--- title: "Ready or Not: Complete SWAT Tactics Guide" game: "Ready or Not" game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/ready-or-not" author: "Qloud" author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud" topics: ["Builds", "Co-op"] summary: "This guide covers Ready or Not's core loop (compliance, arrests, reporting, and scoring), room-clearing tactics, AI squad commands, loadouts, Commander Mode, the DLC missions, and the new Mission Editor. Researched…" url: "https://qna.gg/g/ready-or-not-complete-swat-tactics-guide-75982a93" published: "2026-09-27T16:33:01.922Z" updated: "2026-09-27T16:33:01.922Z" source: "QnA.GG" --- # Ready or Not: Complete SWAT Tactics Guide This guide covers Ready or Not's core loop (compliance, arrests, reporting, and scoring), room-clearing tactics, AI squad commands, loadouts, Commander Mode, the DLC missions, and the new Mission Editor. *Researched September 2026. Current as of v1.5.2 (Mission Editor, September 3, 2026), after the Boiling Point DLC and v1.4 update in March 2026. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.* > **Content note:** Ready or Not depicts realistic violent crime, including missions about school and mass-casualty attacks. Take breaks as needed. --- ## Quick Start 1. **You're police, not a soldier.** Your score depends on following the rules of engagement: get compliance, arrest, report, and secure evidence. Killing everything tanks your grade. 2. **Yell first.** Shouting commands (the Yell/Compliance key) makes many suspects and civilians surrender. Give them a second to comply before you escalate. 3. **Only shoot when there's a threat.** Suspects aiming at you or reaching for a weapon are fair game. Shooting a surrendered or fleeing unarmed person is unauthorized force and a heavy penalty. 4. **Cuff everyone.** Compliant suspects and civilians should be restrained. Unrestrained civilians can wander into gunfire. 5. **Report to TOC.** Downed suspects, civilians, and dead officers need to be reported (look at them and use the report interaction). Missed reports cost points. 6. **Collect evidence.** Pick up dropped weapons and required mission items. 7. **Check doors before opening them.** Use the mirror (Optiwand) under doors to spot traps and suspects. 8. **Don't rush.** Slow, methodical clearing with flashbangs or stingers beats running in. 9. **Your AI team is good if you command them well.** Use the command menu to stack up, breach, and clear. 10. **Heavy armor isn't free.** It slows you down. Pick armor for the mission. --- ## Scoring and Rules of Engagement Your mission score and letter grade come from things like: | Positive | Negative | |---|---| | Suspects arrested (more than killed) | Unauthorized use of deadly force | | Civilians rescued and restrained | Civilian injuries or deaths | | Reports to TOC | Unreported downed people | | Evidence collected | Evidence left behind | | Objectives completed | Officers injured or killed | - **Arrests are worth more than kills.** Less-lethal tools (beanbag shotgun, pepperball, taser, pepper spray, CS gas, stinger grenades) make arrests safer. - **Justified force:** if a suspect is armed and a threat, lethal force is authorized. Fake surrenders happen, so keep your weapon on them until they're cuffed. - **Mission completion** can be separate from a good score. You can finish a mission with a bad grade. Replay for S-tier. --- ## Team Commands Your AI officers are split into **Gold**, **Red**, and **Blue** elements. You can command the whole team or just one element. | Command | What it does | |---|---| | **Stack Up** | Line up on a door (auto, left, right, or split) | | **Open** / **Open & Clear** | Open the door and clear the room | | **Breach & Clear** | Breach with the method you pick (kick, shotgun, C2, ram), then clear | | **Use Flash / Stinger / CS** | Deploy a grenade before entering | | **Mirror under door** | Check what's on the other side | | **Wedge** | Block a door to control the flow | | **Fall In** / **Move To** / **Hold** | Positioning | | **Restrain / Collect Evidence** | Have officers handle suspects and items | ### Clearing a Door, Step by Step 1. **Mirror the door.** Check for traps and occupants. 2. **Pick your entry.** Unlocked: open. Locked: kick, shotgun breach, C2, ram, or lockpick. Trapped: disarm first, or breach another way. 3. **Throw a flash or stinger** (or have the team do it). 4. **Enter in order** and clear corners. Each officer covers a sector. 5. **Yell, restrain, report.** --- ## Loadouts ### Primaries | Category | Notes | |---|---| | Assault rifles and carbines | All-round choice, good against armored suspects | | SMGs | Lighter, great in tight rooms | | Shotguns | Breaching and close quarters. The beanbag shotgun is less-lethal | | Less-lethal launchers | Pepperball and similar, for arrests | The **v1.4 update (March 2026)** added three new weapons, the **9-bang grenade**, more attachments, a **multi-rail attachment system**, and more cosmetics. The **v1.5 update (September 2026)** released free new styles of the Triple Weapon Pack guns to everyone: **MK-V 'HC' (Hard Chrome)** pistol, **590M 'FDE'** shotgun, and **M32A1 'LSPD' Blue** rotary grenade launcher. ### Ammo - **JHP** (hollow point): more damage to unarmored targets, worse against armor. - **FMJ / AP**: better against armored suspects. - Pick based on the mission. Armored gangs want armor-piercing rounds. ### Tactical Gear | Gear | Use | |---|---| | **Optiwand (mirror gun)** | Check under doors | | **Door wedges** | Block doors | | **C2 / breaching charges** | Blow locked doors (can hurt people behind them) | | **Battering ram** | Quiet-ish breach of locked doors | | **Lockpick gun** | Quiet breach | | **Flashbangs, stingers, CS gas, 9-bang** | Disorient before entry | | **Taser, pepper spray** | Less-lethal arrests | | **Ballistic shield** | Frontal protection for the point man | ### Armor - **Plate material** (lighter vs. heavier) trades protection for mobility. - **Coverage** (front only vs. front and back). - **Helmets and NVGs**. Dark missions need night vision. - Heavier setups slow you down. For missions with lots of stairs and ground to cover, go lighter. --- ## Commander Mode Commander Mode is the campaign-style mode where you manage a roster of SWAT officers across missions: - Officers have **stress and injuries** that carry between missions, and losses stick. - Manage officer wellbeing with downtime and rotation. - Unlock missions and progress through the campaign. - **Play slower than in regular missions.** Losing experienced officers hurts later. --- ## Missions and DLC The base game has a large set of missions across Los Sueños, including **Valley of the Dolls**, **Neon Tomb**, and **Elephant** (a school shooting mission with very heavy content), plus many more. DLC adds: | DLC | Content | |---|---| | **Home Invasion** | Three missions set after a Category 5 hurricane, plus three weapons, six gear pieces, and seven clothing color variants | | **Dark Waters** | Three missions off the coast of Los Sueños, including an abandoned island resort, plus five weapons and two gear sets | | **Boiling Point** (March 2026) | Terror-attack themed missions launched alongside the v1.4 update | The **Digital Deluxe Edition** bundles the base game with all three DLCs. Ready or Not came to consoles on **July 15, 2025**. --- ## Mission Editor (v1.5, September 2026) The Mission Editor lets you tweak gameplay variables in existing missions, with a focus on AI: - **Suspect AI**: behavior and combat effectiveness, loadouts (for example, giving everyone knives or M249s), and appearance swaps from other levels. - **Civilian AI**: compliance and behavior. - **SWAT AI**: your officers' behavior. - **Player variables**: for example, starting with only 50 HP. - **Save and share** edited missions with codes. The official Discord has a **#mission-editor-codes** channel. Use it to practice specific scenarios, like a mission full of heavy armor or civilians that won't comply, or to build challenge runs with friends. --- ## Solo vs. Co-op | | Solo with AI | Co-op with players | |---|---|---| | Strengths | AI officers follow orders precisely and clear rooms fast | Better situational awareness, flexible entries | | Weaknesses | AI can get stuck, and you need to micro-manage | Coordination is hard, and friendly fire happens | | Tips | Use elements (Red and Blue) to hold one door while another team enters | Assign roles: point man, breacher, less-lethal, rear security | ### Suggested Co-op Roles - **Point:** shield or carbine, first through the door. - **Breacher:** shotgun, C2, ram, and lockpick. - **Less-lethal:** beanbag, pepperball, or taser, for arrests. - **Rear security:** watches hallways and stairs behind the team. --- ## Approach by Mission Type - **Barricaded suspects and active shooters:** time matters, but going slowly and methodically still wins. Flash every room. - **Hostage situations:** less-lethal first, and keep civilians out of crossfire. Don't breach with explosives near hostages. - **Bomb threats:** prioritise finding and disarming explosives, then clear. - **Raids and drug labs:** expect traps and armored suspects. Mirror every door, and sweep for evidence. - **Large open levels:** lighter armor, and split elements to cover more ground. --- ## Common Mistakes to Avoid - **Shooting surrendered suspects.** Instant penalty. - **Forgetting reports.** Look at every downed person and report them. - **Rushing doors without mirroring them.** Trapped doors kill officers. - **Using C2 on doors with civilians behind them.** You'll injure them. - **Going in without a flash.** Suspects get the first shot. - **Ignoring evidence.** Dropped weapons count. - **Heavy armor on huge maps.** You'll be slow and tired. - **Leaving compliant suspects uncuffed.** They can pick weapons back up. --- ## Advanced Tips - **Split stacks** on double doors or multiple entries give coordinated entries. - **Wedge side doors** to control where suspects come from. - **Pie corners** before you commit. Slow peeks show you more of a room safely. - **Use less-lethal on suspects who might surrender.** A pepperball or taser often makes a surrender safer. - **Listen.** Footsteps and voices give away positions. - **Leave AI teammates on a door** while you cover a hallway, instead of moving everyone together. - **Check mods after patches.** PC mods often break with updates (per the v1.4.3 FAQ), so wait for mod updates. --- ## FAQ **What's the latest version of Ready or Not?** As of September 2026, v1.5.2 (Mission Editor), released September 3, 2026. **How do I get an S rank?** Arrest suspects instead of killing them, avoid unauthorized force, protect civilians, report everyone, collect all evidence, and complete all objectives with no officer losses. **Does Ready or Not have co-op?** Yes, multiplayer co-op with human players, or single-player with AI officers. **What are the DLCs?** Home Invasion, Dark Waters, and Boiling Point (March 2026). The Digital Deluxe Edition bundles all three. **Is Ready or Not on consoles?** Yes, since July 15, 2025. **Why did my mods break?** Game updates change files that mods depend on. Wait for mod authors to update. --- ## Sources - [Ready or Not Steam news](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1144200) - [RoN v1.5 Update: Mission Editor Changelog, v1.5.2 (Sep 3, 2026)](https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1842846814444426) - [Vol. 90 Development Briefing: Mission Editor (Jul 30, 2026)](https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1839676055886174) - [Ready or Not Steam announcements via the Steam Web API (includes "RoN v1.4 Boiling Point Release Changelog (v1.4.1)", Mar 2026)](https://api.steampowered.com/ISteamNews/GetNewsForApp/v2/?appid=1144200&count=25&feeds=steam_community_announcements) - [Ready or Not v1.4.3 Changelog (May 5, 2026)](https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1831432155580572) - [Community Exhibit Vol. 28 (Sep 12, 2026)](https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1843481262698287)