The beta for Ghost Recon Breakpoint is live now, and players around the world are arriving on the vast and diverse archipelago of Auroa to take on the Wolves. You can access the beta by preordering the game now, or by signing up for UPLAY+. And whether you're playing the beta or waiting to dive in at launch, you'll want to take advantage of Breakpoint's new features and mechanics to improve your chances of survival against deadly mercenaries and lethal drones. Read on for tips on how to improve your stealth, buff your combat capabilities, and handle injuries in the heat of battle.
Stay Out of Trouble
The best way to avoid getting in a bad situation is to not let the bad guys know you're there. Moving in a crouched position helps lessen your chance of detection, and scouting with your handy flying drone will allow you to spot enemies before they spot you. (Speak with Holt in the friendly refuge/social hub of Erewhon to get your drone ASAP). You're vulnerable while droning, though, so go prone to keep a low profile. If an enemy patrol ends up walking close by, or an Azraël drone flies by high overhead, take it a step further and use the new prone camo ability to get down, dirty, and nearly undetectable. A prompt will tell you if you're on the right terrain to smear mud or snow all over yourself and remain hidden; don't try this on concrete.
In addition to using situational stealth tactics, you can also customize your Ghost to be more detection-resistant. Earn skill points by leveling up or finding them in well-defended crates, then put them towards abilities that make it harder to be detected and easier to vanish. Unlocking items like the intel grenade can help too; this gadget emits a pulse that highlights nearby enemies and is useful for checking building interiors. It's also available in launcher form as the Sharpshooter's class item, allowing for longer-range intel-gathering.
Finally, use those suppressors. There's a control shortcut for equipping/unequipping your suppressor on the fly, but for further weapon customization, you'll need to open up your menu and edit your weapons with the Gunsmith feature. While most weapons come with some attachments, you'll need to find blueprints in the wild to expand your possibilities (consult the Objectives Board in the menu for leads). As you gather more weapons, go ahead and deconstruct the lower-powered ones to get materials to beef up your current arsenal. The small upgrades you can perform in Gunsmith will apply to all weapons of that type, and they'll add up.
Prepare for Trouble
Bivouacs are your new best friend. You can discover locations for these makeshift shelters all over Auroa by locating intel in enemy-controlled areas, talking to locals, or simply exploring. Bivouacs are immensely helpful in three major ways:
- Travel: You can fast-travel to discovered bivoaucs anytime you are not in combat. Furthermore, if you purchase vehicles from the vendor in Erewhon, you can deploy them at the bivouac. Helicopter fans, take note.
- Crafting: Bivouacs are one of the most convenient places to replenish your stock of items, like syringes, which are essential for recovering from debilitating injuries, as well as survival in general. You can also prepare rations to consume in the field when you need a boost to stamina, aim, weapon handling, and more. Furthermore, grenades, C4, sync shot drones, and other deadly items can be crafted in the bivouac to save you a trip back to Erewhon. All of these items require crafting supplies, though, so keep an eye out for enemy caches, plants, and even animals in the field. Every little bit helps.
- Mission Preparation: Access your inventory screen to select your crafted items and assign them to your quick-access item wheel so you can easily use them in the heat of combat (note: you don't have to be in a bivoauc to do this, but it is a good habit to get into). Use the bivoauc's preparation menu to activate a temporary buff to XP gain, stealth, injury resistance, and more. And select the time of day that you want to break camp to give you and your allies the best chance at success (midnight infiltration, anyone?).
Start Some Trouble
When the time comes to take out the mercenaries or Wolves standing between you and your objective, it's a good idea to try to do as much damage as you can before everyone freaks out and starts shooting you. Start by scanning the rooftops or towers for snipers or rocket soldiers, and taking them out with silent shots (avoid aiming for their rocket packs unless you want an explosion). Scout enemy patrols with your drone and use diversion lures to draw them off of their routes and into better ambush spots. If you do happen to drop a conspicuous body, you can always pick it up and carry it somewhere out of the way if you think someone might find it. And if you're playing as a Panther, use your special class item to help conceal you from any buzzing camera drones.
Once things get loud, you can distract, disengage, and try to lose your pursuers, or you can ditch the stealthy approach and go loud, literally and figuratively. Take the suppressor off of your weapon for some extra impact, or just pull out your light machine gun and lay down some heavy fire. Bust out the frag grenades and rocket launchers from your item wheel, and if you're the Assault class, use your gas grenades to deadly effect. It's wise to fire from behind cover, but be careful not to get pinned down; tough, shotgun-wielding foes will rush in and cause you close-quarters problems, while others will flank to gain a better angle on you. Stay mobile, avoid open spaces, and you might make it through a tough fight.
Oops, You're in Trouble!
OK, so things got a little more heated than you'd like, and now instead of running from cover to cover, it's more of a vigorous limp. That's not good. Injuries can not only impede your mobility, but they can also hamper your aim and even restrict you to using only a sidearm. It's time for some first aid. Syringes will quickly replenish your health and heal your injuries, but if you're out of them, you'll want to use one of your unlimited bandages to patch yourself up. Bandaging takes time and leaves you exposed, so consider falling back to a nearby building or cover point. The Panther class ability to create a massive smoke cloud is helpful here, as it will not only break enemy sightlines, but also cause drones to lose their targeting as well. This can allow you the time you need to bandage yourself, or to pick up a downed ally and carry them to a safer area to revive them.
If you find yourself getting cut down too often, consider putting some skill points towards health- and restoration-boosting perks. Playing the Medic class can help too, as your class ability will allow you to self-resurrect when downed. You can also upgrade your weapons in Gunsmith, buy tougher gear items from the store, and use rations and bivouac bonuses to beef up your Ghost before missions.
Leave All Your Troubles Behind
Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself in a situation where you are simply outgunned. Different areas of Auroa host enemies of different levels, and if you're assaulting foes that significantly exceed your level, things may get very difficult for you. Leaving a vehicle near your entry point can help you make a quick getaway, and the Panther class ability to break enemy sightlines can give you a head start. Many engagement areas have vehicles nearby, but simply hoofing it to the nearest treeline can sometimes give you the distance you need to regroup. Remember, a Ghost never runs away from a fight, but they do make tactical retreats.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint is coming to Xbox One, PS4, PC, and UPLAY+ when it launches on October 4. Secure early access by preordering or by subscribing to UPLAY+. For more on the PC specs and the Ghost War PVP mode, check out our Ghost Recon news hub.
