Direct answer: WARDOGS scores Control Zone presence, not a kill total: every 30 seconds, the team with the most players in the zone receives one point, and the first to 100 wins. Cash persists across matches. This guide includes Season 2 / 0.2.0, released October 15, 2026.
A match from deployment to rebuy
- Choose a factionCoordinate with friends before buying a loadout; mid-match switching now has additional restrictions.
- Purchase for a taskWeapons, medical supplies, building items and vehicles let you combine roles without selecting a fixed class.
- Reach or support the zoneScoring needs players present. Reviving, transporting and supplying the team can maintain that presence.
- Win the next scoring checkReassess the zone before each 30-second population check.
- Inspect the next purchaseSeason 2's Rebuy Last Loadout fills the vendor with your previous items for editing before you pay.
Worked scoring example
This is an illustration of the published rule, not recorded match data. Suppose the previous scores were zero:
| Check | Valkyra in zone | Lonestar in zone | Manticore in zone | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First check | 30 | 22 | 18 | Valkyra gains one point. |
| 30 seconds later | 19 | 25 | 17 | Lonestar gains one point; both now have one. |
Players outside the zone are absent from these counts. The example deliberately avoids a tie because the reviewed FAQ does not specify the tie-break procedure. A large squad far away from the zone does not contribute scoring presence merely by being large.
Map size versus scoring area
Team17 describes a 256 km² battlefield with a randomized 2×2 km Control Zone. Use the current objective to plan transport and reinforcement; do not confuse the larger traversable area with the scoring boundary. The figure is explanatory and not a navigable game map.
Plan a replacement budget
The official starting cash is $10,000. Each life involves buying a loadout, while teamplay can earn cash that persists between matches. Here is hypothetical arithmetic, using invented example amounts rather than actual item prices or reward values:
| Example transaction | Amount | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Starting balance | — | $10,000 |
| Example loadout purchase | −$1,500 | $8,500 |
| Example teamplay earnings | +$600 | $9,100 |
For your own budget, replace these amounts with the vendor total and actual credited rewards. A sensible reserve is a planning choice, not an official minimum. The published persistence rule does not establish a permanent no-wipe guarantee; early test progression and future seasonal policies must be checked separately.
After death: check before repurchasing
Open the equipment vendor and use Rebuy Last Loadout if you want to start from your previous selection. The Season 2 notes say it now visually populates that loadout and lets you add or remove items before purchase. Review the price, ammo, medical supplies, inventory and intended role before confirming. Do not assume rebuy is free or that every equipped item is recovered automatically.
If a teammate kills you, Season 2 provides a Forgive/Punish choice. The notes state that respawning and leaving the safe zone without voting automatically forgives. Make the choice before leaving if you want the incident recorded differently.
Season 2 economy and combat changes
The October 15 notes introduced a Lonestar cash and XP bonus, but the developer's October 16 backend correction confirms its removal. Do not include that withdrawn bonus in expected earnings or choose a team to obtain it.
The October 15 notes separately describe a 20% vendor discount for a team at least 40 points behind second place, applying to all factions. The Lonestar correction does not establish that this separate discount was removed. Use the actual vendor display rather than assuming a discount is always active.
Weapon damage, suppression, progression costs and vehicle rewards also changed. These changes make old “best loadout” or earnings tables unreliable without a version label. The Wager Vendor is described as coming later in Season 2 and unavailable at launch, so it is not a current beginner income method in this guide.
Match a role to the team need
The developer FAQ names medical items, construction purchases and larger backpacks as ways to combine roles. If the zone is short of players, support that gets people there can be more useful than buying a second expensive asset. See squads for coordination, helicopters for logistics and factions for team rules and the bonus correction.
Source record
- Steam store — release, economy, objectives and system requirements.
- Pinned developer FAQ — scoring, teams, roles and platform statements.
- Season 2 patch notes — changes shipped with the October 15 Update 0.2.0.
- October 16 backend correction — removal of the Lonestar cash and XP bonus.
The original rule and source review was October 16, 2026. On October 29, 2026, we checked the backend correction and removed the Lonestar bonus from the economy advice; this was not a new review of every rule or item price. This guide uses published sources, with planning advice labelled separately from hands-on testing. Later patches may change the details.