‘Deep Cover’ mission walkthrough in Modern Warfare 3

“Deep Cover,” the the fifth mission in the Modern Warfare 3 campaign, doesn’t task you with playing a one-person army. No, you’re a spy and need to find your contact inside a crowded military base. To beat “Deep Cover,” you need to remain calm and analyze the behavior of soldiers so you don’t get caught.

What follows is an explanation of how stealth works in Modern Warfare 3, specifically in the “Deep Cover” mission, followed by a step-by-step mission walkthrough for “Deep Cover.” You can also get the elusive Back in the Field trophy during “Deep Cover.”

How stealth works in ‘Deep Cover’ in MW3

In “Deep Cover,” staying in stealth is different from other situations, such as in the previous mission, “Payload,” where you hide in the grass. To stay in stealth in “Deep Cover,” you must do two things:

1. Keep a safe distance from soldiers — you can walk beside them but not too close
2. Avoid drawing your gun, jumping, and running close where you can be seen. There aren’t any visual indicators of whether you’re in stealth or not in this mission, as with most modern stealth games.

How to beat the ‘Deep Cover’ mission in MW3

“Deep Cover” broadly plays out in two sections. The first part runs from the beginning until the moment you get the keycard. The second is after using the keycard to enter the building where your contact is. You only have to stay stealthy during the first part.

‘Deep Cover’ mission walkthrough, part one

When “Deep Cover” begins, you’ll find yourself in a higher region close to the entrance of the base. Hide your weapon and follow the unpaved road in front of you. Be careful with the truck driving alongside you. Avoid getting too close; otherwise, you might get hurt or call attention and the enemies will spot you.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

On the same path, two groups of soldiers will appear ahead, one on the left and the other on the right side of the road. Stay close to the walls, wait for one group to pass to cross the road, and avoid the second one.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

Right after you leave the unpaved road, you’ll find an entrance to a building. Use it to pass through the next section safely. Stay away from the two soldiers working on the truck close to the door. Leave the building using the other entrance and get back to the main area.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

You’ll see a guard beside a security cabin. They’ll start moving toward you as you head to the road. Wait until it’s safe to go behind them. You don’t need to worry about being seen by the soldier in the cabin, though.

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Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

In the next section, you can either enter the door close to the cabin to hide inside the building, or try to stay away from the soldiers behind some trucks. Regardless of what you choose to do, you must wait until an officer followed by two guards leaves the building on the right. You must kill them to get the keycard to access the same building.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

Now, you need to act quickly. First, wait until it’s safe to pass behind the soldiers following the Major.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

Go up the staircase while keeping a safe distance from the officer. One they get into the room, you can either attack using the Takedown command or draw your gun and shoot them. There is a soldier inside the room too, so be quick and kill them as well. With the keycard in your possession, it’s time to finish the mission.

‘Deep Cover’ mission walkthrough, part two

Before leaving the room, hide your gun and pass far from the guards close to the stairs. To enter the building from where the Major came, you need to use the keycard in a device on the left side of the door, which will open the path for you. Because there are two guards close to the door, you should approach from the left side to avoid calling their attention. Get closer to a parked car to ensure you won’t raise their suspicions.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

After you get inside, enter the marked room on the left. Watch the short cutscene and when it ends, your new goal is to escape the base by going to the top floor of the building. Leave the room and enter the door beside the reception desk.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

Go ahead in the hallway until you find the stairs. Get to the next floor where you must enter a room on the left, marked by an orange light. Inside, you can find a ladder that will take you to the next floor.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

Go to the end of the hallway on this floor to find the last set of stairs. Use them to reach the top of the building.

Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon

From there, you just need to jump into the helicopter and get out of the base safely to complete “Deep Cover” in Modern Warfare 3.

For more Modern Warfare 3 guides, see how to earn the Back in the Field trophy and the A Shot Blocked achievement, or learn where to find all items and weapons in “Precious Cargo.” If you’re jumping into multiplayer when it goes live, check our guides on the best Striker loadout, best MCW loadout, and best AMR9 loadout.