Ready or Not: Quick Tips & Tricks Guide

Your First Day on D-Platoon: Mastering the Fundamentals of Ready or Not

Listen up, rookie. 🗣️ My name is Judge. Welcome to D-Platoon. The streets of Los Sueños aren’t a playground; they’re a pressure cooker, and we’re the ones keeping the lid on. Forget everything you learned from other shooters. This is Ready or Not. Here, a single bullet ends a life—yours, your partner’s, or a civilian’s. 💀 Success isn’t about your kill count. It’s about control, precision, and walking out with everyone you’re sworn to protect. Your first lesson starts now. Pay attention, because your life depends on it.

The Golden Rule: Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast

In the chaotic world of Ready or Not, your greatest weapon is patience. Rushing gets you killed. Every step you take must be deliberate.

Embrace the Slow Walk. 🚶‍♂️ Hold the ‘Shift’ key to walk slowly. This simple action drastically reduces the noise you make. Suspects have ears, and they will react to the sound of you stomping around. A quiet approach gives you the element of surprise.
Stay Low. 🤫 Crouching makes you a smaller target and further muffles your footsteps. Use it when moving across open areas or when holding an angle.
Learn the “Low Ready” Stance. This is a hidden mechanic you won’t find in the tutorial. By default, pressing the ‘Home’ key lowers your weapon. While in this “Low Ready” stance, you move significantly faster than the standard walk. This is not for engaging enemies; it’s for repositioning quickly between points of cover. Rebind this key to something accessible, like a thumb mouse button.
Never Sprint. 🚫 There is no sprint button in Ready or Not. The game’s design forces you to be methodical. If you need to move quickly, use the Low Ready stance.

Situational Awareness is Your Best Weapon

What you know is more important than what you’re carrying. In Ready or Not, information is ammunition. Never enter a room blind.

The Tablet is Mandatory Reading. 📲 Before every single deployment, you must read the mission briefing on your tablet. It contains critical intelligence: known entry points, suspected enemy locations, and secondary objectives. Ignoring this is negligence.
Master the Lean. 👀 Your body is not a battering ram. Never expose your full torso when you don’t have to.
- Use Basic Lean (Q/E). Use this to peek around corners and door frames. It’s your fundamental tool for slicing the pie.
- Master Free Lean (Alt + WASD). This advanced technique gives you granular control over your angle. You can peek through tiny cracks in doorways or look under beds without exposing yourself.
Listen Closely. 🎧 The sound design in Ready or Not is a critical source of intel. You can hear suspects muttering, coughing, or threatening hostages. Their footsteps will give away their position. A good headset isn’t a luxury; it’s standard issue.
Watch Your Team’s Helmet Cams. 🎥 Even when playing solo, you are a team leader. You can cycle through your AI officers’ points of view. Use this to maintain a second perspective when you split your team.
Practice Makes Permanent: The LSPD Firing Range. 🎯 Don’t let your first real firefight be the first time you’ve truly handled your weapon. The firing range in the station is your laboratory.
- Learn Your Recoil. The shooting mechanics are realistic. Every weapon has a unique recoil pattern. Spend time in the range learning how to control the muzzle climb.
- Drill Your Actions. Practice activating your laser, switching to canted sights, and transitioning between ready stances. These actions need to be muscle memory.
- Practice Grenade Throws. 💣 The range has windows and rooms to practice your grenade tosses. Learn the arc and timing of flashbangs and stingers.

The Armory: Gearing Up for War in Ready or Not 🔫

Alright, rookie, welcome to the armory. A carpenter is only as good as his tools. For us, the right tool can be the difference between a clean arrest and a body bag. Your loadout isn’t about what looks cool; it’s a strategic decision tailored to every mission.

Your Primary Weapon: Choosing the Right Tool

Assault Rifles (The Workhorse). These are your jack-of-all-trades.
- G36C: A laser beam. 💥 Incredibly low recoil, perfect for precise shots.
- SA-58: A sledgehammer. 💪 Fires a powerful round that can incapacitate unarmored suspects in a single shot to the chest. Its recoil is heavy.
- F90: A great choice for beginners. High rate of fire and manageable recoil.
Submachine Guns (The CQB Kings). When clearing tight hallways, an SMG’s maneuverability is unmatched.
- MP7: With Armor Piercing (AP) rounds, this shreds through armored suspects at close range.
- P90: Its massive 50-round magazine is perfect for suppressing multiple targets.
Shotguns (The Breacher’s Best Friend). Nothing says “get out of the way” like a 12-gauge.
- M1014 / B1301: These semi-automatic shotguns are top-tier for clearing rooms of unarmored threats.
- Buckshot vs. Slugs: Use buckshot for clearing rooms. Use slugs for precise shots or for breaching doors.
Ammo Types: AP vs. JHP is Not a Preference. This is critical. Your ammo choice is dictated by the mission.
- JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point): Devastating against unarmored targets. Almost useless against body armor. ❤️‍🩹
- AP (Armor Piercing): Essential for missions where suspects wear armor. It punches through plates. 🛡️
- Know Your Enemy: Before each mission, check intel. Use AP on missions like Neon Tomb or Greased Palms. Use JHP on missions like Thank You, Come Again.

Sidearms & Non-Lethals: Your Lifesavers

The Five-seveN (57 USG) is King. 👑 This pistol is arguably the best. 20-round magazine, low recoil, and its AP rounds can defeat body armor. Perfect for a ballistic shield loadout.
Embrace the Non-Lethal Doctrine for S-Ranks. ⭐ If you want the highest score, you cannot kill suspects.
- Beanbag Shotgun: The most effective non-lethal tool. Warning: a shot to the head is lethal and will fail your S-rank attempt. Aim for the legs or lower torso.
- Pepperball Guns (VKS / R7): 💨 A safer but slower alternative. Fires projectiles that burst into an irritant cloud. Excellent for AI teammates.
- Taser: ⚡ Perfect for that one suspect who refuses to comply. Instantly incapacitates a single target.

Armor & Protection: An Operator’s Second Skin

Armor Type	Material	Gear Slots	Movement Penalty	Protection Characteristic
Light Armor	Kevlar	Most	Low	Minimal ballistic protection. Best for speed. 🏃‍♂️
	Ceramic	Medium	Medium	Blocks the first few rounds completely, then breaks. Excellent for surviving initial contact. 💥
	Steel	Medium	High	Reduces damage from all rounds but never breaks. Slows you down significantly. 🐢
Heavy Armor	Kevlar	Medium	Medium	More coverage than light, but still limited protection.
	Ceramic	Fewest	High	Maximum coverage. Blocks first few rounds. Best balance for high-threat missions. 🛡️
	Steel	Fewest	Very High	Full-body damage reduction. Turns you into a slow-moving tank. 🤖

Match Armor to Mission. For speed, Light Ceramic is a good balance. For slow clears against heavily armed foes, Heavy Ceramic is your best bet.
Headwear Syncs with Your Grenades. Your choice of helmet gear should complement your throwables.
- Gas Mask: 😷 Mandatory if you or your team are using CS Gas or pepperball guns.
- Anti-Flash Goggles: 😎 Essential if you plan on using flashbangs.
- Ballistic Mask: Provides an extra layer of protection against a lethal headshot. A lifesaver.
- NVGs (Night Vision Goggles): 🌙 For low-light operations.

Gadgets & Grenades: The Keys to Tactical Supremacy 🔑

The Mirrorgun (Optiwand) is Non-Negotiable. 👁️ This is the single most important tool for gathering intelligence. Use it under every closed door to check for suspects, civilians, and traps.
The Ballistic Shield Turns You into a Point Man. 🛡️ The shield makes you nearly invincible from the front. It’s perfect for leading your team into a room.
Choose Your Breach Method.
- Battering Ram: Reusable and relatively quiet, but slow.
- Breaching Shotgun: Fast and effective for wooden doors.
- C2 Explosives: 💣 The loudest option, but also the most effective for stunning suspects.
Flashbangs are Your Best Friend. ✨ A well-placed flashbang will disorient every suspect in a room. The M320 Flash Launcher fires them further.
CS Gas is King of Area Denial. 💨 Throw CS gas into a large room to force suspects out of cover. Remember to wear your gas mask.
Stinger Grenades are an Alternative. These explode and release rubber pellets, causing pain and disorientation.
Door Wedges are God-Tier. 🙏 This small item is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. Place a wedge under a cleared door to prevent it from being opened. This secures your flank and ensures a cleared area stays clear. Always bring wedges.

Leading the Element: Mastering Your SWAT AI in Ready or Not 👮‍♂️

Your AI teammates are not just bots; they are your responsibility. A good commander knows their team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Understanding Your Team (Red, Blue, Gold)

Know Your Elements. Your team is divided into Red Element 🔴 and Blue Element 🔵. You can issue orders to them individually.
Use “Gold” for Unity. 🟡 The Gold command issues orders to the entire team at once.
Split Your Teams for Tactical Advantage. Have Blue team cover a hallway while you and Red team clear a side room. Order Red and Blue to stack on two different doors for a synchronized breach.

The Command Wheel: Your Most Powerful Tool 🎡

“Move To” and “Cover” for Positioning. Use “Move To” to place your team. Use “Cover” to direct their attention to a specific angle.
Queue Commands for Synchronized Breaches. 🔄 You can issue a “Breach and Clear” command to one team, then look at another door and issue the same command to the other team. Then, give the single “Execute” command, and both teams will breach simultaneously.
Don’t Forget “Deploy”. You can order an AI officer to use their equipment. Order them to “Deploy Grenade” or “Deploy Wedge” to save your own.
“Search and Secure” is Your Cleanup Crew. 🧹 After all suspects are neutralized, this command orders your AI to sweep the map, restraining civilians and collecting evidence.

AI Behavior – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good: They Have Superhuman Aim. 👍 Your AI teammates can be incredibly accurate and lethal when in a good position.
The Good: They Follow Breach Protocols. When ordered to clear a room, they will properly stack and clear corners.
The Bad: They Get Stuck. 🧱 AI can struggle with complex geometry. Be prepared to manually guide them.
The Bad: They Get Tunnel Vision. 👀 If an AI officer spots a threat, they will often ignore all other commands until it’s dealt with.
The Ugly: They Make bad Decisions. 🤢 An AI might prioritize cuffing a civilian while an active shooter is in the room. You are the commander; it’s your job to mitigate their flaws.

Strategic AI Loadouts

Assign Roles. Don’t give everyone the same loadout. Create specialists.
- Breacher: Give one officer a Battering Ram.
- Shield: Give another a Ballistic Shield. They will always be the first one through the door.
- Grenadier: Equip an officer with the M320 grenade launcher.
The S-Rank AI Loadout is Crucial. ⭐ To prevent the AI from ruining your perfect run, equip them defensively.
- Primary: Give all AI officers the VKS Pepperball Rifle.
- Sidearm: Remove all ammunition from their pistols. If their primary runs dry, they will switch to an empty pistol.
- Tactical: Do not give them Ballistic Shields for S-rank runs. When ordered to breach, a shield officer won’t fire, making them useless.

Street Smarts: Advanced Tactics & Hidden Mechanics in Ready or Not 🧠

The rulebook gets you through the door. Street smarts get you home alive. These are the hidden mechanics that separate veterans from rookies.

The Art of the Door 🚪

Peek Doors, Don’t Kick Them. Instead of swinging a door wide open, “peek” it by tapping your use key. This opens it just a crack.
Bait with Sound. 🔊 If a door is locked, kicking it will make noise. Suspects on the other side may call out, giving away their position.
Shoot Door Handles. On some doors, you can shoot the handle off with a shotgun.
Wooden Doors are Not Cover. Bullets can penetrate wooden doors and walls. You can shoot through them, but they can shoot back.

Manipulating Suspect AI 🤖

Use Light to Your Advantage. 💡 Suspects will react to your flashlight. Shining it into a dark room can cause them to yell, revealing their position.
Lasers are Invisible to AI. Conversely, suspects do not react to laser sights. You can aim your laser directly at a suspect without alerting them.
Beware the Fake Surrender. 🎭 A common tactic for suspects is to pretend to surrender, only to pull out a hidden pistol when you get close.
Confirm Your Kills (by Restraining). Some suspects will play dead. After being shot, they fall to the ground. If you move on, they may get back up. Always restrain every person you put on the ground.
Don’t Spam Compliance Shouts. 🗣️ Yelling at suspects can intimidate them. However, yelling repeatedly can also increase their stress, making them more likely to open fire.
Listen to Their Dialogue. 💬 Suspects have different voice lines that can indicate their morale and whether they will comply or fight.

Hidden Player Mechanics 🤫

Master Arrest Canceling. This is a game-changing technique for solo players. You can begin the restraining animation on a suspect and then cancel it by moving backward. This will cause the suspect to “freeze” in place, unable to move.
Check Your Ammo Manually. 📦 There is no ammo counter. To know how many rounds are left, you must hold your reload key to perform a manual check.
Weapon Length Matters. 📏 Your weapon has a physical presence. If you are too close to a wall, a long weapon will be pushed aside, and you won’t be able to aim.
Melee to Intimidate. You can melee to force a non-compliant civilian to get on the ground without using lethal force.
Command Surrendered Suspects. You can use the command wheel on a kneeling suspect to order them to move towards you, getting them out of an unsecured room.

The S-Rank Playbook: Achieving Perfection in Ready or Not ⭐

The S-rank. It’s the ultimate goal. It signifies a flawless mission: perfect execution, total control, and zero casualties.

Deconstructing the Grade 📝

Understand the Point System. The math is simple and brutal.
- Arrested Suspect: +35 points.
- Dead or Incapacitated Suspect: +5 points.
The “Invisible -30 Point Penalty”. Every time you fail to arrest a suspect, you are effectively losing 30 potential points.
Main Targets are an Exception. On some missions, incapacitating a specific high-value target will still grant you the full 35 points.
The Final Grade Formula. Your final letter grade is calculated with a simple percentage: (Your Score / Max Possible Score). Every single point matters.

The Path to S-Rank: A Checklist ✅

No Officers Down. Your entire team must survive.
Arrest Every Single Suspect. This is the golden rule. No kills. No incapacitations.
Rescue Every Civilian. All non-combatants must be restrained.
Report All Soft Objectives. Every mission has hidden objectives. You must find and report every single one.
Secure All Evidence. Every weapon dropped by a suspect is evidence. You must collect and bag every single one.
No Unauthorized Use of Force. Do not shoot a surrendered suspect or melee a compliant civilian.
No Friendly Fire. This includes accidentally shooting a teammate or hitting them with a flashbang.

The S-Rank Loadout Philosophy

Primary: Beanbag Shotgun or Pepperball Rifle. The Beanbag is faster but riskier.
Secondary: Taser. ⚡ Your go-to for stubborn suspects.
Grenades: Flashbangs ✨ and CS Gas 💨. Max out your slots with these.
Tactical: Mirrorgun 👁️ and Wedges 🙏. Intel and area control are paramount.

After Action Reports: Mission-Specific Briefings for Ready or Not

You’ve got the fundamentals. Now it’s time to apply that knowledge to the streets. Every mission is a unique puzzle.

Base Game Missions

Thank You, Come Again ⛽
- Threat: Low (Junkies).
- Strategy: Straightforward mission perfect for non-lethal practice. Use flashbangs to clear the main store. The minor is often in the back restrooms.
23 Megabytes a Second 🏢
- Threat: Medium (Thugs).
- Strategy: Briefing is critical, showing connected apartments. Clear the ground floor first. The suspect’s apartment is the main hot zone.
Twisted Nerve 🏡
- Threat: Medium (Junkies/Thugs).
- Strategy: The main house is a death trap of tight corners. The wounded minor is in an upstairs bedroom. Be wary of booby traps.
The Spider 🎭
- Threat: High (Thugs, armored).
- Strategy: No hidden objectives. Focus on tactical clearing. The beanbag shotgun is your primary tool. Brixley is usually on the upper floor.
A Lethal Obsession 💣
- Threat: Very High (Terrorists, gas masks, traps).
- Strategy: Mirror every door for traps. Gas is useless. Rely on flashbangs. Start from the back door on the second floor for a safer entry.
Ides of March 🏨
- Threat: Very High (Terrorists, traps).
- Strategy: Complex mission. Wedge doors to the central area and clear one apartment block at a time.
Sinuous Trail 💻
- Threat: High (Thugs, armored).
- Strategy: The data center is a labyrinth. Move as a single unit. Use wedges to block off cleared hallways to prevent flanks.
Ends of the Earth 🏖️
- Threat: High (Thugs).
- Strategy: Beachfront house has many windows. Be cautious of being shot from outside while clearing.
Greased Palms 📦
- Threat: Very High (Thugs/Corrupt Agents).
- Strategy: One of the hardest maps. The main sorting area is a kill box. Use CS gas to suppress large areas.
Valley of the Dolls mansion
- Threat: Very High (Thugs).
- Strategy: Multi-level mansion with many windows. Clear top floors first, using high ground on the pool area below.
Elephant 🏫
- Threat: Very High (Active Shooters, time limit).
- Strategy: Race against the clock. Do not stop to restrain civilians until all four shooters are neutralized. Speed and aggression are key.
Rust Belt 🚇
- Threat: High (Thugs).
- Strategy: The tunnels are pitch black. NVGs are mandatory. Use chemlights to mark cleared paths.
Sins of the Father 🏨
- Threat: Very High (Terrorists, hostages).
- Strategy: Clear the hotel floor by floor. A methodical, room-by-room clear is the only safe way.
Neon Tomb 🕺
- Threat: Very High (Terrorists, civilians, loud).
- Strategy: Loud music makes hearing impossible. Find the DJ booth to turn it off. A shield is vital for the main push.
Buy Cheap, Buy Twice 🚗
- Threat: High (Thugs).
- Strategy: Dealership has an open showroom with lots of glass. Be careful of shots coming through windows.
Carriers of the Vine 🧑‍🌾
- Threat: High (Thugs).
- Strategy: Cult compound with many long sightlines. Clear one building at a time and wedge doors.
Relapse 🏥
- Threat: Very High (Terrorists, armored).
- Strategy: Large, complex map. Start at the main entrance, clear the first floor, and wedge doors behind you to control the map.
Hide and Seek 🚢
- Threat: Very High (Thugs).
- Strategy: Arguably the largest and most difficult map. Clear the outside container yard first, then breach the main warehouse.

Home Invasion DLC

Dorms: 🎓 A mission to clear a derelict dormitory. The five-minute achievement requires a hyper-aggressive non-lethal rush.
Lawmaker: A raid on a judge’s house. Be wary of a suspect hiding in the panic room.
Narcos: A raid on a cartel mansion with multiple floors and a rooftop area.

Dark Waters DLC

DLC Mechanic: Weapon Caches. 📦 Enemies can run to weapon caches to re-arm themselves.
DLC Mechanic: Helicopter Support. 🚁 You have access to an aerial thermal camera for reconnaissance.
Mirage at Sea: 🛥️ A mission on a luxury yacht with tight corridors.
Leviathan: An assault on a massive, vertical oil rig.
3 Letter Triad: A raid on an abandoned island hotel. Huge, complex, and rivals Port Hokan in difficulty.

Los Sueños Stories Update

Hunger Strike: 🍔 A hostage situation at a “Chico’s” fast-food restaurant. Small but chaotic.
Stolen Valor: A mission to find a missing officer in a rundown apartment block with a confusing layout.

More Tips & Tricks ✨

Customize Your Team’s Appearance. 🎨 Give Red and Blue teams different colored uniforms to tell them apart at a glance.
Warning Shots. 💥 Firing a shot near a non-compliant suspect can sometimes intimidate them into surrendering.
Shoot Traps. You can detonate tripwire bombs by shooting the explosive charge from a safe distance.
Shield Bash. 💪 When using a ballistic shield, you can still perform a melee bash.
AI Can Defuse Traps. You can order your AI teammates to check for and disarm traps.
AI Can Pick Locks. Similarly, you can order your AI to use the lockpick gun.
AI Traits. In Commander Mode, officers gain traits. A “Negotiator” makes suspects more likely to surrender.
Manage Officer Stress. 💆‍♂️ In Commander Mode, officers accumulate stress. High stress makes them ineffective. You must send them to therapy.
Ironman Mode. For the ultimate challenge, Ironman Mode means that if you die, your entire progress is wiped.
Highlight Evidence. An accessibility option to highlight interactable objects can make it easier to find that last dropped pistol.
Canted Sights. Use canted sights for quick transitions between a magnified scope and a red dot.
Suppressors and Stealth. On missions where enemies aren’t alerted, suppressors can allow you to neutralize suspects without alerting others.
The Final Suspect. The last suspect on a map often becomes highly aggressive and will actively hunt you down.
Civilian Animations. 📱 Be patient. On some maps, civilians’ surrender animation involves them pulling out a phone to record you. Do not use force.
Check for Clipped Weapons. 🐛 Sometimes, evidence can clip through the floor. Order your AI to “Search and Secure” as they can sometimes retrieve bugged items.
Use Mods (At Your Own Risk). 💻 The PC modding community is vibrant. Mods can add new maps and weapons but can cause instability.
Cross-Play is Here. ✅ As of recent updates, Ready or Not supports cross-play between PC and consoles.
Console Keyboard and Mouse. 🖱️ The console versions now officially support keyboard and mouse.

End of Watch: Final Briefing

That’s it, rookie. That’s the briefing. We’ve covered everything from how to walk to how to lead. We’ve gone over every piece of gear and every dirty corner of this city.

But remember this: no guide can replace what you learn out there. Every door you breach, every call you answer, is a lesson. Some lessons are harder than others. You will make mistakes. You will lose civilians. You might even lose one of your own.

The key is to learn. Adapt. Never stop gathering intel. Trust your training, trust your team, and trust your gut. The job isn’t about being a hero. It’s about being the professional who comes home at the end of the shift.

Now, gear up. D-Platoon is on duty. Welcome to the team. 🤝

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial fan work, all trademarks and copyrights for Ready or Not belong to the developer VOID Interactive.

Find the game here! VOID Interactive

Ready or Not: Quick Tips & Tricks Guide – The LSPD Field Manual