How to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

How to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies
(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

Finding and destroying a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies is no easy task, because you're not given any direction on how to do this, despite it being one of the mandatory objectives for the Interceptor mission. Mercenary Convoys are completely random too, so while you can't guarantee one will show up, you can increase your chances of finding one in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Plus, destroying one nets you a special keycard – so here's what you need to know about how to find and destroy a Modern Warfare 3 Zombies Mercenary Convoy.

Where to find a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

How to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

As you'd expect from the name, Mercenary Convoys in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies are groups of enemies that patrol in vehicles. You'll know you've found one because they show up as three enemy vehicles all driving in tandem on the minimap. However, because they are completely random, it's tough to know exactly where they'll show up at any given moment.

Your best bet is to find a vehicle yourself and stick to the highways. The main highway circles the entire map and toes the border between the white and orange zone in Urzikstan, and when one does show up, you'll hear one of your NPC teammates call them out. There can also be multiple convoys on the map at any one time, so keep going and you'll eventually run into one before too long. Just bear in mind that if the convoy you encounter is inside the orange zone, the enemies will be tougher than if you find them in the white zone of the map.

If you want a specific location to hunt for them in, the most common area seems to be to the north of Shahin Manor, just inside the orange zone.

How to destroy a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

How to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

When you do eventually come across a Mercenary Convoy, you'll want to have a sniper rifle handy. The convoy features three vehicles full of enemies with ranged attacks, so they're a fair bit tougher than your usual zombie in MWZ. As soon as you engage and take one of them out though, the convoy will stop and all the enemies will get out, which is why it's also helpful to have a launcher or grenade handy, because you can kill loads of them in one go here.

Generally, keep your distance and focus your fire on the mercenaries. Zombies will still attack you though, so stay aware of your surroundings – don't just post up behind cover without constantly checking behind you. Eventually, the objective to destroy a Mercenary Convoy should be completed, but if not and there are no enemies left, try blowing up the remaining vehicles to see if that triggers it.

When you do take all of them down, make sure you loot all of their bodies, because you'll want to pick up the Mercenary Stronghold Keycard. While not required for the Interceptor mission and objective, this is one of the coolest parts about Modern Warfare 3 Zombies and can get you some seriously powerful loot.

How to use the Mercenary Stronghold Keycard in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

How to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

With the Mercenary Stronghold Keycard, you need to find a Mercenary Stronghold. There are 14 possible locations in total, but only a few will spawn, so look for the specific stronghold icon on the map. Make sure it's a Mercenary Stronghold and not an Infested Stronghold though, as some of the locations for each can overlap. The Mercenary Stronghold Keycard will allow you to loot a safe within and find a Legacy Fortress Keycard, just beware there will be lots of mercenary enemies to take down before you can get to it.

This Legacy Fortress Keycard will then allow you to access the Legacy Fortress, which is directly between Levin Resort and Popov Power on the map. You need to be very kitted out – ideally with the best Modern Warfare 3 guns – to take this down though, as within will be a helicopter, loads of armored enemies, and assassin-esque foes. Make sure you've got some pack-a-punched weapons and a full squad working together at the very minimum.

Completing the Legacy Fortress nets you the Tactical Navigator, a weapon blueprint for the Haymaker shotgun that turns it into a fully automatic gun with incendiary rounds. As long as you can exfil, this is yours to keep as contraband.

Make sure you read up on our Multiplayer guides if you'll be playing that alongside Zombies, including how to prestige in Modern Warfare 3 and how the Modern Warfare 3 Battle Pass works.

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Ford James

Give me a game and I will write every "how to" I possibly can or die trying. When I'm not knee-deep in a game to write guides on, you'll find me hurtling round the track in F1, flinging balls on my phone in Pokemon Go, pretending to know what I'm doing in Football Manager, or clicking on heads in Valorant.