A Trap is the twenty-second mission in Earth Defense Force 2025 and Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair. It is the first mission to take place on the "Cave" map.
Objective[]
2025: The infiltration was a success. We were greatly outnumbered, so our casualties were high. The enemy is on familiar ground, after all, which gives 'em the edge. Expect an attack the moment you step inside the nest. Try to use the terrain to your advantage.
4.1: The infiltration was a success, but we're greatly outnumbered, so our casualties could be high. The enemy is on familiar ground, after all, which gives them the edge. Expect an attack at any moment while you're in that nest. Try to use the terrain to your advantage.
Storyline[]
This mission is the continuation of the previous mission, after Storm Team and various soldiers jumped into the giant insect's nest. It takes place in the same cave system where the EDF is trapped and has to defend themselves from the incoming attack.
The mission starts in a giant cave where one of the Rangers notes that the giant cave is a giant cave. Soon after he stated the obvious Ants will flood from the two tunnels at the top of the giant cave and attack the team. Soon they will be followed by Spiders and more Ants.
Once the final Giant Insect is dead HQ finally remembers that there is still an ongoing operation and decides to call in to order a retreat.
4.1 Changes[]
Just like all underground maps this level is dark. Also Depth Crawlers and SDL1 can be called by Air Raiders.
Enemies[]
Both Versions[]
| Wave | Spawn | Enemy | Amount | Notes |
| 1st | Appears at the begining of the mission. | Black Ants | 42 | 21 from each tunnel. |
| 2nd | Appears when there is less than 17 enemies left. | Black Ants | 20 | |
| Spiders | 20 | |||
| 3rd | Appears when there is less than 13 enemies left. | Black Ants | 29 | |
| Spiders | 33 |
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 | 648 | 638 | 374 | 369 | 810 | 798 |
| Hard | 1838 | 1933 | 969 | 1016 | 2297 | 2416 |
| Hardest | 3225 | 3825 | 1662 | 1962 | 4031 | 4781 |
Weapon Level Limit
| Game | Easy & Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 7 | 30 | 55 | 97 |
| 4.1 | 7 | 30 | 57 | 96 |
Approximate Weapon Drop Rate
| Game | Easy | Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 0-4 | 1-5 | 14-26 | 0-51 | 1-61 |
| 4.1 | 0-4 | 0-5 | 16-31 | 0-52 | 1-61 |
Strategy[]
Both Versions[]
This is one of the harder missions in the game. The bottom of the cavern is very dangerous since the Giant Insects can attack from any side and can easily surround the players. The best bet is to find the slope going up along the walls to the top. On the top of the cavern there's a bridge connecting two tunnels on the opposite sides of the cave. The players should make their way to the closest tunnel, which will serve as an excellent chokepoint for the incoming enemies. There the usual tactics in tunnels will apply. Before going up it’s a good idea to grab the Wing Diver teams and make them follow the players as backup. The Ranger and Fencer squads can also be used, but they usually fall off the slope before reaching the top unless the players climb really slowly.
If the players fall down or are masochistic and decide to stay at the bottom, they should stay close to the walls to avoid being blindsided. The fact that in 4.1 the map is dark doesn't help, but certain weapons like rocket launchers can be used to temporarily light up the whole cavern.
| DLC 1: Special Forces | Exploration • Giant's Advance • Silver Camp • Citadel • Floating Fleet |
| DLC 2: Mutant Rampage | Advance • Mountain Assault • Enemy Camp Infiltration • Underground Advance • Giant Robots • Battle Species • Beast Mountain • Dark Arena • Gathering Around • Armored Species • Iron Wall • Mountain of Change • Whirlwind of Death • Bugged City • The Tough • Golden Darkness • True King • Final Impact • Into Destruction • Ship of Dragons |
| DLC 3: Beyond Despair | Tracking • Underground Complex • Blocked Pass • Close Formation • Dragon Ship Fleet • Heavy Artillery • Bloody River • Dangerous Goldmines • Beast Mobilization • Total Protection • Aerial Bombing • King of Armor • Cannon Defenders • Traps Behind • Four Kings of Nightmares • Resistance Against the Twilight • Shivering Nexus • Three Giants • Crimson Lotus • Starry Prison |
| 1-10 | Reconvene • Spreading Disaster • Winged War Goddess • Setting Sun • Wind Shear • Underground Cave • Eruption • Retaliation • Beach Fear • The Return |
| 11-20 | Air Force • Day of the Demons • Takedown • Preventing Landfall • Land Collapse • Fortress Siege • Valley Shadows • Artillery • Breaking Through • Shining Stronghold |
| 21-30 | Into the Depths • A Trap • Giant Robots • Summit Ship • Anchored • Silver City • Crimson • Assault • High-Speed • Bloody Mountain |
| 31-40 | Brute Force • Charge Phase 1 • Charge Phase 2 • Dark Prisoner • Charge Phase 3 • Thunder • Infiltration • Convergence • Inferno • Starship |
| 41-50 | High Density • Dozing Beast • Crossing • Search • Waterside Bugs • Annihilation • Natural Calamity • Steel Beast • Void Ship • Blue Fighters |
| 51-60 | Earth Defenders • Fleet Attack • Mountain Pass Trap • Fortress Frenzy • Pincer • Ravages of War • Crash • Air Mobilization • Bug Invasion • Transport Ship Surprise Attack |
| 61-70 | Bug King • Crazy Skies • The Fleet Below • Ill Omen • City of Horror • Mountains Ablaze • Breaking Through (2) • Bug Tower • Fortress Attack • Mountain Liberation |
| 71-80 | Battle of Giants • Sniper Attack • Mountain Giants • Towering Beast • Teeth of the Universe • Giant Ship • Spearhead • Tower Siege • Den of Thieves • Death Queen |
| 81-90 | Machine Squad • Monster Party • Labyrinth of Light • City Flaws • Monster Camp • Fallen Flagship • Heaven's Army • Encircling • Divine • The Threat |
| 91-98 | Troubled Valley • Battle to the Death • Massive Mobilization • Legion of Monsters • Scorching • Demon Army • Surrounded! • Star Eaters |
| DLC 1: Time of the Mutants | Air Offensive • Giants Advance • Recon • Dust Town • Defense Line • Underground Advance • War Breed • Mountain Assault • Enemy Camp Infiltration • Dark Arena • Beast Mountain • God's Army • The Gathering • Armored Species • Iron Wall • Silver Base • Shifting Mountain • Whirlwind of Death • Bugged City • Toughness • Golden Darkness • True Sovereign • Final Impact • Floating Fleet • Into Destruction • Ship of Dragons |
| DLC 2: Extreme Battle | Tracking Bogeys • Underground Complex • Blocked Pass • Close Formation • Dragon Ship Fleet • Heavy Artillery • Overflight • Dangerous Goldmines • Beast Mobilization • Total Protection • Bombs Away • King of Armor • Cannon Defenders • Bloody River • Three Giants • Traps from Behind • The Four Horsemen • Cross the Line • Facing Off • Crimson Lotus • Shivering Nexus • Last Bastion • Starry Prison |