Star Wars Battlefront’s PlayStation 4 beta is now out in the wild, so chances are by now many of you are engaged in fierce battles across the galaxy as either the Rebel or Empire forces. Still, it’s a tough old time out there in the world of Star Wars regardless of which faction you are affiliated with, so chances are you need a bit of a help conquering the challenges that await you.
To kick things off, we give you a handy guide for beating the Walker Assault on Hoth, which sees Rebel and Empire forces battling it out in chilly conditions as the fate of Luke Skywalker and friends’ hideout hangs in the balance. Which side will you be on? Whatever your preference, we’ve got you covered below.
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Unfortunately, the Rebels have a tough time on the mission on Hoth, as the odds are stacked in the favour of the Empire who will be able to make things very difficult for you from the get-go. After all, those of you who are fans of the movies will recognise the battle from the beginning of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, which didn’t go all that well for Luke and his pals. In order to stand a chance of winning, you’ll need to prioritise cooperation with your teammates—nothing something that’s easy to achieve in online gaming if you’re lumbered with inadequate teammates.
The primary objective is to neutralise the hulking Walkers, which will push slowly towards the Rebel stronghold throughout the mission. If they manage to mount a full attack, it’s all over. As such, you need to stop the threat as quickly as possible; the most effective way of doing this is by capturing and holding checkpoints, allowing your X-Wings to bomb them. You can pilot these vehicles yourself by acquiring medals found throughout the map.
The game will prompt you to open fire on the Walkers once they are vulnerable, so if you’re on the ground at this time, make sure you upload on them with your Ion weapon. To ensure you’re ready, equip it before the match begins with your Star Card, and hold down Triangle to activate it. This combined with attacks from the X-Wings should ensure victory against these walking behemoths.
Playing as the Imperial Army
The Hoth battle may be stacked in the Empire’s favour, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have work to do. If you’re playing against the Rebels, then you’ll need to capture checkpoints as quickly as possible. Failure to do so will render the Walkers susceptible to enemy counterattack, resulting in the tide turning against the Empire rather quickly. One advantage you have is that the Empire doesn’t really suffer as much when losing a foot soldier as the Rebels, so playing aggressively may work in your favour. That’s a nice way of saying you’re basically expendable, as you can simply respawn and continue to push the attack; the Rebels cannot suffer casualties of this magnitude and so easily replace lost troops.
Map tips
Playing as Rebels means you need to keep your head down, so duck in the trenches to avoid incoming fire from the AT-ATs and AT-STs whenever possible. Either side is recommended to equip the Thermal Detonator, which will facilitate control of a checkpoint and is useful for wiping out trenches of enemy forces. Meanwhile, players on the Empire side should utilise the Squad Shield, which is done by securing an uplink checkpoint. Doing this will help the Walkers move up by setting up a perimeter and defending a location. The Rebels also need to make sure of the outpost in the mountain, which allows you to manoeuvre behind/under the AT-ATs and navigate the map more easily.
Vehicles
The Star Wars Battlefront beta will allow you to hop into the pilot seat of a number of classic vehicles: X-Wing, TIE Fighter, TIE Interceptor, AT-ST, snow speeder, plus the weapons system of the AT-AT. Unsurprisingly, the nimble X-Wings and TIE variants are better suited to dogfighting more than anything else, and should not be employed against Walkers or troops; they’re too fast for one thing, and aiming can prove difficult. Instead, target enemy fighters. Balancing speed and weapon power is paramount to increasing your accuracy, so make sure you practice this a few times. You can balance your craft’s power to its primary weapon by holding back on the analogue stick, making it easier to lock-on and dispatch fighters.
The AT-ATs are an enjoyable craft to take control of, and prove particularly effective in neutralising Rebel forces thanks to their damaging attacks and mobility. It’s best to set them up around the perimeter of Rebel forces while your teammates move in and secure the uplinks. Finally, the Snowspeeders are sadly only effective at dispatching AT-ATs, and this can prove a difficult task as it is. It’s best to avoid them until you have mastered the controls of other vehicles first and are confident in your abilities, as they can prove a huge waste of time for your team otherwise and will put you at a disadvantage.
Hero Units
Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker are the beta’s hero units, representing the Empire and Rebels, respectively. Both characters are extremely potent in the right hands, although you don’t want to get carried away if you’re lucky enough to play as them. Vader and Skywalker have the ability to turn the tide of battle for your team, so make sure you become familiar with their attacks, both defensive and offensive, so you can strike a fine balance, and focus on protecting your teammates as a leader rather than going in all rambo against the enemy forces.