Survive the perils of war on PlayStation Vita with these handy hints from Christian Sadak, senior designer at developer Zipper Interactive.
Before you helicopter in to the latest global war zone as a member of the toughest special forces squad on the planet, take a moment to absorb this inside intel - it might just save your life.
Use this information wisely, and you'll storm the game's global leaderboards.
Direct Action missions

- This is the longest game type in Unit 13 with no special restrictions. Each mission has a diverse collection of objectives: you could be planting a surveillance device, obtaining intel or neutralising an enemy leader. Be sure to keep an eye on your objectives list as you play.
- All Direct Action missions allow operatives to take multiple routes, so make sure you experiment with alternative paths and characters each time you play.
- Animal, Chuckles or Python are the best characters to go with. Their direct approach and explosive gear are ideal for situations with multiple goals.
Covert missions

- Pay attention to the icons above your enemies' heads. If you haven't been spotted but a bad guy has seen or heard something, then a question mark appears over their head to denote suspicion.
- If you are detected, the enemy's awareness switches to the alert state, and he'll call his comrades over – when that happens, you fail the mission. It's crucial to eliminate the enemies that see you before they can sound the alarm.
- Watch out for laser tripwires. Stumbling through these automatically fails the mission.
- Just remember to stay hidden and you'll avoid being spotted, and take out enemies with melee attacks whenever possible to keep from making too much noise. If you're really good, it's possible to complete Covert missions without killing a single bad guy. You'll get a big scoring bonus if you can pull it off.
- Ringo is the best operative for this mission. Not only will you take out enemies quietly and efficiently with his suppressed sub-machine gun, you'll also see huge bonuses thanks to his range of stealth skills.
- Build Ringo up to Level 4 to unlock the Small Suppressor Attachment for the entire team. You can then use Alabama and his sniper rifle to take enemies out from a distance in silence. Chuckles' ability to spot electronic hazards is helpful too.
Deadline missions

- This game type is a race against time. You must get in, complete your primary goal and escape before time runs out. The good news is, your deadline can be extended by reaching checkpoints which makes speedy navigation your number one ally.
- Python with his machine gun or Chuckles' upgraded assault rifle are perfect for the running, gunning nature of this game type.
- A good tip for all Deadline missions, regardless of their objectives, is to avoid sneaking around and completing time-consuming tasks like defusing charges. You'll get a bigger score for completing the mission more quickly.
- Don't underestimate the use of flash-bang or smoke grenades. They can stun or distract your enemies and hide your movements in a second.
- If you can avoid getting shot, Ringo has the fastest movement and can get the lowest times. However, he's also the weakest, so while he's the most effective choice, he's one for more advanced players.
Elite missions

- Unlike other game types, Elite has a health bar which you must keep an eye on because it doesn't regenerate. Plus, if you die, you can't restart from checkpoints; you must start the mission all over again.
- Don't get too intimidated though – Elite missions aren't as long as other game types and your health is replenished when you hit those checkpoints.
- Try to avoid being hit at all times. The fuller your health bar when you reach checkpoints, the more you'll score at the end of the mission.
- There's one exception to this rule. Zeus' Redline skill bonus racks up more points when he's low on health. Since health doesn't regenerate in Elite mode, you can play on for massive bonus points.
- Alabama with a suppressed weapon can do major damage from afar, while his claymore mines let you take out enemies tactically.
High Value Targets

- High Value Targets (HVTs) are unlocked after earning enough stars in the other mission types. They are the supreme leaders, the worst of the worst and they need to be eliminated. Although your health regenerates as normal, there aren't any checkpoints to save your progress along the way to each leader.
- Complete these missions and you'll have plenty to brag about to your friends, as you'll be able to share stats using "near" on your PlayStation Vita system.
Daily Challenge

- Check the status bar in the main menu of Unit 13 for brand new missions featuring new objectives and enemy emplacements. There's a dedicated leader board for Daily Challenges, and in a unique twist you only get one chance to complete it before the next day begins.
- Make every decision and scoring opportunity count, because you only get one stab at it. Practise for every eventuality by playing through the above game types.
School's out, soldier. Now gear up and make your team proud in Unit 13 on PS Vita.
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