Star Wars Battlefront Missions are a great set of challenges and in the Beta you’ll get to try one of the most thrilling ones: Survival. Set on Tatooine, your objective is to hold off waves of Imperial forces including AT-STs, elite stormtroopers, and more.
Before you jump into Survival (alone or with a friend via co-op or split-screen) we’d like to share some tips and tricks with you. Together with our partners at EA, here are 10 invaluable things that will help ensure a successful mission. Good luck, and may the Force™ be with you.
Survive six waves of increasingly challenging Imperial forces:
In the Beta, Survival includes six waves of Imperial forces. As you progress through the mission, infantry soldiers carry better equipment and attack in bigger packs. Most importantly, use your blaster to pick off weaker stormtroopers, saving your more powerful weaponry for the stronger foes to come.
Look out for power-ups:
Drop pods are sent your way after the second wave. Claim a pod to find valuable power-ups. Additional lives and Charge pickups appear after specific waves. All of these items help tip the odds of the battle in your favor. Collect these resources whenever the opportunity arises.
Keep an eye on the scanner, and avoid being surrounded:
Glance at the scanner frequently to gauge from where the Imperial forces are arriving. Avoid getting pinned against a wall with multiple access points for the enemy, as it becomes tougher to escape when surrounded on all sides. Look for narrow walkways that offer a potential choke point.
Hidden collectibles:
Survival missions contain five well-hidden collectibles. These white, diamond-shaped icons can be found anywhere around the environment: floating against the bright sky, deep in a cave, against a cliff, and even outside map boundaries. Many float high in the air and require a Jump Pack for you to collect them. Keep this in mind when selecting your loadout.
Take advantage of all power-ups, Star Cards, and turrets:
When the opportunity arises, claim drop pods to strengthen your arsenal. Use everything at your disposal to defeat the hordes of Imperial forces, saving more powerful weaponry for later waves.
Claiming a drop pod:
You must claim a drop pod before receiving the power-ups inside. This action requires some time. During the process, Imperial infantry members can steal the drop pod and disable it. Your foes won’t try to claim it until you have started the process, so it may be worthwhile to save it for later. Once a drop pod has been successfully claimed and the power-ups pop out, they remain there until they are picked up or the mission ends. Therefore, you can save them to turn the tide in later, tougher waves.
Loadout:
At the start of each Survival mission (as well as after dying), you can choose from a selection of blasters and two preset Star Card Hands. Personal preference plays a big part in your selection, but you should also consider the types of enemies and map layout when making your choices. If you are going to be fighting in narrow corridors, select a weapon with a high rate of fire and damage. If you will be picking off charging infantry from afar, select a long-ranged blaster. Jump Packs provide easier movement around some environments, and they are also required to find many collectibles.
Avoid spending too much time on the canyon floor:
The high precipices of Tatooine offer great vantage points over the canyon floor below, making it dangerous when running between the bluffs. Use this to your advantage by setting up high above when Imperial forces pour into the valley. This isn’t safe for long, though: infantry forces eventually charge the high ground or pick you off from distant terrain.
Star Card Hand:
Both Star Card options in Survival on Tatooine contain the Jump Pack, which is very useful when traversing the steep cliffs of the canyon. It is also essential when collectible hunting, since four of the five items float high in the air. Annihilator is best against vehicles. The Ion Torpedo allows for locking onto a vehicle across the long distances of the canyon floor. The Personal Shield keeps you safe from blaster fire while using the ion weapon. Raider also gives an anti-vehicle option with the Ion Shot, pairing it up with Barrage, which is good against groups of infantry. Ultimately, choosing your loadout comes down to personal gameplay preference.
Watch your step:
When traversing the high cliffs of Tatooine, be aware of the steep drops around the map boundary. Fall off the side, and it can be tough to get out. However, you can rocket your way to safety with the Jump Pack. If you fall out of the combat zone, you have 10 seconds to return to play. Stay calm, step away from the cliff wall, and use the thrust of the Jump Pack to boost back into the game.
Learn even more Beta tactics with our Drop Zone and Walker Assault multiplayer tips!
Star Wars™ Battlefront™ releases on November 17th; pre-order the game now! Then, earn every Achievement/Trophy, dominate battle with expert strategies, and learn about the best uses for every weapon and vehicle in the game with the official strategy guide.
