Let's be real—the camo grind in Black Ops 6 Zombies is a different beast this year. It's not just about mindlessly shooting heads anymore. Treyarch changed the rules, and if you're still playing like it's Cold War, you're basically wasting hours of your life. Honestly, the new system is actually pretty forgiving once you get the rhythm down, but the sheer volume of challenges can feel like a mountain if you don't have the full list in front of you.
You've probably noticed that weapon levels don't gatekeep your progress anymore. That's the biggest win. You can jump into Liberty Falls or Terminus with a level 1 XM4 and start making progress immediately. No more "get the gun to level 50 before the fun starts."
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The Military Camo Gauntlet
Before you even think about the shiny stuff, you have to clear the Military camos. This is the foundation. For almost every primary weapon, it’s all about Critical Kills (headshots). You need 2,000 of them per gun.
It sounds like a lot. It is. But if you’re using the "Directed Mode" strategy and staying on Round 15, you can knock this out faster than you'd think.
- Slate: 100 Critical Kills
- Desert: 200 Critical Kills
- Evergreen: 300 Critical Kills
- Stonewall: 400 Critical Kills
- Dirt: 600 Critical Kills
- Moors: 800 Critical Kills
- Blossom: 1,000 Critical Kills
- Tiger: 1,500 Critical Kills
- Red Tiger: 2,000 Critical Kills
Now, if you’re a masochist using Launchers or Melee weapons, the requirements are lower because, well, getting 2,000 headshots with a rocket launcher is physically impossible. For Launchers, you’re looking at standard eliminations—usually capping out at 50 to 100 kills depending on the specific military tier. Melee follows a similar path but focuses on raw eliminations rather than crits.
Those Pesky Unique Special Challenges
Once you hit that 2,000 crit mark, you unlock two "Special" challenges. These are unique to the weapon. This is where most people get stuck because the game doesn't always explain them well.
Take the XM4, for example. After you've got your Red Tiger, you need to get 300 kills at Rare rarity or higher. Then you might need to get 30 kills shortly after sprinting. It varies wildly.
Here are some common Special requirements you'll run into across different classes:
- Brain Rot/Cryo Freeze Kills: Usually 300 kills while the specific ammo mod is equipped.
- Point Blank Kills: This is a pain for snipers, but you basically have to be sniffing the zombie's breath.
- Special Zombie Eliminations: You'll need to hunt down Manglers or those annoying Parasites. Citadelle Des Morts is currently the best place for this, especially around the oil traps.
- Warpig/Strategist Kills: Some challenges require specific Combat Specialties to be active.
The Mastery Tiers: Mystic Gold to Nebula
This is why we're all here. The Mastery grind is split into four tiers for Zombies. It's a linear path, meaning you can't skip ahead.
Tier 1: Mystic Gold
To get Mystic Gold, you need to finish all Military and Special camos for that specific gun. Once those are done, a new challenge appears: Get 10 rapid kills 15 times. Basically, find a horde, line 'em up, and go to town. It’s the easiest of the mastery bunch.
Tier 2: Opal
This is where the "class" requirement kicks in. You need to unlock Mystic Gold for every weapon in a specific category (e.g., all 7 Assault Rifles).
Once you've done that, the Opal challenge unlocks: Eliminate 30 Special Zombies. Pro tip: Don't just wait for them to spawn naturally. Use the "Lockdown" steps in Easter Eggs or high-round exfils to force-spawn Manglers and Abominations.
Tier 3: Afterlife
The "ghostly" one. You need to earn Opal for a certain number of weapons (usually across all classes).
The challenge? Get 20 consecutive kills without taking damage 10 times. If you get hit, the counter resets. Use Decoys or Aether Shroud. Honestly, it's more of a patience test than a skill test.
Tier 4: Nebula
The final boss of camos. You need Afterlife on 33 weapons.
The challenge is usually 10 Elite Zombie eliminations. In BO6, Elites are the big boys—think Abominations or the heavy hitters on Terminus. By the time you get here, you’ll be so tired of looking at zombies that this will feel like a victory lap.
Strategies for the 2026 Meta
Look, the game has been out long enough that we know the "broken" spots. If you want to finish the bo6 zombies camo challenges list without losing your mind, stop playing standard matches.
Go into Directed Mode. It locks the rounds. If you stay on Round 15, the zombies are fast enough to horde up but weak enough that most guns still one-shot to the head with Pack-a-Punch Level 2.
If you're on Citadelle Des Morts, the oil trap is your best friend for Opal challenges. If you stand in the right corner near the stairs, the trap kills count toward whatever weapon you're holding. It's almost cheesy, but hey, 33 weapons is a lot of grinding.
Also, watch out for the GS45 pistol. When you Pack-a-Punch it, it becomes explosive (Sally). This actually makes getting headshots harder because the splash damage kills them before the bullet hits the brain. Keep it un-packed or use a different pistol for the headshot stage.
Actionable Steps to Start the Grind
- Priority 1: Focus on one weapon class at a time. Do all ARs, then all SMGs. Mixing them up just makes the Opal requirements feel further away.
- Priority 2: Always carry a "grind" gun and a "survival" gun. If things get hairy, swap to your Wonder Weapon, but try to keep 90% of your kills on the camo gun.
- Priority 3: Buy Deadshot Daiquiri first. Period. The aim-assist snap to the head is the only way you're hitting 2,000 crits without developing carpal tunnel.
- Priority 4: Check your progress in the Gunsmith between matches. Sometimes a challenge "tracks" but doesn't pop a notification in-game. Don't waste 10 extra rounds on a challenge you already finished.
The grind is long, but compared to previous years, the lack of level-gating makes it feel much more rewarding from the jump. Just keep clicking heads and watching for those Mangler spawns.