Charge Phase 1 is the twenty-ninth offline mission and the thirty-first online mission in Earth Defense Force 2025 and the thirtieth offline mission and the thirty-second online mission in Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair. It's the first phase of a three parter operation called 'Charge'.
Objective[]
2025: We succeded in dealing a massive blow to the Ravagers. We must destroy the nests and exterminate the enemy before they can regroup. You enter the nests and find their queen. This will be a large-scale infiltration of their tunnels. The first phase will look for a route to the depths of the tunnels and secure it for troops to follow.
4.1: We succeded in dealing a massive blow to the Ravagers, but must destroy the nests and exterminate the enemy before they can regroup. So it's time to enter the nests and fine their queen! This will be a large-scale infiltration of their tunnels. The first phase will be to look for a route into the depths of the tunnels and secure it so troops can follow.
Storyline[]
Storm Team starts at the subway station. HQ explains that they believe that they believe that Queen can be found in these tunnels and it must be killed or to stop the giant insects. They go forward through the subway tunnel and after they kill a small group of ants they meet with a team of Rangers and follow them (or Rangers will follow since they are so damn slow) to a bigger chamber where they fight more ants. One of the soldiers gossips about a Storm Team member who was the one who 8 years ago destroyed the Mothership, but no one has seen them since and he wants to be just like them when he grows up.
They arrive at the top of a large hole with convenient bridges going down to the bottom. A Ranger will report it and HQ decides to repeat the mission objectives again. They descend to the bottom and once the coast is clear they move forward. They fight with some spiders in a tunnel and move forward through a series of chambers.
At the end there is a large cavern with the last wave of ants. When the Rangers arrive there (which is usually two minutes after Storm Team arrives, unless players are patient) HQ will tell that this is the last group. Once the bugs are dead one of the soldiers compliments Storm Team and the mission ends.
4.1 Changes[]
As with all underground levels, this level is now dark, making it harder to spot approaching enemies, and the Air Raider can now call for the Depth Crawler or SDL1 rather than having no support available.
The mission now starts at the far end of the subway tunnel and Storm Team has to fight three waves of giant insects instead of one including a surprise attack from behind when they pass two dead ends leading up from the sides of the tunnel before they can meet up with the Ranger team. The soldiers now enter through the hole to the surface instead of waiting at the end of the tunnel. When they reach it instead of turning right they turn left to a chamber with big circular platforms, however the passageway only opens when the Rangers arrive so players can't run ahead. After that they enter the same cavern with bridges as before but from another entrance and the rest of the mission mostly plays as before.
The number of enemies was increased drastically with eight waves instead of five. On Hardest and Inferno difficulty Gold and Dark Crimson Ants also appear.
Enemies[]
2025[]
| Wave | Spawn | Enemy | Amount | Notes |
| 1st | Appears at the begining of the mission. | Black Ants | 8 | |
| 2nd | Appears when the players find the Rangers. | Black Ants | 25 | |
| 3rd | Appears when 28 ants are defeated from the previous waves. | Black Ants | 51 | |
| 4th | Appears with the last wave much furter ahead. | Spiders | 25 | |
| 5th | Appears after the last wave. | Black Ants | 54 | |
| Crimson Ants | 9 |
4.1[]
| Wave | Spawn | Enemy | Amount | Notes |
| 1st | Appears at the begining of the mission. | Black Ants | 15 | |
| Crimson Ants | 10 | |||
| Spiders | 10 | |||
| 2nd | Appears when aproaching the part of the tunnel that has two dead ends on each side. | Black Ants | 60 | Half from each side
Inferno: 50 Black, 10 Gold Ants |
| 3rd | Appears when there is less than 20 enemies left. | Crimson Ants | 10 | |
| Spiders | 20 | |||
| 4th | Appears when there is less than 5 enemies left. | Black Ants | 20 | |
| 5th | Appears after the last wave | Black Ants | 34 | |
| Crimson Ants | 30 | Dark Crimson on Hardest and above | ||
| 6th | Appears after the last wave. | Black Ants | 60 | Hardest and above:
50 Back, 10 Gold |
| 7th | Appears after the last wave. | Spiders | 25 | |
| 8th | Appears after the last wave. | Black Ants | 90 | Hardest and above:
54 Back, 36 Gold |
| Crimson Ants | 24 | Hardest and above:
8 Crimson, 16 Dark Crimson |
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 | 754 | 751 | 427 | 425 | 943 | 939 |
| Hard | 1983 | 2139 | 1041 | 119 | 2478 | 2674 |
| Hardest | 3322 | 3979 | 1711 | 2039 | 4152 | 4974 |
Weapon Level Limit
| Game | Easy & Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 9 | 33 | 58 | - |
| 4.1 | 9 | 33 | 60 | - |
Approximate Weapon Drop Rate
| Game | Easy | Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 2-9 | 4-8 | 17-29 | 0-54 | 6-66 |
| 4.1 | 1-6 | 3-8 | 18-33 | 0-55 | 6-66 |
Strategy[]
2025[]
The same methods used as any underground missions. Bring machine guns, shotguns or similar weapons with wide spread, rocket launchers, or flame throwers. Wing Divers are the best suited for this kind of missions.
Try to stay in tunnels or tunnel entrances so you only have to shoot at one direction. The last wave can be found at the end of a series of caverns so it's difficult to fight there. It's best if the you lure the ants back to the tunnel where they came from.
4.1[]
The strategy is mostly the same. The second wave ambush before you meet with the Rangers can be challenging if the first wave wasn't eliminated and they retreat behind the dead ends, you can be sandwiched between the ambush and the remains of the first wave, so be careful not to trigger the second wave by accident.
Since the level is dark going into large caverns can be more dangerous, especially during the final wave where it's easy to get disoriented and getting back to the tunnels is harder.
| 1-10 | Reconvene • Spreading Disaster • Winged War Goddess • Setting Sun • Wind Break • 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 • High-Speed • Bloody Mountain • Brute Force |
| 31-40 | Charge Phase 1 • Charge Phase 2 • Dark Prisoner • Charge Phase 3 • Thunder • Infiltration • Convergence • Inferno • Starship • Dense |
| 41-50 | Crossing • Search • Waterside Bugs • Annihilation • Natural Calamity • Steel Beast • Void Ship • Blue Fighters • Earth Defenders • Fleet Attack |
| 51-60 | Mountain Pass Trap • Fortress Frenzy • Pincer • Ravages of War • Air Mobilization • Bug Invasion • Transport Ship Surprise Attack • Bug King • Crazy Skies • The Fleet Below |
| 61-70 | Bad Premonition • City of Horror • Mountains Ablaze • Breaking Through (2) • Bug Tower • Fortress Attack • Mountain Liberation • Sniper Attack • Mountain Giants • Towering Beast |
| 71-80 | Teeth of the Universe • Giant Ship • Spearhead • Tower Siege • Den of Thieves • Death Queen • Machine Squad • Monster Party • Labyrinth of Light • City Flaws |
| 81-90 | Monster Camp • Fallen Flagship • Heaven's Army • Encircling • Divine • The Threat • Troubled Valley • Battle to the Death • Massive Mobilization • Legion of Monsters |
| 91-94 | Scorching • Demon Army • Surrounded! • Star Eaters |
| 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 |