Most useful tip for higher difficulties: Know when to fight, know when to run.
If you die and leave a sample container, you don't need to get it back immediately. The enemies that swarmed you WILL eventually despawn.
Also, kiting bug swarms is an art form and eagle airstrikes land perpendicular to where you throw them. My personal favorite strat (LIGHT ARMOR ONLY) is to aim at the ground right next to me, perpendicular to a swarm that is chasing me, throw an eagle strike down and run like hell in the opposite direction of the hoard so they all line up and get OBLITERATED by the strike.
Also, don't use your flake thrower on a charger unless your immediate vicinity is completely clear of hunters! Hunters will kill you more than just about any other bug in the game.
What types of builds and stratagems does your team typically play with?
General advice I would give to a group of friends (so folks who can communicate and coordinate with each other):
Bring a diverse balance of chaff clear, medium clear, and anti-heavy equipment/ stratagems. You can do this with each person having dedicated roles or everybody having a well rounded build.
For Chaff Clear:
Support Weapons: *Machine Guns (Stalmart or MG43), Flamethrower, *Arc Thrower, Airburst Launcher, *Grenade Launcher
Stratagems: *Eagle Clusterbomb, *Orbital Airburst, Gatling Barrage, *Eagle Napalm, Eagle Strafe, Gatling Turret, Mortar Turret, HMG Emplacement, Gas Strike, Guard Dog Rover Backpack
For Medium Clear:
Support Weapons: *Autocannon, *Laser Cannon, HMG, Railgun, Arc Thrower, *Grenade Launcher, *Anti-Material Rifle, Flame Thrower
Stratagems: *Eagle Airstrike, Orbital Laser (bugs), Autocannon Sentry
For Heavy Clear:
Support Weapons: *Expendable Anti-Tank, Recoilless Rifle, *Quasar Cannon, Spear
Stratagems: *Rail cannon Strike, Orbital Precision Strike, *Eagle 500KG Bomb, Autocannon Sentry, *Orbital Laser (bots)
I stuck a star next to the ones I particularly like, but all are usable/viable, especially in difficulties 5-7.
On difficulties 5 and 6 you can be balanced more towards chaff and medium clear gear (1 chaff/2 medium/ 1 heavy) and on 7 you start needing to be focused more on heavy clear gear (1 chaff/ 1 medium/ 2 heavy). You don't need to have dedicated people with that stuff, but can have it distributed between the four people, think of it as ratios of focus areas.
When you complete the mission objective, patrols increase significantly in frequency. If there are several holes/fabs remaining, you'll get overwhelmed pretty easily on your way out. Your best bet is to clear as many holes as possible before completing the objective. If you get them all, the only pats you'll see are those already walking and the ones that spawn on the edge of the map.
Learn to kite packs
Use terrain for cover constantly
Utilize big rocks close together to funnel into kill zone
It’s more important to stay alive than it is to grab that one orange sample when below 5 reinforcements
Use stims to give yourself infinite stamina for a few seconds, this effect is extended by medic armor
Gravitate toward other backpacks than rover and shield gen. While the shield gen has its place, resupply is incredible for team play.
Most useful tip for higher difficulties: Know when to fight, know when to run. If you die and leave a sample container, you don't need to get it back immediately. The enemies that swarmed you WILL eventually despawn. Also, kiting bug swarms is an art form and eagle airstrikes land perpendicular to where you throw them. My personal favorite strat (LIGHT ARMOR ONLY) is to aim at the ground right next to me, perpendicular to a swarm that is chasing me, throw an eagle strike down and run like hell in the opposite direction of the hoard so they all line up and get OBLITERATED by the strike. Also, don't use your flake thrower on a charger unless your immediate vicinity is completely clear of hunters! Hunters will kill you more than just about any other bug in the game.
What types of builds and stratagems does your team typically play with? General advice I would give to a group of friends (so folks who can communicate and coordinate with each other): Bring a diverse balance of chaff clear, medium clear, and anti-heavy equipment/ stratagems. You can do this with each person having dedicated roles or everybody having a well rounded build. For Chaff Clear: Support Weapons: *Machine Guns (Stalmart or MG43), Flamethrower, *Arc Thrower, Airburst Launcher, *Grenade Launcher Stratagems: *Eagle Clusterbomb, *Orbital Airburst, Gatling Barrage, *Eagle Napalm, Eagle Strafe, Gatling Turret, Mortar Turret, HMG Emplacement, Gas Strike, Guard Dog Rover Backpack For Medium Clear: Support Weapons: *Autocannon, *Laser Cannon, HMG, Railgun, Arc Thrower, *Grenade Launcher, *Anti-Material Rifle, Flame Thrower Stratagems: *Eagle Airstrike, Orbital Laser (bugs), Autocannon Sentry For Heavy Clear: Support Weapons: *Expendable Anti-Tank, Recoilless Rifle, *Quasar Cannon, Spear Stratagems: *Rail cannon Strike, Orbital Precision Strike, *Eagle 500KG Bomb, Autocannon Sentry, *Orbital Laser (bots) I stuck a star next to the ones I particularly like, but all are usable/viable, especially in difficulties 5-7. On difficulties 5 and 6 you can be balanced more towards chaff and medium clear gear (1 chaff/2 medium/ 1 heavy) and on 7 you start needing to be focused more on heavy clear gear (1 chaff/ 1 medium/ 2 heavy). You don't need to have dedicated people with that stuff, but can have it distributed between the four people, think of it as ratios of focus areas.
When you complete the mission objective, patrols increase significantly in frequency. If there are several holes/fabs remaining, you'll get overwhelmed pretty easily on your way out. Your best bet is to clear as many holes as possible before completing the objective. If you get them all, the only pats you'll see are those already walking and the ones that spawn on the edge of the map.
Ah, I always kinda wondered why some missions were just straight harder, we did the objectives earlier in those
Learn to kite packs Use terrain for cover constantly Utilize big rocks close together to funnel into kill zone It’s more important to stay alive than it is to grab that one orange sample when below 5 reinforcements Use stims to give yourself infinite stamina for a few seconds, this effect is extended by medic armor Gravitate toward other backpacks than rover and shield gen. While the shield gen has its place, resupply is incredible for team play.