How to beat Countdown in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – mission walkthrough

How to stop the missile, and end Hassan's schemes once and for all.
Screenshot by Gamepur

Countdown is the 17th and final mission in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign, and it’s a tough one, full of twists and turns. It takes place in a Chicago skyscraper, and challenges you to stop a missile launched at Washington D.C. and to apprehend the terrorist leader who launched it, Hassan Zyani.

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Related: How long does the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign take to beat? Full mission list

How to secure the server floor

Screenshot by Gamepur

The first part of the mission has you rappelling down the outside of the building. Keep to the “Australian” orientation, so that you’re upside-down and only exposing your head, arms and shoulders, and don’t shoot any civilians. When you’re instructed to breach the window, you actually need to find the window, Price will breach it. It’s over on the left (or right, if you’re still upside-down).

The next stage is a classic but of COD FPS action, with the server rooms providing a tight, maze-like environment for some close-quarters shooting and stabbing. There’s plenty of cover if you need it. Just be careful not to let enemies flank you.

How to meet up with Gaz

Screenshot by Gamepur

After clearing the server floor, it’s back outside for a bit more rappelling and breaching, then some more shooting action in the restaurant. This is tougher than the server floor because it’s an open area, with enemies coming from all directions. Take cover behind the piano in the corner on the left, and pick off enemies from there. If they try to flush you out with grenades, then either throw them back or make a break for it. After clearing the restaurant, you’ll go down a couple more floors and find Gaz and his team engaged in a firefight of their own.

How to stop the missile from hitting D.C.

Screenshot by Gamepur

Just before you meet up with Gaz, you’ll see the missile launch, but it’s not too late to stop it. Fight your way to the elevators, then drop down the shafts onto Hassan’s head, and steal his missile controls. Now you’ve got to find a safe place to hide and stop the missile (a dark corner, or one of the store rooms on the north side is best — not the elevator). Follow Laswell’s instructions to stop the missile, then you’ve got to find yourself a blade.

How to eliminate Hassan and his men

Screenshot by Gamepur

Eliminating Hassan’s men is difficult because you lost all your weapons when you dropped down the elevator shaft, but you can either find a box cutter or craft a glass shiv here, then use it to take down one of Hassan’s men, and take his gun. Then it’s easy to eliminate the rest. When you get the last one, Hassan himself will tackle you from behind, at which point you’ll switch perspectives to Ghost, and completing the mission (and the whole campaign) is a simple matter of a sniper shot to Hassan’s head.


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Author
Gavin Mackenzie
Gavin Mackenzie has been playing video games since the early 80s, and writing about them professionally since the late 90s. Having been a writer and editor on various British magazines including PLAY, GamesTM, and X360, he's now a freelance guides specialist at Gamepur.