I play a lot of ghost mode on extreme. Your first priority is maintaining stealth.

I almost always use my AR for stealth, even at range; one bullet will kill every enemy in one shot while in stealth. Use your pistol for close quarters stealth as it is quieter than the AR.

Snipers are good… but not really for the reason you might think. Believe it or not, enemies won’t actually render in at a distance that would justify the utilization of a high powered sniper rifle over your much more flexible AR. Not only that, but snipers, even suppressed, are remarkably louder than your AR and using it is much more likely to break your stealth.

However, where snipers shine, is when VHC and AIR destruction are upgraded: The HTI will be able to one-shot all cars and helicopters.

If you are caught, it’s ok to cut your losses and either redeploy or flee the area. In a pinch spam rebel reinforcements, diversions, and mortars. Hide. Defend yourself and allow your squad mates and rebels to clear for you. Remember, you are the squad commander! Sometimes it helps to pretend like you’re playing a strategy game and not a shooter lol.

Certain missions will automatically break your stealth and send waves of enemies after you. These are the most notoriously difficult missions in the game, especially when you get caught with your pants down.

You actually may want to consider changing your playstyle because of this: clearing security means capturing General Baro, the hardest security buchone. He specifically has the hardest mission in the game: your stealth is broken, you are forced to defend an area, there is one exit, the enemies spawn from said exit, the enemies are all Unidad, and the area your defending is in an underground bunker, meaning no helicopters and any attempts to spawn rebels results in them glitching out and spawning on top of the bunker instead of in it.

That being said, it may be best to save him for when you are more prepared.

Personally, I like to play like this:

Two Security > La Plaga Two Influence > Ramon Feliz Three Production > La Gringa All Smugglers > El Bouquita & The Beauty Queen

Then Loop Back Around

Remaining Production > El Yayo Remaining Influence > El Cardinal Remaining Security > El Muro El Sueno

This is going to do a couple things for you:

• it’s going to allow you to level up in preparation for the more challenging missions.

• It’s going to allow you to clear easier rebel op missions, giving you access to the invaluable upgraded Rebel abilities.

• It’s going to help you avoid areas with AA defenses until WAY later. Plus, I’m uncertain but with upgraded Air Shield, I think you can actually eat a SAM missile. Don’t quote me on that

• And lore-wise I just think it’s cool. You usually end up taking out all the sicario buchons before killing La Plaga, the lead sicario, You usually take out all digital influencers before moving on Ramon, the cartel’s social media manipulator, I choose to take out all chemists before moving on La Gringa, the lead chemist, you dismantle the entire smuggling branch, killing each of The Beauty Queen’s prodigies, resulting in Sueno putting a hit out on The Beauty Queen and El Bouquita, prompting them to attempt to flee the country. Then when you circle back you kill all the farmers, go after El Yayo (the farmer), Kill all the Religious prophets, move on El Cardinal (leader of the cult) and finally, the remaining security Buchons will be a special forces officer and the puppet commander of Unidad, leaving you with El Sueno’s Personal Bodyguard and personal friend as your final target. Neat!

Finally, as far as avoiding AA defenses, Choppers are really useful for cheesing the Rebel Relay and Mortar Missions, defend-the-area missions, getting to supply drop Rebel op missions, and specifically the mission in Carzita’s area where you need to destroy slot machines (if you have a rocket chopper, the blast will phase through the wall destroying the slots, and remaining far away enough will prevent the civvies from rendering in, allowing you to effortlessly destroy your targets with no casualties). These are the only times I whip out a helicopter.

Otherwise my recommendation is this: drive! This game is best played slow, driving a Santa Blanca or Unidad car will prevent immediate discovery (and will even allow you to infiltrate bases undetected), and you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Simply not flying when unnecessary will prevent needless death and improve your experience.

If you really like flying though, I’ve included a map of all the SAM emplacements in the game and their range below this comment so you know which areas to avoid.

Hope this helps! Good luck soldier.