Overview
Each King of the Hill battleground features several numbered towers situated toward the center of the combat zone. Securing these towers reveals digits of a hidden combination, which players must input into a keypad on one of the installations. Entering the right combination transforms the terminal into a magnet that draws the Hot Zone over for a duration before triggering a global cooldown across all towers. Designations like “Tower 1” or “Tower 2” label these structures for participants, while active magnetic cycles are marked as “Drill 1 active” across map displays and terminal screens. These pre-existing structures act as the map’s built-in equivalent of the hammer-constructed Drill Rig. Either apparatus exerts a magnetic pull on the Hot Zone.
Map Distribution
Map layouts allocate 5 towers to Bakurani and Saburtulo, 4 on Ozeti, and 3 across Zestafona. Specific coordinate placements for each terminal appear in the dedicated map guides for Bakurani, Ozeti, Zestafona, and Saburtulo. Consequently, the complete passcode length matches the map’s tower tally: 5 digits on Bakurani and Saburtulo, 4 on Ozeti, and 3 on Zestafona.
| Map | Number of Towers | Code Digits Required |
|---|---|---|
| Bakurani | 5 | 5 |
| Saburtulo | 5 | 5 |
| Ozeti | 4 | 4 |
| Zestafona | 3 | 3 |
Capture Rules
To initiate a capture, approach within 2.5 m of the installation and maintain the interact key for 10 seconds. Because the game classifies this action as a hold, releasing the input before completion aborts the capture. Simultaneous capture attempts are blocked; only a single operative can secure a tower at any given moment. Any operative may begin claiming a structure provided their squad does not currently possess it. Access checks prevent capturing whenever the tower is undergoing cooldown or while an active magnet cycle is in progress. An unclaimed neutral tower has no team affiliation. Capturing an enemy-held installation counts as securing a hostile tower. Claiming an opposing team’s site yields a larger payout since the reward logic factors in the previous owner. Qualifying teammates receive payouts if they stay within an 80 m radius without being critically wounded or dead. According to Hot Zone Magnet Challenges, standard compensation grants 250 cash for seizing an unowned objective and a higher sum for a hostile installation. An individual operative can earn capture rewards again only after an internal 180 s reward cooldown expires.
Passcode System
At match start, the server assigns an arbitrary numerical value between 0 and 9 to every individual tower. Controlling a tower grants a squad knowledge of its assigned digit. When fighting on maps containing 4 or more towers, console screens display discovered numbers alongside blank slots for unknown ones. For areas with fewer than 4 objectives, such as Zestafona, displays remain empty with the prompt “All towers required for code” until a squad controls all of them. Once the magnet recharge concludes, the system resets all towers and generates a fresh passcode.
Keypad Controls
Keypad panels mounted on every installation include numerical inputs from 0 through 9 as well as Clear and Enter buttons. Pressing any button requires a 0.3 s input action while standing within 2.5 m. Input is accepted only if the console is unlocked, outside its cooldown phase, and not currently operating a magnet. Submitting three invalid combinations on a single console locks that terminal’s keypad for 30 seconds. The failed attempt counter resets back to zero once the lockout duration expires. Although standard base game parameters define a 5 s lockout, the release configuration for towers enforces 30 s.
Magnet Activation
Upon activation, the Hot Zone travels toward the structure at 3 m per second while reducing to 0.6 of its dimensions, leaving 36 percent of its original area. The relocated zone remains anchored at the destination for 180 s. Similar to Drill Rig mechanics, travel duration during the relocation is added on top of the hold time. All towers across the map adopt the activating team’s color scheme throughout the magnet’s operation. Triggering the magnet awards a 5,000 payout according to the cash table. Players standing within eligible range receive challenge rewards granting 2,500 cash alongside 500 Role XP. Under default server settings, operatives cannot terminate the magnetic cycle ahead of schedule.
Cooldown Period
Once the magnet phase concludes, a 900 s recharge timer begins across all towers. Map interfaces display a “Cooling down” label alongside an active timer for every tower. Neither capturing structures nor inputting passcodes is permitted before this recharge period expires.
Sources
- Official WARDOGS Community Wiki: Hot Zone Magnet Towers (CC BY-SA 4.0)