In Modern Warfare 3’s stealth-driven mission “Deep Cover,” players step into the shoes of CIA Station Chief Kate Laswell, tasked with infiltrating the heavily guarded Arklov Peak Military Base. Success hinges on blending in flawlessly-holstering your weapon, shadowing enemy patrols, and snagging a keycard without raising alarm-to meet a crucial Russian asset and uncover secrets that could turn the tide against Makarov.
What follows is an explanation of how stealth works in Modern Warfare 3, specifically in the “Deep Cover” mission, followed by a step-by-step mission walkthrough for “Deep Cover.” You can also get the elusive Back in the Field trophy during “Deep Cover.”
How stealth works in ’Deep Cover’ in MW3
In the “Deep Cover” mission of Modern Warfare 3, stealth works by having players blend in with enemy soldiers and avoid drawing suspicion rather than staying completely hidden. Players must keep a safe distance from guards-close enough to walk beside them but not too close to arouse suspicion-and avoid hostile actions like running, jumping, crouching, or using melee attacks. Concealing the weapon by putting it away is crucial to avoid detection. The mission emphasizes “hiding in plain sight,” where enemies may see you but won’t react unless you behave suspiciously or get too close. Timing movements to avoid patrols and using stealth takedowns with a suppressed pistol when necessary are key to progressing without triggering alarms.
In “Deep Cover,” staying in stealth is different from other situations, such as in the previous mission, “Payload,” where you hide in the grass. To stay in stealth in “Deep Cover,” you must do two things:
- Keep a safe distance from soldiers – you can walk beside them but not too close
- Avoid drawing your gun, jumping, and running close where you can be seen. There aren’t any visual indicators of whether you’re in stealth or not in this mission, as with most modern stealth games.
How to beat the ’Deep Cover’ mission in MW3
To beat the “Deep Cover” mission in Modern Warfare 3, you need to master stealth by blending in and avoiding detection rather than staying completely hidden. Start by holstering your weapon and moving calmly through the Arklov Peak military base, using cover and maintaining a safe distance of about six feet from enemies. Follow the patrol patterns carefully, waiting for the right moments to advance, especially when passing guards or crossing open areas. Your key objective is to obtain a keycard from a major officer by following him upstairs and silently neutralizing him with a silenced pistol. After securing the keycard, access the administrative building to meet your contact Yuri, then proceed to the rooftop for extraction. Patience, timing, and avoiding sudden movements like running or drawing your weapon are essential to complete the mission successfully without raising alarms.
“Deep Cover” broadly plays out in two sections. The first part runs from the beginning until the moment you get the keycard. The second is after using the keycard to enter the building where your contact is. You only have to stay stealthy during the first part.
’Deep Cover’ mission walkthrough, part one
When “Deep Cover” begins, you’ll find yourself in a higher region close to the entrance of the base. Hide your weapon and follow the unpaved road in front of you. Be careful with the truck driving alongside you. Avoid getting too close; otherwise, you might get hurt or call attention and the enemies will spot you.
On the same path, two groups of soldiers will appear ahead, one on the left and the other on the right side of the road. Stay close to the walls, wait for one group to pass to cross the road, and avoid the second one.
Right after you leave the unpaved road, you’ll find an entrance to a building. Use it to pass through the next section safely. Stay away from the two soldiers working on the truck close to the door. Leave the building using the other entrance and get back to the main area.
You’ll see a guard beside a security cabin. They’ll start moving toward you as you head to the road. Wait until it’s safe to go behind them. You don’t need to worry about being seen by the soldier in the cabin, though.
In the next section, you can either enter the door close to the cabin to hide inside the building, or try to stay away from the soldiers behind some trucks. Regardless of what you choose to do, you must wait until an officer followed by two guards leaves the building on the right. You must kill them to get the keycard to access the same building.
Now, you need to act quickly. First, wait until it’s safe to pass behind the soldiers following the Major.
Go up the staircase while keeping a safe distance from the officer. One they get into the room, you can either attack using the Takedown command or draw your gun and shoot them. There is a soldier inside the room too, so be quick and kill them as well. With the keycard in your possession, it’s time to finish the mission.
’Deep Cover’ mission walkthrough, part two
Before leaving the room, hide your gun and pass far from the guards close to the stairs. To enter the building from where the Major came, you need to use the keycard in a device on the left side of the door, which will open the path for you. Because there are two guards close to the door, you should approach from the left side to avoid calling their attention. Get closer to a parked car to ensure you won’t raise their suspicions.
After you get inside, enter the marked room on the left. Watch the short cutscene and when it ends, your new goal is to escape the base by going to the top floor of the building. Leave the room and enter the door beside the reception desk.
Go ahead in the hallway until you find the stairs. Get to the next floor where you must enter a room on the left, marked by an orange light. Inside, you can find a ladder that will take you to the next floor.
Goto the end of the hallway on this floor to find the last set of stairs. Use them to reach the top of the building.
From there, you just need to jump into the helicopter and get out of the base safely to complete “Deep Cover” in Modern Warfare 3.
What are the key stealth tactics to succeed in Deep Cover in MW3
The key stealth tactics to succeed in the “Deep Cover” mission in Modern Warfare 3 are:
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Holster your weapon immediately by pressing right on the D-pad to avoid suspicion. Walking around with a weapon drawn will alert enemies and cause mission failure.
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Avoid running, jumping, crouching, or melee attacks as these actions are considered hostile and will draw attention. Maintain a normal walking pace throughout the mission.
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Keep a safe distance from enemy patrols and avoid their line of sight. If enemies get too close or suspicious, they will inspect you and detect you as an intruder.
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Use cover effectively by staying behind crates, vehicles, and buildings to remain out of sight as you move through the base.
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Wait for the right moments to move, such as when patrols pass by or when guards are distracted, to slip past undetected.
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Silently take down the keycard-carrying officer either by stealth melee or using a silenced pistol quickly to avoid alerting others, then use the keycard to access restricted areas.
Following these tactics allows you to blend in and complete the mission without triggering alarms or combat.
What specific movements or actions make Laswell less suspicious during infiltration
To make Kate Laswell less suspicious during infiltration in the “Deep Cover” mission of Modern Warfare 3, specific movements and actions are crucial:
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Holster your weapon immediately to avoid drawing attention, as carrying a weapon openly raises suspicion.
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Walk at a normal pace without running, jumping, crouching, or melee attacking, since these aggressive or unusual movements alert enemies.
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Avoid sudden or erratic movements; smooth, natural walking mimics the behavior of enemy soldiers.
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Keep a respectful distance from enemy patrols and avoid direct eye contact or confrontation to prevent suspicion.
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Use cover and shadows to stay out of sight when possible, blending into the environment.
These deliberate, non-threatening actions help Laswell blend in seamlessly with enemy forces and avoid detection during the infiltration[search results do not directly address this mission, but these tactics are consistent with known stealth gameplay mechanics in MW3].
