Spreading Disaster

Spreading Disaster is the second mission in Earth Defense Force 2025 and Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair. As it becomes clear that the giant insects have returned, the EDF moves out to protect the citizens. This mission also introduces the character Ohara.

Objective
2025: Dispatch Request from the civilians. A huge monster has appeared in the city. Be careful, it spits out a powerful acid that can cause serious damage. Head out there and good luck.

4.1: Dispatch request from the civilians: Huge monsters have appeared in the city. Be careful: they spit a powerful acid that can cause serious damage. Good luck out there!

Storyline
With the appearance of the Giant Insects confirmed, Ranger teams across the city engage them to protect the terrified population. HQ demands another situation report, actually believes it this time, and orders the EDF soldiers to protect the citizens, which they are already doing. After this, Ohara, a "Ravager Researcher," speaks up on the radio, stating that his early studies have shown that the newly-emerged creatures exhibit a marked evolutionary change from specimens of seven years earlier, including a strengthened exoskeleton that means they "cannot be killed easily."

A Ranger then speaks up saying that the data is incorrect because the giant insects cannot be killed easily, showing that the EDF only chooses the best and brightest to not be part of it. Soon troops are demanding Wing Divers be deployed to support them, and Ohara concurs, saying that since the giant insects cannot fly, they will be easily defeated by an air attack.

4.1 Changes
Rather than taking place in a rather nondescript area off to one side of City 1, the map starts alongside the map's main park area and goes in a straight line up the road to the plaza. Two E551 Gigantus tanks now accompany the Rangers and Storm Team, though since most of the Ants spawn among buildings to the right of the road the two tanks often do not last long after they park up right among the group and start firing. If they do survive, they will move up and assist in fighting the second wave of Ants. As before, there are only two groups of Ants, and in this mission the acid-spraying version is introduced.

There is only one large unit of Rangers in the level instead of two small ones, and unless the squad leader is killed Storm Team is not allowed to take command of them and they will move ahead on their own. The line "citizens are being attacked by giant insects!" is delivered by the commander of this unit and will be absent if he is dead, though HQ will give his order to "attack the giant insects, and save the citizens!" anyway.

Enemies
2025:

2 waves of Black Ants, 40 acid spraying Ants, then 15 biting and 30 acid spraying

4.1:

2 waves of Black Ants, 60 acid spraying Ants, then 21 biting and 45 acid spraying

2025
This is a relatively easy mission on all but the highest difficulties, taking place in a wide area with buildings close to the right, followed by a turn left and an uphill battle against the second wave. The Ants can, however, attack from many directions and climb buildings, and can be very unpredictable on higher difficulties. The second wave of Ants is substantial and tends to fan out around the surrounding buildings and spray acid down on Storm Team; keeping a close eye on the radar is essential to avoid damage.

The Ants are now of two variants, biting versions and the new acid-spraying version that will soon entirely replace them: a few biting Ants will spawn in this level and the next, after which the type disappears. The new acid-spraying versions swing their abdomens and release a spread of corrosive globules. Each "splat" of acid is a projectile individually tracked by the engine and deals damage separately, so it is possible to avoid the spray if there is a character-sized gap in it. Turning up the difficulty means more splats per spray, and also makes the Ants attack sooner and more often.

4.1 Strategy
While the previous mission was a lot harder, Spreading Destruction is actually substantially easier since the combat area is flatter and more open, making it harder for Ants to sneak up on Storm Team and ruin their day. The Gigantus tanks will typically destroy most of the buildings on the right side of the road trying to hit the ants, and the second wave of Ants mostly stays among the group of buildings to the right of the plaza and has a much larger and longer-lasting group of civilians to menace before turning their attention to the EDF forces. Default weapons are fine for this mission on Hard, and since the Ants mostly spawn among tight groups of buildings rather than at road junctions, it takes them some time to disentangle themselves from their surroundings, meaning they arrive a few at a time.