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Beach Fear is the ninth mission in Earth Defense Force 2025 and Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair. Despite the name, it does not take place on the Beach map, instead being the first to take place in the Port area.

Objective[]

2025: Dispatch request to the port area. A Retiarius has been spotted. You're to go investigate.

4.1: Dispatch request to the port area. Enormous creatures known as 'Retiarii' have been spotted. You're to go investigate.

Storyline[]

With the Ravagers on the way, the EDF is fighting against the clock to end the existing giant insect threat before they arrive. HQ immediately orders Storm Team and the Rangers to "exterminate Retiarius!"

As the operation in the Port continues, the Tactics Officer reports that the fleet of ten Motherships is beginning its descent into the Earth's atmosphere. HQ, not one to allow a situation to pass without being ridiculous, states that it is "finally beginning" (this is different to the fight starting, which happened three missions ago), and the Earth's fate will be determined now.

Ohara makes the curious claim that the EDF's "aircrafts" are being stopped by the Motherships' air defense system (presumably the "system" of still being in space) and so a long-distance attack is the best option. Ignoring the nonsense going on around her, the Tactics Officer reports the first shot from the Equator Linear Cannon has been fired, and a moment later that it has destroyed one Mothership with its first hit and is recharging.

A volley of Tempest missiles is launched next, and the report she gives is of a devastating impact; another Mothership destroyed, and two more crippled. Ohara and the Operator are both jubilant at this news, and another Tempest volley and Linear Cannon shot are soon fired.

The Tactics Officer reports the impact of the second Linear Cannon shot, but is taken aback that the Mothership it struck is not damaged. HQ, who was clearly not paying attention, asks if the shot missed. She then reports the impact of the second volley of Tempest missiles, still doing no damage to their targets. This leads to Ohara wondering if they missed, and most likely to the Tactics Officer scheduling a meeting with the two later to explain what the word "impact" means.

She reports a third Tempest impact, still with no damage, and the Operator, seemingly the only person actually listening to her properly, asks how that could be. A third Linear Cannon shot also does nothing, baffling HQ. A fourth Tempest impact does no damage, and Ohara suddenly has a very lonely brainwave, declaring that the Motherships must be using a "Shield Screen" to ward off damage.

A fifth Linear Cannon shot and fifth Tempest volley are also ineffective, and the Tactics Officer, more justifiably ignoring Ohara, says that it looks like the Motherships are being protected by "something like a wall." HQ, never one to let a good idea pass without pretending it was his (or a good contradiction to go uncontradicted), finishes up by saying it is a Shield Screen big enough to cover a Mothership, then asks what kind of technology it is.

4.1 Changes[]

No changes.

Enemies[]

Both versions:

Retiarius x 10 with webs (all spawned at mission start).

2 waves of black Ants, 18, 15.

2 waves of Spiders, 18, 15.

Online Limits[]

Armor Limit

There's no limit for Inferno difficulty.

Difficulty Ranger & Air Raider Wing Diver Fencer
2025 4.1 2025 4.1 2025 4.1
Easy & Normal 494 490 297 295 617 613
Hard 1628 1665 864 882 2035 2081
Hardest 3085 3623 1592 1861 3857 4529

Weapon Level Limit

Game Easy & Normal Hard Hardest Inferno
2025 4 27 52 83
4.1 4 27 54 84

Approximate Weapon Drop Rate

Game Easy Normal Hard Hardest Inferno
2025 0-1 0-2 10-22 0-47 0-54
4.1 0-1 0-2 12-27 0-47 0-54

Strategy[]

Both Versions[]

This mission brings together all enemies encountered up until this point in the new Port map, which is very wide and open. While it repeats Wind Break / Wind Shear's use of Retiarii in side-roads, the sheer width of the service road that the mission takes place on means this is less of a problem than it was there, and there is plenty of room to see their attacks coming.

The most important thing to remember in any mission in the Port map is to never go in the water. Deep water triggers the very slow swimming animation and can only be exited by finding some stairs; not even a Wing Diver or a Fencer with a back-thruster weapon can get out. In addition, any vehicle that drops into deep water will instantly explode.

The mission starts with just a group of Retiarii defending some warehouses from marauding civilians, but after 25 seconds the first group of Ants will spawn on the road ahead, and usually become highly distracted by another group of civilians that spawns along with them. After the number of enemies on the map is reduced to 7 or less, a wave of Spiders spawns in the ocean (!) and quickly makes its way to land near the building with the tall spire to bother a new group of citizens. After the number of enemies is reduced to 3 or less, the final wave appears; Ants from under the sea to the right at the end of the road, and Spiders from straight ahead. Two final groups of civilians will accompany them, one in front of each Retiarius at the end of the road.

Perhaps they should be looking into a possible link between civilians and the giant insects, all told.

Once again, the NPC Rangers cannot be recruited and follow a fixed path, assuming they do not get Retiarius'd before they get there. The Retiarius webs do not start out with EDF soldiers or anyone else in them this time, though the Retiarii tend to start hoovering up civilians as soon as the mission starts.

This mission is absolutely ideal for the Fencer and Air Raider with its distant-spawning enemies distracted by civilians; High-Altitude Impact Missiles or a Naegling Self-Propelled Rocket Launcher will absolutely wreck the various Ants, Spiders and Retiarii even on Inferno as long as the character has a decent close-range backup plan such as a Flashing Spear and shield pair for the Fencer or ZE-Guns for the Air Raider. For other classes it is more of a straight-up fight; a sniper rifle will help to deal with approaching enemies, but a close-range weapon is essential for when they arrive.

Levels: Earth Defense Force 2025
1-10 ReconveneSpreading DisasterWinged War GoddessSetting SunWind BreakUnderground CaveEruptionRetaliationBeach FearThe Return
11-20 Air ForceDay of the DemonsTakedownPreventing LandfallLand CollapseFortress SiegeValley ShadowsArtilleryBreaking ThroughShining Stronghold
21-30 Into the DepthsA TrapGiant RobotsAnchoredSilver CityCrimsonHigh-SpeedBrute ForceCharge Phase 1Charge Phase 2
31-40 Charge Phase 3ThunderInfiltrationConvergenceInfernoStarshipDenseCrossingSearchWaterside Bugs
41-50 AnnihilationNatural CalamitySteel BeastVoid ShipBlue FightersEarth DefendersMountain Pass TrapFortress FrenzyPincerRavages of War
51-60 Air MobilizationBug InvasionTransport Ship Surprise AttackBug KingCrazy SkiesThe Fleet BelowBad PremonitionCity of HorrorMountains AblazeBreaking Through (2)
61-70 Bug TowerFortress AttackMountain LiberationSniper AttackTowering BeastTeeth of the UniverseGiant ShipSpearheadTower SiegeDen of Thieves
71-80 Death QueenMachine SquadMonster PartyLabyrinth of LightCity FlawsMonster CampFallen FlagshipHeaven's ArmyEncirclingDivine
81-85 The ThreatBattle to the DeathMassive MobilizationScorchingStar Eaters

Levels: Earth Defense Force 2025 Online
1-10 ReconveneSpreading DisasterWinged War GoddessSetting SunWind BreakUnderground CaveEruptionRetaliationBeach FearThe Return
11-20 Air ForceDay of the DemonsTakedownPreventing LandfallLand CollapseFortress SiegeValley ShadowsArtilleryBreaking ThroughShining Stronghold
21-30 Into the DepthsA TrapGiant RobotsSummit ShipAnchoredSilver CityCrimsonHigh-SpeedBloody MountainBrute Force
31-40 Charge Phase 1Charge Phase 2Dark PrisonerCharge Phase 3ThunderInfiltrationConvergenceInfernoStarshipDense
41-50 CrossingSearchWaterside BugsAnnihilationNatural CalamitySteel BeastVoid ShipBlue FightersEarth DefendersFleet Attack
51-60 Mountain Pass TrapFortress FrenzyPincerRavages of WarAir MobilizationBug InvasionTransport Ship Surprise AttackBug KingCrazy SkiesThe Fleet Below
61-70 Bad PremonitionCity of HorrorMountains AblazeBreaking Through (2)Bug TowerFortress AttackMountain LiberationSniper AttackMountain GiantsTowering Beast
71-80 Teeth of the UniverseGiant ShipSpearheadTower SiegeDen of ThievesDeath QueenMachine SquadMonster PartyLabyrinth of LightCity Flaws
81-90 Monster CampFallen FlagshipHeaven's ArmyEncirclingDivineThe ThreatTroubled ValleyBattle to the DeathMassive MobilizationLegion of Monsters
91-94 ScorchingDemon ArmySurrounded!Star Eaters

Levels: Earth Defense Force 2025 DLC
DLC 1: Special Forces ExplorationGiant's AdvanceSilver CampCitadelFloating Fleet
DLC 2: Mutant Rampage AdvanceMountain AssaultEnemy Camp InfiltrationUnderground AdvanceGiant RobotsBattle SpeciesBeast MountainDark ArenaGathering AroundArmored SpeciesIron WallMountain of ChangeWhirlwind of DeathBugged CityThe ToughGolden DarknessTrue KingFinal ImpactInto DestructionShip of Dragons
DLC 3: Beyond Despair TrackingUnderground ComplexBlocked PassClose FormationDragon Ship FleetHeavy ArtilleryBloody RiverDangerous GoldminesBeast MobilizationTotal ProtectionAerial BombingKing of ArmorCannon DefendersTraps BehindFour Kings of NightmaresResistance Against the TwilightShivering NexusThree GiantsCrimson LotusStarry Prison

Levels: Earth Defense Force 4.1
1-10 ReconveneSpreading DisasterWinged War GoddessSetting SunWind ShearUnderground CaveEruptionRetaliationBeach FearThe Return
11-20 Air ForceDay of the DemonsTakedownPreventing LandfallLand CollapseFortress SiegeValley ShadowsArtilleryBreaking ThroughShining Stronghold
21-30 Into the DepthsA TrapGiant RobotsAnchoredSilver CityCrimsonAssaultHigh-SpeedBrute ForceCharge Phase 1
31-40 Charge Phase 2Charge Phase 3ThunderInfiltrationConvergenceInfernoStarshipHigh DensityDozing BeastCrossing
41-50 SearchWaterside BugsAnnihilationNatural CalamitySteel BeastVoid ShipBlue FightersEarth DefendersMountain Pass TrapFortress Frenzy
51-60 PincerRavages of WarCrashAir MobilizationBug InvasionTransport Ship Surprise AttackBug KingCrazy SkiesThe Fleet BelowIll Omen
61-70 City of HorrorMountains AblazeBreaking Through (2)Bug TowerFortress AttackMountain LiberationBattle of GiantsSniper AttackTowering BeastTeeth of the Universe
71-80 Giant ShipSpearheadTower SiegeDen of ThievesDeath QueenMachine SquadMonster PartyLabyrinth of LightCity FlawsMonster Camp
81-89 Fallen FlagshipHeaven's ArmyEncirclingDivineThe ThreatBattle to the DeathMassive MobilizationScorchingStar Eaters

Levels: Earth Defense Force 4.1 Online
1-10 ReconveneSpreading DisasterWinged War GoddessSetting SunWind ShearUnderground CaveEruptionRetaliationBeach FearThe Return
11-20 Air ForceDay of the DemonsTakedownPreventing LandfallLand CollapseFortress SiegeValley ShadowsArtilleryBreaking ThroughShining Stronghold
21-30 Into the DepthsA TrapGiant RobotsSummit ShipAnchoredSilver CityCrimsonAssaultHigh-SpeedBloody Mountain
31-40 Brute ForceCharge Phase 1Charge Phase 2Dark PrisonerCharge Phase 3ThunderInfiltrationConvergenceInfernoStarship
41-50 High DensityDozing BeastCrossingSearchWaterside BugsAnnihilationNatural CalamitySteel BeastVoid ShipBlue Fighters
51-60 Earth DefendersFleet AttackMountain Pass TrapFortress FrenzyPincerRavages of WarCrashAir MobilizationBug InvasionTransport Ship Surprise Attack
61-70 Bug KingCrazy SkiesThe Fleet BelowIll OmenCity of HorrorMountains AblazeBreaking Through (2)Bug TowerFortress AttackMountain Liberation
71-80 Battle of GiantsSniper AttackMountain GiantsTowering BeastTeeth of the UniverseGiant ShipSpearheadTower SiegeDen of ThievesDeath Queen
81-90 Machine SquadMonster PartyLabyrinth of LightCity FlawsMonster CampFallen FlagshipHeaven's ArmyEncirclingDivineThe Threat
91-98 Troubled ValleyBattle to the DeathMassive MobilizationLegion of MonstersScorchingDemon ArmySurrounded!Star Eaters

Levels: Earth Defense Force 4.1 DLC
DLC 1: Time of the Mutants Air OffensiveGiants AdvanceReconDust TownDefense LineUnderground AdvanceWar BreedMountain AssaultEnemy Camp InfiltrationDark ArenaBeast MountainGod's ArmyThe GatheringArmored SpeciesIron WallSilver BaseShifting MountainWhirlwind of DeathBugged CityToughnessGolden DarknessTrue SovereignFinal ImpactFloating FleetInto DestructionShip of Dragons
DLC 2: Extreme Battle Tracking BogeysUnderground ComplexBlocked PassClose FormationDragon Ship FleetHeavy ArtilleryOverflightDangerous GoldminesBeast MobilizationTotal ProtectionBombs AwayKing of ArmorCannon DefendersBloody RiverThree GiantsTraps from BehindThe Four HorsemenCross the LineFacing OffCrimson LotusShivering NexusLast BastionStarry Prison

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