How to Build Loadouts
Loadouts are the heart of Angels Fall First progression. Instead of picking a medic or engineer class, you spend budget points from three rank lines — Combat, Command, and Support — to assemble kits for infantry, vehicles, and fighters. Version 1.0 flattened early progression so new players reach viable mid-tier weapons faster, but mid-game choices still punish greedy builds that overspend on optics and sidearms while neglecting armor or utility. This guide explains how budgets calculate, how ranks unlock items, general build principles for each track, and when to maintain multiple saved kits for Territories ground pushes versus Incursion boarding phases.
The three rank tracks
Combat rank gates primary weapons, sidearms, grenades, and armor packages. Higher Combat unlocks better assault rifles, LMGs, anti-armor launchers, and CQB tools. This is the track most infantry mains prioritize first.
Command rank unlocks squad leadership utilities: spotting enhancements, spawn beacon options, and some vehicle crew certifications depending on patch state. Command investment pays off when you squad lead or frequently crew gunships and IFVs.
Support rank improves medic gear, repair tools, ammo resupply, and engineering gadgets that keep vehicles and capital systems alive. Support-heavy builds shine in long Incursion matches with sustained vehicle chains.
Budget rules and constraints
Every item in a loadout has a point cost. Your total cannot exceed the budget cap determined by your ranks and any server modifiers. Exceeding the cap blocks deployment — the UI highlights over-budget items in red.
Some items require minimum rank thresholds in addition to budget cost. You might afford a weapon on paper but lack the Combat rank to equip it. Check rank requirements before grinding Support points for tools you cannot yet field.
Vehicle and fighter loadouts use parallel budget systems with hull-specific slots. A Partisan tank build is separate from your infantry kit; unlocking the tank spawn still requires appropriate rank and sometimes Command/Support prerequisites for crew roles.
Infantry build principles
Start with a generalist Combat kit: reliable assault rifle, sidearm, one grenade type, and medium armor. Add role-specific tools only when you know the next objective — anti-armor for open maps with tank lanes, shotguns before boarding interiors.
Avoid maxing optics before core survivability. A high-magnification scope on a rifle you cannot afford armor for makes you glass in mid-range fights on Fortress or Yin Tao Shan rooftops.
Save multiple presets. Label them by mode: Territories anchor, Incursion anti-air, boarding CQB. Swapping presets at spawn is faster than reconfiguring under timer pressure.
Vehicle and fighter budgeting
Vehicles trade infantry budget for hull modules and weapons. Light LAVs (Hare/Silverback) stay cheap; mechs (Velius/Gheist) and tanks (Partisan/Dhaka) demand higher Command/Support investment for optimal modules.
Fighter builds prioritize engine performance, countermeasures, and payload. Interceptors stay lean; bombers (Scimitar/Rakshasa) spend heavily on ordnance. See Fighter Loadouts for faction-specific examples.
Rank-efficient progression after 1.0
Push Combat to a stable mid-tier rifle before specializing. Then split points into Command if you lead squads, or Support if you repair vehicles and capitals. Grinding a single track to max while ignoring others locks you out of hybrid kits.
Use the Loadout Calculator tool to preview totals before spending in-game rank points. Test builds in bot Territories matches to confirm feel before risking expensive kits in Incursion finales.
Common loadout mistakes
Overspending on optics and under-spending on armor is the most frequent error. A high-zoom scope does not help if you die in two shots from mid-tier rifles on Errah open ground. Buy stable recoil and armor before luxury attachments.
Single-preset players struggle in Incursion. Boarding interiors demand CQB; open Territories favors rifles or LMGs. Maintain at least three saved kits labeled by mode segment to avoid deploying the wrong tool when phases shift.
Neglecting Support entirely leaves teams without repairs during long tank pushes on Darsalaam. You do not need max Support — even one medic gadget in a squad preset changes sustain during extended cap fights.