The Paladin is 4th Echelon’s (4E) mobile headquarters, and the place you call “home” between missions. It’s a state-of-the-art aircraft complete with its own pilots, onboard staff who gathers intel regarding the Blacklist attacks around the world, workshop, infirmary, and holding cells. While aboard the aircraft you can:
- Customize your gear.
- Launch Campaign and 4E Missions, or Spies Vs. Mercs matches.
- Talk to your 4th Echelon team members for leads on side operations.
The SMI
At the heart of the 4th Echelon’s analytical capabilities is the SMI, or Strategic Mission Interface. From this sophisticated device, Sam and his crew are tapped into communications, military, intelligence, and media sources around the world, providing them with data and analysis on any mission, any target, and any source.
Use the SMI to browse through missions, find and join friends playing online, and matchmake into Co-op and Spies Vs. Mercs games. You can access the SMI using the table in the Command and Control aboard the Paladin, or by selecting SMI Map from the Pause menu.
Upgrading The Paladin
When you want to upgrade the Paladin, talk to Grim and choose Plane Upgrades to decide where you want to make improvements. Upgrades include sourcing and acquiring new gear, boosting Sam’s and Briggs’s performance in the field, and adding and enhancing functionality to your Radar in the HUD. The higher your Paladin Upgrade Level, the more cash you will earn at the end of each Campaign and 4E mission, and Spies Vs. Mercs matches.