the gate to the landing pad, and have tons of rooms and paths to weave in and
out of to escape pursuers. Try not to buy any perks other than Juggernog or
Quick Revive, as you wont be able to defend them during monkey rounds.

Monkey Rounds:
So for the monkey rounds you need to camp down the juggernog machine, because
if they take it, you're in trouble. Try to get the claymores and set them up
to help defend juggernog. For some reason the monkeys don't steal Quick revive
as fast, so make sure juggernog is safe first. Monkeys can be tough because
they are hard to hit, and if they group up on you, once they start doing their
ground pounding move its all over. The best guns to use against the monkeys
are Shotguns, Rayguns, The thundergun or an explosive launcher. The upgraded
M1911 works wonders for these little jerks. Throw black holes if you have em,
you'll get em back anyway, but don't use grenades as they will chuck them back
at you.

Recommended Stop Points:
So Ascension doesn't have too many places I would recommend to stop and shoot
when running around. After leaving the landing pad, you can shoot a little bit
from near the auto-turret, then again from the catwalk in the g-force room.
Once jumping down, I suggest heading straight for the landing pad, so you
don't get stuck. If you have the gate next to the power open, and the door
opposite of the landing pad gate, you can lure them towards the PaP room
before heading back to the landing pad.


-------------------------------------------------
4.Converting Solo Skill Into Successful Team Play   [Mul4]
-------------------------------------------------

So this is a solo guide, but no matter how good you get at solo, if you play
the same when working with a team, you're bound to fail. Here I'm going to
just outline a few basic bullet points to help great solo players better
fit into a 2,3 and 4 man team.

-DONT BE A HOARDER
The number one mistake a good solo player, and many good zombies players
make when in a team is to think that just because they are killing so many
zombies that they are doing good. Getting a high kill total is great,
except it steals all the points away from your teammates who may need those
points. It also uses up all your ammo, which you probably need. Sure I
can run around the map by myself the whole time while my teammates keep
dying, but then shouldn't I just play solo? A good teammate knows when to
help, and when to lay back and save some ammo while his weaker teammates
get their point totals up.

-BE A NUISANCE
Obviously, this doesn't apply to your team, but to the zombies. Are your
teammates in trouble? Do they need to reload? Get most of the attention
on you and evade them until your team can regain itself. A lot of times,
it helps for one teammate to run a route and keep a horde following him
while teammates take on a smaller swarm. If you do this, DONT USE TRAPS!
By using the traps you are only wasting points that people could use,
and then when those zombies respawn, an enormous swarm might all
unexpectedly come at your teammates.

-KNIVES MAKE ME BALLISTIC
This is more of a personal preference than anything, but I hate Ballistic
knives. Yea they can instantly revive a downed teammate, but other that that
they suck. I would rather have a Raygun and Quick Revive than an upgraded
Ballistic knife any day. The Ballistic NEEDS the bowie to be anywhere near
useful and for an upgraded ballistic and bowie thats 8950 points. A Raygun
and Q.R is 2450. That means you are spending three times as many points
for something that isn't even twice as useful. Sure it doesn't need ammo,
but you need to be close to use it, its useless in helping your team deal
with a swarm, and a raygun can be used when downed. I don't understand why
anyone would voluntarily use a spot that they could use for a good gun,
on anything as terrible as a ballistic. If you want to knife stuff, just
buy a bowie later. When your secondary runs out, you're pretty much useless
to your team. Sure you can pick your buddies up, but with no good gun to
defend them with they're probably gonna go down again anyway. Sure you
can buy a wall gun to have ammo again, but good luck doing enough damage on
higher rounds to help anyone. Team play is completely dependent on everyone
working together to save all of their collective ammo.


------------
5.Outro   [Out5]
------------

So here we are, the end. By reading this FAQ you now have all the knowledge
you need to be a certified zombie massacre machine. Just remember to practice
and don't get discouraged. Zombies are heartless...mostly, so they don't
realize when they're being frustrating.

Copyright 2011 "DdubEezy" Kyle Mignone