In Modern Warfare 4 Season 1, you can unlock the Cronen Osprey at Battle Pass Tier 16 and the CSG-35 at Tier 36 without buying the premium pass. Both start at Level 1, so a weapon XP plan matters if you want their attachments and Mastery camo progress. For a lower-pressure option, Bot Lobby MW4 offers are available to compare, but regular matches remain a free way to progress.

1 How Weapon and Battle Pass Progress Work

Battle Pass tiers unlock the two base guns, while each weapon has its own level track. The Osprey has 70 levels; the CSG-35 has 42.

Once you unlock a gun, use it to earn its weapon XP. Shared attachments you've already unlocked carry over, but weapon-specific attachments, camos and the Apex Attachment require progress on that gun.

This plan suits players working toward both weapons and their camo challenges. It doesn't skip the pass tiers, and neither gun starts with camo progress.

2 Set Up Your Season 1 Leveling Plan

Start with the Osprey, then switch to the CSG-35 once you reach its free tier. Save weapon XP tokens for time spent using a gun that needs levels.

Leveling Choices and Their Uses

The plan assumes you've reached the relevant tier before spending time on that weapon. Season 1 starts November 6 at 12 a.m. ET, or November 5 at 9 p.m. PT.

Shipment is recommended for early ranks, and respawn modes offer more raw kills per minute than Search and Destroy or Collateral. The latter two award 300 XP per kill after the October 25 update, up from 100.

You can choose the modes you enjoy, but a larger reward for one kill doesn't necessarily make a slower match better for weapon progress. Tokens count down only during matches, so save them until you've unlocked a gun you intend to use.

3 Give Each Part of the Plan a Job

Your pass progress, weapon choice, tokens and camo goals work on different tracks. Treating them separately helps you decide what to do next.

The sequence gives you a starting point, not a requirement to finish one gun before touching the other. Your preferred range and available playtime can change the order after Tier 36.

Battle Pass Access

Both weapons sit on the free portion of the 100-tier pass. You don't need the 1,100 COD Point premium pass to unlock either base gun.

The premium pass provides a 10 percent Battle Pass XP boost and weapon Blueprints at later tiers. Its catch-up system runs through day 50, but its relationship to the weapon tiers hasn't been confirmed.

Cronen Osprey

The Osprey fires at 882 rounds per minute with 30 rounds in its magazine and 90 in reserve. Its sustained recoil rises and moves right, making controlled bursts useful at mid range.

Its Cronen Helix Mk. II Apex Attachment changes it into a semi-automatic dual-fire weapon that fires on trigger pull and release. The precise unlock level hasn't been stated, so plan for a long track without assuming a specific milestone.

CSG-35

The CSG-35 fires at 1,200 rounds per minute and carries 28 rounds, with 112 in reserve. Its CSG Crossfire Apex Attachment turns it into a dual-wield setup.

Modest damage per bullet and rising recoil beyond roughly 20 meters make close engagements its natural fit. Its 42-level track is shorter than the Osprey's, making it the quicker choice to max for Mastery camo progress.

Weapon XP and Camos

Activate a Double Weapon XP token when you're ready to use your newly unlocked gun in matches. The Season 1 pass also includes Player, Weapon and Battle Pass XP tokens.

Weapon levels and camo progress are distinct: earning levels opens weapon-specific rewards, but the new gun doesn't inherit camo progress from another weapon. Check its available challenges as you advance.

4 Work Through the Two Weapon Tracks

The practical sequence is to reach the Osprey first, build its levels, and begin the CSG-35 once its tier is available. Your choice of match should support the weapon you're holding.

Use these steps to organize a session.

● Reach Tier 16 on the Battle Pass and equip the free Osprey before activating a weapon XP token.

● Use Shipment for early ranks, then control the Osprey's upward and rightward recoil with shorter bursts at mid range.

● At Tier 36, equip the CSG-35 and favor close engagements where its rapid fire is less affected by recoil.

● Check weapon-specific unlocks and camo challenges as levels rise, then continue with the gun whose remaining goals matter most to you.

Keep working on the Osprey if the Helix is your priority; switch sooner if the CSG-35's shorter track better fits your session.

5 Protect Your Time and Progress

The main risks are spending a token before you can use the intended weapon, choosing fights outside its effective range, and resetting progress before you're ready.

Keep these checks in mind.

● Confirm the base gun is unlocked before using a weapon XP token, since pass tiers and weapon levels are separate.

● Bring the Osprey into mid-range fights with controlled fire, because sustained shots drift upward and right.

● Keep CSG-35 engagements close when possible, because recoil climbs at longer distances and each bullet deals modest damage.

● Review your attachment goals before Weapon Prestige, which resets the gun's level and relocks its attachments, except Apex and Blueprint attachments.

A conservative approach is to finish the Osprey's desired unlocks before choosing Prestige. You'll delay the optional reset, but won't need to regain its ordinary attachments while pursuing the Helix.

6 Strengths and Weaknesses of This Plan

This plan suits players who want both guns without paying for the premium pass and can devote matches to each track. Players focused only on close-range combat may prefer to prioritize the CSG-35 after Tier 36.

Tokens and suitable modes can reduce the time spent earning levels, but they don't remove the pass requirement or transfer camo progress. The Helix's exact unlock point also remains unconfirmed.

7 Check Results and Adjust Your Next Session

During your next session, watch two things: how quickly your chosen gun gains levels and how often its recoil affects fights at your usual range. Compare those observations before committing more tokens.

If level progress feels slow, check the mode and how often you're earning kills, then try a respawn mode. If fights are going poorly, check your engagement distance and firing control before changing attachments; adjust one variable at a time.

Once you've chosen a weapon and confirmed its pass tier, you can keep progressing in regular matches or review buy CoD MW4 Bot Lobby options and their relevant details before deciding what suits your needs.