Changes

1. # The most frequent team archetype used is a combination of 3 DPS (MG/AR/RF) and at least 1 Tank (SMG or SG). Due to the flexibility of HGs to serve both as off-tanks and as support for other DPS, it may often be preferable to use HG depending on the difficulty of the stage due to their lower resource cost.# MGs deal all their damage up front, but will then have to reload for at least 4 seconds. As a result, they tend to be outclassed by AR and RF in longer fights. Consider this carefully when building your team, as their consumption is much higher in comparison.# Be aware of the effects of buff tiles. SMGs and ARs complement each other, MGs and SGs complement each other, and RFs reduce the skill charge time of HGs. HG buffs can affect all guns.# Different gun types benefit more from certain stats. ARs tend to favor crit chance and damage over attack speed. RFs favor RoF and damage, MGs benefit greatly from accuracy and damage, and SGs require the greatest amount of accuracy to be effective. Keep these general guidelines in mind when equipping your team and choosing your buffs. [[File:2AR1RF1HG1SMG.jpg|thumb|220x220px]]# Typically your tanks will receive much less damage if they avoid the front row. This is because the time it takes for the enemies to move into firing position will be longer, and your own squad won't need to move forward to fire at enemies. It is often better to sacrifice tile buffs rather than losing valuable DPS time repositioning your team at the beginning of each round of combat.# Due to their naturally high evasion and the fact that no single instance of damage is capable of destroying more than 1 T-doll, High level HGs can be used as resource-friendly secondary tanks. [[File:2AR1RF1HG1SMG2.jpg|thumb|220x220px]] Taking the above points into consideration, the formation pictured with the HG in the middle is very recommended if you're not feeling lazy and can swap the positions of the SMG and the HG at the start of every battle. Otherwise if you are lazy, leave the HG at top.# For player Tdolls, damage received does not carry over to other dummies. (If an x2 girl has 400 total HP and she takes two 150dmg shots, she'd be left with one dummy at 200 HP.) Because of this, prioritize evasion over HP against bosses, since no Tdoll in the game can take more than 2 150dmg shots per dummy.# One of the highest DPS compositions is 3RF 2HG. This can be used to farm most content because enemies will often be mowed down before being able to land a single shot. There are also other RF formations available, as demonstrated [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb_pyzsYrqw here]. Mobs to take caution over when using this formation are Dragoons (mounted enemies), Dinergates, and basically fast moving enemies that may swarm the squad up and engage in close quarters. In addition to having high movement speed, they also deal high damage per shot and have high accuracy as well.# A safe, jack-of-all-trades, master of none composition would be 2SMG 3AR or 2SMG 2AR 1HG. As demonstrated [https://youtu.be/jIimsxfl79U?t=10m36s here] by the Anti-Rain squad, each unit has a role to play in near-perfect tandem. The same concept is demonstrated by Squad 404, and other 'canonical' team. Using other girls with similar skills, other fully-functioning AR SMG teams could be formed. Their only weaknesses would be armored enemies and 'RF/Shield' combinations.

2. MGs deal all their damage up front, but will then ==In-Combat=====Kiting===All enemies have to reload for at least 4 seconds. As a resultnoticeable delay between when they first get into position, and when they tend take their first shots. The length of the attack animation differs between different types of enemies; RFs and Nemeums have the most noticeable delay. This used to be outclassed exploitable by AR putting your tank in the front line, and RF in longer fightsright before they take their first shot, moving your tank back to the 2nd line and immediately back to the front line. Consider this carefully when building your teamAs of the Arctic Warfare event update, however, enemies no longer have to restart their attack animation and are able to attack as their consumption soon as another unit is much higher in comparisontheir attack range.

3While it is no longer possible to force enemies to restart their attack animation via kiting, it is still possible (and very advantageous) to use the Retreat option on an individual T-doll to force an enemy to move forward, thus forcing them to move forward while still being subject to your attacks. Be aware of In the effects of buff tiles. SMGs and ARs complement each other, MGs and SGs complement each otherEpisode 5 Night missions, and RFs reduce it is not possible to kite the skill charge time Nemeums backwards because they begin combat in range of HGs. HG buffs can affect all gunsyour whole team.

4As of Patch 1. Different gun types benefit more from 115, a bug still exists where retreated T-dolls still count as "active" for the purposes of target acquisition for certain statsenemies. ARs tend Notably, Architect has a chance to favor crit chance and damage over shoot her RPG special attack speed. RFs favor RoF and damage, MGs benefit greatly from accuracy and damage, and SGs require the greatest amount of accuracy to be effective. Keep these general guidelines in mind when equipping your team and choosing your buffsat an off-screen T-doll.

[[File:2AR1RF1HG1SMG===Animation Canceling===All bosses except for Destroyer, the EP.5 boss, have some sort of special attack that could formerly be canceled by kiting them. As of the Arctic Warfare event update, this no longer works unless you retreat a girl while the special attack is being used.jpg|thumb|220x220px]]

5===Blocking 2 columns with one tank===By constantly moving a T-doll between 2 blocks in a row, 2 enemy columns can be prevented from advancing (especially the shield units and the mechanized ones since they can only be stop by blocking their exact column). Typically your tanks However, that certain T-doll will receive much less damage if they avoid the front rowbe rendered unable to shoot/use skill and moving another T-doll is obviously impossible. This is because the time it takes for After the enemies to move into firing position will be longerstart shooting at that T-dolls, and your own squad stop moving her won't need cause enemy units to move forward to fire at enemies. It is often better to sacrifice tile buffs rather than losing valuable DPS time repositioning your team at the beginning of each round of combatadvance as long as they keep shooting.

6. Due to their naturally high evasion == Resource Preservative Runs ==Resource Preservative Runs, aka 거지런, poor runs, and starve runs, are where you repetitively complete the fact that no single instance of damage is capable of destroying more than same 1 T-turn mission over and over again while only supplying the main DPS doll, High level HGs can be used as resource-friendly secondary tanksin the echelon.

[[File:2AR1RF1HG1SMG2This exploits the fact that only the dolls with resources exhausted will attack, but rest of the echelon can still tank while gaining XP.jpg|thumb|220x220px]]

*Taking the above points into considerationThis is an extremely time-consuming yet resource-efficient way to grind XP and doll drops, the formation pictured with the HG in the middle so it is very not recommended if you're not feeling lazy and until the player can swap the positions of the SMG and the HG at meet the start of every battlerequirements below.

=== Preparation ===*Otherwise if you '''The auto-supply needs to be disabled!'''* The echelon needs at least one well-grown tanker. Although shotguns are preferred for their armor being able to reduce damage taken to 1, [[M16A1]] with armor plates or her exclusive equipment or high evasion+health SMGs are great for lower areas. At least 4 links are recommended for SMGs and 3 links for Shotguns and M16A1. The tanker doll should be in the foremost lane in the center in order to draw all enemy fire.* The echelon needs a DPS doll with high initial DPS. Self DPS buffing or grenade ARs with short initial cooldown are lazypreferred for their high DPS to resource consumption efficiency. Although the DPS doll isn't as selective as the tanker, leave 4-5 star dolls with least 4 links are optimal.* The rest 3 slots should be filled with those that needs XP. The echelon leader should be one of these to make the most of the HG at topXP bonus the leader gets unless you wish to grow the DPS doll or tanker doll faster.* There needs to be an extra empty echelon to be used to refill the DPS doll, along with '''an extra DPS doll'''.

7=== Process ===# Open stage. For player Tdolls, damage received does not carry over # Place the main echelon with the DPS doll at full supply on the heliport nearer to the enemy command center.# Place the supplying echelon on the command center.# Begin stage.# Supply '''only the supplying echelon''' manually.# Use the main echelon to other dummiesbeat the stage as quickly as possible. (If an x2 girl has 400 total HP This is usually done in a single turn.# After the stage, swap the 2 DPS dolls between the main echelon and she takes two 150dmg shots, she'd be left with one dummy at 200 HPthe supply echelon.# Repeat from #1 as much as you need.)

Because of === Notable Stages ===These are stages where this, prioritize evasion over HP against bosses, since no Tdoll in the game can take more than 2 150dmg shots per dummystrategy is usually used on.

8. One of the highest DPS compositions ==== 1-2 ====This stage is 3RF 2HGvery different from other stages. This In this stage, you only need 1 echelon and can be used only have 1 doll that needs XP grinding at a time, but '''you don't need to farm most content because enemies will often be mowed down before being able to land spend a single shotresource, not even for the DPS doll. There are also other RF formations available, This is because you can use the dolls the stage drops '''as demonstrated [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb_pyzsYrqw here]the DPS dolls'''.

Mobs to take caution over when using this formation are Dragoons (mounted enemies), DinergatesOnce the stage ends, and basically fast moving enemies that may swarm swap out the squad up and engage in close quarters4 exhausted DPS dolls with newly-gained 2-star dolls. In addition Make sure to having high movement speed, they also deal high damage per shot and have high accuracy keep the XP grinding doll as wellthe leader.

9. A safe, jack==== 4-of-all-trades, master of none composition would be 2SMG 3AR or 2SMG 2AR 1HG3E ====This is the earliest stage where you can use this strategy properly. As demonstrated Since there are [https://youtu.be/jIimsxfl79U?t=10m36s here[jaguar]] by the Anti-Rain squads, each unit has a role it's recommended to play place the dolls in near-perfect tandem. The same concept is demonstrated by Squad 404forward positioning, and other 'canonical' team. Using other girls with similar skills, other fully-functioning AR SMG teams could be formed. Their only weaknesses would be armored which allows the echelon to kill the jaguar before attacking rest of the enemies and 'RF/Shield' combinations.

It should be noted that the XP gain decreases if the doll's level goes over 75. ==In== 5-Combat2E ====Basically enhanced version of 4-3E. XP decreases after level 88. ===Kiting=5-4E ====This stage is a little different. This is where the player needs to:# Supply supplying echelon.# '''Evacuate''' supplying echelon.# Run around as much as possible against weakest enemies with the main echelon.# '''Forfeit''' the stage. This stage is also great for boss grinding. However, this is very different from resource preservative runs as it requires the tanker to be an SMG and the whole echelon needs to be supplied for this.

All enemies have a noticeable delay between when they first get into position, and when they take their first shots. The length of the attack animation differs between different types of enemies; RFs and Nemeums have the most noticeable delayXP decreases after level 93. This used to be exploitable by putting your tank in means the front line, and right before they take their first shot, moving your tank back to the 2nd line and immediately back dolls can quickly get to the front line5 links. As of the Arctic Warfare event update, howeverHowever, enemies no longer have to restart their attack animation and are able to attack this stage does not give as soon much cores as another unit is in their attack range4-3E.

While it is no longer possible to force enemies to restart their attack animation via kiting==== 0-2 ====The next main place for this strategy. From this stage and on, it is still possible (and very advantageous) to use the Retreat option on an individual T-doll tanker has to force an enemy to move forwardbe a shotgun. For this stage, thus forcing them the shotgun needs to move forward while still being subject to your attackshave armor of at least 11. In the Episode 5 Night missionsAlthough shotgun with some evasion like [[Super-Shorty]] can be used, it [[M16A1]] with both armor plate and exoskeleton is not possible to kite the Nemeums backwards because they begin combat in range of your whole teamoptimal for this stage.

As of Patch 1.115From this stage on, a bug still exists where retreated T-dolls still count the DPS doll becomes very limited as "active" for the purposes of target acquisition for certain enemiesstart to get stronger. NotablyNotable DPS dolls include [[HK416]], [[FAL]], [[M4 SOPMOD II]], [[G11]], Architect has a chance to shoot her RPG special attack at an off[[AN-screen T94]], [[M4A1]] MOD3, and [[ST AR-doll15]] MOD3.

All bosses except ==== 0-4 ====The process is a little different for Destroyerthis stage too. On this stage, the EPplayer can play the stage infinitely without completing or forfeiting from the stage.5 bossThis means the process becomes a lot quicker, have some sort of special attack but the fact that could formerly be canceled by kiting them. As of the Arctic Warfare event update, this enemies generated from enemy heliports don't drop dolls means it gives you no longer works unless you retreat a girl while the special attack is being usedcore at all.

By constantly moving a T==== 6-doll between 2 blocks in a row, 2 enemy columns can be prevented from advancing (especially the shield units and the mechanized ones since they can only be stop by blocking their exact column). However, that certain T3N Zas Run ====[[File:6-doll will be rendered unable to shoot/use skill and moving another T-doll is obviously impossible3N Zas Run. After the enemies start shooting at that T-dolls, stop moving her won't cause enemy units gif]]to advance as long as they keep shooting.be added