Battlefield Hardline Episode 1: Back to School – Save Tyson

Find Brix

The first objective of the episode is fairly simple, requiring players to spend a few moments walking through the streets, getting acquainted with the people of Miami. Follow Khai Minh Dao, enjoying the conversation until she spots Brix up ahead. Approach him and press the button indicated on-screen to flash Mendoza’s badge. This is a very important game mechanic that players would be wise to keep in mind for the remainder of the campaign.

Tip: When deciding how to approach a suspect, look for a white shield with an exclamation point above their heads. This indicates they will put up their hands if players flash their badge.

Interrogate Brix

It’s more of an arrest (followed by the abandoning of a restrained suspect) than an interrogation, but players can complete this objective by doing as Khai instructs and placing the subject in handcuffs. Also, we’re not worried about the suspect so much as having to replace the handcuffs that we left behind.

Get to the Projects

This objective lasts all of about five seconds. Just follow Khai about 50 feet down the street until she spots Tap’s crew, ducking behind a chain link fence for cover.

Avoid Detection

Follow Khai up the street and then into a series of backyards. She’ll emerge past where players first spotted Tap’s crew, crossing the street on the opposite side of them. Players only need to follow her lead here, paying attention to the on-screen instructions that continue to introduce the controls.

Gamers will get their first real taste of Tap’s crew when the game instructs them to crouch in order to reduce the noise their making. Continue to follow Khai, crossing the alley into another. It’s at this point that the game will introduce the concept of throwing shell casings as a distraction, and players can use this technique to sneak by the lone thug.

Tip: Don’t depend too heavily on throwing shell casings, as doing so repeatedly will raise the awareness of enemies in the area.

Continue forward until Khai comments that there’s no way past the two men standing guard. Sneak up just a bit to see an opportunity to throw another shell casing, getting both of the thugs to turn their backs to Mendoza. Maintain a crouched position, moving up and quietly taking down the suspect on the left, then repeating the process for the one on the right. This will bring the objective to an end.

Interrogate Tap

This may or may not be a completely scripted objective, but players should keep an eye out for any on-screen instructions that require them to arrest Tap, or anything else that Khai might instruct them to do. Other than that, however, it’s smooth sailing to the next part of the episode.

Scan and Analyze Tap

From this point forward in the campaign, players will receive a Scanner, a tool that will allow them to both tag and identify their enemies. In some cases, this will result in Suspects with Warrants being identified, indicating the player can arrest them as part of an ongoing challenge. In fact, we already wrote a complete guide on where to find all of the Suspects with Warrants.

Tap is located just to the left, standing behind a large dumpster. Follow the on-screen instructions to tag him, then hold down the indicated button to analyze and identify him. This will kick off an opportunity for players to earn a trophy/achievement called Motley Crew, requiring that they tag all 17 bad guys in this episode from here on out. Here’s a list of where to find them.

• Two guys guarding the entrance
• Three just inside the school itself
• One on the second floor to the right
• Three upstairs on the left
• Eight inside the two cars that pull up

Tip: When the vehicles pull up with the final eight targets that can be scanned, make sure to also analyze the one in the back right passenger seat of the car. His name is Lawrence Kent, one of the Suspects with Warrants.

Save Tyson

Follow Khai down the stairs to arrest the first two suspects in the hallway. This is done with a flashing of the badge, then approaching and restraining the man on the right. Don’t worry, you didn’t screw it up, the second suspect is programmed to act like a fool and force Khai to take him down.

Continue moving forward to see Lawrence Kent (who didn’t hear the gunshots?) standing with his back to Mendoza and Khai. Here is the chance to place him under arrest, but keep in mind arresting a suspect and taking them down are two entirely different concepts, each with different point values. Sneaking up behind him and pressing the button to take Kent down will result in 500 points, but flashing Mendoza’s badge and arresting him will earn players 1,000. Since he has the shield with an exclamation point above his head, go with the second option.

Tip: Players can arrest up to three suspects at one time, meaning that if there’s a group of four, they will need to be separated using the shell casing distraction technique.

Move around the courtyard in a counter-clockwise fashion, arresting the lone suspect first, then the two standing guard by the door. Players will notice that each one has a shield with an exclamation point above their head as they approach, so why not go for the additional points?

Head inside the school and arrest the lone thug on the first floor, then move up the left staircase (the one on the left while facing the front door of the school) to find another thug alone in a room. Arrest him as well, then get ready to deal with three more scattered enemies through the second story.

This part is a little tough, given that they enjoy moving around, and will often face Mendoza, but they can all be separated and subdued (arrested or shocked with the T62 CEW) without alerting the others. When they are all handled and out of the way for good, the objective will be complete.

Investigate the Room

There are three mandatory pieces of Evidence that players must find in this room, and together they make up a Case File called the Hot Shot File. Case Files are yet another type of collectible found in Battlefield Hardline, and once again, we have a full guide to help players find all the Evidence and complete each one.

While investigating the room, players should look for the following three pieces of Evidence. Actually, the Box of Hot Shot can be found in an adjacent room.

• Ledger and Money
• Surveillance Photo of Stoddard
• Box of Hot Shot

Get to the Car

The final objective of the episode requires Mendoza and Khai to return to their vehicle. To do this, backtrack down the stairs used to reach the second floor, then wait for the suspects in the main hall to scatter. Approach and arrest the lone guy on the inside, then move to the front door and arrest three more hanging out there. This will leave two more in the courtyard, both of which players can either attempt to arrest, or simply neutralize with the T62 CEW.

Follow Khai to the car to trigger the final part of the episode, knocking on and kicking in the door when the on-screen instructions pop up. From here, get ready to defend Khai, hip-firing to take down the bad guys as they continue to pour into the mansion. When the game decides that players have been through enough, the episode will end.

Feel free to return to our main walkthrough for Battlefield Hardline, a place where you’ll find all of the episodes in one location, as well as guides to all of the Evidence, Case Files and Suspects with Warrants. For players who are eager to continue with their experience right away, continue to Episode 2: Checking Out.