WARDOGS Ammunition and Economy
Every round costs something. Some calibres cost more per match than the rifle that fires them.
WARDOGS sells ammunition separately from the weapon. You buy the gun once at the vendor; you buy each box of ammunition per life. That separation is the economy. A $600 T-21 firing $1.50 FMJ rounds can cost more to run over a long life than the rifle itself. A cheap handgun on expensive .50 AE can eat your wallet faster than the Galil you thought was the budget trap. This page is the calibre guide: what each round costs, what it does, and which weapons tax the account hardest.
Numbers are Closed Alpha / Closed Beta community recordings. Early Access on 10 September 2026 can retune any row.
Buy ammunition per life. Not per wallet.
You purchase ammunition at the vendor before each life. Loose boxes and loaded magazines are both available in community catalogues. The trap: extra loaded magazines sit in your inventory when you die — but the ammunition inside them does not carry over as cash. Playtests punished players who filled a bag with spare loaded mags instead of buying loose boxes and a larger backpack.
Calibre cost breakdown
Community ammunition tables from Closed Alpha and Closed Beta recorded these approximate price ranges:
| Calibre | Example weapons | FMJ box | AP / HP box | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.56×45mm | T-21, Galil, M4, A-91, Bushmaster | ~$15–$40 | Higher | Most common; cheapest per round |
| 5.45×39mm | AK74 | Similar to 5.56 | Higher | Alternate recoil pattern; same calibre cost |
| 7.62×39mm | SKS | ~$30–$50 | Higher | Mid-tier rifle ammunition |
| 7.62×54mm | SVD, SV98, PKM, Mosin | ~$50–$80 | Much higher | Snipers and LMGs eat this fast |
| .308 Win | FAL, BMR-308, MK22 | ~$60–$100 | Highest | Premium rifle calibre |
| .50 Cal | AMR 50, Deagle | ~$150–$250 | — | Anti-materiel and heavy pistols |
| 9×19mm | GGX 17, MP5, PP-19, AMP-9 | ~$10–$30 | Higher | SMG and pistol calibre |
| .45 ACP | Super-45, M1911, Judge | ~$15–$35 | Higher | SMG and pistol calibre |
| 12 Gauge | M500, MP43 | ~$20–$40 | — | Shotgun shells |
| 93mm RPG | RPG-7 | ~$200–$400 per rocket | — | Each shot is a decision |
| 84mm MAAWS | MAAWS | ~$300–$500 per shell | — | Each shot is a decision |
| 40mm | MGL-40 | ~$100–$200 per grenade | — | Six-shot costs fast |
FMJ, armour-piercing, and hollow point
Community catalogues listed three load types during Closed Beta:
- FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) — baseline damage and penetration. Cheapest per round. The default for most rifles.
- Hollow Point (HP) — expanded damage against unarmoured targets. More expensive; less effective against plates.
- Armour Piercing (AP) — reduced damage penalty against soft targets, improved penetration against armour. Most expensive; necessary against Level 3–4 plates.
The practical rule from playtesters: FMJ for general use, AP when the faction is armoured up, HP when you are shooting at players you know are not wearing plates. Paying premium prices for HP against a ghillie sniper is wasted money.
The calibres that trap new players
AMR 50 (.50 Cal) The rifle itself costs ~$8,800. Ammunition boxes were recorded around $250 each. A match with three shots and two deaths costs more in ammunition than an entire infantry loadout.
RPG-7 and MAAWS rockets Each rocket is a separate purchase. Community playtest notes put RPG rockets around $200–$400 per shot. Missing a vehicle shot is not just a tactical error — it is a cash error.
MGL-40 (40mm) Six grenades in the tube, each purchased separately. A full unload against an empty position is burning cash with no income.
PKM (7.62×54mm) A 100-round box sounds efficient. At 7.62 prices, sustained fire costs more per minute than most players realise until they are standing over an empty wallet with a full gun.
Weight and ammunition choice
WARDOGS assigns weight to every item. Five weight classes from under 10 kg to over 40 kg affect movement speed, stamina, and weapon sway. Loading 200 rounds of 7.62 for a DMR life is a mobility decision, not just a logistics one.
Community notes from Closed Beta showed:
- Extra loaded magazines cost inventory slots and add weight.
- Loose ammunition boxes in a larger backpack were more ammo-per-dollar than spare loaded mags.
- A player who filled their bag with loaded mags had less medical, less smoke, and fewer grenades — all of which score in the Control Zone.
The real cost of a long life
The math players miss: a T-21 at $600 plus three boxes of 5.56 FMJ at $30 each is $690. That is still a poverty loadout. A FAL at $6,500 plus three boxes of .308 at $80 each is $6,740 — and if you die twice, you have spent $13,480 on a rifle you no longer own.
Calculate ammo cost as a percentage of the rifle cost before you buy. A cheap rifle on expensive calibre is a budget trap. An expensive rifle on cheap calibre can still be correct.
Screenshot a loadout before you buy
- Check the rifle price.
- Check the calibre and box cost.
- Multiply boxes needed for the life by box cost.
- Add armour and medical.
- Can you rebuy this twice?
The budget tool and loadouts have the full kit perspective. This page is the ammunition slice.
Related pages
- Loadouts — full kit breakdown
- Budget tool — pre-match ledger
- Weapon tier list — which rifles use which calibres
- How to make money — funding the habit
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common WARDOGS questions.
Does ammunition carry over after death?
No. You purchase ammunition per life. Spare loaded magazines stay in your inventory but the cash does not roll over. Buy what you need for the current life.
Which ammunition type should I buy?
FMJ for general use. AP when facing armoured opponents. HP only when you know the target is not wearing plates. AP costs more but is necessary against Level 3–4 armour.
Why does my sniper cost more to run than my rifle?
Snipers fire larger calibres at higher per-round cost, and skilled players take more shots per life. A PKM's 100-round box at 7.62mm prices costs more per minute than most rifles. Check the budget tool.
Should I buy extra magazines or loose ammo boxes?
Loose boxes in a larger backpack typically give more ammunition per dollar and per slot than spare loaded magazines. Extra loaded mags cost inventory space and weight without adding value.