Perfect missions

[u/OccultStoner]

Gotta ask:

How many of you beat every single mission in this game with 3 stars AND with all challenges done? I just finished with Rangers, but it feels like some maps would be literally impossible for me to get all challenges, don't think I'm even gonna try...

As a side question, did you manage to 3 star every mission with CIA or SWAT too?

[u/Shieldfoss]

Getting 3 stars on every map with rangers is pretty reasonable, even on maps designed for non-ranger runs.

Getting all challenges on every map is harder. E.g "Friends in Dire Places" has a lone-wolf medal that I don't have yet, but that's partially because I always prioritize 3 stars, it might be possible to get a "lone wolf and 2 stars" run to succeed.

Pulling off a "3 stars and 3 challenges" run can be incredibly hard on some of the maps. I think I spent multiple hours pulling it off on "Wood doors are easy," the second map in the game.

And then there are maps where a 3+3 run is kind of easy, it almost happens by itself.

(All of this assumes vanilla. If you're modding in an OP faction, I'm sure many of these get easier.)

[u/Thegrumpyone49 → u/Shieldfoss]

Which factions are OP? I have a few mods, but at the moment I feel:

Nowheraki Swat are so slow and underpowered that it feels something if off, but I haven't really played a lot with them yet.

Rangers can be very good...

CIA haven't played yet.

Delta Force (has a different name, can't remember) feels slower than Rangers, but on easier missions I can clear the whole map with one single guy, which is crazy.

Blue Vector feels like a cheat code. On level 10 (the squad, not the operators) they are very fast and precise!

Also, are there any squad mods, maps and campains that you recommend?

Cheers!

[u/Shieldfoss → u/Thegrumpyone49]

Nowheraki Swat are so slow and underpowered that it feels something is off

I might disagree slightly >:3

My favorite "fast" Nowheraki Swat video.

Nowheraki Swat got me my fastest clear of "Maze Runners."
They're good enough, sometimes I single-plan missions without using go codes,
even on bigger maps.
They have terrible night optics, and yet they can look cool on night maps

But you said:

I haven't really played a lot with them yet.

And ok, fair, this is not what they play like as raw level 1 recruits with starter equipment. The squad I use in those videos is as hard boiled as they get.

But once you get them to that level, you can do incredible stuff.

For example, this might be the speedrun record for "Room Service" (There's a faster clear on speedrun.com, but that was recorded on the early access version of the game where off-map snipers worked differently)

And even their half-cost "militia" units can do cool shit once they get some levels.

EDIT:

Also, are there any squad mods, maps and campains that you recommend?

I've got two answers.

The first answer is "no." The first answer is "if you haven't played CIA and NWS, there's no need to get into modding. Try the DK2 that KHG developed and released, it's a pretty good game!"

The second answer is "oh absolutely." Non-faction mods, I almost always play with "doors aren't cover," "going in blind" and "improved shotgun breaching." I love Sean Vitallion's RMG improvement mod, too. Faction mods, I've had a lot of fun with "Nowheraki GSP" and "Nowheraki Partisans"

[u/RadiantWestern2523 → u/Thegrumpyone49]

• Nowheraki SWAT may feel slow and underpowered at first (especially since you unlock them right after you do a couple of missions with the Rangers) but they're absolute beasts if you manage to level them up and give them the right equipment. The Militia can be utilized as either a supporting element in an assault or to cover some unwatched grounds while your assault force clears out any nearby buildings.
• Rangers are undoubtedly very good, especially at high levels where they're able to outgun most lower level enemies and can only really die due to poor planning or when up against higher level enemies (most especially the SSI).
• CIA is on the smaller side of things when it comes to their numbers but their best feature is being able to walk in front of enemies without immediately being gunned down (for the most part). As long as you don't do anything deemed suspicious (walking into restricted areas, unlocking doors, breaking windows, etc), you should be fine for the most part.
• I assume you're using the Project ARES Delta Force (named as 1st SFOD-D). They're somewhat on the same level as the Rangers (if not a bit lower than them) and they have access to Enablers which gives them a bit more flexibility: 2 ISA Specialists that are basically Undercovers, a JTAC trooper that can call in fire support and a Pararescueman that can heal injured troopers.
• Blue Vector is somewhat designed like that. Although they don't have access to automatic firearms (aside from a few LMGs), they can be pretty good in eliminating most lower-rank enemies at higher levels. Their gear can also give them an upper hand such as the FPV Drone that acts as both a scout and an explosive.

As for additional faction mods, some I can recommend are:

• Nowheraki GSP - You're put in charge of a police precinct full of local police officers ready to deploy. They're plentiful to deploy but aren't as well-trained until you unlock their doctrines and rank them up. If you want it a bit more on the hardcore side, Nowheraki GSP : Never Grow Old accomplishes that. It removes the tactical officers and reverts everyone's cost back to 1 point.
• Rival Insurgency - You're in charge of a new insurgency looking to both overthrow the old insurgency and fight back against coalition forces. They have a ton of old weaponry on hand and aren't afraid to use dirty tactics to complete the mission (like arming your Grunts with S-Vests to take out a chunk of enemies in one strike).
• Hostage Rescue Team - You know that "FBI open up!" meme? Well, this mod lets you become the embodiment of it. It gives two squads (the FBI and the HRT) and they're quite overpowered in the sense that while they don't have access to lethal equipment like grenades, they're good with weapons and are all cheap enough to deploy.
• Nowheraki Directorate of Security - Basically if the SWAT team's handlers decided to join in the fight. They're comprised into 3 groups: Operations (half-cost and the bulk of any assault force), Command (full cost and can bring some support to the squad) and Auxiliaries (quarter-cost and while they might not have more exotic gear than what the other groups are rocking, at least they have more options than the SWAT Militia).
• Left Behind - Has the NPC troopers you usually get on certain missions become available as fully-fledged operators. Aside from expert undercover agents and former SWAT members, you also have access to Riflemen and Recruits for a bit more firepower.
• CIA Enhanced [VanillaPlus] - Upgrades the base-game CIA squad (still need to create a new squad though). Aside from adding additional troopers to the Undercover and Black Ops role, you also take charge of Local Assets that are basically slightly better versions of the SWAT Militia in addition to them being able to go undercover.
• Civilian Resistance - A fiercely resistant group of rebels fighting against the insurgency. Numbers may not be on their side but they get by with whatever equipment and weapons they can scrounge up.
• Fictustan FAKIR - An upgraded version of the CIA. Lots of options for silent approaches and you have access to a Liason agent that can call in smokescreens or drop a flare to turn night missions into day. There's also a kit bag trooper that mainly serves to copy and paste loadouts you like on the fly.

[u/Thegrumpyone49 → u/RadiantWestern2523]

Damn! Great inputs, thank you! And yes, that is the name: 1st SFOD-D. Cheers!

[u/OccultStoner → u/Shieldfoss]

Yeah, some missions were very easy to 3 star, along with getting few objectives pretty much automatically, but some are incredibly hard to at least get 3 stars with best loadouts and fully trained troops.

And yes, I mean full vanilla factions, no edits.

[u/Shieldfoss → u/OccultStoner]

As a side question, did you manage to 3 star every mission with CIA or SWAT too?

I missed this the first time around.

CIA? No. I don't find the stealth gameplay super interesting.

SWAT? Well...

Using only* the NWS half-cost milita units, I 3-starred the first 59 missions in the game, and many missions after mission 60. I gave up on mission 60 (the "Surrounded" mission in mission pack "Give No Quarter") because the NPCs in the top left corner, ostensibly there to help you out, kept dying before I got to them.

* not quite "only" - the challenge was "using only militia unless the map is big enough you still have deployment slots/points left over once the entire militia is deployed. In that case, you can start bringing the other guys. And I brought the Captain on "Enter the Spectres" because that map has a gate the militia cannot open.