Beginner guide
The first hour, in order: free cash, the locker tabs, three pads and two purchases.
Claim the codes and the group bonus first, then buy armour and a sight before anything cosmetic. Start on the bank, prison then museum.
The first hour of Tactical: Swat Simulator decides whether you enjoy it. Play the two teaching pads, ignore the shop cosmetics, and buy the two things that keep you alive.
1. Get the free money first
Redeem the live codes and claim the group-and-like bonus. That is over a thousand cash before your first shot, which is roughly a working primary plus armour. There is no reason to grind the bank empty-handed for an hour first.
2. Learn the locker tabs
The lobby has five tabs along the top: Shop, Quests, Prestige, V.I.P. and the free-claim tab. Inside the locker itself you will find:
- Primary, secondary and gadget slots — what you carry into the raid.
- Uniforms — the outfit; plus Armour, which is the part that actually keeps you alive.
- Armory — buy and customise weapons, and attach sights or a muzzle brake.
- Customise dog — only meaningful if you own the K9 pass.
3. Read the Active Tasks before the first door
The list on the left of the screen is the scoring rubric, not decoration. On the bank it reads rescue all civilians, secure all hostiles, recover all stolen cash. Complete those and the debrief pays out; ignore one and the payout drops.
4. Shout, then decide
Get close, shout, and give the suspect a beat to go down. Suspects who surrender can be cuffed and pay the arrest score. Suspects who raise a weapon are the ones you shoot. New officers spray first and pay for it in penalties.
5. Cuff the civilians
Civilians count as rescued when they are restrained and the area is clear. Walking past a cuffed civilian and finishing the sweep is the normal rhythm.
6. Pick the first three pads in this order
| Order | Pad | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cash Under Fire (bank) | Wide rooms, obvious tasks, forgiving sightlines |
| 2 | Broken Bars (prison) | More hostiles, more bodies that look alike — teaches target confirmation |
| 3 | Night Exhibit (museum) | Teaches you to use light and a sight instead of volume of fire |
Leave the port until you own a rifle. Shotguns run out of map there, and the briefing is a 3 a.m. dock with hostiles scattered across the whole site.
7. Buy in this order
- Body armour (the vest and plate kit in the locker).
- A sight for your primary.
- A rifle that works at 40 metres.
- Everything else.
Common questions
How much cash should I have before buying a gun?
Enough for the gun and a sight. A bare rifle is worse than the shotgun you already own in the rooms the shotgun is good at.
Should I play solo or with a party?
Start solo. A party of five adds to the body count, and a stack that does not split roles is slower than one careful officer.
Why did I lose money on a completed raid?
Officer-down and civilian-casualty penalties come off the top. The debrief screen lists each line, so check it before blaming the game.
