Earth Defenders is the fourty-sixth offline mission and the fourty-ninth online mission in Earth Defense Force 2025 and the fourty-eighth offline mission and the fifty-first online mission in Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair.
Objective[]
2025: We have confirmed that the aliens are continuing to move. We'll mobilize and engage them in the mountains. The Ravagers have dropped Shield Bearers who are moving to defend the ginat insects. That will make the insects very dangerous. Good luck.
4.1: We have confirmed that the aliens are continuing to move, so we'll mobilize and engage them in the mountains. The Ravagers have dropped Shield Bearers, who are moving to defend the ginat insects. That will make the going much more treacherous. Good luck!
Storyline[]
Storm Team is in a mountain region filled with giant insects and Shield Bearers, when HQ orders all units to attack. Some of the new recruits who haven't seen Shield Bearers note that there's a "dome of light" and it deflects bullets. Thanks to their inadequate training HQ is forced to explain how the Shield Bearers work again.
When most of insects are dead a new Shield Bearer with ants appears. And after that Hornets and then more ants with shields. The mission ends when all enemies are destroyed.
4.1 Changes[]
The mission has more enemies. There is a Shield Bearer that can create a dome large enough to cover half of the map.
The Ranger team was replaced with more Wing Divers and the other team got one more person. At the beginning of the mission a Fencer team appears under the closest Shield Bearer and gets chewed up by the ants so they call backup on the radio. If they don't die they just sit there doing nothing unless something comes to them
When a new wave appears the Tactics Officer warns against the new Shield Bearers. HQ also has also more dialogue encouraging the soldiers to go inside the domes even though it's dangerous.
Allies[]
2025[]
- A team of 4 Rangers with Sniper Rifles appears near the players when they spawn.
- A team of 4 Wing Divers with Lances appears near the players when they spawn.
4.1[]
- A team of 5 Wing Divers with LAZRs appears near the players when they spawn.
- A team of 5 Wing Divers with Lances appears near the players when they spawn.
- A team of 5 Fencers with Blasthole Spears appears a few seconds after the mission starts. They cannot be recruited.
Enemies[]
2025[]
| Wave | Spawn | Enemy | Amount | Notes |
| 1st | Appears at the begining of the mission. | Black Ant | 17 | |
| Crimson Ant | 15 | |||
| Shield Bearer | 2 | |||
| Spider | 20 | |||
| 2nd | Appears when 27 enemies are destroyed. | Black Ant | 34 | |
| Shield Bearer | 1 | |||
| 3rd | Appears when 59 enemies are destroyed. | Hornets | 30 | |
| 4th | Appears when 86 enemies are destroyed. | Crimson Ant | 128 | |
| Shield Bearer | 1 |
4.1[]
| Wave | Spawn | Enemy | Amount | Notes |
| 1st | Appears at the begining of the mission. | Black Ant | 40 | |
| Shield Bearer | 2 | |||
| Shield Bearer | 1 | Immobile and creates a huge dome. | ||
| Spider | 20 | |||
| 2nd | Appears when less then 40 enemies are left. | Crimson Ant | 20 | |
| Shield Bearer | 2 | |||
| Spider | 20 | |||
| 3rd | Appears when less then 60 enemies are left. | Hornets | 40 | |
| Shield Bearer | 1 | |||
| 4th | Appears when less then 60 enemies are left. | Crimson Ant | 40 | |
| Shield Bearer | 1 |
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 | 967 | 9667 | 533 | 533 | 1206 | 1209 |
| Hard | 2273 | 2531 | 1186 | 1315 | 2842 | 3163 |
| Hardest | 3515 | 4273 | 1807 | 2186 | 4394 | 5342 |
Weapon Level Limit
| Game | Easy & Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 14 | 37 | 62 | - |
| 4.1 | 14 | 39 | 65 | - |
Approximate Weapon Drop Rate
| Game | Easy | Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 6-10 | 8-12 | 23-35 | 5-61 | 15-75 |
| 4.1 | 5-10 | 8-13 | 24-39 | 2-62 | 16-76 |
Strategy[]
4.1[]
Bring weapons that can deal with swarms of insects with enough range to hit Hornets. Also bring a high damage weapon against the Shield Bearers.
The insects are not aggressive until provoked (the Fencer team will provoke the first group immediately) and the groups are far away from each other so it's best if you attack them separately so they won't overwhelm you. Fighting the bugs near the Shield Bearers can be annoying so try to lure them away.
| 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 |