Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Advanced Warfare S-12

ShotgunsUnlocked at Level 6Takes camo
ShotgunsS-12 — Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare weapon render

How do you unlock the S-12?

The S-12 unlocks at Level 6 in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. It is one of the 34 selectable weapons in the original multiplayer launch roster in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and fills the fully automatic close-quarters shotgun role. Holding the trigger produces continuous shotgun fire for close pressure. After reaching a rank-gated launch weapon's level, spend one standard Create-a-Class Unlock Token to equip it. Its camo track finishes at Gold (200 kills with no attachments). Complete every camo challenge on it and Diamond unlocks. Earn Diamond on every camo-eligible launch weapon required in its category for Royalty.

UnlockLevel 6 · 1 Unlock Token
Takes camoYes
Diamond camoComplete every camo challenge on this weapon
Royalty camoEarn Diamond on every camo-eligible launch weapon required in its category
Original launch weapon gated at Level 6 and one standard Create-a-Class Unlock Token on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Windows PC.

Reviewed July 28, 2026. Release identity, modes, Exo movement, Pick 13, DLC and M1 Irons access were checked against Activision sources. The final roster, launch access gates and post-patch class challenge matrix were reconciled against dedicated historical references and individual camouflage records. Weapon advice is editorial; unsupported damage and magazine statistics are intentionally omitted.

Sources: Activision — Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare · Activision — Advanced Warfare multiplayer reveal · Activision — Advanced Warfare release · Activision — Day Zero Edition · Activision — Havoc DLC overview · Activision — AE4 availability · Activision — Ascendance and Ohm · Activision Support — M1 Irons · MP1st — launch multiplayer roster · MP1st — later weapon update and old-generation scope · Call of Duty Wiki — Advanced Warfare challenges · Call of Duty Wiki — M1 Irons camouflage profile · GameFAQs — post-patch camouflage values mirror · PlayStation Store — Advanced Warfare Digital Edition pack · Steam — Backdraft Personalization Pack · Steam — Psychedelic Personalization Pack · Steam — X-Ray Personalization Pack

How does the S-12 play in Advanced Warfare?

RoleFully automatic close-quarters shotgun
Real-world basisA fictional or substantially redesigned Advanced Warfare shotgun; no exact production counterpart is asserted
StrengthsHolding the trigger produces continuous shotgun fire for close pressure; The S-12 has a defined fully automatic close-quarters shotgun purpose instead of being treated as interchangeable class filler
TradeoffsUncontrolled automatic fire can empty the available load before a second doorway is clear; The S-12 still depends on route choice and first-shot discipline in Advanced Warfare's fast Exo-movement fights
Build and setup guidanceFavor handling and a clean close-range sight picture so the weapon is ready when you enter the room; Choose any range-supporting option only when it helps a known doorway or objective route
Challenge noteThe S-12 uses the shotgun post-patch challenge profile. Gold is a separate final challenge, then Diamond requires every camouflage challenge on this weapon. Personalization camos and Sentinel do not count.
Progression tipCamo progress is stored on the S-12. Its Diamond completion counts toward Royalty because it is a camo-eligible launch weapon.
Camo tipFire only while a target is inside the effective close window, then release and reposition before the next entry.
Compared withThe Bulldog is semi-automatic and the Tac-19 is pump-action; the S-12 is the launch roster's full-auto shotgun.

Every camo, exact unlocks — see the full Advanced Warfare camo directory.

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S-12 — common questions

What level does the S-12 unlock at in Advanced Warfare?

The S-12 unlocks at Level 6 in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare multiplayer. After reaching a rank-gated launch weapon's level, spend one standard Create-a-Class Unlock Token to equip it. The level cap is 50, and prestige is 15 original Prestige levels followed by 15 Master Prestige ranks, ending at Grand Master Prestige.

How do you unlock camos on the S-12?

Camo progress is per-weapon. Advanced Warfare has fourteen regular challenge camos followed by a separate Gold challenge on each eligible weapon. The post-patch totals vary by class and, within Specials, by MDL, Crossbow and M1 Irons. Complete every weapon challenge including Gold for Diamond; earn Diamond on the required base weapons in a category for Royalty. Heavy Shield has no camo track. M1 Irons has its own final challenge profile, and the twelve later Supply Drop weapons were released only on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC. On the S-12 the final tier is Gold — 200 kills with no attachments. After that, Diamond needs every camo challenge on the weapon done, and Royalty needs Diamond on every camo-eligible launch weapon required in its category.

Can you unlock the S-12 for me?

Yes — our Advanced Warfare Xbox 360 Unlock All service covers a 1–2 day Xbox 360 recovery for Prestige, Unlock All, weapons and camos, from $19.99. See the service.

More Shotguns

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Skip the grind

Our Advanced Warfare Xbox 360 Unlock All service includes a 1–2 day Xbox 360 recovery for Prestige, Unlock All, weapons and camos, from $19.99.

See Advanced Warfare servicesSee exact inclusions on the service page