Season 5 landed on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 9AM PT / 12PM ET / 5PM BST across all platforms, and its first live event — Machine of War — is the fastest free path to the season's headline weapon. Unlike the FG42 and Gremlin, which live in the Battle Pass, the Mammoth LMG is event-locked: you only earn it by grinding Fuel Cans through the Machine of War track. This guide breaks down exactly what the event is, every confirmed reward, and the fastest way to bank Fuel Cans across Black Ops 7 and Warzone.
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Quick answer: How to get everything in the Machine of War event
- What it is: A collection-style event where you gather Fuel Cans and spend them to unlock a reward track.
- Where you earn cans: Across every mode — Black Ops 7 Multiplayer, Zombies, Endgame, and Warzone.
- The headline reward: The Mammoth LMG (the only one of Season 5's three new guns that is not in the Battle Pass).
- Fastest farm: Chase eliminations in fast-paced modes; in Warzone, also crack Loot Caches and complete objectives.
- Also included: "Puffed Up" and "Soul Eater" weapon camos, the "Piston" reticle, and a "Mechanic Preparation" loading screen — with more tiers to be revealed as the event runs.
If you just want the Mammoth and the camos in your loadout without burning a weekend on it, our team can run the grind for you — see the fast-track options below.
What is the Machine of War event in Black Ops 7 Season 5?
Machine of War is the first event of Season 5 and a return to Call of Duty's classic collection format. Instead of ticking off a linear challenge list, you accumulate a single in-game currency — Fuel Cans — and redeem them against a reward ladder. The event spans both titles, so cans you bank in Black Ops 7 and cans you bank in Warzone all feed the same reward track.
Per Activision's Season 05 patch notes:
"Collect Fuel Cans across all modes during the Machine of War event to earn rewards including the new Season 05 Mammoth LMG, 'Puffed Up' and 'Soul Eater' Universal Weapon Camos, 'Piston' Reticle, 'Mechanic Preparation' Loading Screen."
That "across all modes" line is the important part. Whether you live in 6v6, farm rounds in Zombies, race the new Burn Run assignment in Endgame, or drop into Verdansk in Warzone, your progress counts. Pick whichever mode you're fastest in — the event doesn't punish you for it.
When does the event run?
Machine of War went live with the Season 5 launch on July 23, 2026. Activision hasn't stamped a hard end date on it yet, but seasonal collection events in Black Ops 7 have historically run for roughly one to two weeks before rotating out. Treat it as a limited window: the Mammoth becomes far harder to obtain once the event closes, so grind it while it's active.
Every confirmed Machine of War reward
Activision has confirmed the following reward tiers so far. Additional rewards are expected to unlock as the event progresses, so the ladder below is the launch-day baseline — not necessarily the full list.
| Reward | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mammoth | LMG (weapon) | The event's flagship prize — a full-auto light machine gun with a Prestige Attachment |
| Puffed Up | Weapon Camo | Universal camo, applies across your arsenal |
| Soul Eater | Animated Weapon Camo | Universal animated camo — the flashiest cosmetic in the track |
| Piston | Reticle | Optic reticle for compatible sights |
| Mechanic Preparation | Loading Screen | Cosmetic loading screen |
The two universal camos are the sleeper picks here: because they're Universal, they slap onto any weapon in your locker immediately — no per-gun grind required. If you care about drip more than the LMG, the camos alone can be worth the Fuel Can spend.
Is the Mammoth LMG any good?
On paper, yes — it's built as a hold-the-line support gun. Activision describes it as a full-auto LMG with twin reciprocating barrels that delivers "massive damage with manageable recoil," offset by a slow rate of fire, mobility, and handling. It also ships with a Prestige Attachment that sharply speeds up the weapon's reaction (ADS/handling) speed, which is the standard fix for an LMG's biggest weakness. In short: strong for objective defense, lane-holding, and Warzone plate-cracking at range; weaker if you play run-and-gun.
If you plan to actually use it, you'll want to level it up fast once it's unlocked — see our fastest XP and weapon-leveling guide for Season 5 for the best double-XP windows and modes.
How do you earn Fuel Cans fast?
The core rule is simple: Fuel Cans drop from eliminations across any mode. That makes the fastest farm a function of how many kills you can rack up per minute, not which mode you pick. Here's how the modes stack up:
Best modes to farm Fuel Cans
- High-kill 6v6 (Nuketown 24/7, Domination, Kill Confirmed): The most reliable can-per-minute rate for most players. Small maps + respawns = a constant elimination stream. Overdrive Domination and the in-season Gauntlet Rush (new Season 5 modes) keep the action dense.
- Zombies: Round-based hordes mean huge kill counts per match. If you're comfortable in Zombies, a few high rounds can bank cans quickly — and you're progressing camos at the same time.
- Endgame (Burn Run): The new Season 5 Assignment is elimination-and-objective heavy; a solid dual-purpose farm if you're chasing Endgame rewards too. See our Season 5 Endgame Burn Run guide.
- Warzone: Uniquely, Warzone gives you two income streams — eliminations plus opening Loot Caches and completing objectives. If you're a Warzone main, you don't have to touch multiplayer at all.
The elimination-farm loop
For pure speed, the community's go-to approach is unchanged from past collection events: queue the smallest, fastest respawn playlist you're good at, play the objective loosely, and prioritize kills over K/D. Modes like Nuketown 24/7 and face-paced Domination consistently produce the highest elimination counts per session, which is exactly what a Fuel Can grind rewards.
One important caveat: Activision has not published the exact number of Fuel Cans required per reward tier as of launch. Data-mined and official thresholds usually surface within the first day or two of a collection event — until then, treat the grind as "play the modes you kill fastest in and check the event tab often."
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Machine of War vs the Battle Pass: what's free and what isn't?
It's easy to conflate the season's three new weapons, so here's the clean split:
- FG42 (Assault Rifle) — unlocked via the Battle Pass.
- Gremlin (dual SMG) — unlocked via the Battle Pass.
- Mammoth (LMG) — unlocked via the Machine of War event (Fuel Cans), not the Battle Pass.
So even a fully maxed Battle Pass will not get you the Mammoth. It's event-exclusive during Season 5. For the Battle Pass weapons and the full unlock paths, see our Season 5 new weapons guide. If you're weighing whether to buy the pass at all, our Season 5 Battle Pass breakdown covers what's inside and whether it's worth it.
Skip the grind: get the Mammoth and camos fast
Collection events are a time tax. If you don't want to sink a dozen kill-farming sessions into Fuel Cans — or you're mid-camo-grind and don't want to split focus — our Black Ops 7 services get the event rewards onto your account fast and safely:
Let a verified pro bank the Fuel Cans and level the Mammoth while you play what you actually enjoy.
- CoD Account & Weapon Leveling — skip the grind, level the Mammoth (and everything else) fast with pro players.
- CoD Camo Unlocks (BO7) — mastery and event camos unlocked, fast and secure.
- CoD Bot Lobbies — easy lobbies to farm eliminations (and Fuel Cans) with far less resistance.
- All Call of Duty services — the full timesaver.gg CoD catalog.
FAQ
What is the Machine of War event in Black Ops 7? It's the first event of Season 5 (live July 23, 2026), a collection-style event where you gather Fuel Cans across all Black Ops 7 and Warzone modes and spend them on a reward track that includes the Mammoth LMG, two universal weapon camos, a reticle, and a loading screen.
How do you get Fuel Cans fast in Machine of War? Fuel Cans drop primarily from eliminations in any mode, so the fastest farm is whichever high-kill playlist you perform best in — Nuketown 24/7, Domination, Kill Confirmed, or round-based Zombies. In Warzone you can also earn cans by opening Loot Caches and completing objectives.
How do you unlock the Mammoth LMG in Black Ops 7? The Mammoth is the headline Machine of War reward. It is not in the Battle Pass — you unlock it by collecting enough Fuel Cans during the event. Once it closes, the Mammoth is no longer easily obtainable.
Can you earn Machine of War rewards in Warzone? Yes. Fuel Cans and the entire reward track are shared across Black Ops 7 and Warzone, so Warzone-only players can unlock the Mammoth and camos without touching multiplayer.
How many Fuel Cans do you need for each reward? Activision had not published the exact per-tier Fuel Can requirements at launch. Check the in-game event tab for live thresholds; they typically appear within the first day or two of a collection event.
Is the Mammoth LMG good? It's a strong support/objective LMG — high damage and manageable recoil, held back by a slow fire rate, mobility, and handling. Its Prestige Attachment speeds up its reaction time, which helps offset the sluggish handling. Great for lane-holding and Warzone range fights, weaker for aggressive movement play.
