YouTuber MrDalekJD shares some pointers on how to make the most of the map’s new zone

Call of Duty’s Blackout mode in Black Ops IIII is managing to hold its own despite heavy hitters Fornite, PUBG and Apex Legends riding high in the battle royale stakes.

Capitalising on the franchise’s relatively long history compared to its rivals, a recent new addition to Blackout’s battle space via seasonal update Operation Grand Heist serves as an homage to a fan favourite Zombies map from a previous CoD game.

Of course, swapping out the swarms of AI undead for sneaky human controlled enemies means you’ll need a different approach. Publisher Activision teamed with YouTube creator @MrDaleKJD to release some tips about surviving the subterranean area when 99 other players are looking to get the drop on you. Here’s his advice on making the most of Buried.

The Buried and Ghost Town areas were added as part of the Operation Grand Heist content (Image: Activision)

Head to the mansion to relive Zombies Black Ops II

“When you land through the open crevice into the underground portion of Ghost Town, you will find yourself in the underground caverns of Buried, the classic Zombies experience from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. As you drop to the ground, you may be facing the mansion which is a really dynamic location from the Zombies map.

“Luckily there are no Ghostly witches coming from the front doors as here it’s a little bit different. If you make your way through the Buried mansion, you’ll find mineshafts in the back that will lead you all the way back up to the surface, and the Outlaw section of Ghost Town.”

When looking for loot, check EVERY door

“The Buried area is surrounded by a plethora of unique buildings and houses, all taken straight out of the Zombies map. Since the surroundings are super contained with very little space to run, my best advice is to use these huts and buildings to duck and weave through the buildings to find your weapons and gear.

“Don’t be fooled by the small size of these surrounding buildings, they all contain a LOT of loot, and more often than not have several doors that lead you into more rooms with loot. Take your time to explore around as you never know what you might find!”

Find the undergound entrance to the Buried area in Ghost Town (Image: Activision)

Know your exits, there’s only four

“With most Blackout destinations, there are a dozen or so pathways that you can choose to distance yourself from enemy teams and to get away to the next location to loot up or run from the zone. The freedom of choosing any path to take when leaving a zone can end up creating a certain pattern you can use to sweep up loot from locations, take enemies out and then follow your route to the next.

“But in this particular destination, if you are down inside of the Buried area, you can’t just eject out and take a nearby vehicle or helicopter. You have to go to one of four particular exits within the underground caverns that are signposted to lead you to the ‘surface’. This leads you out to the above ground town of Ghost Town, and who knows how many players are still here looting and fighting teams.”

A grapple hook is your best friend

“Knowing that Buried and Ghost Town in general are hot drops, it’s important to think strategy on when and how you’re escaping into the ground above. If the zone is closing in and you have to get out, I’d definitely recommend a grapple hook to use on the open crevice, or you better be prepared to fight it out in the tunnels leading to the surface.

“A great use of equipment found in Buried is to lay down mesh mines in these tunnels to catch off enemy players. This slows down their attempt of leaving Buried and can close off entire tunnels forcing other players to find an alternative route out.”

Operation Grand Heist has a 1970s action movie feel (Image: Activision)

Throw some darts to unlock a fan favourite weapon

“Buried is full of many secrets, and I’m going to let you in to one of the COOLEST ones to give you a secret Zombies weapon. Once you’ve found a combat axe, make your way into the Saloon bar within Buried. Walk towards the bar and look on the wall on the left with a dartboard. Look on the ground and look for a small white line drawn in chalk and stand behind it.

“Throw your combat axe directly at the bullseye of the dartboard and if done correctly, you’ll hear a piano in the saloon playing music. Now leave the saloon and run across past the bank and the small barn shack. You will see a small hut next to a Passage tunnel which opens to reveal a jail cell with an open door.

“Walk up to the ? mark on the wall in the jail cell and hold down Square. You should now be given the option to pick up the Ray Gun Mark II – one of the most powerful weapons in all of Zombies mode! This fan favourite weapon has 60 bullets in its single clip of ammo, and shoots as a three round burst. Use it wisely!”