Just dropped into Nowhere City? This beginner guide will get you from zero to breaching like a pro. We cover the controls, mission objectives, room clearing basics, hostage safety, the mistakes almost every new player makes, and what to unlock first with your hard-earned stars.
Controls
Master these basics and every mission becomes easier
Door Kickers: Action Squad uses a twin-stick-style control scheme. You move with one input and aim with another. It feels simple at first, but precision aiming while moving behind cover separates rookies from veterans.
MOVEMENT
- Move left/right with directional input
- Jump to clear obstacles and reach higher cover
- Crouch to take cover behind low walls and furniture
COMBAT
- Aim with your movement stick or mouse
- Fire your weapon with the attack button
- Switch weapons instantly to avoid reload downtime
- Reload when safe — never in the open
TACTICAL
- Kick doors to breach and stun enemies behind them
- Throw flashbangs to disable groups of hostiles
- Place breaching charges to destroy doors and damage nearby enemies
- Use medkits to heal instantly during fights
Pro Tip: Weapon Switching
Mission Objectives
What you are actually trying to do in every mission
Every mission in Door Kickers: Action Squad has three layers of objectives. Understanding them helps you prioritize your actions when bullets are flying.
Clear All Hostiles
Eliminate every enemy in the mission area. This is non-negotiable — you cannot complete a mission without it.
Rescue Hostages
Find and protect civilians. Shooting a hostage instantly fails the mission. They are usually in side rooms behind enemies.
Earn Stars
Complete under time limits, with high accuracy, or taking minimal damage. Bonus objectives earn up to 3 stars per mission.
Stars are your progression currency. You need them to unlock new classes, weapons, and gear. Early on, focus on completing missions rather than 3-starring them — you will return with better equipment later. Once you have enough stars, check the Best Classes tier list to see which operators to unlock first and why.
Room Clearing
The bread and butter of every SWAT operation
Clearing rooms efficiently is the core skill of Door Kickers: Action Squad. Every room is a tactical puzzle. Here is the method that works for every new player.
The 4-Step Room Clear
Look at the door, check for multiple entry points, spot explosive barrels, and mentally map where cover is.
Kick the door to briefly stun enemies on the other side. If there are 3+ hostiles, use a flashbang before entering.
Do not stand in the doorway — that is a kill zone. Move immediately to the nearest solid cover and engage from there.
Check the side of the room closest to you first, then sweep across. Enemies hiding in blind corners are the biggest threat after the initial breach.
Advanced Tip: Breaching Charges
Hostage Safety
One wrong shot and the mission is over
Hostages are the single biggest source of mission failures for new players. They look like civilians, stand near enemies, and are incredibly easy to hit with shotguns, explosives, or panic fire.
How to Spot Hostages
- Hostages wear light-colored civilian clothing
- They are usually crouching or standing still near walls
- They often spawn in side rooms behind the main enemy group
- Flashbangs do not harm them, but bullets and explosives do
Weapons to Avoid Near Hostages
- Shotguns — wide pellet spread is unpredictable
- Breaching charges — area damage hits everything
- SMGs on full auto — stray bullets find hostages
- Use precise single-fire weapons or pistols instead
Mission Failure Warning
Early Mistakes
These will get you killed — learn them now and avoid the pain
Every Door Kickers: Action Squad player makes these mistakes in their first hours. The difference between a rookie and a competent operator is how quickly you recognize and fix them.
Rushing through doors blindly
Always pause before breaching. Check for cover positions, explosive barrels, and multiple enemy angles. A 2-second scan saves your life.
Ignoring the cover system
Yellow cover blocks most damage. Red cover means you are exposed. If you are standing in the open during a firefight, you are already dead. Always be near something solid.
Wasting flashbangs on 1-2 enemies
Flashbangs are limited. Save them for rooms with 3+ enemies or when you know a boss is behind the next door. A single enemy can be handled with raw gunfire.
Shooting hostages by accident
Hostages wear civilian clothes and blend into rooms. Scan carefully before firing, especially when using shotguns or explosives. One hostage death = mission fail.
Reloading in the middle of a fight
Switch to your secondary weapon instead of reloading during combat. It is faster and keeps you in the fight. Reload only when you are behind solid cover with no immediate threats.
Forgetting to pick up ammo drops
Defeated enemies drop ammo. Grab it whenever the room is clear. Running dry during the next fight is one of the most preventable ways to fail a mission.
First Upgrades
What to unlock with your first stars
After your first few missions, you will earn enough stars to start unlocking new content. Here is the recommended unlock order to make your early game as smooth as possible.
The Breacher's door-breaking speed and shotgun bonuses make early missions dramatically easier. He can clear rooms faster than the Assault class and excels in tight spaces. Pair him with the M1014 shotgun for maximum impact. If you want the full breakdown of every firearm in the game, the Weapons Guide has stats, comparisons, and the best picks for every class.
This semi-auto shotgun pairs perfectly with the Breacher. It deletes enemies in close range and makes door breaches lethal. The best early-game weapon purchase you can make.
Recon gives you speed and stealth bonuses. He is perfect for missions with time-limit bonus objectives and makes backtracking for missed stars much faster.
Upgrade from the default rifle to the M4A1 or SCAR-L. Better damage and accuracy means you will earn stars faster and handle armored enemies without struggling.
Star Farming Strategy
What Comes Next?
Once you have the basics down and your first upgrades unlocked, it is time to go deeper. Here is where to head next based on what you want to improve.