Unlock Shi No Numa's Cypher Wheel Mystery

The swampy horrors of Shi No Numa have returned to Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies, bringing with them a thrilling new main quest Easter Egg that challenges even the most seasoned undead slayer. This classic round-based map, reimagined for Vanguard, is brimming with secrets, and at the heart of its most intricate puzzles lies the mysterious Cypher Wheel. Unlocking this crucial component is just one step in a much larger, electrifying journey to uncover the map's deepest lore and claim victory against the hordes. If you're ready to delve into the ancient grounds and master the dark arts required to complete this epic quest, then prepare yourself for a detailed walkthrough that will guide you through every twist and turn.

The Return of Shi No Numa: A New Challenge Awaits

Shi No Numa, a map etched into the memories of veteran Zombies players, makes its grand return in Vanguard's Season 4 update. Originally a fan-favourite from Call of Duty: World at War, its re-imagining offers a fresh take on the classic swamp setting, complete with new areas like the Dig Site and updated mechanics. Treyarch has meticulously crafted a main quest Easter Egg that demands precision, strategic thinking, and a keen eye for detail. Unlike previous Zombies experiences in Vanguard, this round-based map offers a familiar yet challenging structure, pushing players to their limits as they navigate increasingly difficult rounds while solving intricate puzzles. The core of this quest revolves around several key objectives, including acquiring the legendary Wunderwaffe DG-2 and deciphering ancient symbols. Our journey begins with locating the essential parts of the Cypher Wheel, a vital component for progressing the quest.

Acquiring the Cypher Wheel Parts

The Cypher Wheel is an indispensable item for initiating a crucial ceremony within the Shi No Numa Easter Egg. Fortunately, its parts are not hidden behind complex challenges but are found scattered within specific areas of the map, particularly around the newly introduced Dig Site. You'll need to locate three distinct pieces to assemble the wheel. Here's exactly where to find them:

• Part 1: The Dormitory
  Head over to the Dormitory area. Look for a bedside table, specifically one positioned next to a lantern. The first glowing Cypher Wheel part will be resting clearly visible upon it.
• Part 2: The Dig Site (Pack-A-Punch Area)
  Proceed to the heart of the Dig Site. Near the highly coveted Pack-A-Punch machine, you'll find a table. The second Cypher Wheel part will be conspicuously placed there. This area is central to many Easter Egg steps, so familiarise yourself with it.
• Part 3: The Doctor's Quarters
  Your final Cypher Wheel piece is located in the Doctor's Quarters. Navigate to the corner of this room, specifically near the Max Ammo box. On a table in this vicinity, you will discover the third and final glowing part of the Cypher Wheel.

Once all three parts are collected, you're ready to proceed to the next major step in the quest: activating the Monolith.

Building the Wunderwaffe DG-2: Your Essential Weapon

Before you can fully utilise the Cypher Wheel, or indeed, complete most of the main quest, you'll need to assemble the powerful Wunderwaffe DG-2 wonder weapon. This iconic weapon is crucial for several steps, including the boss fight, so mastering its acquisition is paramount. The process involves multiple steps and requires careful attention to detail:

1. Weapon Barrel Acquisition (Part 1): Begin by heading to the Flogger Courtyard and entering the Fishing Hut. On a shelf to the right of the door, you'll find the Weapon Barrel. Pick it up.
2. Generator Insertion: Take the Weapon Barrel to the Comms Room and locate the Generator. Insert the Weapon Barrel into it.
3. Radio Interaction & Defence: Inside the Comms Room, a "Check Radio" prompt will appear on the right side of the door. Interact with it. You'll then need to finish the current round. Upon starting the next round, you'll be prompted to "Defend the Radio Tower" for a limited time. Successfully complete this objective.
4. Charged Vacuum Tube (Part 2): After defending the tower, return to the Generator and collect the Weapon Barrel. Then, go back to the radio in the Comms Room to pick up the Charged Vacuum Tube.
5. Electrical Fuse & Trap Repair (Part 3): Enter the small room within the Comms Room area and collect the Electrical Fuse Part from a table. Now, head to the Storage Hut and spend 1000 points to activate the trap. When the trap malfunctions, wait briefly, then inject the Electrical Fuse to repair it.
6. Trap Charging: Once the trap is active, use it to kill zombies until it's fully charged. A visual indicator will confirm this.
7. Zaballa Encounter & Tesla Charge: Continue playing until approximately Round 15, as this is when Zaballa the Deceiver will typically spawn in the main hut. Your goal is to trick Zaballa into the Tesla machine located in the Excavation Room. Lure her electrical attack to hit the Tesla machine roughly three times until a prompt appears, allowing you to pick up a Charged Cell.
8. Wunderwaffe Assembly: Finally, return to the Storage Hut. On the bench directly behind the trap you repaired earlier, you will now be able to build the complete Wunderwaffe DG-2. This weapon is your key to overcoming many of the challenges ahead.

Activating the Monolith and the Ceremony

With the Cypher Wheel parts in hand and the Wunderwaffe DG-2 potentially already in your arsenal, it's time to activate the Monolith. This ancient structure is crucial for progressing the main quest and initiating the first major challenge. Ensure you are at least Round 5 for this step to work.

1. Locate the Monolith: Head to the Doctor's Quarters Exterior. You'll find a glowing Monolith standing prominently in front of a tree.
2. Clear the Barrier: A mystical barrier (vines) obstructs the Monolith. To remove it, you need to lure a Boom-Schreier (the exploding zombie) in front of the Monolith. Eliminate the Boom-Schreier precisely when it's positioned directly in front of the Monolith. Its explosion will clear the vines away.
3. Insert Cypher Wheels: Once the barrier is gone, interact with the Monolith. You will be prompted to insert all three Cypher Wheels you collected earlier.
4. Begin the Ceremony: After inserting the wheels, run to the red stones located at the edge of the Doctor's Quarters area. Interact with them to begin the ceremony. If playing in co-op, each player must interact with a different red stone simultaneously.
5. Monolith Lockdown: This step initiates a lockdown sequence. Blue glowing zombies will approach the island where the Monolith stands. You must kill these specific zombies using your newly acquired Wunderwaffe DG-2. Ensure you eliminate enough of them to complete this phase. If you fail to kill enough within the round, you may need to repeat this step in the next round. This segment tests your ability to manage hordes while focusing fire on specific targets.

Deciphering the Ancient Symbols

Following the Monolith ceremony, the next phase involves a puzzle requiring you to find and interpret ancient Cypher Symbols. This part requires careful observation and a bit of detective work.

1. Find Three Cypher Symbols: These symbols are printed on papers attached to clipboards. While their locations are fixed, the specific symbols they display will vary each game, meaning you can't rely on prior knowledge for the symbols themselves.
• Symbol 1: The Dig Site Workbench
  Check the back of the workbench situated in the Dig Site. The first Cypher Symbol will be clearly visible here.
• Symbol 2: Comms Room Table
  Go to the Comms Room. On a table located directly opposite where the Mystery Box can spawn, you'll find the second Cypher Symbol.
• Symbol 3: Excavation Room Table
  The final Cypher Symbol is found on a table in the Excavation Room. This one is a bit trickier, as it spawns underneath some papers. You'll need to shoot the papers to reveal the symbol beneath.
2. Locate the Half-Finished Cypher: Once you have noted down all three unique symbols, head back to the Doctor's Quarters. Find a table to the right of the perk spawn location. On it, you'll see a Half-Finished Cypher.
3. Reveal the Complete Cypher: A voice line will hint that this is written in invisible ink. To reveal the complete set of fifteen Cypher Symbols, you need to throw something flammable (like a Molotov or a Thermite grenade) at the table. This will make the full Cypher visible. This complete Cypher remains the same across all games, so once you've seen it, you can take a screenshot or note it down for future attempts.
4. Solve the Cypher Puzzle: Each of the three Cypher Symbols you found earlier will correspond to another symbol on the complete fifteen-symbol Cypher. Your task is to identify these corresponding symbols. Once you've deciphered which symbols are relevant, return to the Monolith. You must now rotate the Cypher Wheel puzzle until all three of your relevant symbols are positioned at the "12 o'clock" mark (straight up the middle) on the wheel. If you are playing solo, zombies will typically ignore you during this step, allowing you to take your time to get it right.

Zombie Blood and Mirror Fragments

The next phase of the Easter Egg requires you to gather two Mirror Fragments, a process that involves activating a trap and utilising a temporary power-up known as Zombie Blood.

1. Activate the Flogger Trap: Head to the Flogger Courtyard. Activate the Flogger trap. This trap will fling zombies towards a deactivated Perk Fountain.
2. Obtain Zombie Blood: Allow the Flogger trap to kill enough zombies around the Perk Fountain. Once sufficient zombies are slain, the fountain will become active, allowing you to drink from it and gain the Zombie Blood effect. This provides a temporary speed boost and is crucial for the next steps.
3. Find Mirror Fragment 1 (Red Orb): While under the effect of Zombie Blood, locate a glowing Red Orb. This orb can appear in either the Mess Hall or the Spawn Room. Once you find it, follow the Red Orb as it floats. It will eventually come to a halt. When it stops, quickly pick up the first Mirror Fragment. Be mindful that if the Zombie Blood effect wears off before you collect the fragment, you'll need to re-activate the Flogger trap and drink the blood again.
4. Find Mirror Fragment 2 (War Room Map): Immediately after obtaining the first fragment (and ideally still under the Zombie Blood effect), head to the War Room. Locate the map on the wall next to the Max Ammo box. This map will show an 'X' marking the location of the second Mirror Fragment. The fragment might be hidden in the ceiling or in a hard-to-reach spot. Often, shooting the marked location with an explosive weapon can dislodge it, making it easier to pick up.

Tracking and Shooting the Glowing Blue Orbs

With both Mirror Fragments in your possession, you're nearing the final confrontation. This step sets the stage for the boss fight and requires precision shooting.

1. Place Mirror Fragments: Head back to the Dig Site. Place the two Mirror Fragments onto the altar located in the middle of the Dig Site area. This action will trigger a voice line and a prompt to "Energize the Podium."
2. Energize the Podium: Interact with the glowing podium. In co-op mode, each player must interact with a separate podium simultaneously.
3. Track and Shoot Orbs: Upon activation, a blue orb will shoot into the air and float towards one of the four main huts on the map (e.g., Storage Hut, Comms Room). You must follow this orb. Once it reaches its destination, it will relocate to an area *outside* of the playable map boundaries, often visible by looking through openings or from specific vantage points (e.g., looking behind the Storage Hut from Storage Hut Exterior). You need to shoot this orb three times.
4. Repeat for Each Player/Orb: For each player in the game, there will be three such orbs to shoot in the area it has moved to. If playing solo, you will still need to shoot three distinct orbs. Successfully shooting each orb three times will force it to return to the Dig Site.

The Final Confrontation: Defeating Echo (Saraxis)

All your efforts culminate in the final boss fight against Saraxis, also known as Echo. This is a multi-stage battle that requires strategic use of the Wunderwaffe DG-2 and careful positioning. Ensure you are fully prepared with perks and ammunition before initiating this step.

1. Summon Echo: Once all blue orbs have returned to the Dig Site, interact with the glowing podium once more to "Summon Echo." This will trigger a cutscene and begin the boss fight.
2. Stage One: Blue Mist Zombies: As the fight commences, allow the blue glowing zombies to reach the bottom level of the Dig Site, specifically around the central podium where you placed the Mirror Fragments. Once they are in position, eliminate them using your Wunderwaffe DG-2. Killing enough of these zombies will cause a giant blue bubble to appear.
3. Damage Phase 1: When the bubble appears, Saraxis (Echo) will enter it. You and any teammates must also enter the bubble. While inside, deal as much damage as possible to Saraxis. She will eventually become immune to damage. You may need to repeat steps one and two several times until she becomes immune after a significant amount of damage.
4. Stage Two: Blue Mist Boom-Schreiers: After she becomes immune, blue glowing Boom-Schreiers will begin to spawn. Similar to Stage One, you must eliminate these specific Boom-Schreiers using the Wunderwaffe DG-2 in the lower level of the Dig Site. This will again cause the giant blue bubble to appear.
5. Damage Phase 2: Enter the bubble with Saraxis and continue to deal damage until she becomes immune once more.
6. Stage Three: Blue Mist Sturmkriegers: For the final stage, blue glowing Sturmkriegers will appear. These are tougher enemies. Again, eliminate them with your Wunderwaffe DG-2 in the lower level to make the giant bubble reappear.
7. Final Damage Phase: Enter the bubble and unleash everything you have on Saraxis. Continue to attack her relentlessly until her health is depleted and she falls.

Upon defeating Saraxis, a final cutscene will play, and you will be rewarded with event-exclusive items, such as a Calling Card, signifying your successful completion of the Shi No Numa main quest Easter Egg. Congratulations, you've conquered the swamp!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I need the Wunderwaffe DG-2 to complete the Easter Egg?

Yes, absolutely. The Wunderwaffe DG-2 is not just a powerful weapon; it's a critical tool for several key steps of the Easter Egg, including the Monolith lockdown phase and all stages of the final boss fight against Saraxis. You cannot complete the quest without it, so prioritize its assembly early on.

Can I complete the Shi No Numa Easter Egg solo?

Yes, the Shi No Numa main quest Easter Egg is fully completable in solo mode. Some steps, like the Cypher puzzle, are even slightly easier as zombies will typically ignore you while you're interacting with the Monolith. However, the boss fight can be challenging alone, so ensure you have enough perks and self-revives.

What happens if I fail a step or die during the Easter Egg?

If you fail a specific objective, like defending the radio tower, or if you die, you will typically need to restart that particular step or the current objective phase. If you die completely and end the game, you will need to restart the entire Easter Egg from the beginning in a new match. It's crucial to stay alive and follow the steps carefully.

Are the Cypher Symbols always in the same place?

The physical locations where the Cypher Symbols appear (Dig Site workbench, Comms Room table, Excavation Room table) are fixed. However, the actual symbols displayed on the papers at these locations will change with each game you play. This means you need to re-check them every time you attempt the Easter Egg. The complete fifteen-symbol Cypher on the Half-Finished Cypher table, once revealed, remains constant across all games.

What are the rewards for completing the Easter Egg?

Upon successfully defeating Saraxis and completing the Shi No Numa main quest Easter Egg, you will receive in-game rewards, typically including an exclusive Calling Card and other cosmetic items that signify your accomplishment. It also progresses the lore of the Zombies storyline.

What is the minimum round to start the Easter Egg?

While you can begin collecting parts like the Cypher Wheels and some Wunderwaffe components early, certain steps, like activating the Monolith, require you to be at least Round 5. The final Wunderwaffe part acquisition and the boss fight will naturally push you to higher rounds, around 15 and beyond.

Embarking on the Shi No Numa Easter Egg is a rewarding challenge that truly tests your Zombies prowess. By carefully following these steps, from locating the vital Cypher Wheel parts to mastering the use of the Wunderwaffe DG-2 and ultimately defeating Saraxis, you'll be able to unravel the dark mysteries of the swamp and claim your victory. Remember to stay focused, manage your resources, and never underestimate the undead. Good luck, and happy hunting!

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