DMZ Deep Dive, Part 1: Tour of Duty – Hajin Environments and Threats, Full Intel Guide

Every deployment contributes to your DMZ Player Level, which runs from Level 1 to 70. However, some gameplay systems pull double duty, awarding DMZ XP while also providing rewards, unlocking upgrades, and expanding your options for future deployments. Here’s how to efficiently explore the Exclusion Zone:

Looting

Looting should be among your first priorities after infil, whether you’re preparing for combat, pursuing a marked Operation, or establishing your position in Hajin. Searching containers is also one of the most reliable ways to earn DMZ XP and progress your FOB. Here’s how to approach looting during a deployment:

• Collect gear and consumables (like Armor Plates and Bandages) at places known to house these items.
• Use Keys you find to unlock special loot rooms.
• Be situationally aware in your exploration: If you find a door locked from the inside, you can bet there’s another way to get in.
• When traveling across more rural and wooded areas, keep your eyes peeled for underground entrances.
• If you’re wanting a more direct path to loot, complete Dynamic Operators for the Supply Drop reward, which increases in rarity for each successful completion within a deployment.
• Learn the secrets of Hajin to uncover high value loot.

Once you’re familiar with the basics, check the 3D Printer back at the FOB for hints about where specific materials are most likely to be found. Use that information to plan your route and search the locations most likely to contain the resources you need.

Open every cache, locker, crate, and supply box you encounter to build your inventory and uncover useful resources, but don’t overly focus on Looting. Instead, try for a well-rounded deployment across Combat, Looting, and Objectives, working toward an S-Tier rating at the end of your deployment.

Lieutenant Hunts

Depending on your competence, hunting Lieutenants is a high-risk way to earn DMZ XP, DMZ Cash, and valuable loot. Lieutenants may be active whether you’re tracking them or not, so check their known territories as you move through Hajin. For more precise intel, climb a Lieutenant Hunt tower and access the terminal to reveal the general location of an active target.

Once located, prepare for a serious and sometimes protracted engagement. Lieutenants are high-value targets with increased durability and distinct combat behaviors, so study their surroundings before making contact. Eliminate one to claim their weapon and Dog Tag Case but understand the risk: the tag appears on the Tac Map for every Operator. If you pick it up, your position is also broadcast, making a fast exfil the safest option. Even if you leave the tag behind, the Lieutenant kill still awards a substantial amount of DMZ XP, the possibility of them dropping a Key to their special loot room, and DMZ Cash, even if without obtaining the Dog Tag Case. Pick up the Case if you want to progress the Boss Board.

Commander Encounters

Commanders are roaming bosses that can appear in many different locations around Hajin. Expect fierce resistance when a Commander appears, as they are seemingly impervious against many standard weapons, and may require tactical knowledge to bring down. However, if you’re able to eliminate one, they will drop some good loot as well as a lot of XP.

Engaging one may draw the attention of nearby enemy forces, rival Operators, or squads hunting the same target. Adjust your approach to all these adversaries, control the surrounding area, and be ready to break contact if the fight becomes insurmountable. Eliminate a Commander to secure high-value loot (specifically, prized 3D Printer Ingredients) a substantial DMZ XP and DMZ Cash reward, and an update to the Boss Board station inside your FOB.

1. Tac-Map: Displays Mission Objectives, key Points of Interest, critical threat areas, enemy Compounds, key buildings (like Police Stations, Clinics, Gas Stations, and Fire Stations), Ammo and Armor Caches, the spreading radiation within Hajin, your position and heading, along with nearby enemies, pings, Points of Interest, and other elements of operational interest.
2. Time Remaining: Indicates when the radiation storm will intensify across Hajin. As conditions worsen, locate an exfil point or risk remaining in an area too hostile to survive.
3. Objectives: Displays the Story Missions, Dynamic Operators, and Side Ops on the left side of the HUD for you and your squad. DMZ Orders are displayed on the right side of the HUD and in the Tac Map, showing your immediate objectives that you are working to complete.
4. Compass: Provides precise directional bearings from 1 to 360 degrees and identifies any named POI you occupy.
5. Threat Level: Tracks the danger within your current POI, shown under your compass as you enter a new location. The threat rises as you engage increasingly capable enemies, triggering additional hostile reinforcements at higher levels. Break contact and take cover to reduce your threat level.
6. Hostiles Kill Count: This meter tracks the number of enemy combatants eliminated during the current deployment. If the meter fills up, an enemy Hunt Squad is dispatched to track you down, and you become Marked for Death.
7. DMZ Orders: The current DMZ Orders Objective you are undertaking.
8. Squad HUD: Displays the status of you and your squadmates, including:
   • Operator Portrait: Identifies each Operator.
   • Squad Identifier: Displays each squadmate’s color code and number.
   •  Operator Status: Shows each Operator’s name, health, Armor Plates carried in their vest, current armor protection, downed, wounded, and death states, and temporary health state (when using pain medication while wounded).
9. DMZ Cash: Displays the DMZ Cash currently carried by each Operator.
10. Equipment Capacity: Shows available Armor Plates, along with the equipped Gas Mask and Parachute types when applicable.
11. Backpack: Opens your Backpack menu (see below), where you can manage items outside your active Loadout, and sort items using the Sort button.
12. Weapon and Equipment Display: Shows your current weapon and available Loadout equipment, including:
    • Ammunition: Displays rounds in the chamber or magazine, plus total reserve ammunition.
    • Weapon Details: Identifies the equipped weapon and its firing mode, such as full auto, burst, or semi-auto.
    • Weapon Configuration: Shows the weapon’s rarity and equipped Attachments.
13. Secondary Weapon: Displays the weapon icon and ammunition count for your second weapon.

Equipment: Shows your Melee weapon, Tactical, and Lethal equipment, including remaining quantities.

Field Upgrades and Fire Support: Displays any equipped Field Upgrade and Fire Support Killstreaks.

Backpack Menu

Open the Backpack Menu from the main HUD to review stored consumables and equipment, then move items into your Loadout as needed — for example, swapping your equipped Tacticals or Lethals. You can also use eligible items directly from the Backpack, such as Bandages (to temporarily restore health), extra Armor Plates (to bolster your protective vest), or other items like swapping Field Upgrade boxes (switching from Ammo to Armor Boxes if you’re carrying both, for example).

The map also includes a grid overlay, with letters running west to east and numbers running north to south. Use these coordinates to communicate a general area of interest to squadmates — D7, for example, identifies Imjin Farmland. All Keys found in DMZ also have a grid location in their description...

DMZ Orders Intel

Access the DMZ Orders on the right side of the Tac-Map and confirm all the active Orders, and your progress. If an Order requires you to maneuver to or across a specific location, an Order Objective appears on your Tac-Map that you can ping for your squad.

Hajin Enemy Intel: A Field Guide to Hostile Forces

Hajin is an unforgiving place, with both stationary and roving patrols of enemies scattered across its war-torn landscape, part of a secretive North Korean faction. Depending on the threat you pose to them, enemies may ignore you, search for you, or actively engage you in combat. Certain enemies are more adept than others. 

Polaris Dagor A1

A battle-tested tactical vehicle engineered for rapid deployment and extreme off-road mobility. Capable of carrying a full squad and their equipment across the toughest combat environments.

LTV

A versatile light combat platform engineered for rapid deployment, rugged environments, and unconventional warfare. Equipped with an optional mounted .50 Cal to bring serious firepower to the fight.

Cargo Truck

A battle-proven modular vehicle platform powered by a reliable diesel engine, capable of supporting a broad spectrum of military operations. Features a two-seat cabin and a flat cargo bed.

D50 Radar Flatbed

A battle-proven modular vehicle platform powered by a reliable diesel engine, capable of supporting a broad spectrum of military operations. Features a vehicle-mounted UAV.

Whether you exfil successfully or not, prepare for statistical intel on how you performed during your deployment, courtesy of the After Action Report, which is divided into four separate sections:

• Report: This gives a detailed breakdown of the items and resources you gathered, including valuable items, 3D Printer ingredients, rare items, and DMZ Cash found or earned from Operations. A total amount of DMZ Cash is awarded and placed into your Bank. The contents of your Backpack and Loadout is also shown.
• Rating: You’re given a combined rating (ranging from F to S++) related to your competence. The rating is based on your contributions regarding Objectives, Combat, and Looting within the deployment.
  Totals for the following are then confirmed:
  • AI Kills
  • Missions Completed
  • Loot Containers Opened
  • Side Ops Completed

A read-out along the right side of the screen confirms the XP amount awarded in each of the above categories.

• Level: The XP you acquired is then applied to your DMZ Player Level, with unlocks at every level from 1-70. Additionally, the level of your Dog Tag increases (from Steel to Onyx III, with 18 total levels, and an Operator Trait awarded each time you level up your Dog Tag.
• Summary: Finally, a confirmation of any DMZ Orders you completed is listed, as well as rewards, before you return to the FOB and receive Weapon leveling updates.

Tour of Hajin

Get your bearings across Hajin and the Exclusion Zone with a guided tour of the region’s major Points of Interest, from fortified military installations and urban districts to rural settlements, industrial sites, and hazardous facilities. Use this tour to understand the terrain, identify key landmarks, and plan your first deployment.

Below are details on each of the major Hajin points of interest (POIs):

Location: The general location where the POI is within Hajin, and the previous territory (NK or SK).

Expected Threat Level: The danger present prior to any combat engagement, ranging from low threat locations to extreme danger. The Threat Levels of any named locations associated with the POI are also noted.

Hajin Map Locations

14th Political Prison

Location: Northwest Hajin (NK) 

Expected Threat Levels:

Prison: High

The Fortress Prison Yard: High

The Citadel: Critical

Inside the prison yard is an ominous Y-shaped structure, a Fortress known as the Citadel. This maze of highly dangerous gantries, walkways, repatriation chambers, a huge furnace, a range of deadly high value targets and a rabbit warren of cell blocks can test even the most adept infiltrators. Without careful topographical reconnaissance, operators can quickly become isolated, surrounded, and overwhelmed.

Chang-san Air Base

Location: Western Hajin (NK) 

Expected Threat Levels:

Air Base Exterior: Critical

Air Base Bunker: Extreme

Operators are advised to move with extreme caution when reconnoitering this sprawling North Korean air base, not least because of the challenging topographical conditions as the base is built into a massive granite hillside that hides a vast underground bunker complex bigger than the footprint of the surface-level base.

Flanked by inhospitable wilderness to the west, as well as hidden missile bunkers, a large toxic containment pool, and several rural hamlets and smaller NK supply depots, the Chang-san Air Base is an incredibly dangerous, well-fortified complex with a full complement of guards and higher value targets. Actual infiltration is tricky from any angle, given the cliffs along the eastern perimeter, though recon teams have managed to acquire access from the elevated woodland to the south. 

Finding a gap in the concrete perimeter wall while remaining hidden from watchtower guards requires exceptional skill and good judgment. Recon suggests several large structures comprising of a hospital, helipad, jet runway, barracks, supply depots, and an ornate command and control structure.

The east side of town by the Hajin River is elevated, offering more modern structures: small tenement blocks and other block shells with military storage concealed to appear as residential buildings. The older town has a variety of older, single-family structures, and a main dirt thoroughfare with amenities such as a Clinic, a Gas Station at each end of town, and two central Re-Education buildings where the buildup of enemy troops becomes more problematic. 

Continue following the railroad to the northeast to encounter smaller, more impoverished small hamlets along the main river.

Imjin Farmland

Location: South-Southwest Hajin (SK)

Expected Threat Level:

Farmland Exterior: Low

Jeong Loading Dock: Low

Rice Mill: Medium

A low-lying floodplain along the southwestern perimeter between North and South Korea, Imjin Farmland comprises exposed rice fields, winding waterways, scattered farms, narrow roads, and rail lines converging around a vast industrial mill. Relatively flat terrain, limited cover, and long sightlines favor disciplined movement, vehicle maneuvering, and coordinated assaults on key strongholds.

The Rice Mill dominates the landscape, providing an elevated view across the surrounding farmland and serving as a critical tactical position. Use cover when approaching from the outskirts, coordinate access through the cover the multiple warehouses provide, and transition to close-range weapons once inside. Squads must manage their exposure across the open ground, account for enemy vehicles, and reinforce secured positions before pushing deeper into Hajin.

Cheongun Village

Location: Northern Hajin (SK) 

Expected Threat Level:

Cheongun Village: Low

Russian Border Crossing: Low

Cheongun Outskirts: Low

Heavenly Luck Casino: High

Russian Border: Low

The largest telecommunications array in Hajin sits atop a flat summit surrounded by the South Korean Wilderness. Gigantic granitic boulder outcrops to the west encourage the learning of trails that weave between them, and the rural Daesong Ridge. Head down the more forgiving woodlands to the north to reach Mujin Pass in the vicinity of the Hospital.

Infiltrate the grounds of the DBN TV station array, and you’ll discover it’s been commandeered by the enemy, and the signs of recent conflict are everywhere. Interior buildings have been turned into barracks, and there’s a stifling, claustrophobic atmosphere to overcome. Reach the roof, and you’ll find a helipad and elevated, long-range views across the vicinity.

Haneul Nuclear Reactor

Location: Northeast Hajin (SK)

Expected Threat Level: 

Reactor: High (with Radiation)

South Korean Border Zone: Medium

Be advised: Operators deployed within and around the Hanuel Nuclear Reactor complex should expect severe radiation levels throughout the surrounding area, with heightened concentrations inside the reactor facility itself. Following recent events, a cloud of toxic, radioactive vapor has settled across the site. Current weather patterns indicate limited atmospheric movement, meaning the radiation field is expected to remain concentrated around the affected area.

All personnel entering the complex must wear appropriate radiological protective apparel and a gas mask at all times. Exposure to the contaminated environment without adequate protection is likely to result in severe injury or death.

Access to the reactor complex is strongly discouraged. However, waterborne insertion may be possible, as may passage through a tunnel running from Compound Delta to the southwest. Reconnaissance indicates a substantial breach centered on the containment block and extending across Reactor 02. Reactor 01 remains stable — for now.

NuriGO Mall

Location: Northeast Hajin City (SK)

Expected Threat Level: 

NuriGO East: Medium

NuriGO West: High

A toughened, steel-plated wall of razor wire running across multiple city blocks is your first indication of a fortified structure within the central business district of Hajin City. Expect heavy resistance as you navigate the worn-torn streets between The Grid and the NuriGO Mall area, with multiple roadways sealed with barricades, watchtowers, and roving NK soldiers ready to escalate the threat still further.

The Grid stretches from the Donpyeong Gate (a historical fortification close to the City Hall and the Hanex Bank tower, the DBN TV tower (the tallest building in Hajin), as well as the Netshin Tech Complex, a red-roofed twin high-rise with an extremely volatile enemy presence. The Grid continues across a partly razed raised roadway and train tracks towards the Minsok Art School and sections of the attached structure currently under construction.

 The military presence remains heavy across the sector opposite Wolves Stadium to the south, extending through a historic courtyard and pagoda, past the Year of the Fire Horse statue, and along a major arterial road. The area includes several substantial structures, including Hotel Lucera, as well as a construction zone spanning multiple city blocks on the eastern side of The Grid.

This dense urban sector is difficult to navigate and offers limited ground-level escape routes. Operators should prepare for vertical engagements across the skyscraper rooftops, followed by close-quarters, street-by-street fighting below.

Songdo Wharf

Location: Eastern Hajin City (SK)

Expected Threat Level:

Songdo Wharf: Low

Oamsik Turtle Island: Low

Shoreline Station: Low

The district’s northeast corner is marked by the Baseball Stadium B Station, and the remains of a partly destroyed luxury apartment block with the top floors caved in. Follow the elevated monorail southwest to the Ginyeom-il Bridge, to the ruined park and nearby train station. North of the Stadium is a deserted open-air Theatre, a modern concert pavilion recently abandoned. The northern perimeter with The Grid is likely the most dangerous.

The surrounding streets away from the stadium is mixed use, with a Police Station, bank building, open courtyards, and narrow streets between small shopping and pedestrian malls and apartments, with debris from the recent invasion strewn everywhere. The Netshin Park stadium was once home to the local baseball team, but the Wolves are no longer howling here, and the stadium grounds are in ruins.

Hajin River Heights

Location: Southeast Hajin (SK)

Expected Threat Level:

Hajin River Heights: Medium

South Island: Medium

Jinseo Park Towers: Medium

Minor Points of Interest

With over 60 named locations across Hajin, it’s up to you to fully recon the more minor, secretive, or undiscovered areas during your deployments. For now, here’s a first glimpse at some of them:

Hajin River

Winding north and south tributaries of the mighty Hajin River originate in the mountains to the west, and flow east and southwards, to the sea close to both the Reactor and Songdo Wharf.

Tong-il Village

A once-robust farming community on the floodplains of the north delta of Hajin River, complete with an imposing statue of a past leader.

Revolution Dam

A strong military police presence is noted at this intact and critical piece of infrastructure. Tong-il Village is just to the southeast.

Pyonghwa Village

A cluster of dwellings and farmland on the flat ground west of Hajin River, offering rapid vehicular access across the water via a partly destroyed pontoon bridge.

Imjin Suburb

A small hamlet along the Hajin River, housing farm workers, tucked away at the foot of a wooded hill, and close to the railroad tracks.

Mujin Pass

A small farming community of arable land sits within a dell and a major road, bisecting two large forested areas, with the Hospital to the north, and the Array to the south.

Daesong Ridge

The burned-out husks of APCs sit rusting along a pock-marked roadway that runs through this rural settlement, just northeast of Imjin Farmland.

Namjin Riverside

Along the southern edge of Hajin is evidence of conflict, not least the cluster of civilian vehicles abandoned near an exit tunnel close to the South Fork of the Hajin River.

Locations of Interest

Hajin’s Exclusion Zone is a sprawling operational area, with hundreds of buildings and outlying sites to recon, search, and exploit. As well as the main Points of Interest described above, the following locations are marked on your Tac-Map. Investigate each for an increased likelihood of preferred loot, though the exact contents remain yours to discover.

TIP: Use local architecture to establish your position. Distinctive structures and infrastructure can reveal whether the area was formerly under North or South Korean control, and the color of buildings (red for Fire Stations, blue for Police Stations, green for Clinics) are also helpful to your recon.

Gas Stations

Located throughout Hajin, Gas Stations allow for repairing and refueling ground and airborne vehicles. They can also refill Operator-carried Gas Cans, making them valuable resupply points during an operation.

Marine Gas Stations

Marine Gas Stations provide additional repairing and refueling capabilities and usually comprise of a small jetty and two pumps. Armored Patrol Boats and RHIBs benefit most, though carefully positioned ground and airborne craft can also use them. Operator-carried Gas Cans can be refueled here, too.

Fire Stations

Usually located in built-up areas, Fire Stations differ in size and structure depending on which part of Hajin you’re in. NK Fire Stations are built of brick, while SK Fire Stations have a more modern appearance. An enemy presence is expected. Search here for Radiation Gear and Parachutes.

Police Stations

Police Stations across Hajin vary in architectural design, but their blue color scheme makes them easy to identify. Expect hostile resistance, multiple rooms to clear, and, depending on the layout, roof access for overwatch. Search here for miliary gear and a locked Armory.

Throughout this week, look for Call of Duty comms across all your social feeds to announce new intel about DMZ, including gameplay videos, onboarding information, and other surprises. Then head back here to the COD Blog for the deepest dive of all.

Stay frosty.

Pre-order Modern Warfare 4 Today