Starship is the thirty-sixth offline mission and the thirty-ninth online mission in Earth Defense Force 2025 and the thirty-seventh offline mission and the fortieth online mission in Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair.
Objective[]
2025: Preparations for a coordinated global attack on the alien motherships are almost complete. The enemy's ships are powerful fortresses with massive firepower. There is no guarantee of victory and we'll all need to exercise caution. We will take the lead. We must shoot down the mothership. If we are successful, we will be praised throughout history. Now go and fight for all humanity!
4.1: Preparations for a coordinated global attack on the alien motherships are almost complete, though bear in mind the enemy's ships are powerful fortresses with massive firepower. There is no guarantee of victory, and we'll all need to exercise extreme caution. We'll take the lead, with the goal of shooting as many as possible out of the sky. If we're successful, we'll be praised throughout history as the saviors of all humanity!
Storyline[]
HQ starts the mission with an inspirational speech. He declares that the Ravager army is 10 times stronger than before (which isn't true since two Motherships were destroyed before they could attack so it's only 8 times stronger) and that they the Motherships has to be destroyed to save humanity. He then reminds everyone that they are protected by shield screens so they can only be destroyed by infantry and orders an attack. Storm Team can see the mothership above a metropolitan area flanked by two Transport Ships and some Hectors.
The Tactics Officer warns everyone that the Genocide Gun is being deployed and HQ orders a retreat. Soon enough the Mothership destroys half the city, with some soldiers shouting over the radio. As the Genocide Gun keeps shooting, HQ keeps saying various encouragements.
Once the Gun is destroyed, TO confirms the kill while the Operator celebrates, but HQ warns that the Mothership isn't finished yet. Soon enough it deploys its Cannon Panels, but an air intake vent, where the ship can be damaged, starts opening and closing periodically. Rangers and Wing Divers report that they are dying and HQ keeps reminding the soldiers that the vent is the ship's weak point.
As soon as TO confirms that the mothership is half damaged, it deploys ten Large cannons to start a rave party and she announces that it's the ship's final form. More soldiers will announce that they are dying and eventually mothership is finally destroyed.
4.1 Changes[]
The mission is now placed on different map.
The enemies were slightly changed, with the Transport ships dropping ants instead of Hectors.
More allies were added including some Epsilon Armored Railguns, they now will shoot the Mothership and its weapons.
Enemies[]
2025[]
| Wave | Spawn | Enemy | Amount | Notes | |
| 1st | Appears at the beginning of the mission | Hectors | 4 | Two with Spark Launchers and Particle Gatling Guns
Two with Plasma Cannons and Particle Gatling Guns | |
| Mothership | 1 | ||||
| Genocide Gun | 1 | ||||
| Laser Panels | 40 | Activate when the Genocide Gun is destroyed. | |||
| Plasma Panels | 22 | ||||
| Giant Cannons | 10 | Activate when the mothership's health is below 50%. | |||
| Flying Drones | 16 | Drop infinitely. | |||
| Transport Ships | 2 | ||||
| Hectors | 1 each | With Spark Launchers and Particle Gatling Guns | |||
4.1[]
| Wave | Spawn | Enemy | Amount | Notes | |
| 1st | Appears at the beginning of the mission | Hectors | 5 | With Plasma Cannons | |
| Mothership | 1 | ||||
| Genocide Gun | 1 | ||||
| Laser Panels | 40 | Activate when the Genocide Gun is destroyed. | |||
| Plasma Panels | 22 | ||||
| Giant Cannons | 10 | Activate when the mothership's health is below 50%. | |||
| Flying Drones | 24 | First drop only. | |||
| Flying Drones | 16 | Second and following drops only. | |||
| Red Drones | 4 | On Hardest or above.
Dropped once when the mothership's health is below 75%. | |||
| Transport Ships | 2 | ||||
| Black Ants | 10 each | ||||
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 | 849 | 842 | 474 | 471 | 1061 | 1052 |
| Hard | 2112 | 2304 | 1106 | 1202 | 2640 | 2880 |
| Hardest | 3408 | 4103 | 1754 | 2101 | 4260 | 5129 |
Weapon Level Limit
| Game | Easy & Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 11 | 35 | 60 | - |
| 4.1 | 11 | 36 | 62 | - |
Approximate Weapon Drop Rate
| Game | Easy | Normal | Hard | Hardest | Inferno |
| 2025 | 4-8 | 6-10 | 20-32 | 2-57 | 10-70 |
| 4.1 | 3-8 | 5-10 | 21-36 | 0-58 | 10-70 |
Strategy[]
4.1[]
Bring long range, high damage weapons since most of your enemies will have a lots of health and/or will be a flying.
Start by getting closer and shooting the Flying Drones. While they will be constantly respawning the first batch will have more drones then the others so it's a good idea to kill the extras. After that only fight them when they start overwhelming you. Soon the Genocide Gun will deploy and you will have a nice line of sight on the Transport Ships and the ground troops. Don't attack the gun for now.
Start with Transport Ship on your right, since is closer, as soon as it opens. Shoot it down and then the other one so you only have to deal with as few ants as possible.
The Hectors are far away and equipped with plasma, so they aren't much of a threat, but keep moving since they can still hurt you. After the ships are down concentrate on them. When they are destroyed attack the Genocide Gun.
Shoot down at least most of the panels and attack the vents after them. You can fall back and use some of the buildings as cover. When the big cannons start to fire try to destroy those and then bring down the mothership.
| 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 |