Overview
In the tactical all-out warfare FPS WARDOGS, one hundred players divided among three teams battle across the control zone. Drawing inspiration from King of the Hill, the mode pits three teams against each other to dominate randomized 2x2km Control Zones located within larger maps. In game structure, each Control Zone forms an extensive cylinder positioned over the map. Participants capture the zone by remaining standing inside it alongside their team. Beyond serving as the primary objective for King of the Hill, this zone is likewise featured in Sniper Showdown. Every map maintains a specific Control Zone configuration determining zone measurements, Hot Zone dimensions, movement behavior, and where the zone can appear. Fluctuations in zone location combined with individual player tactics ensure no match ever unfolds identically. Rather, WARDOGS allows players the freedom to approach the Control Zone in numerous different ways.
Capture Rules
Whichever team maintains the highest player count inside the Control Zone collects points, and reaching 100 points first secures the match. Only a player who is alive counts toward capturing. No capture progress is contributed by any critically wounded or dead player. The display on screen reports the zone state as waiting to start, contested, or controlled.
Hot Zone
Nested within the perimeter is a more compact Hot Zone yielding larger payouts while relocating throughout the match. Positioned in the center of the Control Zone, the Hot Zone forms a diminished cylinder. Across standard maps, its width measures 85 m. For standard maps, the Hot Zone appears at match launch and relocates about every 25 seconds. Its movement rate begins at 1.0 and varies across a lookup table spanning 0.75 to 2.0. Across Sniper Showdown maps, the opening relocation occurs at 0 seconds with a standard speed of 1.5, adjusting within a configured table between 1.25 and 3.0. This subzone grants the higher rewards and serves as the location where the Hot Zone Magnet operates. Triggering an activated Drill Rig pulls the Hot Zone closer at a speed expressed in metres per second, extending how long the rig stays active by the transit duration.
Map Regions
Three primary maps, specifically Bakurani, Ozeti, and Zestafona, contain designated named regions where the zone can reside. A weighted random draw dictates where the Hot Zone moves, preventing any region with weight 0 (the towers) from ever being selected. Upon hosting the zone, that recent region sheds half its weight, rendering an immediate repetition unlikely. Total regional counts encompass 60 zones for Bakurani, 55 in Ozeti, and 56 across Zestafona. On Bakurani, specific locations like Sunflowers House or West Forest Pylon, along with Hillside Top, carry weight 5, contrasted with weight 1 for most others.
Dimensions
All listed dimensions reflect internal game values translated directly into metres. Stated height values describe total vertical extent. On Bakurani, the Control Zone measures 500 m wide and 170 m tall, featuring an 85 m central Hot Zone. On Zestafona, the Hot Zone extends to 850 m tall over a 500 m tall Control Zone. Whether this setup is intended remains unstated by the game.
| Map | Control Zone (m) | Hot Zone (m) | Placements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakurani | 500 × 500 × 170 | 85 × 85 × 170 | 3 |
| Ozeti | 550 × 550 × 150 | 85 × 85 × 150 | 4 |
| Zestafona | 500 × 500 × 500 | 85 × 85 × 850 | 4 |
| Saburtulo | 550 × 550 × 150 | 85 × 85 × 150 | 4 |
| Kenya (Africa layout) | 550 × 550 × 150 | 85 × 85 × 150 | 4 |
| Bakurani Outskirts (Sniper Showdown) | 350 × 350 × 170 | 75 × 75 × 170 | None (fixed spot) |
| Sniper Showdown, North America and Russia zones | 350 × 350 × 170 | 75 × 75 × 170 | None (fixed spot) |
Placement Rules
Deploying or placing items outside a Control Zone is impossible for players. The system declines deployment by displaying “location not in a Control Zone”. Multiple maps offer alternative locations for their zone. Server map rotations can explicitly designate the spot per map entry, applying that selection even if its weight is 0. If left unnamed, a site is drawn randomly by weight, ensuring any spot assigned weight 0 is never selected.
Rewards
Based on reward cash tables, events for the Control Zone—whether contested, owned, or not owned—grant 150, while first-time entry during a single life pays 100. Completing a Hot Zone event awards 600, whereas crossing into the Hot Zone pays 0. Holding or claiming a Hot Zone Magnet grants 5,000 upon activation. Players might pursue the Hot Zone to gather double the cash, equip a ghillie suit for long-range sniping, or airlift supplies to teammates by helicopter.
Season Updates
Four new Control Zone configurations arrived, covering Sniper Showdown across North America and Russia, alongside Africa and Russia zones for primary modes. Both Africa and Russia zones measure 550 m across, containing 85 m Hot Zones tied to a 25-second movement delay. Every one of these setups offers four alternatives. Both recent Sniper Showdown maps span 350 m across, incorporating 75 m Hot Zones without any alternatives.
Sources
- Official WARDOGS Community Wiki: Control Zone (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- WARDOGS Steam Store Specification (App ID 1867240)