How to Strafe in Call of Duty: Ultimate Movement Guide

Call of Duty

23 Oct

Andre Guaraldo

Mastering movement in Call of Duty can make the difference between life and death in intense gunfights.

This ultimate guide breaks down key movement techniques, providing the details you need to maximize your agility and outplay opponents in Call of Duty. We'll start with basic moves and work our way up to advanced strategies, so let's dive in!

1. Strafing

Strafing is the simplest, yet one of the most effective movement techniques in Call of Duty. Knowing how to strafe involves moving side to side (left or right) while shooting.

Advantages: Strafing will reduce your hitbox exposure, , making it harder for enemies to hit you.
Execution Tips: Continually move left and right, allowing room for each side movement to be performed (i.e do not go too quick). Also, remember to adjust your aim manually to stay locked on the target as you strafe left or right.

2. Jump Shot and its variations

The jump shot is another staple of Call of Duty combat. This movement involves jumping during a gunfight to disrupt your opponent’s aim.

Basic Jump Shot: Jump in the middle of a gunfight to increase your odds of survival. Timing is key—you want to jump before you land to avoid being too exposed.
Wide Challenge Jump Shot: This is used when you know an enemy’s approximate location, especially when coming around a corner. Jump around the corner to break the enemy’s camera view. Don’t aim too early, or you’ll lose momentum. Aim mid-jump to keep fluidity and surprise your opponent.
Tactical Sprint: Ensure you have tactical sprint active for maximum jump distance when rounding corners. Without it, your jump will be shorter.
Bunny Hop: Although less effective than in previous CoD titles, spamming jumps can still disorient opponents and help dodge shots.

3. Drop Shot

The drop shot is a classic Call of Duty movement where you go prone while shooting, making it harder for your opponent to track your movements.

Current Effectiveness: Drop shotting is less effective here compared to older games because your head is exposed first, making it easier for enemies to get a headshot.
When to Use It: Drop shotting works best when you suddenly encounter an enemy at close range, taking them off guard by quickly going prone.
Advanced Drop Shot: Combine your drop shot with a quick jump shot to create a dynamic movement that is harder to predict. Transition from prone directly into a jump for an additional layer of unpredictability.

4. Shouldering & Peeker's advantage

Shouldering is a powerful technique where you briefly peek from behind cover, exposing only your shoulder to check for enemies.

Why It’s Effective: Shouldering allows you to scout an area without fully exposing yourself, giving you the opportunity to spot enemies and plan your next move.
Peeker’s Advantage: When shouldering from the right side, you see enemies before they see you, thanks to the way the camera and aiming mechanics work.
Execution Tips: While right-side shouldering is more effective, you can also shoulder from the left in certain situations. Peek just enough to gather information and then plan your challenge.

5. Snaking

Snaking is a more advanced movement technique that involves continuously going prone behind cover and popping up to take shots, making it difficult for enemies to hit you.

How to Snake:
- 1. Stand behind a low surface that provides cover.
- 2. Move backward while going prone.
- 3. Immediately sprint forward as you rise, repeating this cycle.
Execution Tip: Start sprinting just before your stomach hits the ground for a smoother motion. As you get more comfortable, add rotational movement to avoid popping up in the same spot every time.
Advanced Snaking: Once mastered, combine snaking with quick aiming to shoot enemies as you rise above cover.

6. Reverse Jump Shot

The reverse jump shot is a high-level maneuver that can catch enemies off guard. Instead of continuing forward momentum during a jump shot, you reverse your movement and jump back behind cover.

When to Use: This technique is effective when you spot an enemy around a corner. Instead of committing to forward movement, jump backward to retreat to safety while continuing to engage the enemy.
Execution Tips: After spotting an enemy mid-jump, reverse direction immediately to throw off their tracking. This works both when running and when jumping, making it versatile in various scenarios.

7. Double Jump Shoulder Combo

This advanced technique combines the double jump with shouldering, giving you a tactical advantage in corner fights.

How to Execute: Time your double jump so that the second jump carries you around the corner. This gives you a split second where you can see the enemy before they can see you, leveraging peeker's advantage.

8. Dolphin Dive and Its Cancel Variation

The Dolphin Dive allows you to leap forward into a prone position, providing a tactical advantage by making yourself a harder target while moving quickly across the map.

How to Dolphin Dive: While sprinting, hold the crouch button to perform the Dolphin Dive.
Use Dolphin Diving to quickly move around corners or dive into cover, making it harder for enemies to land shots on you. Rotate your aim while diving to allow mid-air adjustments.
Enable Auto Tactical Sprint in the settings for easier execution, allowing you to sprint automatically and dolphin dive more fluidly.
Dolphin Dive Cancel Variation: Dolphin dive toward a ledge and jump right as you hit it. This provides a burst of speed and makes it harder for enemies to track your movement.

9. Final Movement Tips

Hug the Walls: When traversing the map, stay close to walls to minimize your exposure to enemies. This allows you to only worry about threats from one side, significantly reducing the number of angles you can be shot from.
Dive Checking: You can also dolphin dive across doorways or open areas to check for enemies while minimizing your exposure. This tactic is highly effective at higher levels of play and commonly used by professionals.

Ready to become a Movement God?

Mastering movement in Call of Duty is crucial for surviving in ranked matches, multiplayer, and Warzone. Whether you’re strafing for information, performing a reverse jump shot to outsmart opponents, or using a dolphin dive cancel to traverse the map quickly, each movement technique offers unique advantages in combat. Practice these techniques to elevate your gameplay and dominate the battlefield!

Feature image credits: Battle.Net

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