M29

Master the M29 mission in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Learn direct, safe, and lucky approaches to defeat the Skulls and extract Code Talker.

Alright, let's tackle M29, codenamed "Metallic Archaea." This is a pretty intense mission where you'll be facing off against the Skulls. We've got a few ways to approach this, so pick the one that suits your style!

Direct Approach

If you're feeling bold, the direct approach is all about going all-out. You'll want to use the airport hangar for cover and bring weapons with good penetration, like a sniper rifle or machine gun. The D-Walker with its Gatling Gun is also a solid choice here. Expect to need resupplies, so make sure you have room to call in supply drops. Definitely equip the Battle Dress if you have it developed – it's a lifesaver against their attacks. Keep a close eye on the Skulls' movements; if one charges you, watch for the counter prompt. Successfully countering them will break their armor, leaving them wide open for you to attack.

Safe Approach

For a less risky engagement, there's a large building near the hangar you might recognize. Head up the stairs on the sides to the second level, then use the ladder to reach the rooftop. The Skulls can't easily reach you up here, and their main attack will be rock mines. The downside is you might have to rely on Quiet for most of the damage, and some Skulls might hide under parts of the building, making them untargetable. Quiet on the roof can provide excellent covering fire, so try to counter their melee attacks for bonus damage.

Lucky Approach

This one, as the name suggests, needs a bit of luck but can end the fight super quickly. There's an anti-air turret not too far from your starting point that can absolutely shred the Skulls. The tricky part is getting them into its line of fire. You'll probably need to lure them around, away from the turret, and then make a dash for it. If they attack while you're trying to get to the turret, do your best to keep it from being destroyed. Once the Skulls are down, the mist will clear, and the puppet soldiers will return to normal. Scan any you find for potential Mother Base recruits and extract them. When you're ready to wrap things up, pick up Code Talker and head to the extraction point. The mission ends automatically when the helicopter arrives.

Mission Task

You won't be able to extract any of the Skulls until after you complete this mission. However, you only need to extract a single Skull to fulfill the mission task.