In this Drone Defense 2 guide, we’ll go through everything you need to know when starting out, from getting your first units and entering your first match to placing, upgrading, and positioning your defenses.
I’ll also share some of the mistakes I made while playing so you can avoid them and have an easier time progressing.
Drone Defense 2 Beginner Guide – Unit, Quest, upgrading
When you first start playing Drone Defense 2, one of the first things you should do is find the Worker Defense Force NPC.
Talk to him and you’ll receive information about what is happening in the game. He explains that the bunker has been overrun and that you’ll need help if you want to enter it.
The bunker is the main place you need to reach before you can properly get into the gameplay, so follow the objective and make your way there.
Buy Your First Unit
Before you can really start defending yourself, you’ll need some units.
Head over to the unit area and check which units you can afford. When you’re starting out, you probably won’t have many options, so just grab one of the affordable units available to you.
My first affordable unit was Uzi.
You don’t need to worry about getting the strongest possible unit immediately. The important thing is simply having a unit available so you can actually start placing defenses in your first match.
Equip Your Units Before Starting
This is one of the biggest beginner mistakes I made, so make sure you don’t repeat it.
After buying a unit, you need to equip it before entering a match.
I actually entered my first game without equipping my units. Once the match started, I couldn’t place anything down, which meant I basically had no defense.
Since there were no units on the field, the drones were able to move through the map while I just watched the round fall apart.
I eventually had to leave and rejoin so I could properly equip my units.
So before you start a match, always double-check your loadout and make sure the units you want to use are actually equipped.
Start Your First Match
Once your units are equipped, use the key card and head into the bunker.
You can create a lobby and start a game. If you have friends who play Drone Defense 2, I’d recommend playing with other people when possible.
You can still play solo, but having more players can make defending the map much easier, especially as the waves become more difficult.
For this walkthrough, I started with a one-player lobby.
How Drone Defense 2 Works
If you’ve played other tower defense games before, the basic idea should feel familiar.
Drone Defense 2 is essentially a tower defense game.
Drones move through the map, and your job is to place units in strategic positions so they can attack the enemies before they reach the end.
Your main priorities are:
- Place units.
- Upgrade your units.
- Watch the enemy path.
- Add more defenses when necessary.
- Make sure enemies don’t get through your defenses.
It sounds simple, but where you place your units can make a huge difference.
Place Your Units as Soon as Possible
Once the match starts, don’t leave your units sitting in your inventory.
You need to get them onto the map.
Place your first units somewhere where they can effectively attack incoming drones. Ideally, you want them in areas where they have a good amount of time to attack enemies as they move through the map.
The more enemies your units can attack before they reach the end, the better.
Upgrade Your Units
One of the most important tips I can give you is to upgrade your units whenever you can.
If you’re playing on a computer, click on your unit and press E to upgrade it when you have enough money.
For example, one of my early upgrades cost $275, which wasn’t too difficult to save up.
After upgrading, the unit became noticeably stronger. Instead of dealing low damage, it was able to deal around four damage per drone.
That can make a big difference when you’re dealing with larger waves.
So don’t just keep placing new level-one units forever. Upgrading your existing units is extremely important.
Don’t Spend All Your Money on New Units
It’s tempting to keep placing as many units as possible, especially when you see a lot of empty spaces.
However, you should balance placing new units with upgrading the units you already have.
A strong upgraded unit can be much more useful than several weak level-one units.
My general approach was to place enough units to cover the map and then spend my extra money on upgrades.
Don’t Put Every Unit at the Front
This is probably one of the most important positioning tips in the guide.
You might think putting every unit at the beginning of the enemy path is the best strategy because you can attack the drones immediately.
But that’s risky.
What happens if a fast drone gets through your first line?
If you don’t have anything behind your main defenses, that drone can potentially make it all the way to the end.
Instead, I recommend creating a second defensive line farther back on the map.
Create a Backline Defense
Try putting some of your units in the middle or toward the back of the map.
This gives you another layer of protection.
If your first group of units takes care of everything, great. But if a fast or stronger drone manages to get through, your backline can finish it off before it reaches the objective.
During the later waves, this became especially useful because some drones started moving much faster.
Having units waiting farther back gave me a safety net.
Watch for Fast Drones
At the beginning, the drones can seem incredibly slow.
Some of them move so slowly that you have plenty of time to attack them.
But don’t assume every drone will be like that.
As the waves progress, faster enemies can start appearing, and that’s when your positioning becomes much more important.
This is exactly why I recommend having units spread throughout the path instead of putting everything in one location.
Upgrade Your Backline Too
Don’t forget about the units you’ve placed farther back.
It’s easy to focus all your upgrades on your front-line defenses, but your backline is there for a reason.
If enemies start getting past your first group, your back units need to be strong enough to deal with them.
I upgraded some of my backline units to Level 3 once I noticed enemies were starting to make it past the earlier defenses.
That gave me much more confidence going into the later waves.
Add More Units as Waves Get Harder
As you earn more money, continue expanding your defenses.
You don’t necessarily need every position filled immediately. Instead, watch the battlefield and see where your defenses are struggling.
If enemies are consistently getting past the front, add more units or upgrade the ones already there.
If your front defense is handling everything easily but your backline is weak, invest your money there instead.
The key is to react to what is actually happening rather than spending money randomly.
Keep Checking Your Defenses
Don’t just place your units and completely forget about them.
Keep watching the waves and see how far the drones are getting.
If they’re being destroyed immediately, you’re probably doing fine.
If they’re getting through the first part of the map, that’s your warning that you need more damage or better positioning.
This becomes especially important around the later waves when the enemies start moving through your defenses more quickly.
Use Wave Skips Carefully
You can skip waves to move the game along faster.
This is useful when your defenses are already strong and you’re confident that you can handle the upcoming enemies.
However, don’t skip blindly.
If your defenses are struggling, use the extra time to earn money, place additional units, and upgrade your existing defenses.
There’s no point rushing into a harder wave if you’re not prepared for it.
Play With Other Players
If you have friends or other players available, I’d recommend trying multiplayer.
Playing with more people can give you more flexibility when building your defenses.
You can also divide responsibilities and cover more areas of the map.
That said, the basic strategies still apply whether you’re playing solo or with other players: place units, upgrade them, and maintain both a strong front line and a backup defense.
Common Beginner Mistakes
There are a few mistakes you should avoid when starting Drone Defense 2.
Forgetting to Equip Units
This was the mistake I made myself.
Buying a unit doesn’t automatically mean you’re ready to use it in a match. Make sure your units are equipped before starting.
Putting Everything at the Front
A single defensive line can leave you vulnerable to fast enemies.
Always consider keeping some units farther back.
Ignoring Upgrades
Don’t spend all your money on new level-one units.
Upgrade your strongest units whenever possible so they can deal with stronger waves.
Not Watching the Enemy Path
You need to know where the drones are getting through.
If you see enemies consistently reaching a certain section, that’s where you should focus your next upgrade or unit placement.
Playing Without a Backup Plan
Even if your defenses look perfect during the early waves, things can change quickly.
Keep some units toward the middle or back so you have another layer of defense if something gets through.
Overall, Drone Defense 2 is pretty easy to understand once you know the basics.
The most important things to remember are to equip your units before entering a match, place your defenses strategically, upgrade them regularly, and always keep some units toward the back of the map.
Don’t make the same mistake I did by entering a match without equipping your units. That one small mistake can completely ruin your first attempt.
Once you get your setup working, the game becomes much more straightforward. Keep upgrading your defenses, watch for faster drones, and make sure you always have a backup line ready.
If you’re just starting out, follow these tips and you should have a much easier time getting through the early waves and improving your defenses.