Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Introduction

Hello and welcome to the Giant Bomb Community Guide to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain! This guide will serve as a handy resource to provide a basic framework that will allow you to get through the game or retrace your steps when retaking a mission.

Fulton Recovery System

After completing Mission 2, you will gain the ability to Fulton enemy soldiers, stray animals, and even military equipment and vehicles out of the battlefield and onto Mother Base. This is how you will develop the majority of your Diamond Dogs during the game.

To initiate a Fulton Recovery, simply walk up to a subdued target and hold the Y (or Triangle) button and you will attach a self-inflating balloon to the target. After a few seconds of delay, the balloon will shoot up into the air with the target, eventually arriving at Mother Base. Simple, right?

Is that a rhetorical question?

Of course it is! Did you notice that everything that can be Fultoned out of the field has a percentage on top of the icon? That's the likelihood of a successful extraction, because there are several factors that can determine whether or not your target makes it to Mother Base intact:

• Injuries: So you have shot a target with lethal rounds but not actually killed them until they lie writhing on the ground. You can Fulton them, but there's a chance they won't survive the trip back. Increased Support and Medical Team levels will provide a greater chance for extraction, but the best method is using less-than-lethal force.
• Weight: Until your R&D team has leveled up enough to offer upgraded Fulton balloons, you can only pick up people and animals at the start. Attempting to pick up anything else will instantly snap the Fulton in two. The next upgrade will let you pick up objects MG emplacements and mortar tubes. Eventually you can upgrade to Fulton up entire vehicles and shipping containers, sometimes with people and resources still in them!
• Weather: Even if you've done everything right, there is a chance that Mother Nature can still screw you over. Cloud cover, sandstorms, heavy rain, all of these can knock your Fulton balloon off-course and ensure that it never reaches Mother Base.
• Enemy bullets: There is a small window at the start of a Fulton Recovery where an enemy who sees it can shoot down the balloon, denying you your prize. Make sure you have enough time and room when extracting your target.

The only 100% foolproof extraction method? Call in your chopper and take any captured enemies or prisoners back the old-fashioned way. Of course, the chopper can still have problems with landing due to weather or enemy anti-air fire, and it costs a lot more GMP than a simple Fulton balloon, and the chopper can only land at specific spots on the map as opposed to the Fulton system which can be used basically anywhere with a view of the sky...but aside from that, the chopper won't be blown away easily by enemy fire or stray gusts of wind.

As for resources and plants you find in the field, once you pick them up, they automatically get Fultoned to the base through...uh...let's say [NANOMACHINES].

Fun fact: Did you know the Fulton Recovery System existed in real life? It's true! Though not to the extent shown in the game where you could pick up entire cars and shipping containers.

Missions

Main missions deal with the story and may involve a slightly different approach than normal operations. Main operations can be re-taken to get a better score, but the amount of GMP recieved upon successful completion decreases with each re-take.

Mission 0 - [Flashback] Prologue Awakening

After waking up in a hospital in Cyprus, you will be given a brief tutorial on camera controls and an opportunity to re-design "your" face. However, before you go under the knife, cutscenes will play as a bandaged ally named Ishmael helps you escape. Make sure to follow his instructions as close as possible, otherwise you may end up running straight into enemy troops and eating a bullet if you go too far ahead of him.

Go down the winding staircase but do not go all the way down, as there are enemy troops waiting for you there. Instead, go to the locked door until Ishmael opens it and disappears into a side room. Crawl under the beds on the left side, make sure to time it so the enemy does not see you behind the curtain.

Lie flat on the bodies in the hallway, do not get up, another cutscene will happen and you will receive a silenced pistol. Shoot the fire extinguisher on the wall to continue the tutorial. More troops will come at you but now you can fight back, so take them out quickly with headshots. When you emerge in the front hall, Ishmael will provide a distraction. Use what you have learned about staying in cover to take down all the enemies in the hall.

After more cutscenes play, dodge the Man On Fire's attack. Another cutscene. Feel free to waste ammo on him until Ishmael reappears to save you. More cutscenes later, you're riding on a horse with Ocelot and a pump shotgun. Try to time your shots for when he's charging up to attack. Congrats, you've escaped, for now.

Mission Tasks

• Completed the mission without triggering Reflex Mode
• Completed the mission without allowing the Man on Fire to attack even once after meeting with Ocelot

Mission 1 - Phantom Limbs (0 GMP)

As cutscenes play, Ocelot will walk you through a tutorial of your binoculars and iDroid, then direct you towards an outpost with D. Horse. You have three days to find and rescue Kazuhira Miller. First head to the outpost, and take out the guards however you wish. Survey the area in and around Da Wialo Kallai to the north. When you feel confident enough, infiltrate the village and make your way to the second floor of the biggest building there. You will find a document that can be scanned, which will pinpoint Kaz's exact location in Da Ghwandai Khar.

Use similar tactics to survey the Soviet base from afar, then make your way into the base. Even if you are not concerned about a no-kill run, try not to alert the guards, as they will call in reinforcements and make your life a lot more difficult. Make your way into the back of the base, and find Kaz behind a locked door. After a cutscene plays, carry him out. Whistle for D. Horse and place Kaz on him to make things easier.

Ride with Kaz towards the LZ, except now you'll run into the new "Skulls" enemy. Ride quickly past them to reach the new LZ. Do not attempt to fight them off, as your current weapons won't hurt them and you'll either get yourself or Kaz killed.

Get to the new LZ and board the chopper with Kaz. Don't worry about D. Horse, he'll find his own way back via Fulton.

Mission Tasks

• Pinpointed Kazuhira Miller's whereabouts
• Extracted Kazuhira Miller
• Extracted the commander from Wakh Sind Barracks
• Completed the mission without being discovered by the Skulls
• Secured the rough diamonds in Spugmay Keep
• Extracted the transport truck driver

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 2 - [Flashback] Diamond Dogs (40000 GMP)

After cutscenes play, Ocelot welcomes you back by showing you the basics of the Fulton Recovery System and managing your new Mother Base. Follow his directions. Don't worry, your allies at Mother Base can take whatever punishment you give them, and you won't be able to use any lethal weapons there even if you wanted to. When you're ready, call the chopper to head back into the field.

Mission Tasks

• Completed the Fulton extraction training
• Extracted staff, raising your R&D Team's level
• Developed the cardboard box, and completed basic training
• Completed restrain training
• Completed strike training

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 3 - A Hero's Way (0 GMP)

Your first "real" mission now that you've gotten your hands dirty: eliminate a Spetsnaz commander. He'll be by the house in Da Shago Kallai (Shago Village). As you prepare to disembark your chopper, Miller will say how it would be a waste to kill him (HINT, HINT!). You'll recognize him as a man in a red beret, unlike other soldiers who wear simple camo headgear or nothing on their heads.

There are multiple ways to approach this mission: Take him out with your rifle, toss a grenade into the area outside the house when he meets with three other Spetsnaz soldiers, snipe him from afar, infiltrate his house while knocking out the Soviet soldiers along the way...however you do it, make sure that the man disappears. If possible, try to infiltrate the house, you'll find a cassette tape playing 80s power-pop music.

By this point, you will probably notice certain "Mission Tasks" that can be completed. Don't worry, as you won't be able to complete all tasks in one go. Come back when you have better equipment and retake the mission to get the rest.

Mission Tasks

• Eliminated the Spetsnaz commander
• Neutralized the Spetsnaz commander from long distance (100m or more)
• Extracted the Spetsnaz commander
• Picked a haoma in the desert between Shago Village and Spugmay Keep
• Secured the processed materials hidden in Shago Village

Obtainable Skills / Blueprintsf

Mission 4 - C2W (45000 GMP)

You are tasked with destroying the Soviet Eastern Communications Post. By planting explosives on the comm relays or sabotaging the antenna, you can complete the mission easily. This tactic can also be used on enemy bases later in the game, preventing enemies from receiving backup if they call for it. There is also an anti-air radar system. While not required, destroying it will create a hole in the enemy anti-air radar net and allow your chopper to land right on top of the base if desired.

Mission Tasks

• Identified the comms equipment at the Eastern Communications Post
• Destroyed the comms equipment at the Eastern Communications Post
• Secured the rough diamonds hidden near the Eastern Communications Post
• Destroyed the transmitter at the Eastern Communications Post
• Extracted 2 Prisoners being held at Wialo Village
• Extracted the materials container from the Eastern Communications Post

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 5 - Over the Fence (50000 GMP)

Snake must rescue a genius scientist who unsuccessfully tried to defect, and is held at the Wakh Sind Barracks. Rescuing the scientist will allow you to develop improvements on your Bionic Arm through Mother Base's R&D.

Mission Tasks

• Extracted the captive engineer
• Fulton extracted the engineer through the hole in the facility's ceiling
• Extracted the prisoner plotting to escape from Wakh Sind Barracks
• Extracted the four-wheel drive patrolling between outposts
• Secured the blueprint at Wakh Sind Barracks

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 6 - Where Do the Bees Sleep (55000 GMP)

Make sure you have a good amount of time saved up, because if this is your first time attempting this mission it will take a while to finish. You need to recover a portable SAM launcher known as the Honey Bee, but the Soviets are looking for it as well. Make your way past multiple outposts however you wish. Interrogating Soviet soldiers might lead to the exact location of the captured Hamid prisoner. In any case, your first destination will be the Mountain Relay Base to the east.

Look to the base on the other side of the bridge to see three Soviet soldiers beating up the Hamid. You can take out the soldiers here, or wait to see what they do with him. If you do nothing, the Soviets will pile into a 4x4 with the Hamid and drive off to Da Smasei Laman. Make sure you've marked the prisoner so you can follow along on your map. Head either across the bridge or into the valley to get past the Relay Base and follow the enemy to Da Smasei Laman. Be careful as the mountainous terrain means you will be funneled into a smaller range of movement.

When you get to Da Smasei Laman, the soldiers will continue beating the Hamid, then force him to retrace his steps to get to the Honey Bee. You can follow along, or jump in and rescue him. If you Fulton the Hamid out, he will pinpoint the exact location of the weapon for you as thanks. Whatever you do, try to save the Hamid. Besides, you complete a Mission Task for doing so.

Go into the lower part of the caves where you will find the case containing the Honey Bee hiding among piles of crates. Equip the Honey Bee as your Primary Weapon (Back) and exit the cave, where a cutscene will play and Snake will meet Skull Face for the first time. When the cutscene ends, you'll find yourself facing several members of the Skulls unit.

You can follow Ocelot's suggestion to take them out with the Honey Bee, though Kaz will tell you that saving Honey Bee ammo will increase your bonus after the mission. As long as you have at least one spare rocket remaining, you'll have completed the third task. Whether you choose to fight the Skulls or flee from them, call in a chopper and get yourself out of the hot zone. After another cutscene, your mission will be complete.

Mission Tasks

• Secured the Honey Bee
• Eliminated the Skulls
• Secured the Honey Bee with its ammunition intact
• Extracted the prisoner who cannot speak
• Extracted 2 snipers at the Mountain Relay Base
• Eliminated the gunship

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

• Diplomat
• Tough Guy
• Quick Reload

Mission 7 - Red Brass (55000 GMP)

Three Soviet COs are meeting on the outskirts of Di Wialo Kallai. This mission should be relatively easy compared to the previous one. If you've been developing Mother Base properly, your Intel team should be able to narrow down where the first commander will be waiting near an abandoned farmhouse. The other two will be arriving to the village from the north and south. If you have the tools and the bravery, you can eliminate them both before they reach the village. However, if you wait, all three of them can be extracted at the same time.

Mission Tasks

• Eliminated the commander of the company stationed at Wialo Village
• Eliminated the commander of the plattoon stationed at Shago Village
• Eliminated the commander of the plattoon stationed at Wakh Sind Barracks
• Extracted the commander and the soldiers riding in his vehicle (4 total)
• Extracted the 3 commanders
• Listened to the end of the 3 commanders' conversation
• Extracted 2 prisoners being held at Ghwandal Town

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 8 - Occupation Forces (120000 GMP)

You will start near Qarya Sakhra Ee, the same village you found Kaz at the start. Head up the mountain and look for the Ops room. Interrogate Soviet soldiers to find its exact location. When you find scannable documents on a desk, scan them to pinpoint the location of the armored convoy led by the Soviet colonel, as well as its predicted route to Da Smasei Laman. If you don't have the weaponry on hand to either destroy the tanks or Fulton them out of the area, you can find an armored vehicle parked in the Soviet outpost between the two towns, conveniently unlocked for you to hijack and use on the tanks.

Also, there is a prisoner located in the middle of Qarya Sakhra. Make sure you rescue him before heading off. As always, interrogating nearby soldiers may give you his exact location.

Mission Tasks

• Secured the deployment plans
• Eliminated the colonel
• Eliminated all tanks
• Extracted the colonel
• Eliminated the colonel and all tanks before they reached Smasei Fort
• Extracted all tanks

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 9 - Backup Back Down (130000 GMP)

You will have 15 minutes to support the mujaheddin by taking down as many armored vehicles as possible in the area between the Lamar Khaate Palace, Yakho Oboo, and Wakh Sind. It is highly recommended that you at least have a rocket launcher developed and ready before you begin this mission, and bring along D. Horse to cover more ground quickly. As long as you can destroy at least one armored vehicle, you will complete the mission. However, you will have multiple vehicles to destroy over the course of the Mission.

Halfway through the mission, Ocelot will chime in about a prisoner being driven through the Mission area in a 4x4. Look for the prisoner's route on your iDroid and extract him safely to get his "Electrospinning" specialty, which will be necessary to develop armor for D. Horse and D. Dog.

Also later on, Ocelot will mention a truck carrying a powerful weapon. Hijack or blow up the truck and steal the weapon in the back if you have time. It is a multi-rocket launcher that can lock on to a target in your sight range.

Mission Tasks

• Eliminated an armored vehicle
• Eliminated multiple fighting vehicles or gunships
• Eliminate all armored vehicles without receiving a resupply or fire support
• Secured the weapon the transport truck was carrying
• Extracted an armored vehicle
• Extracted 4 soldiers searching for the escaped prisoner
• Extracted 6 prisoners
• Extracted 3 tanks

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 10 - Angel With Broken Wings (120000 GMP)

You will have to extract a prisoner named Malak from the Lamar Khatte Palace. Unfortunately, he is injured, so he cannot simply be Fultoned out no matter how fast you work. He is sitting in the back of a 4x4 driven by a small Soviet patrol, and escorted by an APC in the rear. On top of that, there are extra Afghans who have been taken prisoner, and if you do not move quick, the guards will execute them one by one.

To quickly finish this mission, sneak in from the south of the Palace, plant C4 on the APC, and detonate it after it moves a bit down the road. The Soviet guards will leave their vehicle to investigate the attack. Now you can grab Malak and call down a chopper to a nearby LZ and extract him from the field. Also, doing this will buy time if you want to help the other prisoners at the Palace, who can be Fultoned out of the area.

If you prefer to wait instead, the convoy will take Malak to the Yakho Oboo Supply Outpost, where a couple more prisoners await. Save the prisoners in the Palace, then head north past a different Soviet Outpost to save Malak and the extra prisoners. Keep in mind that Yakho Oboo will be a well-defended fortress compared to any other Soviet base you've encountered thus far.

Mission Tasks

• Extracted the Mujahideen prisoner called Malak
• Extracted the escort vehicle (armored vehicle)
• Extracted 3 prisoners being held at Lamar Khatte Palace
• Extracted 2 prisoners being held at Yakho Oboo Supply Outpost

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 11 - Cloaked in Silence (65000 GMP)

You need to at least have Missions 7-10 ready, and you need to have a Medical Platform with Sickbay built at Mother Base for this mission to happen.

While wandering around northern Afghanistan, this Mission will happen automatically after Big Boss is shot at by a sniper somewhere in the Aabe Shifap Ruins. Lock on to her with the Scope, but after you hit her she'll zip around to somewhere else. You can still keep track of Quiet, either by the dust trail she kicks up or the weird theme she hums to herself, but she can shake any markers in between hits. Also, after she takes enough damage, she'll heal herself by standing in a nearby pond.

You can fight her with lethal or non-lethal methods, but non-lethal methods work best if you're trying to complete all Mission Tasks at once. One convenient trick to take her out instantly is to get a fix on her position, then call down a Supply Drop on her head. If the weather cooperates, a giant crate will knock her out. No matter how you deal with Quiet, after the duel, she'll teleport to the middle of the Ruins where you'll have to make a decision.

Kaz will demand that you finish her off and Ocelot will insist that you bring her back alive. Big Boss will automatically take out a pistol, and you can end her life. But if you just wait a few seconds, he'll slowly lower it. When you regain control, take Quiet into the evac chopper that can now conveniently land in the middle of the Ruins, mission complete. Enjoy the following cutscenes. Quiet will be locked in the Sickbay as a makeshift brig until you figure out how to deal with her.

Mission Tasks

• Eliminated Quiet
• Determined what to do with Quiet
• Neutralized Quiet without hitting her with lethal weapons
• Neutralized Quiet with non-firearm attack

Obtainable Skills / Blueprints

Mission 12 - Hellbound

This mission will start automatically after completing Side Op 082, following a cutscene where Skull Face kidnaps Huey Emmerich and leaves the cave. Go up the stairs on the right side to find a scanable document that will allow you to pinpoint Huey's exact location, in the Soviets' Afghanistan Central Base Camp, the most heavily-fortified location yet. As you leave the cave, you'll notice an enemy gunship flying overhead. If you have a missile launcher, feel free to blow it up. Otherwise, ignore it and try not to raise an alert as you leave the Serak Power Plant, lest it rip you to shreds with its 40mm cannon.

Head north to the base camp, where you'll notice some Soviet guards patrolling in little Walker Gears. These come equipped with large gatling guns or missile launchers, so don't try taking them head-on unless you want a quick death. If you shoot the soldier piloting the Walker in the head, you can hijack it and run through the base, but it's easier to continue your stealthy approach instead. Infiltrate the building pinpointed on your map, and you'll trigger a cutscene where Big Boss disables Huey's mecha-legs and carries him.

You'll need to extract him by chopper, so run back to the LZ, though Huey will offer to activate a new Walker in his lab for you. If you wish, push the action button at the walker and Huey will activate it in a quick cutscene. However you choose to exfiltrate, carry Huey out of the lab and to the LZ, where yet another cutscene will trigger. Skull Face will summon a working Metal Gear he calls the Sahelanthropus, and then leave the area.

When you regain control, get out of the area with Huey and hide. None of your current weapons will be able to take on the Sahelanthropus, so hide from its sight until Ocelot tells you the coast is clear. When he does, rush to the nearby LZ and get in the chopper with Huey as fast as possible. The Sahelanthropus will spot your chopper and try to shoot it down. Use the Pequod's gatling gun to shoot down the pods the Sahelanthropus launches in the air, then shoot the robot itself until it explodes in slow-motion.

A couple cutscenes later, Huey will join your R&D Team. Completing this mission will also unlock new main Missions in Africa.

Mission 13 - Pitch Dark

This will be your first mission in central Africa, on the western side of the Angola-Zaire border (modern day Democratic Republic of the Congo). As such, the mercenaries you first encounter speak Afrikaans. Just like in Afghanistan, you won't be able to gain any information from captured soldiers until you extract an Afrikaans interpreter in the next mission.

You begin in a stream overrun by toxic sludge from an abandoned oil refinery. Make your way northeast to the refinery to destroy it. You will come across a dead port, where there will be a small group of child soldiers. You can either avoid them or extract them all for a Mission Task, but if you kill any of them Miller will instantly abort the mission. As you make your way past an outpost on the northeast, you might see a special bird perch on top of a burnt section of house. If you can, tranq and then extract the bird for a Mission Task.

When you make your way to the factory, you'll have two objectives: stop the pumps and blow up the piping. You do the first by getting into the office on the top of the main building in the middle of the refinery. Push the button on a console in the small room and you'll see a cutscene. Sneak over to the other side of the refinery and plant some explosives on the large red tank, then get away and detonate them when ready. Get out of the hot zone and you'll complete the mission.

Mission 14 - Lingua Franca

This one involves hostage rescue, but with a twist: a special English translator called "The Viscount" is interrogating various prisoners across the field, meaning you can't kill or extract him until you find the target. Shadow him as he moves across the battlefield, interrogating prisoners. They aren't your target, but can still provide their services to Mother Base if you extract them. After he leaves each outpost, you'll have a short amount of time before the Afrikaner mercenaries simply execute the hostages, so move fast. If you extract enough prisoners, they'll be able to provide a predicted movement pattern on your map to help narrow it down.

When the mercs bring the real hostage target to The Viscount, verify his face with your scope, then knock both the hostage and interrogator out and extract them. Though the interrogator is optional, extracting him will allow you to gain instant translation of Afrikaans in the field, allowing you to gain information from captured soldiers. Even if you don't extract him, another Afrikaans interpreter will appear in a Side Op later for you to capture.

Mission 15 - Footprints of Phantoms

You are tasked with extracting or destroying four Walker Gear, but you have a relatively small mission area to work with compared to previous missions. If you want to go the destruction route, take a rocket launcher and/or D. Walker with a gatling gun. One well-placed rocket is all that is necessary to destroy each Walker, but enough fire from your gatling gun can do the trick. If you're feeling really fast, you can use the Pequod's gatling gun to destroy the targets before you even hit the ground, but if the enemy's AA gun is still functioning you may not be able to exit without getting shot down.

If you prefer the sneaky/extraction method, bring D. Dog with you and sniff out the targets, then pop the soldiers riding the Walkers with headshots. You can then destroy the Walkers with C4 or Fulton them if your Fulton balloons are upgraded enough. Also, halfway up the mountain you'll be able to spot a pair of prisoners. Safely extract them for a Mission Task.

However you choose to complete the mission, either exfiltrate the hot zone by land or destroy the anti-air radar and bring the Pequod down on top of the village.

Mission 16 - Traitors Caravan

However you approach this mission at first, the target convoy will travel through Nova Braga Airport, heading north. To finish this mission quickly, bring D. Horse with you, rush to the Airport, and approach the target truck. DO NOT DESTROY THE TRUCK OR YOU WILL FAIL THE MISSION. Even if you are perfectly stealthy, a short cutscene will play with the Skulls jumping out of the truck. Run in and Fulton the truck out of the area, then hop back on D. Horse and run for your life (because at this point, you are) until you exit the misty area.

Alternatively, a little ways north from the airport you'll find four heavily-armored men from the "Zero Risk Security" PF. Extract at least three of them for an achievement, then set up an ambush at the intersection. Plant some C4 along the route and detonate it on the lead armored car, follow it up with another explosive or Fulton on the rear escort. When the Skulls jump out, lead them away from the truck and unload on them with a D. Walker minigun or rocket launcher until they are all gone. Then you should be free to extract the truck.

Mission 17 - Rescue the Intel Agents

Mission 18 - Blood Runs Deep

Mission 19 - On the Trail

Mission 20 - Voices

Mission 21 - The War Economy

A CFA commander is meeting with an arms dealer at the airport to inspect the area before leaving by helicopter. To quickly complete this mission, wait down the runway for a truck with the arms dealer driving and the commander in the passenger's seat. Eliminate them or knock them out and Fulton them away, then escape. Mission complete.

Mission 22 - Retake the Platform

When you've expanded Mother Base far enough and have unlocked Mission 21, you may get an emergency call from Miller calling you back to base. Essentially this is a practice FOB Infiltration mission. An enemy codenamed "Mosquito" has taken over the main R&D Platform of Mother Base and threatens to execute hostages if the Diamond Dogs make any moves, so Big Boss has to go in alone with only the weapons and equipment he chooses to bring with him.

If you took the time to walk around the Platform you will already have an edge in approaching the enemy commander. Mosquito will be hiding at the top of the 1st Deck.

Kill or incapacitate any enemies and Fulton them as you wish, but the mission will only end when Mosquito is killed or Fultoned away. After a brief cutscene, you will finally gain the ability to construct your own Forward Operating Base (FOB) and the Security Team with it.

Mission 23 - The White Mamba

Big Boss will be tasked with taking out the "commander" of a group of child soldiers, a white boy called the "White Mamba." However, as the group is composed entirely of children, you are not allowed to use any lethal tactics on them. Take only non-lethal weapons like tranqulizers, riot guns or airshock ammo with you and knock out the kids you see. Also keep in mind that unlike adults, you cannot Fulton children out of the area. If you have the patience, rescue as many kids as possible for extra GMP and a Mission Task for saving all 20 of them.

To make this even easier, bring along Quiet as your buddy with the Guilty Butterfly equipped, and she can put the entire enemy unit to sleep, including the White Mamba himself. However you approach this mission, your main target is knocking out the White Mamba. Wait for him to leave his chair and then shoot him in the head with a tranquilizer round, then carry him to the chopper in the center of the village for an achievement.

If you decide to take him head-on, the White Mamba will run around the boat and use everything from a machete to molotov cocktails to fight you. Keep knocking him down with CQC and airshock rounds until he finally goes down.

Don't forget to extract a prisoner being kept in the same village for a Mission Task and to add another skill to the Diamond Dogs.

Mission 24 - Close Contact

Mission 25 - Aim True Ye Vengeful

Mission 26 - Hunting Down

Mission 27 - Root Cause

Mission 28 - Code Talker

Mission 29 - Metallic Archaea

Mission 30 - Skull Face

Mission 31 - Sahelanthropus

Mission 32 - To Know Too Much

Mission 33 - [Subsistence] C2W

Mission 34 - [Extreme] Backup, Back Down

Mission 35 - Cursed Legacy

Mission 36 - [Total Stealth] Footprints of Phantoms

Mission 37 - [Extreme] Traitors' Caravan

Mission 38 - Extraordinary

Mission 39 - [Total Stealth] Over the Fence

Mission 40 - [Extreme] Cloaked in Silence

Mission 41 - Proxy War Without End

Mission 42 - [Extreme] Metallic Archaea

Mission 43 - Shining Lights, Even

Mission 44 - [Total Stealth] Pitch Dark

Mission 45 - A Quiet Exit

Mission 46 - Truth: The Man Who Sold the World

Mission 47 - [Total Stealth] The War Economy

Mission 48 - [Extreme] Code Talker

Mission 49 - [Subsistence] Occupation Forces

Mission 50 - [Extreme] Sahelanthropus

Side Ops

Though not necessarily required to beat the game, Side Ops make things a lot easier for you by allowing you to capture valuable people, blueprints, and other resources. You get a small GMP bonus for beating them. Once you have successfully completed a Side Op, you cannot retake the mission.

Side Op 001 - Extract Interpreter (Russian)

You should be able to find the target at an outpost in Afghanistan with a few other guards. Subdue the man without killing him, then extract him back to Mother Base. Doing so will allow you to instantly translate the speech of Russian-speaking soldiers in the field.

Side Op 002 - Extract Interpreter (Pashto)

Similar to above, but at a different outpost. This interpreter is being held prisoner by the Soviets. Successful extraction will give you the ability to quickly convert Pashto-speaking soldiers to your cause.

Side Op 005 - Secure the [RIOT SMG] Blueprint

Side Op 006 - Secure the [STUN ARM] Blueprint

Side Op 011 - Extract the Highly-Skilled Soldier 01

The soldier and two comrades are watching the road from a nearby mountain. Like any soldier, he will attack if he spots you. Use the binoculars to ID the correct soldier, then extract him.

Side Op 012 - Extract the Highly-Skilled Soldier 02

At Da Wialo Kallai, check the guards on the outer edge of the Southeast side of the village with your Scope. He should be among one of the paired patrols.

Side Op 013 - Extract the Highly-Skilled Soldier 03

Side Op 014 - Extract the Highly-Skilled Soldier 04

Side Op 027 - Prisoner Extraction 01

Side Op 028 - Prisoner Extraction 02

In Da Shago Kallai, look in the hovel built one level above the house where the Spetsnaz Commander hides in Mission 3.

Side Op 047 - Extract the Little Lost Sheep

Side Op 051 - Extract the Wandering Mother Base Soldier 01

Search the mountainous terrain west of a Soviet outpost for a man dressed head-to-toe in an old MSF uniform. He'll be relatively easy to pick out from other soldiers, wandering around like a super-fast drunken person. When you spot him, Kaz will also mention that he could be a soldier from the old Mother Base. Take him down with your Bionic Arm, as simple tranquilizer rounds won't stop him, but be careful as he can knock you out with one swing. You'll receive both a soldier and an old photo of Kaz with Paz from the MSF upon successful extraction.

Side Op 061 - Unlucky Dog 01

A Diamond Dog who got captured before he could get back to Mother Base. He's being held in a locked room in the Northeast Corner of the Yakho Oboo Supply Outpost.

Side Op 062 - Unlucky Dog 02

Side Op 063 - Unlucky Dog 03

Side Op 082 - Make Contact With Emmerich

Sometime after unlocking Missions 7-10, Kaz will mention that Huey's quietly sent a message from the Soviets asking to defect to the US. A third-party unknowingly handed that request to the Diamond Dogs, so Kaz suggests rescuing him and having a chat about what really happened in Cuba. Head to the Serak Power Plant, make your way past the guards, and go to the easternmost part of the plant until you find a red door with a pickable lock. Make sure no guards can see you, then pick the lock on the door and head inside.

Make sure you have a lot of time to spare, as "completing" this mission will immediately throw you into Mission 12.

Side Op 152 - Target Practice (R&D Platform) (30000 GMP)

After development of the first extension platform at Mother Base, you will unlock one of these Side Ops. Stand on the marked spot somewhere on the platform, then shoot 35 targets with your tranquilizer weapon. You will have infinite ammo, so don't worry about running out. However, you only have five minutes to find and shoot all the targets.

Side Op 153 - Target Practice (Base Development Platform) (30000 GMP)

Side Op 154 - Target Practice (Support Platform) (30000 GMP)

Side Op 155 - Target Practice (Intel Platform) (30000 GMP)

Side Op 156 - Target Practice (Medical Platform) (30000 GMP)

Buddies

Teammates you can call upon in the field to help you out in unique ways. Build up a rapport with them and they will gain new abilities to help you take down enemies. Aside from D. Horse, it is possible to complete the game without acquiring new buddies.

D. Horse

Your default buddy, a surprisingly intelligent horse. Can be upgraded with battle armor from your R&D Team. Whenever you need to traverse large distances but don't have a car available, he'll be there for you. Unlike other buddies, can't get in the chopper with you, but will automatically Fulton out when you leave a map. Also, by leaving him in the middle of a road, you can make enemy vehicles stop and yell at him, giving you time to ambush them or hitch a ride in the back.

How to acquire

Ocelot will give him to you at the start of Mission 1.

Abilities

• Whistle: Call D. Horse from anywhere on the map and he'll come running.
• Defecate: Can poop on command, causing enemy vehicles that drive over it to skid out of control and stun the driver.

D. Dog

A wolf-puppy who grows up surprisingly fast, has an eyepatch to match Big Boss. Passively, D.Dog can use his nose to sniff out plants and people within a certain radius, and mark them on your map. Very useful to have with you when you have a mission that involves tracking down specific people.

How to Acquire

During free roam, you may stumble across a lonesome wolf-dog cub. Fulton him back to base. Ocelot will take care of training the puppy at Mother Base while you're away, though you can visit him every so often. Sometime after completing the first 10 main missions, D. Dog will be fully-grown and ready to go on missions with you.

Abilities

• Whistle: Call DD and he'll come running.
• Wait: Causes DD to stay until called.
• Bark: DD barks and creates a diversion and draws the attention of several enemies within earshot.
• Do it (kill/stun enemy): Depending on the
• Keep em busy: DD's default attack

D. Walker

A custom model of Walker Gear that Huey develops for your use. Starts out with simple pistols, but can later be upgraded with better armor, modules, and weapons to attack a variety of threats. Can also pick up downed enemies and run over terrain slightly better than Big Boss himself. Very useful when expecting to fight high-powered enemies. Unlike other buddies, you cannot raise a "Bond" level with D. Walker, as it is a robot.

How to Acquire

Huey will build you a basic model after completing Mission 12.

Abilities

Quiet

A mysterious, scantily-clad sniper who rarely speaks outside of occasional grunts. May also be part-plant. Big Boss forgot to stock a DD uniform in her size.

How to Acquire

Mission 11, which will start at some point during free roam after unlocking missions 7-10. Also, you will need to have a Medical Platform built, complete with Sickbay. After meeting those requirements, You will hear Ocelot mention news about Quiet to show that the encounter has been unlocked. While wandering around the northern part of Afghanistan, a cutscene will play and drag you into the mission where you end up in a sniper duel with her. After defeating Quiet, you have a choice to spare her life or kill her. Evac her by chopper and, following a cutscene, she will be imprisoned in Mother Base.

Abilities

Weapons

• Pistols
• Sub-machine guns
• Assault Rifles
• Shotguns
• Sniper Rifles
• Light machine guns
• Launchers
• Explosives
• Shields
• Bionic Arm

Equipment

• Cardboard Box
• Phantom Cigar
• Decoy
• Binoculars
• iDroid

Collectibles

Cassette Tapes

Ocelot's Briefing [1]

Ocelot's Briefing [2]

Ocelot's Briefing [3]

Afghanistan Today [1]

Afghanistan Today [2]

Afghanistan Today [3]

At Mother Base [1]

At Mother Base [2]

At Mother Base [3]

At Mother Base [4]

At Mother Base [5]

At Mother Base [Supplemental 1]

At Mother Base [Supplemental 2]

What Happened to Old Mother Base Members

Quiet [1]

Quiet [2]

Quiet [3]

Quiet [4]

Quiet [5]

Quiet [6]

Quiet [7]

Questioning Huey [1]

Questioning Huey [2]

Questioning Huey [3]

Questioning Huey [4]

Questioning Huey [5]

Questioning Huey [6]

Questioning Huey [7]

The Man on Fire [1]

The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [1]

• Code Talker's Eating Habits

The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [2]

• Kazuhira Miller's Research

The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [3]

• Kazuhira Miller's Epiphany

The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [4]

• The Ultimate Hamburger

Truth Records

Music Tape 1

• Scouting Barren Lands
• Journey to Point C-5
• Sands
• Dreamt of an Eclipse
• Afghanistan's a Big Place
• MGO Trailer Music
• Richard Wagner: "Ride of the Valkyries" from The Valkyrie -A
• Behind the Drapery

Music Tape 2

• Joy Division - "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
• Kim Wilde - "Kids in America"
• Asia - "Only Time Will Tell"
• Hall & Oates - "Maneater"
• Thomas Dolby - "She Blinded Me With Science"
• A-ha - "Take On Me"
• David Bowie - "The Man Who Sold the World"
• Europe - "The Final Countdown"

Discovered Tapes

• Afghan Lullaby
• Soldier with Stomachache - "Recorded in the Toilet "