Shanty Town

Situation Report

Gun-toting thugs muscling in on a once-bustling village have a way of lowering the local population. Though this shanty town was never overflowing with money, all that’s left now are seemingly endless numbers of enemies intent on holding it. You and your fellow Ghosts are to infiltrate as quietly as possible, secure two headquarters, and hold them when reinforcements arrive. With plenty of well-covered structures, the approach is fairly easy, but remember that when reinforcements arrive, they’ll have just as many places to hide, if not more.

// Phases 1–10

Infiltration

Your squad drops in away from the central market and must push through just five guards to secure the HQ. The low amount of resistance means a single Ghost (crouching to stay cloaked with Optical Camo) can execute all guards before they can raise an alarm.

Start by moving left, hugging the wall to avoid being spotted by a patrolling rifleman that moves through the central area. Use the abandoned food stand for cover and, when the rifleman’s patrol route turns him back toward the HQ, either slip out behind him and stealth kill or shoot him at close range, or make a quick headshot with a suppressed weapon.

Take cover against the nearby wall and wait for another patrolling rifleman to begin walking toward your squad’s position. Long before he is in range, he’ll turn and start to head back along his patrol route. Around the same time, the stationary guard nearby turns to look behind him. Slip out and move quickly to dispatch the stationary guard, then quickly move to take out the patrolling hostile before he has a chance to become alerted. Multiple squad members make this move a breeze, just remember to pick your targets first.

The final two guards are all that stand between your squad and a secure HQ. Move through the HQ and dispatch of the stationary rifleman before quickly moving to take out the final shotgunner waiting just beyond. With the area clear, return the HQ to wait for the next wave while pocketing the It’s Only A Box Trophy/ Achievement.

Note

Noteworthy Waves

Wave 5—The start of this wave marks the first appearance of the potentially game-ending RPG-toting units on a covered roof at the front and to the right of the HQ and along the roof line of a building directly to the right. A third potential threat is on the balcony to the left and behind the HQ. Beware of splash damage and make sure you’ve grabbed high cover, preferably one with multiple angles of protection. Avoid sitting near the unprotected corners of the HQ. Not only can a well-aimed RPG take you out quickly, but you’re vulnerable to flanking fire from either side. In a pinch, one Ghost can take refuge behind the central crate while another slips out to draw a bead on the RPG enemy. RPGs and snipers should be dealt with as quickly as possible or they’ll sneak in shots while your squad is busy dealing with lesser enemies.

Wave 7—A shield trooper will join the fray early in the wave. Although they are largely protected, you can using a scope or iron sights to target their feet as they walk forward. This will stagger them, which can open them up to a few more shots to their midsection if accomplished quickly. If other immediate threats have been taken care of, waiting behind cover until they’re within melee range is a quick way to bust through the shield, but remember that it leaves you open to attacks during the takedown.

Wave 10—An APC with mounted turret arrives at the end of the first phase, driving in a wide circle around the HQ. Don’t bother with small arms fire. The APC is too well protected. If you and your squad have survived this far in a single go, you’ll have access to a rocket strike. Simply steer the guided projectile down from the sky, being sure to lead the moving target a bit and the APC will go down in a plume of satisfying destruction. If by some poor stroke of fate you’re without a rocket strike, an LMG can do the trick, but it’s a high-risk means of taking the APC out.

// Phases 11–20

Infiltration

You and your fellow Ghosts begin near the old HQ and must now move back through the town toward the original insertion point. There’s just one more guard this infiltration phase, but it’s a dangerous one: an LMG-carrying trooper that packs a punch, and he’s surrounded by friends. Be careful not to alert the guards or you’ll end up witnessing the LMG’s stopping power first-hand.

As you and your squad will discover when defending the HQ you’re moving toward, there’s a wide-open flank to the left of your spawn position. Proceed up and through the back alley, skirting the entire area, then slip in behind the HQ and plan your attacks. A single guard patrols the left side of the HQ, so take him out quietly when he turns to move back toward the front of the HQ.

Slip inside the HQ and prepare to take out the guards in the area to the front. This is the perfect opportunity to set up a sync-shot, which works exactly as it does in the campaign. Mark your targets, then line up a headshot and wait for your squadmates to do the same. When the patrolling guard in the central area turns around and while the stationary guard is looking his way, let loose with your shots, hitting the LMG guard, the shotgunner to his right, and the rifleman to the shotgunner’s left. If this is done cleanly, only two guards will be left to take out in the central area. Perform another sync-shot on them.

Tip

Body Count

The infiltration wave of a particular phase can be intimidating, but there’s no time limit, and teamwork is paramount. So long as another guard isn’t around to notice a guard being taken out, that body will fade quickly, which means even patrolling units can return to areas where you’ve killed guards and they will be none the wiser. Use this to your advantage and time your shots so that they hit when a patrolling guard is nearing the far end of his route, away from the kills you’re about to make. If you’re in a position where a timed sync-shot means you can no longer see a guard’s line of sight, have a spare squadmate let you know when it’s safe to take a shot. The point reward for completing an infiltration round without raising an alarm can be more than the total points earned for all the enemies killed in it, so stealth is important to high scores.

Note

Noteworthy Waves

Wave 14—You and your squad won’t have to deal with the suppression effect of the LMG until wave 14, but now it hits early from the direction of the nearby trees (which can be shot through) and also from the house facing the front of the HQ. Deal with the threats as quickly as possible to avoid having your vision affected, as plenty of other targets will be moving in from all sides.

Wave 15—Beware of the return of shielded enemies. Although they only approach from the front of the HQ, they can slip in from both the right and left cracks in the forward walls. Let them get close, then finish them off with a melee strike and slip back into cover.

Wave 18—RPG units finally make an appearance during this round, and they can pose a particularly nasty threat because of their positioning. One sits atop the roof to the left of the HQ’s front and he’s obscured by the roof line, while the other is behind the HQ on another rooftop in the distance. The first RPG trooper must be dealt with outside of the HQ itself, by venturing into the left alley (where a guard was patrolling during the infiltration wave) and backing up to get a view of his head. The other can be taken out with iron sights or a scope from the relative safety of the HQ, but be quick to exterminate both as soon as they appear.

Wave 19—Prepare for a concerted rush from multiple angles, most notably the rear of the HQ, which has been mostly trouble-free in previous rounds. Stick in and be ready to repel multiple intruders as they stream in from all sides. Teamwork and heads on a swivel are the keys to avoiding ambush. Thankfully, aside from some shielded enemies, the threats are lowly grunts.

Wave 20—Your old friend the APC is back, and after you take it out, another will join the party. To make matters worse, multiple rushing enemies and RPG troops on the rooftops make things quite hectic. Deal with the ground troops first, moving around the HQ to take cover from the APC. It can move quickly, exposing your flanks as it does, so stay in communication with your squadmates and concentrate fire with grenades and guided missile strikes when the APC pauses.

// Phases 21–30

Infiltration

It’s back to the original HQ (now obscured by two clouds of smoke). The same plan of attack will still work, but note the appearance of two new threats past the stationary shotgunner. One, a rifleman, patrols the nearby house, while a second stationary shotgunner looks toward and away from the patrol route of rifleman. After dealing with the stationary threat standing near the HQ, line up a sync-shot to take out the last three targets at once. If you’re short on fellow Ghosts, you can take the HQ solo, but this requires more patience. Wait for the new patrolling rifleman to pass by the stationary shotgunner, then take him out silently. Either wait for the rifleman’s patrol to loop back around so that he’s moving away from the other stationary shotgunner or quickly move to take out the rifleman before finishing off the last shotgunner to clear the HQ.

Note

Noteworthy Waves

Wave 23—Snipers enter the fray for the first time, taking up position in the same spots as the RPG troops from earlier waves. Although they don’t make as big an impression as an RPG exploding nearby, they’re no less deadly. Often snipers can go unnoticed until they either down a squadmate or barely miss. Keep an eye out at all times for the telltale laser, or tracer after a long-range shot is fired, and follow it back to the rooftops to deal with the threat quickly.

Wave 26—Beginning on this wave, the enemies will adopt a more rush tactic, seeking to overwhelm the HQ. There’s plenty of charging enemies to deal with and they’re joined by RPGs, snipers, and shielded enemies. Stay on the offensive, shifting focus and cover to quickly deal with enemies that crop up, while keeping an eye out for the inevitable appearance of enemies that make it into the HQ. The floor will change from blue to orange the second they set foot in the building, so don’t spend too long looking down your sights or the change in color may be missed—the shot to the back of the head definitely won’t be.

Wave 30—This third boss wave brings with it a familiar sight: an APC, unloading while circling and creating a mess of your ability to aim. Quickly call down a missile strike, but be ready for two more APCs that you’ll have to deal with, one at a time, before this wave can be completed.

// Phases 31–40

Infiltration

By now, the HQ back-and-forth is probably starting to feel fairly familiar. Take the same route as last time, skirting the bulk of the threats by taking the side alley, then pop out and carefully slip into the HQ to attack the guard looking out the back window. Take care to time it so that the patrolling guard nearby doesn’t see the kill. Although it can be tempting to want to take out the patrolling rifleman just as swiftly, take note of the RPG trooper up on the roof. When he’s looking back toward the HQ, he’ll see a stealth kill of the patrolling guard, so wait until his back is turned, then put an end to the patrol.

With the patrol gone, you and your squad are free to dispatch the RPG guard with a well-timed, suppressed headshot. So long as the shot is quiet, the remaining guards in the courtyard won’t see. Sneak back into the HQ and wait for the guards to look away from the LMG trooper, then take him out silently, or line up a three-Ghost sync-shot on the three nearby targets. Another sync-shot on the two remaining will take them out.

Note

Noteworthy Waves

Wave 32—Until now, most of the threats have come from the front of the HQ, ignoring the route you took to secure the building. They won’t be making that mistake anymore. Be prepared for threats from enemies from both directions. (A telltale sign of multiple inbound tangos is smoke being popped.) Particularly watch out for snipers that set up shop on the rooftops. If you or your squadmates see a laser, get to cover immediately, then return fire to snuff out the long-range threat.

Wave 40—If Wave 10 brought a single APC, 20 threw two at you, and 30 brought three, you probably won’t be shocked at the news that you’ll have to face down four before Wave 40 can be concluded. Pound the vehicles with missiles as soon as they appear to give your squad breathing room before the next one rolls in. If things get hectic, sacrificing an Airstrike Wave Streak can help thin enemy numbers, but it won’t get them all. Stay alert and heal squad members only when the coast is clear.

// Phases 41–50

Infiltration

It would appear the enemy has decided normal troops just aren’t going to do the trick anymore. To that end, they’ve called in Bodark units, which won’t show up on a sensor sweep due to their optical camouflage and are hard to spot at a distance. Thankfully, they’re positioned in exactly the same places as previous infiltrations into this HQ, with one major exception: Instead of a second shotgunner, an RPG-toting grunt sits atop a roof overlooking the HQ. With a few changes, though, even a single Ghost can silently eliminate them all.

Begin by taking the same route used the last two infiltrations. Grab cover near the food stand and wait until the camouflaged patrolling Bodark rifleman turns to head back toward the HQ, then quickly stealth kill him out of the sight of the RPG grunt. Head into the alleyway with the burning vehicle and take cover behind the crates near the HQ. Wait for the second patrolling rifleman to turn and begin moving back toward the HQ, just like the first. Quickly kill him, then head back toward the crates and wait for the stationary Bodark LMG enemy to look away from the RPG goon. With a single precision (suppressed) headshot, take out the RPG-wielder, then wait for the LMG guard to turn back around. Sneak up behind him, stealth kill him, move through the HQ, and then do the same to his buddy. All that remains now is for the patrolling Bodark rifleman to turn and walk away from the clueless Bodark shotgunner so that you can take both out and clear the HQ.

Note

Noteworthy Waves

Wave 41—After so many waves of enemies, you and your squad should have a good idea where threats will come from. The Bodark forces don’t really mix this up, but they’re far more prepared than other troops and will quickly throw out EMP grenades to disable any turrets you set up for cover. Expect them to crash the HQ hard and fast, and with their ability to cloak, it can be harder to spot far-off targets. Gear up for heavy fighting. These enemies are well-armored, and there’s no need for a suppressed weapon anymore, so grab a weapon with high penetration and another with a rapid rate of fire to cover your bases. Claymores and incendiary or Frag grenades are a solid investment, but don’t forget to stock up again between waves.

Wave 47—Be ready for an absolutely relentless assault by a seemingly unending series of shielded enemies. They will slowly move in from all sides, with new ones replacing any that are felled. To make matters worse, RPG and LMG troopers complicate things even further. Wait for the shielded enemies to approach the relative safety of the HQ, then melee them into oblivion. Should an RPG unit spawn in the balcony behind the HQ where his shots are blocked by the HQ itself, leave him until the end; his shots can’t get to your team unless you leave the cover of the HQ.

Wave 50—This is it: the last of the waves and the Bodark forces know it. With a whopping 45 hostiles to take down and every combination of heavy-hitting firepower, this one’s going to be tough. Coordinate with your fellow Ghosts, adopting a direction to concentrate your fire while your buddies do the same so that between you, all angles are covered. Stay elastic, though, grouping with squadmates to repel multiple attackers as needed, then returning to your primary firing direction. Toward the end of the wave, after you destroy the first APC, a helicopter will glide into the level with another APC, and these should be taken out as quickly as possible with any and all heavy strikes. There’s no need to conserve here. Use multiple air strikes and missiles. Judicious use of your Invisibility Wave Streak will make all the difference. Remember that Bodark camo keeps them from being highlighted in night vision, so stick to clear optics unless trying to peer through smoke.