Defense Raids are 10-man defense missions added to Global Agenda in the second Sandstorm update. During raids, you and your team are dispatched to defend key facilities from the waves of attacking Recursive Colony forces. In-game, these raids are referred to as Raids (generic) or SRs (Sonoran Raids). A more difficult raid, the Dome Defense Raid (DDR), was released in version 1.4.
Overview[]
Raids are available only to players of at least Level 30, and you may join queues solo or with a team of up to 10 players. However,
raids missions will only be available to play during certain periods which occur roughly every 90 minutes, denoted by the sounding of alarms and the activation of red warning indicators throughout Dome City. While alerted, all available agents are encouraged to help defend key facilities from falling into the hands of the Recursive Colony.
Raids will usually be available for 10 minutes, and can be replayed as many times while raids are still available.
Objective[]
In each raid mission, there will be a point which must be defended, such as a generator (in SR) or Dalton Bancroft (in DDR). This generator is usually located at the center of the map, although on some maps this objective will move along a track to locations. In DDR, Bancroft will move from area to area as the raid progresses. Enemies that get too close to the objective will begin to damage it. Once the objective sustains too much damage, it will self-destruct, ending the mission.
Robotics are able to repair the damaged generator and medics or robos may heal Bancroft (due to his biomechanical nature), but not nearly as quickly as a swarm of enemy forces can damage it. This is why an organized defense is needed. Allowing enemies to swarm the objective will almost always end in failure.
Early Waves[]
Each raid consists of multiple waves (four for Sonoran, five for Dome Defense), the intial waves each last about three minutes and the final (boss) wave lasts until the boss is defeated. During that time, numerous NPCs will spawn and attempt to make their way towards the objective to destroy it. There will be a brief period between waves when no more NPCs will spawn, allowing teams to rebuild their defenses and, more importantly, clear any remaining NPCs from the map.
Final Wave[]
During the Sonoran Raids, the Dune Commander will appear as a boss during the fourth and final wave. NPCs will continue to spawn during this wave, and keeping them away from the objective is paramount. Swarms of incoming bots are usually a bigger threat to the objective than the Dune Commander himself!
During the Dome Defense Raid, the Dismantler will appear as the final boss during the fifth and final wave. As in Sonoran Raids, NPCs will continue to spawn so care must be exercised as to not be overwhelmed.
Enemies[]
Most enemies are reskinned versions of NPCs which are seen elsewhere. For example, there are alternate versions of both Guardians and Widows, as well as drones and ants which players first encounter in the Sonoran Desert missions. There is also a drone (Mk II) specialized as a sniper, capable of slowing any player that it hits. Their rifles are very accurate, and the laser which emits from it can help alert players to their location. For the full list of NPCs in these missions, see the section below.
NPC list[]
The following are the NPCs which currently appear in these missions.
Common Forces[]
Colony Drone - simple Recursive drone equipped with an assault rifle. Very plentiful during waves and spawn in large numbers, usually accompanied by several other enemy types.
Colony Ant - four-legged support unit, capable of unleashing a barrage of grenades. Similar in appearence and behavior to Support Balistas.
Colony Sniper (Colony Drone Mk. II) - humanoid mech equipped with a sniper rifle. Slows victims that it hits. Laser from rifle is visible from long distances.
Mini-bosses[]
Colony Spider - quadrupedal mech capable of dragging agents away using a tractor beam. Has powerful melee attacks, as well as an autocannon which deals damage quickly. Similar to the Widow's experienced in Spec Ops.
Colony Guardian - floating mech that fires a barrage of long-range energy blasts capable of doing significant damage. Similar in appearence to Support Guardian (and Recursive Overseer).
Boss[]
Dune Commander - Large, bipedal mech equipped with rocket launchers and autocannons; also can emit a massive amount of energy which is deadly to humans and mechs alike.
Dismantler - Squid-like boss, appears only at boss stage in DDR (Dome Defense Raid).
Allies[]
Dalton Bancroft - the objective to protect during the DDR. He also provides buffs to the defending team at strategic points during the raid.
Maps[]
There are currently only three Sonoran Raid maps available (not including the Beta maps). These are:
- Pentarch Reactor Facility - Objective will move to a new location along a fixed track for the first three waves, before remaining stationary for the final wave. Attacks from 4 directions and overhead.
- Oasis Checkpoint 10-Man - Stationary objective in a damaged building within a pipeline facility. Attacks from 4 directions and overhead.
- Canyon Defense - Stationary objective located in a raised facility under siege mainly from two opposite directions in approximately a 120 degree arc on each side.
Also, a special Halloween version of Oasis Checkpoint 10-Man has been introduced as part of the Halloween Update. Instead of defending a generator, players humorously defend a "cage of souls".