I saw a squad walk straight into trouble in the Buried City the other night. They dropped in carrying nothing special, picked a fight with a Bastion right out in the open, and paid for it almost instantly. Small arms against that kind of armour? Not worth the ammo. I stayed back in the tree line, waited for the noise to die down, and walked out with what was left of their gear. That’s ARC Raiders Items for you – no second chances and no safety net. Spend enough time in Speranza’s rust-stained streets and you’ll realise that survival’s about quick decisions, not big firepower.
Stop wasting your rare gear. The “Standard Issue” loadout is free every run – use it. Those basic kits are perfect for learning spawn locations without stressing over losing a custom rifle. I’ve had runs where I started with just the entry-level SMG, grabbed a few bits, and left richer than players who brought their best builds. Treat these as risk-free profit runs; if you die, you’re back where you started, minus the panic of losing great loot.
Sound will get you killed quicker than anything else. Sprinting makes you sound like a herd of cattle, and gunfire pulls enemies – human and machine – straight to you. When I’m solo, I spend most of my time crouch-walking. Hear steps that aren’t yours? Stop. Let them make the next move. And in fights, don’t waste bullets on grey armour. Those weak spots on Walkers – hit the legs. On heavy units, aim for sensors or crack the plating. Precision wins fights, not spraying rounds.
I never let my stamina drop too low unless I’m seconds from extracting. You need it for dodging when things get messy. Crossing an open stretch? Holster your weapon – you’ll move faster and give snipers less of a shot. Weapon choice matters too; the Ferro rifle packs enough punch to deal with armoured targets early on. Leave the standard pistol behind; it simply won’t keep you alive when it counts.
Don’t let greed be the reason you don’t make it home. One valuable item? Head for the exit. My personal limit’s twelve minutes in a raid – after that, the odds of bumping into a kill-hungry squad go way up. And skip the noisy elevators if you can; they announce your position like a siren. Get a Raider Hatch Key for the underground exits – quiet, fast, and no waiting. That one item’s as valuable as any big drop, and among the cheap Raiders weapons you can get, it’s the key that’ll save your life when staying a few minutes longer could cost you everything.