Easy Version
If You Don't Want To Read Further
Starter Kit
AK74 ($1,600, no unlock needed) + Small Tac Vest ($100) + Level 1 Armor (free). Cheap to replace, no big cash commitment.
Only Upgrade What You Can Afford Twice
Before buying a $50,000+ armor unlock, make sure your income can replace it if you die with it on. See Fast Money.
Playing Aggressive?
If you're chasing kill XP, keep the loadout cheap — you're going to lose it more often than a support/medic playstyle would.
Vehicles Follow The Same Rule
A Dune Buggy is the cheap fallback. Save a tank purchase for when you can actually absorb losing it in a fight.
Full cost breakdowns are below.
The Most Important Section On This Page
Your Kit Is What You're Risking, Not Your Level
Dying doesn't cost you WARDOG Level or class XP — it costs whatever weapon, armor, and vest you had equipped, since you have to buy or re-unlock them again. Value of life is genuinely high in WARDOGS: kits cost real money, and if you die far from the zone you're stuck hitching a ride back instead of just respawning into the fight. The loadout that levels you fastest isn't the most expensive one — it's the one you can afford to lose repeatedly.
Combat Playstyle
If you're following Speed Leveling's kill-XP route, stay cheap — you'll be dying on purpose, repeatedly, as part of the strategy.
Support Playstyle
Medic, Support, Driver, and Pilot XP rarely put you in a gunfight — a pricier kit survives longer if you're not chasing kills.
Weapon Cost Tiers
A cheaper price tag doesn't always mean an easier unlock — some cheap weapons still gate behind a level requirement. Full stats for every weapon are on Weapons.
AK74
$1,600, no unlock requirement. Available from the start — the default cheap-kit assault rifle.
Buy anytimeM1911 (Pistol)
$300, but gated behind WARDOG Level 40 — cheap in cash, not in time. A sidearm, not a main-loadout replacement.
Level 40FAL
$6,500 list price, gated behind Assault Level 35 — but discounted to $2,750 (−50%) for new recruits before WARDOG Level 9. Buy it early if the discount window is still open.
Assault Lv. 35Armor & Vest Cost Tiers
Armor and vests are the expensive end of a loadout — unlocking the top tier of either is a five- or six-figure investment. Full item list on Gear.
Level 1 Armor + Small Tac Vest
Free at WARDOG Level 3, plus a $100 vest with no unlock gate. The whole reason a cheap loadout is viable from day one.
~$100 totalLevel 2 Armor
$50,000 to unlock at WARDOG Level 30. Only worth it once your income can absorb losing it — check Income By Class for what your class actually earns per hour.
Level 30Large Tac Vest
$25,000 to unlock at WARDOG Level 50. Strong reload and holster speed bonuses, but a real dent in savings if you're still building a cash buffer.
Level 50Level 3 Armor
$100,000 to unlock at WARDOG Level 60 — the single biggest gear investment in the game. Don't buy this until you've got the cash to spare if you lose it, not just the cash to buy it once.
Level 60Vehicle Tiers
No vehicle in WARDOGS is confirmed free — riding as a free passenger is covered on Fast Money. Full pricing on Vehicles.
Dune Buggy — The Cheap Fallback
$1,500 base price, $35,000 to unlock. The go-to option if you're broke and need your own ride instead of hitching one.
Tank — The Farming Investment
Unlocks at Driver Level 35 — see Speed Leveling. A big enough investment that it's only worth buying once tank kills are actually part of your plan, not an afterthought.
Common Questions
What's the cheapest usable loadout in WARDOGS?
An AK74 ($1,600, no unlock needed) with a Small Tac Vest ($100) and free Level 1 Armor covers a full loadout for around $1,700, with nothing gated behind a level requirement.
Is Level 3 Armor worth the $100,000 unlock cost?
Only once your income can absorb losing it on death, not just afford the one-time purchase. It's the single most expensive gear unlock in the game, so buy it once your class income is steady, not as your first upgrade.
Should I buy an expensive weapon if I'm playing aggressively for kill XP?
Generally no. Kill-XP leveling means dying on purpose, repeatedly, as part of the strategy — a cheap loadout like the AK74 keeps the cost of that low. Save the expensive gear for a playstyle that isn't putting your kit at risk every life.
Is the FAL worth buying at the discounted price?
If you're still under WARDOG Level 9, the FAL is discounted 50% to $2,750 from its normal $6,500 list price, though it still requires Assault Level 35 to unlock. Worth grabbing early if you're already on track for that unlock level.
Should I buy a vehicle just to get around?
No — riding as a passenger is free and no vehicle in the game is confirmed free to own. Only buy one for a specific job, like a Dune Buggy if you're broke and stranded, or a tank once you're deliberately farming Driver kill XP.