You're staring at the Jackal PDW in the gunsmith menu, and let's be real, it’s one of the most satisfying submachine guns to use in Black Ops 6. But the grind is real. Completing the jackal zombies camo challenges isn't just about mindless clicking on undead skulls; it's a test of patience, positioning, and knowing exactly how the spawn logic works in Liberty Falls or Terminus. Most players just jump in and hope for the best. That is a massive mistake. If you want those high-tier mastery camos like Afterlife or Nebula, you need a plan that doesn't involve running in circles for six hours straight.
It's fast. The Jackal is arguably the king of mobility in the current meta. However, that high fire rate is a double-edged sword when you're staring down a horde of armored zombies in the higher rounds. You'll run out of ammo before you even realize you've missed half your shots.
Why Everyone Struggles with Jackal Zombies Camo Challenges
The Jackal PDW is a beast at close range, but its damage drop-off is noticeable once you start pushing past round 20. This makes certain challenges—especially the ones requiring critical kills or specific elite eliminations—feel like a chore. You aren't just fighting zombies; you're fighting the weapon's inherent limitations.
Most people fail because they don't prioritize their upgrades in the right order. They spend points on perks like Deadshot Daiquiri—which is essential, don't get me wrong—but they forget that the Jackal needs raw damage output via the Pack-a-Punch machine and Aether Tool rarity upgrades as early as possible. If your gun is still "Common" rarity by round 10, you're already behind the curve. The jackal zombies camo challenges demand efficiency. If it takes half a magazine to drop one basic runner, you aren't going to hit those multi-kill requirements before the Manglers start spawning in and ruining your day.
The Critical Kill Wall
You need headshots. Hundreds of them. Thousands, eventually.
The Jackal’s recoil pattern can be a bit jumpy, especially if you haven't unlocked the right underbarrel and muzzle attachments yet. To breeze through the initial Military Camo stages, you absolutely must lead your shots. Don't just spray at the chest. Honestly, the best way to handle this is to manipulate the "train" of zombies. Lead them into a narrow corridor. On Liberty Falls, the alleyways near the bowling alley are perfect for this. When they line up, the Jackal’s fire rate turns into an asset, allowing you to rack up dozens of critical kills in seconds.
💡 You might also like: Hogwarts Legacy PS5: Why the Magic Still Holds Up in 2026
Cracking the Special and Elite Challenges
Once you get past the basic "get X kills" grind, things get spicy. You're going to see challenges that require you to take down Special or Elite enemies. In Black Ops 6 Zombies, this usually means Manglers or Amalgamations.
Here is the trick: don't use your Jackal for the whole fight.
That might sound counterintuitive for jackal zombies camo challenges, but the game usually tracks the kill based on what weapon dealt the final blow. Use a combat axe or a support streak like the War Machine to whittle down a Mangler's armor. Once his health bar is in the red, swap back to your Jackal and finish him off. It saves you three magazines of ammo and a lot of frustration.
On Terminus, the sea-based spawns can make this tricky. Stay on the platforms. Use the verticality to your advantage. If an Amalgamation grabs you, you're likely dead anyway, so keep your distance and pepper it with shots while it's distracted by your teammates or a decoy grenade.
Managing the Point Economy
You can't ignore the bank.
📖 Related: Little Big Planet Still Feels Like a Fever Dream 18 Years Later
To finish these challenges quickly, you need to be "Triple Packed" (Pack-a-Punch Level 3) by round 25 at the latest. The Jackal's damage scales okay, but it needs that extra kick to remain viable for the "get 10 kills quickly" or "kills while at low health" challenges.
- Step 1: Get the Jackal to Green (Uncommon) rarity by round 5 using the Arsenal machine.
- Step 2: Focus entirely on points. Don't buy unnecessary wall guns.
- Step 3: Prioritize the "Deadshot Daiquiri" perk. The aim-assist snap to the head is the only way to stay sane during the 2,000+ critical kill grind.
The Mystery of the "Technical" Challenges
After you finish the Military Camos, you hit the Unique/Technical challenges. These are usually things like "Get 10 kills without being hit 10 times."
This is where your movement mechanics come into play. If you're playing BO6, you have the omnimovement system. Use it. Diving backward while firing can save your life and keep your "no-hit" streak alive. Most players forget they can sprint in any direction. When completing jackal zombies camo challenges that require precision or avoidance, being able to strafe-run sideways while hip-firing the Jackal is a literal game-changer.
Equip the Shadow Rift ammo mod. It's underrated. While Brain Rot is great for crowd control, Shadow Rift can teleport zombies away from you, giving you breathing room to reset your "no-hit" counter. It’s kinda life-saving when you get cornered in a shop.
Hidden Mechanics and Build Optimization
Let's talk attachments. You might think maximizing range is the way to go, but in Zombies, it’s all about magazine size and hip-fire accuracy.
👉 See also: Why the 20 Questions Card Game Still Wins in a World of Screens
- Extended Mag II: This is non-negotiable. The Jackal eats bullets. You need the largest magazine available so you aren't reloading every four seconds during a Max Ammo power-up.
- Laser Sights: Since you'll be hip-firing a lot while training zombies, anything that tightens that spread is gold.
- Rapid Fire: Use with caution. It helps with the "get kills quickly" challenges, but it makes the recoil harder to manage for headshots.
The Jackal PDW is a "momentum" weapon. Once you get into a rhythm, the jackal zombies camo challenges start falling like dominoes. If you break that rhythm by dying or running out of ammo, it feels like a mountain. Stay stocked on armor plates. In the higher rounds, a single hit from a heavy zombie can strip your health and ruin a challenge streak.
Is the Mastery Camo Worth It?
Honestly? Yes. The visual effects on the higher-tier camos in this game are some of the best we've seen in years. When you finally slap that Nebula skin on your Jackal, you'll look like a god in the lobby. But more than that, completing these challenges actually makes you a better player. You learn the maps, you learn the spawn points, and you learn exactly how much punishment you can take before you need to pop an Aether Shroud.
The grind is a teacher. A very annoying, flesh-eating teacher.
Actionable Roadmap for Your Next Match
If you're jumping into a match right now to finish your Jackal camos, do this:
- Loadout: Start with the Jackal PDW and the Aether Shroud field upgrade. It's the best "get out of jail free" card for when you get stuck in a corner trying to get headshots.
- Early Game: Stay in the starting area until round 6 or 7. Farm as many headshots as possible while the zombies are slow.
- Mid Game: Open the map, hit the Arsenal to upgrade your weapon rarity to Blue (Rare), and Pack-a-Punch once.
- Perk Priority: Buy Deadshot Daiquiri first, then Speed Cola, then Stamin-Up.
- The Elite Strategy: Save a Mangler at the end of a round. Damage him with a grenade, then finish him with the Jackal to count toward your Elite eliminations.
- Avoid the Trap: Don't get greedy. If a Power-up is surrounded by a horde and you're working on a "no-hit" challenge, let it go. Your camo progress is more important than a "Double Points" that might get you killed.
Stop focusing on the total number. If you need 2,000 kills, don't think about 2,000. Think about getting 100 this round. Then another 100. Before you know it, that Gold Enigma or Afterlife skin will be sitting in your inventory. Just keep moving, keep aiming high, and for the love of everything, watch your six.