How to Level the Cronen Osprey and CSG-35 Fast in MW4 Season 1
The Cronen Osprey unlocks at Battle Pass Tier 16 and the CSG-35 at Tier 36. The Osprey has 70 weapon levels and the CSG-35 has 42. Max them fastest with Double Weapon XP plus high-kill matches on Shipment or in bot lobbies.
The Cronen Osprey unlocks at Season 1 Battle Pass Tier 16, and the CSG-35 at Tier 36. The Osprey has 70 weapon levels and the CSG-35 has 42, according to Activision's Season 1 post. The fastest route: reach the tiers with Battle Pass XP boosts (or BlackCell skips), then max each gun with Double Weapon XP in the highest-kill matches you can find, which means Shipment or a bot lobby.
The two guns at a glance
Verdict: the Osprey is the bigger grind; the CSG-35 is short and close-range only.
| Cronen Osprey | CSG-35 | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Assault rifle | SMG |
| Unlock | Battle Pass Tier 16 | Battle Pass Tier 36 |
| Battle pass blueprint | Tier 87 | Tier 73 |
| Weapon levels | 70 | 42 |
| Fire rate | 882 RPM | 1,200 RPM |
| Magazine | 30 rounds | 28 rounds |
| Apex attachment | Cronen Helix Mk. II (fires on trigger pull and release) | CSG Crossfire (akimbo CSG-35s) |
Activision calls both guns "two new (and free) base weapons" on the pass, so reaching the tier is what matters. The Osprey's fire rate is "rivaled only by the M4," and it pulls up and to the right under sustained fire. The CSG-35 has the highest fire rate in its class, but its recoil gets hard to control beyond about 20 meters. Both Apex attachments unlock when the gun hits max level — see how Apex attachments unlock.
Step 1: Unlock them fast
Verdict: Tier 16 on day one is realistic. Tier 36 takes longer unless you have skips.
- BlackCell owners: BlackCell includes 20 Tier Skips. Spend them at launch and you should be past Tier 16 right away. For the CSG-35, you'll still need to earn the remaining tiers.
- Premium pass owners: you get a 10% Battle Pass XP boost for all of Season 1. If you fall behind, catch-up automatically moves you to the reward matching the current day of the season (up to day 50). That's a safety net, not a speed boost, because it only carries you as far as the calendar does.
- Battle Pass 2XP tokens: the pass itself and the Joint Fire event both hand them out. Use them when you're about to play a long session, not for a single match.
- Joint Fire: you can play it solo, but the XP boost grows with your squad size. If you have friends online, play it as a full squad.
Activision hasn't published how much Battle Pass XP each tier needs, so ignore anyone quoting exact hours-per-tier numbers. For tier strategy, read our Season 1 battle pass guide.
Step 2: Level them fast
Verdict: Double Weapon XP + nonstop kills. Everything else is a detail.
Weapon XP comes mostly from kills with the gun, plus match completion. Objective play adds player XP on top (our fastest weapon leveling methods guide covers the full ranking). So the job is simple: spend as many minutes as possible shooting things with the new gun while Double Weapon XP is active.
- Save Double Weapon XP tokens for unlock day. Don't burn them on guns you'll stop using once the Osprey drops.
- Run the gun on Shipment. Activision's own Season 1 post recommends Shipment's "relentless pace of engagements" for early weapon ranks. It suits the CSG-35 especially well.
- Pick the right launch maps. The Osprey suits Backstab, which has long sightlines. The CSG-35 wants close lanes like Shoot House's central tunnels or Canyon's cave. Drop Zone pulls both teams onto a single rotating objective, and Grind rewards kills with dog tags, so both keep you in fights. Our best Season 1 maps guide breaks this down.
- Equip attachments as they unlock. Recoil control matters more than usual on the Osprey's climb. Check your build in MW4 loadouts and compare stats in the MW4 weapons database.
- Stop at max level, then switch. Once the Apex drops, move to the other gun and start its camo track (see the camo grind for the new weapons).
Why bot lobbies are the shortcut
Verdict: the more kills you get per minute with the gun, the faster it levels, and bot lobbies are built for kills per minute.
In public matches, a lot of each game goes to respawning, getting pushed off lines and losing gunfights to sweaty Season 1 lobbies. A bot lobbyfrom $3.99 puts 5 bots on the enemy team, so nearly all of your 10-minute match is spent getting kills with the gun you're leveling. Kills and wins count like any other match.
How it works: after checkout you send your Activision ID in the order chat, add the host and join the party. You play on your own account and device, with no password needed. It works on PS5, Xbox, PC and Switch 2 with cross-play on. Our explainer covers how bot lobbies work in detail.
Two honest notes:
- They only work once the gun is unlocked. A bot lobby levels the Osprey or CSG-35. It doesn't unlock them, so reach Tier 16 and Tier 36 first.
- Available from day one. Bot lobbies carry on into Season 1 and run on November 6, so you can start leveling the Osprey as soon as you unlock it.
For the fastest possible sessions, stack MW4 Double XP Codesfrom $7.99: each code gives 1 hour of Double XP plus 1 hour of Double Weapon XP. Prefer not to grind it yourself? MW4 Weapon Levelingfrom $12.00 is the done-for-you option.
How long will it take?
Verdict: nobody can honestly tell you yet.
We know the level counts (70 and 42), but not the Weapon XP per level for these guns. The CSG-35 has 28 fewer levels than the Osprey, so it should take noticeably less time, but we won't put hours on it until there's real data. What's certain is that Double Weapon XP roughly halves whatever the base time turns out to be. A kill-dense session — Shipment or a bot lobby — beats a slow public match on any map. For the rest of the season, including start times, maps and events, see the MW4 Season 1 grind guide.
Quick answers
What tier is the Cronen Osprey in MW4 Season 1? Tier 16 of the Season 1 battle pass. Its battle pass blueprint is at Tier 87.
What tier is the CSG-35? Tier 36. Its blueprint is at Tier 73.
What is the Cronen Osprey's max level? 70 weapon levels, per Activision's Season 1 post. The CSG-35 has 42.
Do I need the premium battle pass for the new guns? Activision describes both as free base weapons on the pass, so reaching the tier is enough.
Can I level the new guns in bot lobbies? Yes, once you've unlocked them — bot lobbies are available from day one of Season 1.
What's the best map to level the Cronen Osprey? Shipment is Activision's own pick for early weapon ranks. Backstab's long sightlines suit the Osprey on the new maps.
Related Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 services
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MW4 Bot Lobbies
MW4 Bot Lobbies are Modern Warfare 4 matches with 5 bots on the enemy team, so you farm weapon levels, camo challenges and player XP instead of grinding public matches. It's self-play on your own account — no password, just your Activision ID — with cross-play on PS5, Xbox, PC and Switch 2.
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