Wait, how could you saw AW is garbage and not ghosts.
I virtually only play Search and Destroy, and besides amplify not having a counter, the game and most maps play amazing for SnD. I totally understand the hate it gets for respawn though. The map design and spawns definitely suck for respawn. Still, some of the maps just always need to be skipped for any gamemode, such as prison break, which is imbalanced for defense, siege for it's lack of contrast and vast areas for campers to hide, stonehaven for its size, and sometimes chasm for its imbalanced offense A bomb plant, as well as the countless bits of rubble. I love the first DLC maps though, which made up for some of the shitty base ones. They play great for SnD.
It is the first CoD in 4 years that has infinite sprint and fast climb, which is pro-rushing. It facilitates flanking, which enables campers to get shot in the back more. The hit detection and connection for people with good internet is amazing. IW is notorious for having super hit detection. It has a seemingly fast TTK, but that's because bullets hit their targets, while Treyarch animation is a little clunkier, and the hit box doesn't align with the character. I do prefer Treyarch weapon animation though, which is smooth as hell with picking up weapons and YYing. The fast TTK sounds bad for people who run into campers, but when it comes to SnD the learning curve is knowing the routes and being able to predict behavior, so the better player wins the gunfight, rather than campers getting cheap kills. Also, knowing when to jumpshot/dropshot/strafe/knife and/or hipfire helps when you didn't get the first look.
The weapon balance is amazing. I have a 2.3+ KDR with literally every single SMG, ironically CBJ being my highest. They're all viable. The pistols are balanced, unlike the previous CoD, BO2. SMGs compete with ARs on a lot of maps, which also promotes rushing.
The list of cons AW has is too long, especially for SnD. I don't think the competitive changes they made suit 6v6. The plant noise is the loudest it has ever been in any CoD, which is exacerbated by the shortest round length in any CoD, and longest defuse time in any CoD. I like the alternating off/def, but best of 11 makes for way too long of games for pubs. Defense can just camp for 1.5 minutes and wait for the plant noise. They literally don't have any incentive to push up, because they're naturally given map control by default.
Atleast AW tried something new..
Respectable, but for different reasons. I respect Treyarch for how much they respond to the community and patch their games, however the hit detection in IW games is still more accurate, so all the other aspects don't play as big of a role in my enjoyment of the game. I think I have 2-3 days played on AW and never found a and elite SMG/AR. Meanwhile, I see level 14 people with breaknecks, infernos, and speakeasys winning gunfights only because a lucky supply drop. I like the cosmetics of elite items, but they ruin gun balance. Elite weapons aside, using anything besides BAL/ASM1 more often than not loses the gunfight.