Beginner Guide and Getting Started#
The core question of Delta Force’s early game boils down to one thing: which mode to play first, and how not to get discouraged. The game includes Operations, Warfare, Red Rat Nest Arena, Black Tide Demolition, and other modes. If a new player rushes into Confidential difficulty with a full backpack of gear right away, they will most likely lose everything in a single raid. This page provides a from-zero getting-started flow that helps you get through your first dozens of hours at the lowest possible cost.
Step 1: Pick the Right Starting Mode#
| Priority | Mode | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Firing Range | Free way to learn weapon handling, Operator skills, and control layout, at zero cost |
| 2 | Zero Dam · Normal | The low-barrier intro map for Operations: low entry gear requirements (class 4 armor, class 3 ammo caliber minimums) and light AI pressure, ideal for learning the loot-fight-extract rhythm |
| 3 | Warfare | No equipment loss on death; great for practicing aim and vehicle handling |
| 4 | Red Rat Nest Arena | Fast-paced 3v3; short rounds at high frequency for Operator combat practice |
What new players should avoid in week one: Confidential and Top Secret difficulties (high gear thresholds, heavy death losses), Tidal Prison (boss Raven can execute with melee), and Brakkish Top Secret (entry gear requirement no lower than 550,000 Havoc coins).
Step 2: Claim Your Starting Operators#
Operators are split into four classes: Assault, Support, Engineer, and Recon. The Operators available to new players are:
| Operator | Class | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| D-Wolf (Kai Silva) | Assault | Starting Operator |
| Stinger (Roy Smee) | Support | Starting Operator |
| Shepherd (Terry Musa) | Engineer | Starting Operator |
| Luna (Kim Luna) | Recon | Starting Operator |
| Vyron (Wang Yuhao) | Assault | Unlocked on day 4 of daily check-in |
The four starting Operators cover all four classes, enough to experience every role. Unlocking Vyron first is strongly recommended — he is available on day 4 of check-ins, and the Assault class’s fault tolerance and mobility in solo Operations queue are the most beginner-friendly.
Quick reference for class differences:
| Class | General Strength | Beginner Friendliness |
|---|---|---|
| Assault | Faster ADS movement; mobile offense | High |
| Support | Revives teammates faster; strong healing | High (great squad value) |
| Engineer | Gadget specialist; blowtorch cutting and repairs | Medium (needs map knowledge) |
| Recon | Gathers combat-zone intel through recon devices | Medium (turning intel into value takes experience) |
Step 3: Understand the Basic Loop of Operations#
Every Operations (loot-fight-extract) raid follows the same loop: deploy → loot → fight or avoid combat → extract → settle. The first concept a new player must internalize is:
You only get paid on a successful extraction. Dying drops everything you carry; only what is inside your Secure Container survives.
Three iron rules follow from this:
- Be willing to “let go” of entry gear: run cheap kits on Normal difficulty; never take purple-or-better gear into low difficulty.
- Secure good loot in the Secure Container first: items inside the Secure Container (nicknamed the “crotch box”) survive even a failed extraction; the entry 4-slot size is enough for keys and small valuables.
- Listen for extraction points and watch the countdown: standing at a regular extraction point for 10 seconds gets you out; planning your route ahead matters more than looting one extra room.
For the full taxonomy of extraction points (conditional, switch, paid, and more), see Extraction Points and the Loot-Fight-Extract Flow.
Step 4: Learn Quality Tiers and Value Ranking#
Every item in the game has one of six quality tiers: white, green, blue, purple, gold, and red, applying equally to gear, attachments, ammo, collectibles, consumables, keys, and skins. A new player’s looting decision can be simplified to:
| Quality | What to Do |
|---|---|
| White / Green | Use if it helps; drop if it takes space |
| Blue | Worth hauling back to build up; selling recoups losses |
| Purple | Prioritize into the Secure Container or chest rig; your first extraction goal |
| Gold / Red | Evaluate extraction routes immediately; getting one out means a windfall |
For finer container value ranking and code-cracking methods, see Loot and Stash Management.
Step 5: The Gear Value Threshold Ladder#
Operations gates entry by required gear value across maps and difficulties — a natural progression ladder for your account:
| Map and Difficulty | Entry Gear Requirement |
|---|---|
| Zero Dam · Normal | Low bar (class 4 armor, class 3 ammo caliber caps) |
| Zero Dam / Longbow Valley · Confidential | 112,500 Havoc coins |
| Brakkish · Confidential | 187,500 Havoc coins |
| Brakkish · Top Secret | 550,000 Havoc coins |
| Space Base · Top Secret | No lower than 600,000 Havoc coins |
Recommended progression: Normal Zero Dam → Confidential Zero Dam → Confidential Longbow Valley → Confidential Brakkish → Top Secret Brakkish → Top Secret Space Base. Move up a tier only when the account can steadily afford to lose a run.
Step 6: Use Missions as Your Roadmap#
The Season Pass and mission system keep feeding you goals — from “extract a number of times” to “kill a specific boss” — with Terracotta Tickets and other rewards on completion. Do not treat missions as a burden; they are effectively an official growth checklist: follow them, and gear, Havoc coins, and Operator unlocks will roll forward naturally. For Season Pass rewards in detail, see Season Pass and Missions.
Common Beginner Failures#
| Scenario | Consequence | How to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Greedy last-batch looting | Missing the extraction window and dying with a full pack | Fix an extraction deadline; move before the timer runs out |
| Frontal fights on contact | Wiped by AI or Operator focus fire | Have a Recon mark targets first; confirm numbers before engaging |
| Backpack stuffed with low-value items | No space for key loot | Prioritize quality and value; drop white/green items anytime |
| Ignoring wound treatment | Stacking bleeds, fractures slowing movement | Carry a tourniquet, med kit, and surgical kit each |
| Low-tier ammo in Confidential raids | Cannot penetrate armor | Check ammo grade and match it to the map’s threshold |
Mindset for the Matchmaking Environment#
The game long ago passed 25 million registered users and 58 million daily active users on the CN server, so the matchmaking pool is deep. The upside: Normal-difficulty lobbies are highly varied, from pure newcomers to boosting accounts, and per-match swings are normal. Do not quit because a veteran wiped you once or twice — Operations matchmaking tiers you by gear value and performance, and losing gear a few times early on is a shared memory for everyone.
To close, recall this site’s lead designer quote: “There is no single definition of winning in extract shooters” — some want thrills, some want to collect, some fish and enjoy the scenery. What matters most in the beginner phase is not your win rate but finding your own way to “win”.
— Wubian, NTGame Editorial