Good news for people who enjoy making precise pain: the Swordfish A1 has landed in Black Ops 7 and Warzone. It’s a four-round burst marksman rifle with a fast rate of fire and almost suspiciously low recoil, perfect for shredding enemies at medium to long ranges if you actually aim.

How to unlock the Swordfish A1

Short version: you do not unlock this by grinding weapon levels or throwing money at a crate. The Swordfish A1 is a free reward on the Counter Skies event pass. To get it, complete all nine challenges on the free track of the Counter Skies pass, then claim the Swordfish A1 tile. That’s it, no arcane ritual required.

Progress counts across all game modes. Play Multiplayer, Warzone, or Zombies, and your event XP stacks toward those nine challenges. In Warzone, you earn event XP from standard BR activities like kills, contracts, and survival time. If you mostly play Warzone, you can unlock the gun without touching 6v6 or Zombies, though it might take longer depending on how well your matches go.

What is the Counter Skies event

Counter Skies is a limited-time event running during Season 02 Reloaded. The free track hands out the Swordfish A1 and the Echo 12 Backlash Launcher Kit as headline rewards. There is a paid track too, which includes extra weapon blueprints such as the Waylay DS20 Mirage AR and the Field Hunt RK-9 SMG, but you do not need to buy anything to get the Swordfish.

Best modes to unlock the Swordfish A1 fast

Pick the mode that matches the challenge you need. Here’s the cheat sheet:

  • Multiplayer — Usually the fastest for event challenges thanks to short matches and lots of kills. Great for headshot or multi-kill tasks.
  • Warzone Resurgence and standard BR — Good when objectives favor long-range damage or survival. Longer engagements mean more chances to use marksman-style shots.
  • Zombies — A safe, chill place to farm kills if the challenge is simply racking up numbers without the sweaty opposition.

Swap modes depending on what specific challenge you’re chasing. Short, focused MP games for precision stuff, Warzone when the task needs range or armor damage, and Zombies when you want easy kill counts.

Is the Swordfish A1 worth unlocking?

Yes, if you like guns that reward skill. The Swordfish A1 shines because of its very low recoil and strong burst damage. Land all four shots and enemies tend to disappear. The weapon has 39 levels, and later you can unlock the Penta Burst Prestige Attachment, which adds an extra shot to each burst and cranks up its lethality even more.

It fits the current meta as a flexible mid-range marksman that can play like a pseudo-assault rifle when built right. Once unlocked, you can use it in core Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone, with camos and skins following the normal progression rules. If you’re the kind of player who prefers precision over spraying and hoping, you’ll enjoy this one.

Final tip: if a challenge wants headshots or multi-kills, queue Multiplayer. If it wants long-range or armor damage, play Warzone. Farm kills in Zombies if you’re trying to be efficient and low-key about it. Now go claim that burst god and make your enemies question their life choices.