Firestarter

Firestarter

The Firestarter heist is a multi-day operation focused on disrupting a rival gang's operations and securing high-value assets. This guide will walk you through each day, providing actionable steps and strategies for success.

Day 1: The Weapons Deal

Your primary objective on Day 1 is to raid a hangar containing a significant weapons cache. Stealth is highly recommended for a smoother experience, but a loud approach is also viable if your crew is well-equipped.

• Initial Approach: Upon spawning, immediately move towards the hangar. There are usually two main entry points: the front gate and a back entrance accessible by climbing a fence.
• Stealth Strategy:
  • Disable Cameras: Locate the security room, typically found in a small office within the hangar or an adjacent building. Take out the camera operator to disable all cameras.
  • Eliminate Guards: Systematically take down guards using silenced weapons or melee attacks. Prioritize guards patrolling near the hangar doors and the weapons crates. There are usually 3-5 guards patrolling outside and inside the hangar.
  • Open Hangar Doors: The main hangar doors can be opened via a switch located near them, or sometimes from the security room.
  • Secure Weapons: Once inside, identify the green weapons crates. There are typically 4-6 crates. Interact with them to mark them for extraction.
  • Call in the Van: After marking the weapons, a prompt will appear to call in the escape van. The van will park outside the hangar.
  • Load Weapons: Carry the weapons bags from the crates to the escape van. Each bag is heavy and slows you down. Coordinate with your team to move bags efficiently.
• Loud Strategy:
  • Breach and Clear: Assault the hangar directly. Use explosives like the C4 or Breaching Charges to quickly open doors if necessary.
  • Control the Area: Establish control by eliminating all hostiles. Be prepared for heavy resistance, including Shields and Tasercops.
  • Secure and Load: Proceed with securing and loading the weapons as in the stealth strategy. Expect continuous waves of law enforcement during this phase.
• Escape: Once all weapons bags are loaded, enter the escape van to complete Day 1.

Day 2: The Server Farm

Day 2 involves infiltrating a server farm to hack critical data. This day can be challenging due to the confined spaces and numerous security measures.

• Entry Points: The server farm usually has a main entrance and sometimes a back alley access. Look for a ventilation shaft on the roof or a maintenance door for a stealthy approach.
• Stealth Strategy:
  • Camera Loop/Disabling: The server farm is heavily monitored. Utilize the Camera Loop skill from the Ghost tree or locate the security room to disable cameras. The security room is often on the ground floor or a mezzanine level.
  • Neutralize Guards: Guards patrol the server rooms, hallways, and offices. Take them down quietly. Be wary of guards in pairs.
  • Locate Servers: Your objective is to find three specific servers to hack. These are usually marked with a distinct glowing light once identified. They are often spread across different server racks.
  • Initiate Hacks: Interact with each server to begin the hacking process. This takes a few minutes per server. You will need to defend the servers during the hack.
  • Retrieve Hard Drives: After each hack completes, a hard drive will be ejected. Collect all three hard drives.
• Loud Strategy:
  • Breach and Hold: Expect immediate heavy resistance upon going loud. Secure the main server room and establish a defensive perimeter.
  • Defend Hacks: The hacking process will attract continuous waves of law enforcement. Place Sentries or Trip Mines strategically to cover entry points.
  • Collect and Escape: Once all hard drives are collected, head to the designated escape point, which is usually a van or helicopter.
• Key Item: Remember the hard drives are your main objective. pick them up after each hack.

Day 3: The Bank Heist

The final day involves raiding a bank to retrieve the funds associated with the data acquired on Day 2. This is a classic Payday 2 bank heist, but with a twist.

• Initial Recon: Observe the bank from the outside. Identify camera locations, guard patrols, and potential entry points (front door, back alley, roof access).
• Stealth Strategy:
  • Control the Lobby: Quickly secure the lobby by taking out civilians and guards. Use Cable Ties to control civilians.
  • Disable Cameras: Locate the security room, typically in a back office or basement, to disable cameras.
  • Vault Access: The vault can be opened in a few ways:
    • Drill: Place the Thermal Drill on the vault door. This is a time-consuming process that requires constant monitoring and occasional restarts.
    • Keycard: Sometimes a keycard can be found on a manager or in an office, allowing for quicker vault access.
    • C4: If you have C4, you can blast open the vault door, but this immediately triggers an alarm.
  • Secure Cash: Inside the vault, you'll find piles of cash. Bag them up. There are usually 6-8 bags of cash.
  • Escape: The escape vehicle (van or helicopter) will arrive at a designated point, often the front of the bank or a nearby alley. Load the cash bags and escape.
• Loud Strategy:
  • Breach and Clear: Go loud immediately. Expect heavy resistance from the start. Secure the main bank area.
  • Defend the Drill: If using the drill, prepare for intense waves of law enforcement attempting to stop it. Place Ammo Bags and First Aid Kits strategically.
  • Bag and Run: Once the vault is open and cash is bagged, make a mad dash for the escape vehicle. Use Smoke Grenades or Flashbangs to create cover if needed.
• Special Consideration: On Day 3, there's a chance the vault contains gold instead of cash, which is heavier but more valuable. Adjust your bag-carrying strategy accordingly.