As the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard gets closer by the day, Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software, and Treyarch are continuing to reveal information surrounding the new game, much to the excitement of the community. Alongside the campaign and multiplayer, an all-new Zombies experience set in the Dark Aether will be arriving.
On October 14th, 2021, Treyarch unveiled Der Anfang, a brand-new way to slay the undead jam-packed with plenty of new features and the return of classic map, Shi No Numa. The mode isn't a traditional round-based map, but a hybrid between objective-based action that debuted with Outbreak in Black Ops Cold War. Here's everything you need to know about Der Anfang.
Read More: Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies: Everything We Know
Der Anfang Setting
Der Anfang begins in Stalingrad after Oberführer Wolfram Von List joins forces with a Dark Aether entity known as Kortifex The Deathless to form an undead army from the fallen soldiers of the Battle of Stalingrad that took place a year earlier in 1943. Armed with the ability to raise the dead, von List has built an army. Standing in their way is Task Force One, who's been drafted in by demonologist Professor Gabriel Kraft.
Alongside Stalingrad, players will be able to visit a number of locations, including Hotel Royal, Shi No Numa, and Merville in Normandy, with Stalingrad acting as a hub for players to access crafting benches and the Pack-a-Punch machine.
Der Anfang Dark Aether Entities
There are a total of five Dark Aether entities that will feature in Der Anfang. Kortifex The Destroyer has already partnered with von List to build an undead army, while the other four have joined forces to halt them. Here's a list of the entities:
- Soraxis The Shadows
- Norticus The Conqueror
- Inviktor The Destroyer
- Bellekar The Warlock
Each entity is willing to "bond" with a player, giving them access to a range of their powers that include Aether Shroud, Ring of Fire, Frost Blast, and an Energy Mine in order to defeat the undead. Treyarch says that these entities have their own agendas, meaning there could be plenty of twists and turns before Kortifex is defeated.
Der Anfang Zombie Types
Der Anfang will feature three kinds of undead opposition to deal with. The first is the usual grunt Zombie that will attempt to beat you down while the other two come armed with a bit more power. The Sturmkrieger is armed with a fully automatic machine gun that can prove problematic to deal with while the Boom Schreier can move fast and deals a devastating explosion.
Der Anfang Altar of Covenants
One of the new innovations appearing in Der Anfang is the addition of the Altar of Covenants. Once players complete an objective, they can get their hands on a Sacrificial Heart which can be offered to the Altar. The Altar provides players with random upgrades as a reward. Upgrades include Ammo Gremlin which reloads weapons that aren't being used over time, Brain Rot that transforms a Zombie into a temporary ally, and Unholy Ground which can be used to hold down a specific area. Treyarch says there will be plenty of Covenants to choose from, and with them being random, it will change the way Zombies players operate during a match.
As we get closer to the launch of Vanguard, we will update this article with all of the new features arriving in Der Anfang. In the meantime, check out everything you need to know about Vanguard Zombies in our dedicated hub.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!