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Screenshot of Call of Duty Vanguard
Image via Activision

When does Call of Duty Vanguard take place?

It's during World War II, but that still encompasses years of time.

Call of Duty: Vanguard brings the series back to its World War II roots, and it takes players all around the globe, exploring the Second World War’s numerous conflicts. However, the narrative is presented in a nonlinear fashion; the story starts in 1945, but it jumps around a lot, going back to as early as 1941.

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Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each mission and when they take place:

  • Phoenix, 1945: You play as Novak in this mission as you fight alongside other members of Task Force One to hijack a Nazi train. The mission concludes with Task Force One being captured, and most of the following missions are flashbacks.
  • Operation Tonga, 1944: Arthur Kingsley is the central character here as you face off against Nazi forces after an operation gone horribly wrong.
  • Stalingrad, 1942: This mission stars Polina Petrova, a Russian medic/sniper whose city is under siege by the Germans.
  • The Battle of Midway, 1942: This one stars Wade Jackson — a hotshot pilot who takes to the air during the Battle of Midway to take down two Japanese cruisers.
  • Numa Numa Trail, 1943: Wade is again the star here. This mission follows him as he’s forced to sneak around Japanese forces while teaming up with the Black soldiers of the 93rd Infantry Division.
  • Lady Nightingale, 1943: You play as Polina again, now nicknamed “Lady Nightingale,” as she faces off against more Nazis with a vengeance for what she’s lost.
  • The Rats of Tobruk, 1941: Lucas Riggs is given the spotlight here as a member of the Rats of Tobruk — a real-life group notable for fighting in Libya during World War II.
  • The Battle of El Alamein, 1942: This mission again stars Lucas, who’s now fighting at the Battle of El Alamein, which, coincidentally, was previously featured in Call of Duty 2.
  • The Fourth Reich, 1945: Back to the present, the members of Task Force One escape confinement and set out to put an end to the Nazis.

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Image of Jon Yelenic
Jon Yelenic
Jon is a freelance writer whose work can be seen on Gamepur, SmashPad, and Goomba Stomp. He has also written for Game Rant. You can find him on Twitter @JonWYel