Wave list or patterns for MW3 map Resistance

Is there a pattern how enemies appear in MW3 Survival Model map Resistance? If not are there any list about each wave?

I am asking this because this list would help me and other beginners as well to decide what to buy how to prepare for next round?


The waves that come are semi-random, although I think there is a "general" pattern to them. The narrator ("Overlord" from the single player campaign) will give you a general overview of what you can expect to find in the current round. He might say "heavily armored ground troops inbound!" which would indicate Juggernauts, or "Dogs, with C4 strapped to them" which indicates that suicide bomber dogs will make an appearance.

  • The first couple of rounds are always the lightest armored troops (no body armor) who wield Model 1887 shotguns.
  • After this, there will be several rounds of lightly armored troops who are carrying MP5's. They may be accompanied by attack dogs.
  • Several rounds after this, the standard troops will gain AK-47's
  • More heavily armored troops will appear (we call these guys "strongcoats" although I don't know that that's an official term...) who use ACR's
  • The most armored standard troops spawn with the FAD, and are hard to kill without headshots.

There are some "special enemies" that are generally announced at the beginning of a round:

  • Some rounds will start spawning "suicide bombers" who are lightly armored and carry a different kind of shotgun, and who explode when they are killed
  • Other rounds will yield enemies who stock claymores, and set them up around the level, often times near your armories
  • Dogs also eventually will stop spawning, and will be replaced with suicide dogs.

"Bonus Difficulty" rounds happen on occasion:

  • There's usually one wave around 6-8 that is 2 AH-6 choppers with miniguns attached
  • Shortly after the choppers (but generally not the very next round) is a single Juggernaut with a LMG that he won't drop.
  • Periodically after the first one, a Juggernaut round will start, with more Juggernauts who are either heavily armored or who are carrying riot shields.

There are also chemical troopers, although I've not seen them so far on Resistance.

Later in the waves, (and on the higher difficulty maps) multiple things will start to happen at once. For instance, you might have a suicide bomber round with Juggernauts and an AH-6 overwatch.

Since you can't really know what's next with 100% accuracy, (only that it's going to continue getting harder as the rounds progress) I'd suggest being prepared for whatever might show up. Always keep your sentry guns up and running (in single player, you're allowed 2), and make sure you've got enough ammunition. Juggernaut and AH-6 rounds in particular drain ammo very quickly. Make sure you've got at least a couple of flashbangs, and body armor - especially if it's been a while since you saw a Juggernaut.

I also like to have a riot shield team on the ground as much as possible in the later rounds, since calling them in takes time, and they tend to get overwhelmed unless they're already in a defensible position when the round starts. If you've got a riot shield team in position, you can go back and fill the "air support" slot with a predator, which can be good for taking out one of the Juggernauts if you've got several incoming.

Remember also that once you've hit round 15, everything from there on out is just a matter of beating your previous (or your friends') score. 15 is the highest round you need to hit for achievements, and there's not really a XP/money benefit for playing to the very high rounds anyhow.

There's also a decent article about this on the CoD Wikia, which may provide a bit more background information and some other general strategies for this mode.

Here are the actual waves up to 42:

  • 1, 2 - Guys with 1887 shotguns
  • 3 - same, but with two dogs
  • 4, 5 - troops with MP5
  • 6 - 2 AH6 gunships
  • 7, 8, 9 - troops with AK47 (and slightly heavier armour)
  • 10 - one jug
  • 11-14 - troops with AK47 (and I think that the suicide guys with semi-auto shotgun appear, too)
  • 15 - two jugs
  • 16-19 - troops with ACR (occasionally dogs and suicide guys)
  • 20 - three jugs
  • 21-25 - troops with FAD and heavier armour, and helis start appearing
  • 26 - three jugs, several FAD troops and at least three dogs (one of the jugs is a riot-shield jug)
  • 27-29 - FAD, one heli, suicide and dogs (now the dogs have explosives strapped to them)
  • 30 - same as 26, but the jugs are harder to kill
  • 31-33 - same as 29
  • 34 - same as 30, but harder to kill, etc.
  • 35-37 - same as 33
  • 38 - same as 34
  • 39-41 - same as 37
  • 42 - same as 38, but harder

This is as far as I've gotten. Strategy that works:

  • In the first few waves, kill with headshots (more $$).
  • When you have enough cash, get "Slight of Hand" perkcare package.
  • Upgrade to a LSW and MK46 LMG when you start getting into the high teens and twenties. They'll take out a jug, with enough shots.
  • Keep your Self Revive current because you'll need it in the higher rounds.
  • Always have a few flashbangs to help you cut and run.
  • Claymores and sentries provide some help for your backside.
  • In the jug rounds, stay away from your sentries so that they don't get taken out by the enemy and try to "run and gun" until you've picked off the last of them. The dogs in the jug rounds are a pain. Try to pick them off before they pin you down.