I'm using Warzone's subway to hide from the new marksman rifle

I'm no stranger to subway journeys. When you live in London, like I do, if you're not taking public transport then you're almost certainly overpaying for parking, or dropping a small fortune on the congestion charge. Unfortunately, traveling by London's underground train is notorious for being boring, hot, and smelly. So, when I heard that Infinity Ward were building their own underground North Line in Verdansk, I wasn't exactly overjoyed.

Real life subway journeys aren't exactly fun, and they don't really seem to fit into the regular Warzone formula either. Verdansk is a huge map, littered with pockets of dense buildings, separated by long stretches of open land. While hopping on the train seems like the perfect solution for getting around, I was concerned that shifting it underground would detract from the action. Surprisingly, the addition of the metro line actually soothes a problem I've struggled with in Warzone for months now: avoiding snipers.

Apart from the odd matches where the gas cloud is on my side, I spend a decent portion of my Warzone matches heading towards the safe zone. It's a similar story for any battle royale, and it gives me an opportunity to find better gear along the way. However, Verdansk's vast corridors of open land are always the trickiest to traverse. There's little cover and, to make matters worse, Warzone's snipers are a particularly dedicated bunch, so they're usually poised on top of a roof, scoped on the main choke points as the gas closes in. 

This is especially worrying at the moment as Warzone Season 6 has just introduced the new SP-R 208 marksman rifle—unlocked at tier 15 on the battle pass. While it's only been out for a few days, there are already complaints about its snappy aim-down-sights speed and bullet velocity. 

In regular circumstances I think I'd be much angrier about the addition of yet another long-range weapon that can pick me off from miles away. However, for the first time in a while I feel as though I have more control over these encounters. For the most part, I've managed to avoid one-sided fights that I have no hope of winning. As someone who feels far more comfortable with an assault rifle or SMG in my hands, I tend to stick to close quarters combat wherever possible. Having the option to dip underground and fast travel between busy zones such as the Airport and Train Station allows me to pick fights that I'm confident I can win.

While waiting on the subway platforms isn't as scary as hopping on the London Underground at Oxford Circus at 6pm on a Friday night, I've run into a steady stream of opponents across matches. The Downtown and Airport stations are particularly busy, thanks to the difficult puzzle in the new Warzone Season 6 Easter egg. But the stations also contain floor loot and supply boxes, so they're not the worst place to land when you're feeling indecisive about where to drop. I still find that I have to compete with others for gear, and the trains also can't pull away from a platform during firefights. This forces you to conclude scuffles before you can enjoy a few moments of peace as you travel to the next station.

I was unsure how fast travel could be implemented in Warzone without feeling imbalanced, but it works surprisingly well, so far. Other players are using these stations frequently enough to keep me on my toes, but I'm grateful that there's another way to move around the map. 

Until now, venturing long distances came at the price of being loud, and subsequently visible to everyone in the surrounding area. I don't have to stray far to find a car or helicopter, but using a vehicle is risky as it paints a giant target on my back. While I'm sure we'll see tweaks to the SP-R 208 in coming weeks, I'm happy to skulk around in the subway for now. I do have one word of advice, though: keep an eye on the gas cloud. It's very easy to hop on a train heading straight into the green smoke of doom.

• Warzone subway stations: Where to find each metro location