Area 8
Starting with Area 8, you'll start to see one-way paths even on normal difficulty maps, denoted by '>>>' paths. This is important to note on Area 8, since sometimes you will have to commit your echelons without a chance to resupply. You can still surround capture nodes even if the path leading to the HQ is a one-way path, and some HQ nodes will have to be captured this way.
The boss of Area 8 will be Dreamer, the same as chapter 7, but with a new attack pattern. Destroyer will also make a comeback as mini-boss unit. If your echelons are sub-optimal or do not have good equipment, I would recommend having dedicated roles for echelons such as Mobbing echelons and Bossing echelons. Against Dreamer, using Bamboo RFs without capes, ARSMG echelons or even Exodia comps would be recommended, if you can pull that off. 5HG is possible, but only if you are well prepared.
I will be covering methods which do not utilize Fairies! If you are reading this guide later and have access to fairies, that just makes Chapter 8 lot easier!
S-Rank condition: Kill 6 units in 3 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 1 Combat Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon [or 2nd Combat Echelon depending on situation]
Map View: Relatively straight-forward map. There is some RNG involved where the 12866 Ripper moves near the HQ and might ruin your chances for S-Rank.
If the Ripper moved towards your HQ on Turn 2 and if it moved towards Helipad instead of HQ, this is how you'll know you cannot get a S rank, because without it you can't meet the 6 kill requirement. Otherwise, you should be fine.
S-Rank condition: Kill 8 units in 4 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelons + 1 Dummy Echelon
Map View: Surprisingly tricky map to S rank due to random enemy movement and rather restrictive resupply points to HQ. Some improvisation will be required depending on enemy moves.
Make sure to resupply before moving your first Combat Echelon at the beginning of the next turn by swapping back to HQ.
[Part 1]: Make sure to resupply before moving the first Combat Echelon to the position, or you will run out of ammo!
1st Echelon should have the exact amount of supplies to get to the HQ from starting location. If you can't make it, don't fret! Just retry!
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 units in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon
[Part 1]: We are doing a similar action with the Dummy Echelon except moving it towards the bottom path. Make sure to set it to "Eliminate".
[Part 2]: Swap back Dummy Echelon with 2nd Friend Echelon, then move 1st and 2nd Combat Echelon accordingly.
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon
[Right side]: This side is the 'weaker' side. It can be cleared using sub-optimal Echelons since it will only have 3~4 fights at most.
[Left Side]: Normally enemy units will be clumped and won't let you just capture the Helipad on the left side with just one Echelon. Should that happen, deploy a 2nd Friend Echelon on the Helipad and set it to "Eliminate" to assist with capture.
S-Rank condition: Kill 10 unit in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 1 Friend Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon
1st Combat Echelon will be going over a one-way path, so make sure to resupply by swapping from HQ before moving next turn.
[Part 2]: In this case, HQ was not threatened on turn 3, so I had room to Swap Friend Echelon and Dummy Echelon in position.
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 unit in 8 turns; Kill Dreamer
Required Squads: 2 Boss Echelon + 2 Mob Echelon
Start your turn with 1 Boss Echelon [for Destroyer] and one Echelon that will defend HQ. Defending Echelon can be 2nd ARSMG or RFHG depending on the availability of your armory.
Boss Echelon moves up to capture the Helipad north of HQ.
[Part 1]: Boss Echelon moves to clear out the Destroyer unit in the middle.
[Part 3]: This is where you are double checking to make sure you have 11 Kills before moving to fight the Dreamer. Once you beat Dreamer the mission will be concluded immediately!
You do have one additional turn to get a S rank, so if you are short for some reason, spend the next turn getting to 11 kills before killing the dreamer.
Tip on Boss: She shoots a laser that's similiar to Gager's skill (Boss from AW), except she can choose which row to fire on. Spreading to X formation works well if you are taking ARSMG team to Dreamer. There are also multiple ways to skip Dreamer's pattern with the right composition. Try out different Echelons! [Exodia, Bamboos, etc.]
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 units in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon
S-Rank condition: Kill 9 units in 3 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon
S-Rank condition: Kill 10 units in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon [+ 1 Optional Friend Echelon]
Spend a turn fulfilling the kill requirements with either Combat Echelon.
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 units in 8 turns; control enemy HQ.
Required Squads: 2 Boss Echelon + 2 Mob Echelon
The boss of Area 8 will be Dreamer, the same as chapter 7, but with a new attack pattern. Destroyer will also make a comeback as mini-boss unit. If your echelons are sub-optimal or do not have good equipment, I would recommend having dedicated roles for echelons such as Mobbing echelons and Bossing echelons. Against Dreamer, using Bamboo RFs without capes, ARSMG echelons or even Exodia comps would be recommended, if you can pull that off. 5HG is possible, but only if you are well prepared.
I will be covering methods which do not utilize Fairies! If you are reading this guide later and have access to fairies, that just makes Chapter 8 lot easier!
****
It is important to be flexible in these missions since Girls' Frontline does not have enemies with fixed movements, so adapt accordingly. Sometimes due to enemy movements, S-Rank will be impossible. Just retry the mission and hope for better luck.
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****
- 8-1
S-Rank condition: Kill 6 units in 3 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 1 Combat Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon [or 2nd Combat Echelon depending on situation]
Map View: Relatively straight-forward map. There is some RNG involved where the 12866 Ripper moves near the HQ and might ruin your chances for S-Rank.
If the Ripper unit moves towards your HQ, spawn 2nd Combat Echelon, if not you can spawn Dummy Echelon AND RESUPPLY BEFORE MOVING!!! Very important.
If the Ripper moved towards your HQ on Turn 2 and if it moved towards Helipad instead of HQ, this is how you'll know you cannot get a S rank, because without it you can't meet the 6 kill requirement. Otherwise, you should be fine.
- 8-2
S-Rank condition: Kill 8 units in 4 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelons + 1 Dummy Echelon
Map View: Surprisingly tricky map to S rank due to random enemy movement and rather restrictive resupply points to HQ. Some improvisation will be required depending on enemy moves.
Make sure to resupply before moving your first Combat Echelon at the beginning of the next turn by swapping back to HQ.
[Part 1]: Make sure to resupply before moving the first Combat Echelon to the position, or you will run out of ammo!
[Part 2]: With the remaining moves, you have to be flexible in placing units where it is most likely for an enemy unit to run into the 2nd Combat Echelon. In this case, Position A the most reliable compared to the other positions.
For position C, you can simply switch your 2nd Combat Echelon with your dummy to get there faster.
1st Echelon should have the exact amount of supplies to get to the HQ from starting location. If you can't make it, don't fret! Just retry!
- 8-3
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 units in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon
Map View: Starting from 8-3, you'll start to notice the amount of damage your Echelons are taking per battle if they are not optimal in terms of gear and skills. If you are struggling with health management, I would recommend trying SG MG Echelon.
[Part 1]: Make sure to resupply 1st Combat Echelon by swapping back to HQ before moving.
[Part 2]: Before ending the turn, make sure to swap the Dummy Echelon back to HQ and set Friend Echelon to "Eliminate". Then with one remaining move, move 2nd Combat Echelon towards Enemy HQ.
[Part 1]: We are doing a similar action with the Dummy Echelon except moving it towards the bottom path. Make sure to set it to "Eliminate".
[Part 2]: Swap back Dummy Echelon with 2nd Friend Echelon, then move 1st and 2nd Combat Echelon accordingly.
Make sure to resupply 1st Combat Echelon before taking over the enemy Helipad on the east side of the map.
The remaining Striker unit does hurt quite a bit if your Echelon is not well prepared, so use one that has more health or is better equipped.
- 8-4
Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon
Map View: This is a relatively quikck but also quite dangerous if you are using regular ARSMG comps on the left side. If your main ARSMG Echelon is not well raised, I would personally recommend MGSG Echelon and RFHG Echelon on the left side.
[Right side]: This side is the 'weaker' side. It can be cleared using sub-optimal Echelons since it will only have 3~4 fights at most.
[Left Side]: Main Combat Echelon moves up to capture the Helipad nearby. Then summon a Friend Echelon and set it to "Eliminate".
[Right Side]: Move the 2nd Combat Echelon two nodes to the left. The goal is to surround capture the Helipads on the top center to gain more movement points next turn.
[Left Side]: Normally enemy units will be clumped and won't let you just capture the Helipad on the left side with just one Echelon. Should that happen, deploy a 2nd Friend Echelon on the Helipad and set it to "Eliminate" to assist with capture.
1st Combat Echelon resupplies and moves to Capture HQ. By this point you should have 8 kills. The last remaining kill should be done by the 2nd Echelon moving in the highlighted area.
- 8-5
S-Rank condition: Kill 10 unit in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 1 Friend Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon
Map View: They really went overboard with the one-way paths on this map. This map could be beaten without using Friend Echelons but I will go over a method with Friend Echelons for added safety against RNG.
1st Combat Echelon will be going over a one-way path, so make sure to resupply by swapping from HQ before moving next turn.
Make sure to resupply by swapping from HQ before moving 1st Combat Echelon.
[Part 1]: Same with 2nd Combat Echelon, make sure to resupply before moving it past the one-way path. Then move the Dummy Echelon away from potential enemy units that could threaten the HQ to spawn Friend Echelon.
[Part 2]: In this case, HQ was not threatened on turn 3, so I had room to Swap Friend Echelon and Dummy Echelon in position.
1st Combat Echelon moves on top of enemy Helipad. Then 2nd Combat Echelon takes a different route to fulfill the kill requirement on the way to HQ.
Turn 5 is used to move either/both Combat Echelon to meet the kill requirement save for one enemy on the enemy HQ. If supplies are looking tight, make sure that the end positions of both Echelons are such that they can capture the Helipad.
Use the Echelon that's better suited for the last battle to occupy HQ.
- 8-6
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 unit in 8 turns; Kill DreamerRequired Squads: 2 Boss Echelon + 2 Mob Echelon
Map View: It's a pretty dreadful map where you can't just surround capture the enemy HQ to end the map and the only way is to kill Dreamer. As mentioned earlier, I recommend taking dedicated Echelons for killing just Dreamer as it will do bit of damage to those that are unprepared.
Start your turn with 1 Boss Echelon [for Destroyer] and one Echelon that will defend HQ. Defending Echelon can be 2nd ARSMG or RFHG depending on the availability of your armory.
Boss Echelon moves up to capture the Helipad north of HQ.
Boss Echelon moves to capture the Helipad just south of the path to Destroyer. If you think that there's a chance that Helipad north of HQ can be captured, spawn a Friend Echelon there to defend the Helipad.
[Part 1]: Move Boss Echelon 1 to the right and spawn the Mobbing Echelon. I typically recommend MGSG Echelon here for durability and high DPS.
[Part 2]: Swap Boss Echelon with Mobbing Echelon that will clear the path to Destroyer.
[Part 3]: Use remaining moves to clear the path.
[Part 1]: Boss Echelon moves to clear out the Destroyer unit in the middle.
[Part 2]: Mobbing Echelon will move up to catch up with Boss Echelon.
[Part 1]: Move Boss Echelon 1 node past the Helipad.
[Part 2]: Mobbing Echelon will move to the neutral Helipad.
[Part 1]: Mobbing Echelon resupplies on Helipad and swaps with Boss Echelon. Then move to kill the two enemy units on the left. Move Boss Echelon right one node from the Helipad.
[Part 2]: Spawn 2nd Boss Echelon, probably your best ARSMG or other composition just for Dreamer hunting on Helipad.
You do have one additional turn to get a S rank, so if you are short for some reason, spend the next turn getting to 11 kills before killing the dreamer.
Tip on Boss: She shoots a laser that's similiar to Gager's skill (Boss from AW), except she can choose which row to fire on. Spreading to X formation works well if you are taking ARSMG team to Dreamer. There are also multiple ways to skip Dreamer's pattern with the right composition. Try out different Echelons! [Exodia, Bamboos, etc.]
[Emergency Difficulty]
- 8-1E
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 units in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon
Map View: Like many emergency maps, these are recycled normal difficulty maps with slight tweaks and harder enemies. Our path will be largely the same with normal difficulty version.
Make sure to resupply 1st Combat Echelon before moving next turn by swapping back to HQ.
[Part 1]: Make sure to resupply 1st Combat Echelon before moving! Then deploy Friend Echelon on the HQ.
[Part 2]: Make sure to set Friend Echelon to "Eliminate" before swapping back with Dummy Echelon.
[Part 1]: Move Dummy Echelon to the right this time and spawn a 2nd Friend Echelon and set it to "Eliminate"
[Part 2]: Swap back Dummy Echelon with 2nd Friend Echelon and make sure that the 2 Combat Echelons are in position before ending your turn.
Combat Echelons are to move to capture Helipad on the right side of the map.
Striker unit near HQ is strong so take the better equipped Echelon out of two.
- 8-2E
S-Rank condition: Kill 9 units in 3 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 2 Friend Echelon
Map View: 8-2E is the map where you can experience the limitations of ARSMG Echelons without Fairies to support them against enemy units. I would strongly recommend using MGSG Echelon or RFHG Echelon on the left side of the map, while right side of the map is still fine with ARSMG Echelon.
[Left Side]: Just like in the normal difficulty map, take the helipad to the right of the HQ, then spawn Friend Echelon then set it to "Eliminate".
[Left Side]: 1st Combat Echelon moves to take position to capture Helipad in the center along with the 2nd Combat Echelon. Deploy 2nd Friend Echelon and set to "Eliminate" to assist with Helipad capture.
1st Combat Echelon moves to capture HQ after resupplying. 2nd Combat Echelon moves to fulfill the 9 kill requirement before ending the turn.
- 8-3E
S-Rank condition: Kill 10 units in 6 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 2 Combat Echelon + 1 Dummy Echelon [+ 1 Optional Friend Echelon]
Map View: Another recycle of the normal version of the map. This time I will go over the situation when the HQ is not threatened and you don't need to deploy Friend Echelon. If your ARSMG Echelon is not up to the task, use MGSG Echelon which is better suited for large numbers of mobs.
Make sure to resupply 1st combat Echelon before moving onto the next turn.
As mentioned, this time HQ is nowhere near threatened so instead of moving Dummy Echelon to spawn a Friend Echelon, I'm using my extra moves for moving both Combat Echelons.
Doing so allows you to capture the Helipad early on Turn 4 instead of on Turn 5 with the Friend Echelon method.
Spend a turn fulfilling the kill requirements with either Combat Echelon.
Make sure you have a total of 10 kills before taking HQ and ending turn.
- 8-4E
S-Rank condition: Kill 12 units in 8 turns; control enemy HQ.Required Squads: 2 Boss Echelon + 2 Mob Echelon
Map View: It's again the same version as the normal map with slightly different pathing and more difficult enemy units. We are still going to reach Dreamer by Turn 7, so you have an extra turn to fulfill the kill requirement.
[Part 1]: There is slight variation due to the one-way path from the Normal Difficulty counterpart of the map. Now you have to move the Boss Echelon down 1 space to spawn the Mobbing Echelon on the Helipad.
[Part 2]: Mobbing Echelon clears the way for the Boss Echelon to take on Destroyer.
[Part 1]: Turn 4 and 5 are where your HQ could be threatened by enemy units to be surround captured like shown above. If such is the case, spend a turn to capture an adjacent node and remove any threats.
[Part 2]: Mobbing Echelon continues to clear out the path for Boss Echelon.
[Part 3]: Move the Boss Echelon for battle next turn.
[Part 2]: Boss Echelon takes care of Destroyer and move to the position shown.
[Part 3]: Mobbing Echelon stops on the Helipad, then end the turn.
Just like the normal map, you would spawn a Boss Echelon dedicated for just Dreamer while the Mobbing Echelon takes care of enemy units on the left before killing Dreamer. Make sure that you have a total of 11 kills before taking on Dreamer.