Special Air Service

Lore & Background

Task Force 141 serves as the primary operational vehicle for SAS personnel in Modern Warfare 3, continuing their work from the second installment. The unit is centered on Captain Price, Soap MacTavish, and a newly introduced playable character named Yuri. Together with Delta Force operators, they pursue Vladimir Makarov, who leads the Russian Ultranationalist party and has orchestrated multiple terror attacks across Europe. These attacks triggered a massive war involving the Ultranationalists and allied friendly forces. The campaign follows the SAS and their allies as they navigate this global conflict, utilizing combined military resources to dismantle Makarov's network. Unlike previous iterations where they may have operated more independently, here they function as an integrated element of a larger multinational force.

In Their Own Story

The narrative arc begins right after the events of Modern Warfare 2's final mission, thrusting the SAS and Task Force 141 into immediate action against Makarov. The antagonist has led several terror attacks across Europe, escalating tensions to a point where a large-scale war erupts between his Russian Ultranationalist party and friendly forces. Throughout the campaign, players assume various roles within this conflict, changing perspectives as the story progresses through three distinct Acts. Each mission presents specific objectives displayed on the heads-up display, ranging from reaching checkpoints to eliminating enemies in designated locations or holding ground against enemy squadrons. The SAS operators are accompanied by fellow soldiers who cannot be issued direct orders, emphasizing a reliance on coordinated tactics rather than command over every ally.

Reader's Guide

Modern Warfare 3 features an enhanced version of the IW engine used in its predecessor, with development beginning in 2010 involving multiple studios including Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games. The SAS's operational environment spans various locations showcased in teaser trailers prior to the game's full reveal on November 8, 2011. Gameplay mechanics include a new Survival mode where players fight massive waves of enemies that spawn at tactical positions based on player location rather than fixed points. The multiplayer system introduces Pointstreaks instead of Killstreaks, organized into Assault, Support, and Specialist strike packages. The SAS's role within the game extends to these modes, offering diverse combat scenarios from wave-based survival to objective-focused matches like Kill Confirmed and Team Defender.

Did You Know?

• The Special Air Service operates alongside Delta Force within Task Force 141 to hunt Vladimir Makarov in Modern Warfare 3.
• A separate Nintendo DS version of the game was developed by n-Space, distinct from the main development teams.
• Treyarch was responsible for developing the Wii port of Modern Warfare 3.
• The game sold 6.5 million copies in the US and UK within 24 hours of release, grossing $400 million.
• Yuri is a newly introduced playable character who joins Captain Price and Soap MacTavish in the campaign.

Origins and Development

Development for Modern Warfare 3 began in 2010 utilizing an enhanced version of the IW engine from Modern Warfare 2. The project involved more than one developer studio, with Sledgehammer Games joining the development force alongside Infinity Ward and Raven Software, which specifically handled the multiplayer mode. Prior to this collaboration, co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella had left Infinity Ward to form Respawn Entertainment, leading to other members leaving or being fired. A separate version for the Nintendo DS was developed by n-Space, while Treyarch developed the game's Wii port. In Japan, Square Enix published the game with both subtitled and dubbed versions. Following a significant leak of detailed information, multiple teaser trailers were released, each highlighting specific campaign locations before the full reveal.

Campaign Narrative Structure

The single-player campaign is divided into three sets of missions known as Acts, following the structure of its predecessors. Players switch between various characters throughout the story, which picks up immediately after Modern Warfare 2's finale. Each mission features objectives marked on the HUD indicating direction and distance. Damage visualization includes blood-spatter or red-outs on screen, with health regenerating if the player avoids damage for a limited time. Objectives vary from reaching checkpoints to eliminating enemies, holding ground against squadrons, directing remote weapons, and planting explosives. A notable inclusion is an interactive scene of a terror attack against civilians, which players can skip due to graphic content involving harm to children.

Multiplayer Mechanics and Integration

The multiplayer mode introduces Pointstreaks, replacing the traditional Killstreak system to make early unlocks more difficult. Completing objectives like planting bombs or capturing flags awards points regardless of kills. Three strike packages exist: Assault (points reset on death), Specialist (rewards perks every second consecutive kill but resets on death), and Support (based on total match points regardless of deaths). A new Ranking and Unlocks system removes currency usage, allowing primary weapons to level up and unlock Proficiency perks like Attachments, Kick, and Focus. Hybrid Scopes allow switching between magnified and non-magnified views. The Prestige Shop unlocks after the first prestige, offering exclusive features for tokens earned from prestiging, with players able to Prestige 20 times.

Zombies Mode Evolution

Modern Warfare 3 does not feature a Zombies mode; instead, it introduces the Survival mode within Special Ops. This wave-based game allows one or two players to fight increasingly difficult waves of enemies on any multiplayer map. Unlike Call of Duty: World at War's Nazi Zombies where enemies spawn at fixed locations, Survival enemies appear at tactical positions based on player location. Players earn in-game cash for kills and assists to purchase weapons, upgrades, ammo, air/ground support, and equipment. XP increases through killing enemies, unlocking additional items. The mode differs significantly from traditional Zombies by emphasizing tactical spawning over scripted waves and integrating directly with the multiplayer map pool.