Sometimes, bringing a knife to a gunfight is the right call. While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II allows players to pick from a long list of assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, and more, there’s one unique weapon choice that will surprise your enemies on the battlefield and is a surprisingly capable warfare tool: the Combat Knife.

Instead of entering the warzone with heavy gear, equip a Riot Shield and use the secondary Combat Knife as your main weapon — with the right tactical gear and perks, you’ll be a menace in battle.

This Combat Knife loadout is all about speed and stealth. You’ll switch to your Combat Knife as soon as the match starts, putting the Riot Shield on your back to protect you from enemies who spot you. You want to always be mobile, aiming to flank your opponents and catch them off guard. You might be able to get a kill or two during a frontal assault, but you’ll be able to string together an impressive kill streak if you can come in from behind and tackle groups of enemies when they least expect it.

If there’s a gap between you and an enemy that spots you, hit them with the Throwing Knife. This will take a bit of practice, but it’s absolutely lethal (and humiliating for your target) once you get it down.

You should be popping the Dead Silence upgrade throughout every match — boosting your speed and making you completely silent – but the Inflatable Decoy can come in handy if you want to set a trap or on objective maps.