Phases of the Assault on Haven

The assault unfolds in distinct phases, each escalating in intensity and requiring adjusted strategies. Each phase will feature a wave of enemies, followed by a brief respite for repairs and preparation before the next, more challenging wave. It is crucial to utilize this downtime effectively.

• Phase 1: Initial Infiltration (Waves 1-3)
  • Enemy Types: Primarily Blighted Grunts and Spitters. Expect small, scattered groups of Grunts attempting to overwhelm individual survivors or weak points, supported by Spitters targeting your outer walls and defensive emplacements from a distance.
  • Attack Patterns: Grunts will advance directly towards the nearest structure or survivor. Spitters will prioritize targets that are actively engaging them or that pose the greatest threat to their advance, such as turrets or survivors on walls.
  • Objective: To test your outer defenses, identify weak points, and wear down your initial response. The Blight is probing for vulnerabilities.
  • Recommended Loadout/Strategy:
    • Survivors: Equip your initial survivor squad with basic ranged weapons (e.g., Rifles) and a few melee-focused individuals (e.g., equipped with Machetes or makeshift clubs).
    • Defenses: Construct basic barricades and a few well-placed watchtowers or automated turrets along your primary wall sections. Deploy a few proximity mines in front of key entry points.
    • Tactics: Position ranged survivors on elevated positions to maximize line of sight on Spitters. Use melee survivors to intercept any Grunts that breach the perimeter or to reinforce walls. Prioritize eliminating Spitters to prevent structural damage.
• Phase 2: Siege Preparation (Waves 4-6)
  • Enemy Types: Introduction of Siege Hulks and more aggressive Blighted Grunt formations. Expect larger groups of Grunts, often moving in coordinated waves, accompanied by the lumbering, destructive Siege Hulks.
  • Attack Patterns: Siege Hulks will focus their attacks on the strongest defensive structures, particularly gates and reinforced walls, attempting to breach them with their powerful slams. Grunt formations will follow closely behind, overwhelming defenders once a breach is made.
  • Objective: To breach outer defenses and begin targeting more substantial structures. The Blight is now committed to breaking through your initial defenses.
  • Recommended Loadout/Strategy:
    • Survivors: Upgrade your ranged units to more powerful firearms if possible. Equip some survivors with heavy melee weapons (e.g., Hammers) to deal with the Siege Hulks' armor. Ensure you have at least one survivor dedicated to repairs (Engineer).
    • Defenses: Reinforce your walls with stronger materials. Upgrade existing turrets to their next tier. Construct additional turrets, focusing on anti-armor capabilities if available. Place more mines and consider setting up kill zones behind your main walls.
    • Tactics: Immediately focus all available firepower on the Siege Hulks. Use your heaviest hitters and turrets to bring them down quickly. Once a Hulk is dealt with, shift focus to the accompanying Grunt waves. Use barricades and melee survivors to hold chokepoints. Keep your Engineer actively repairing damaged structures, especially walls and turrets.
• Phase 3: Specialized Assault (Waves 7-9)
  • Enemy Types: Introduction of Shadow Lurkers, Blight Fiends, and potentially specialized ranged units or smaller, faster siege units. Shadow Lurkers are incredibly agile and can bypass some defenses, while Blight Fiends are fast, armored melee attackers.
  • Attack Patterns: Shadow Lurkers will attempt to flank and swarm defenders, often appearing behind your lines. Blight Fiends will charge directly at your strongest units or critical infrastructure, their speed making them difficult to target.
  • Objective: To bypass or overwhelm standard defenses through speed and unique abilities. The Blight is attempting to exploit any gaps in your defenses or overwhelm your ability to react.
  • Recommended Loadout/Strategy:
    • Survivors: Equip survivors with weapons effective against fast-moving targets (e.g., Shotguns, SMGs). Consider survivors with area-denial abilities (e.g., Flamethrowers). Ensure you have heavily armored melee survivors to engage Blight Fiends.
    • Defenses: Deploy more traps, especially those that slow or damage enemies in an area (e.g., Incendiary Traps). Upgrade turrets to have faster tracking speeds. Consider building secondary defensive lines or fortified strongpoints around critical infrastructure like power generators.
    • Tactics: Prioritize eliminating Shadow Lurkers as soon as they appear, as they can cause significant disruption. Use area-of-effect weapons and traps to control their movement. Engage Blight Fiends with your strongest melee survivors or concentrated fire. Keep your ranged units protected and focused on priority targets.
• Phase 4: The Final Push (Wave 10+)
  • Enemy Types: A massive, coordinated assault featuring all previous enemy types, often culminating in a unique, powerful boss-like entity (e.g., a Blight Patriarch, a heavily mutated Siege Hulk, or a specialized Blight Commander). This phase will be a relentless onslaught.
  • Attack Patterns: The Blight will throw everything they have at your settlement. Expect simultaneous attacks on multiple fronts, with heavy units smashing through defenses while fast units attempt to infiltrate and disrupt. The boss entity will have devastating area-of-effect attacks and unique mechanics that require precise counter-play.
  • Objective: To overwhelm Haven's core defenses and destroy the Central Command Post. This is the final, decisive battle for your settlement.
  • Recommended Loadout/Strategy:
    • Survivors: Deploy your most powerful and specialized survivors. Ensure your elite units are equipped with the best available gear. Have dedicated healers and repair specialists ready.
    • Defenses: Activate all available defensive emplacements. Ensure all critical structures are repaired and fortified. Utilize any remaining traps and deploy them strategically.
    • Tactics: This is the ultimate test. Coordinate your survivor squads and your character's abilities. Focus all available firepower on the primary threat, especially the boss entity. Identify and exploit the boss's weak points. Use crowd control abilities to manage the waves of lesser enemies. Keep your survivors healed and repaired at all costs. Do not let the Central Command Post be destroyed.