The quick answer
Modern Warfare 4’s campaign has 18 trophies/achievements: 8 Gold and 10 Silver. The published trophy guide rates the completion at roughly 12+ hours, with no missable or bugged trophies because missions can be replayed. The main hurdle is finishing the campaign on Realism and combining that run with several mission-specific challenges.
Complete trophy list
Gold trophies
| Trophy | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Hold the Line | Complete the game on any difficulty. |
| Was it worth it? | Complete the game on Realism difficulty. |
| Safety’s On | Defeat all enemies in the kitchen of Out in the Cold without firing your gun on Hardened or harder. |
| Can’t touch this | Defeat Makarov on Veteran or higher without getting hit in the alley. |
| Pacifist | Complete Assassins by only killing one enemy. |
| Time to Crate | Open every Yellow Supply Crate in Stranded. |
| Scavenger | Repair everything in Base Camp. |
| Noteworthy | Read 50 different Notes. |
Silver trophies
| Trophy | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Skeet Shooting | Kill 10 paratroopers in Mayhem before they hit the ground. |
| No Stone Unturned | Confiscate all contraband and read all notes in Following Orders. |
| No Harm Done | Obtain the Defector’s location in Following Orders without hurting civilians. |
| Bullet Train | Kill 50 enemies while standing on train cars in Hired Gun. |
| Raining Thunder | Kill 15 enemies with three mortar rounds in a row in Losing Ground. |
| Revenge | Kill everyone after Shin dies in Assassins on Hardened or harder. |
| Incoming! | Destroy every vehicle reinforcement at the SAM Site before they unload in Stranded. |
| Long Shot | Snipe all four enemies firing the mortars in Counter Attack. |
| Never Forgotten | Recover the Dog Tags in Escape. |
| Trench Broom | In Entrenched, kill 15 enemies with a shotgun before securing the Target Building. |
Efficient route
1. First playthrough: learn the campaign and collect
Play on Regular or Veteran. You want the mission layouts, not a perfect run. During this pass:
- Read every note you see, especially in Following Orders, Stranded, and Escape.
- Search Following Orders thoroughly for contraband and the four notes. Use the dialogue that brings the hidden civilian out before leaving.
- In Stranded, clear outposts, repair Base Camp, and open Yellow Crates as you travel. Finish the crate set and read enough notes for Noteworthy.
- In Escape, use the updated code and open the safe for the Dog Tags.
This pass should earn Hold the Line and most collection trophies. It also unlocks Realism for the later run.
2. Targeted mission replays
- Safety’s On: replay Out in the Cold on Hardened and clear the kitchen without firing. Hardened is less punishing than Veteran or Realism.
- Can’t touch this: replay the Makarov alley on Veteran. Treat it as a separate challenge rather than forcing it during a full Realism run.
- Pacifist: replay Assassins and kill only one enemy. Use the door codes 5523, 7632, and 9103.
- Revenge: replay Assassins on Hardened and kill every enemy after Shin dies. Expect enemies behind you near the garden sniper, four more when the bunker door opens, and two near the palace opposite the statue.
- Skeet Shooting: replay Mayhem and focus on paratroopers before they land.
- Bullet Train: replay Hired Gun and stay on the train cars until the 50-kill counter is complete.
- Raining Thunder: replay Losing Ground and place the three mortar rounds to catch at least 15 enemies.
- Long Shot: replay Counter Attack and identify all four mortar crews before firing.
- Trench Broom: replay Entrenched with a shotgun and reach 15 kills before the Target Building is secured.
3. Realism completion
After Hold the Line unlocks Realism, complete all 16 missions on Realism for Was it worth it? Stay in cover, avoid unnecessary engagements, and remember that friendly fire is active and the HUD is reduced. Do not combine Can’t touch this with this run unless you already know the no-hit route.
Cleanup notes
- Time to Crate requires every Yellow Supply Crate in Stranded, including the train and convoy-truck crates.
- Noteworthy counts different notes, not repeated pickups. Fifty is enough, but reading all 64 is the safe completionist target.
- Scavenger requires repairing everything in Base Camp; collect supplies while doing the crate route.
- No Stone Unturned is more than collecting the four story notes: confiscate all contraband as well.