All Modern Warfare 2 killstreaks, scorestreaks, and unlock tiers

The Modern Warfare 2 killstreaks are a pretty standard affair, with nothing too surprising to come and throw you off. If you’ve played any Call of Duty multiplayer games before, you’ll likely be familiar with what’s to follow. Still, it helps to know what to expect from the progression rewards in the FPS game, and if this is your first foray into the franchise, then we’ve got all the information you need on these useful support bonuses and how to trigger them.

Call of Duty killstreaks are tactical support items you can only call in once you reach a certain number of kills without dying. However, you can now also change killstreaks to scorestreaks, rewarded when you earn a certain number of points between deaths instead. This is beneficial in certain modes in which you earn points for completing objectives – especially good if your kill-to-death ratio isn’t always top-notch. The rewards themselves, though, remain the same.

All Modern Warfare 2 killstreaks and scorestreaks

As usual, you don’t unlock killstreaks in the order of their value. If you’re getting high killstreaks right off the bat, you’re going to want to be able to equip a reward to take advantage of your skill level. Some rarer killstreaks are available as early as tiers five and seven, while the Cluster Mine reward for five kills, for example, isn’t available until tier 18.

Modern Warfare 2 MGB Nuke

It’s been confirmed that players have access to an MGB Nuke as one of Modern Warfare 2’s secret killstreaks. All you have to do is earn 30 kills in a row to launch a nuclear bomb on the map, instantly ending the game.

What are the best Modern Warfare 2 killstreaks?

As the choices for best killstreaks vary between Modern Warfare 2 game modes, there isn’t really a one-size fits all option. For example, you won’t necessarily want an aerial strike in a building-heavy map with lots of cover, and – as we discuss shortly – a Sentry Gun might be more beneficial in some modes and maps than others. Similarly, it’s not a good idea to waste slots with Juggernauts or Stealth Bombers in Prisoner Rescue or Knock Out, as there’s a maximum potential of six kills per round. Unless you’re confident of carrying a streak through multiple rounds without dying once, it’s just not worth attempting.

UAV

The UAV is a no-brainer when it comes to early-game killstreaks, especially since you only need four kills to trigger it. Regardless of game mode, the UAV is always useful, showing the position of any opponents that don’t have the Ghost ultimate perk active. Of course, that’s the downside – cloaked players can still sneak up on you. Keep that in mind, and the UAV is easily among the best killstreaks.

Sentry Gun

The Sentry Gun is quite strong in Modern Warfare 2 and can do a lot of your work for you when positioned correctly. With Modern Warfare 2 maps like Valderas Museum and Farm 18 with their tight, indoor areas, this killstreak can do well hidden somewhere it could take enemies by surprise. However, while in theory it could be a great addition in modes like Prisoner Rescue and Search and Destroy in which you need to defend areas, it’s far less likely you’ll get the seven kills needed as there are no respawns, so knowledge of your own performance in these modes makes all the difference. Instead, try turning it into a scorestreak and get involved in the objective. In other modes, like Team Deathmatch, seven kills is low enough to make the Sentry Gun a very worthwhile killstreak, especially given that it unlocks early at tier 11.

Advanced UAV

OK, sure, it’s another UAV, but this popular killstreak is worth getting if your KD ratio is strong. There’s a reason Advanced UAV doesn’t unlock until tier 27 and requires 12 kills to call in… it’s very, very good. Working in the same way as the original UAV, the Advanced UAV also shows the direction enemies are facing so you can sneak up on them, pings more frequently, and even shows opponents with Ghost equipped.

So now you know the Modern Warfare 2 killstreaks and scorestreaks, as well as how to unlock them, you can also start thinking about which Modern Warfare 2 perks you’ll want to add to your loadout, too. Let’s not forget that the most important part of your setup is your weapons, so take a look at the best Modern Warfare 2 guns to equip yourself with the best ones.