Season 2 changes override the old armor table

Level 3 armor and helmet moved from Career 60 to Career 70. Published protection dropped to 50% for tier 3 and 60% for tier 4; the tier 4 helmet also limits vision and audio. These are release changes, not universal shots-to-kill guarantees.

Reviewed . The older tables below are historical; use Season 2 unlock changes before buying.

Before buying a full loadout

Match the exact cartridge, magazine and weapon.

  1. Check the weapon's caliber in the live vendor.
  2. Buy loose ammunition of that caliber and a magazine made for the weapon.
  3. Choose FMJ, HP or AP for the target and the round you can actually unlock.
  4. Price body armor and helmet separately, then inspect the complete loadout total.

A shared caliber does not mean two weapons accept the same magazine. The game vendor remains the final compatibility and price check.

Historical catalogue: weapon and cartridge families

5.45×39mm · AK74Not the 5.56×45mm used by M4.
5.56×45mm · Galil, M4, T-21, M249 SAWCheck magazine fit for each weapon.
9×19mm · AMP-9, MP5, PP-19 VityazMatching caliber does not make magazines interchangeable.
7.62×39mm · SKSDifferent from 7.62×54mm and .308 Win.
7.62×54mm · PKM, SVD, Mosin Nagant, SV98Use the exact magazine or internal feed for the weapon.
.308 Win · FAL, BMR-308, MK22Verify the exact shop label and compatible magazine.
.45 ACP · M1911, Super-45Do not confuse with .45 Colt.
12 gauge · M500, MP43Buckshot and slugs are different loads.

The names 7.62×39mm, 7.62×54mm and .308 Win describe different ammunition. Select the exact variant shown for your weapon. Launchers, bows and vehicle weapons need their own projectile or charge; do not assume ordinary rifle ammo applies.

FMJ, HP and AP answer different problems

FMJ · standardA practical baseline for comparing weapons and keeping the kit simple.
HP · flesh damageConsider it for exposed targets, then check the loss against protected targets in a current calculator or range test.
AP · armor piercingConsider it against armor, but check the unlock, vendor cost and damage tradeoff. It is not a universal upgrade.

Community ballistics tools model hit location, armor tier, range and round type. A headline “damage” number or a single shots-to-kill result cannot stand in for all of those conditions.

Historical Patch 0.11 armor and helmet unlocks

Career 3 · Level 1 armor and helmetThe earliest listed protective tier.
Career 30 · Level 2 armor and helmetHigher protection with another permanent unlock cost.
Career 60 · Level 3 armor and helmetPlan the item, weight and cash cost before making it your default kit.
Career 100 · Level 4 armor and helmetLate progression; only useful when you can afford repeated deployments.

Career level is the sum of role levels. Body armor protects covered body regions; a helmet is a separate purchase for head protection. Community calculators show different results by hit zone and range, so treat their output as a modeled comparison rather than an in-game guarantee.

Five checks before Deploy

  • The cartridge name matches the weapon exactly.
  • The magazine is made for that weapon and contains the intended round.
  • Any AP or HP variant is actually unlocked in your current career track.
  • Armor and helmet are both present if the job needs both.
  • The final cost leaves enough cash for several more useful lives.

Sources and verification

Developer information and community observations are labelled separately. A player report is not a guarantee from the developer. Use the stated source-check dates; a later page edit does not recheck the underlying game data.

  1. BULKHEAD: Season 2 patch notes · October 14Armor progression and protection changes reviewed October 26, 2026 at 20:52:12 UTC. Older catalogue rows remain explicitly historical.
  2. WARDOGS on SteamOfficial overview of bought loadouts and the persistent cash economy.
  3. WARDOGS LAB ammunition catalogueCurrent community catalogue of cartridge families, magazines and vendor items; last updated September 17, 2026.
  4. MetaForge career unlock tableCommunity record for body armor, helmet and ammunition unlock levels.
  5. MetaForge ballisticsCommunity damage model showing why armor, hit zone, range and round type change the result.