The fastest way into Angels Fall First is to finish the official infantry tutorial, complete one objective-focused bot match, and only then add vehicles and ships. Learn transitions between systems, not every control at once.
Your first 15 minutes
- Open the infantry tutorial. Focus on movement, aiming, interaction, loadout flow, and how the HUD marks an objective.
- Finish the tutorial before changing domains. Repetition is more useful than jumping straight into a fighter because the infantry layer teaches the objective language used elsewhere.
- Enter a bot match with a ground objective. Follow allies, watch which route they take, and complete one capture or defense cycle.
- Use one vehicle with a clear purpose. Transport, armor support, or anti-vehicle pressure is enough; do not treat requisition as a vehicle showroom.
- End by visiting a practice arena. Try the unfamiliar weapon or vehicle you noticed in the match without turning the next live objective into a controls test.
The combined-arms learning order
| Layer | Learn this first | Ready to advance when |
|---|---|---|
| Infantry | Objectives, cover, loadout role, ally movement | You can reach and contribute to a marked objective. |
| Ground vehicles | Requisition, entry and exit, terrain, support role | You can deploy without abandoning the objective chain. |
| Fighters and bombers | Launch, orientation, target choice, return route | You can leave and re-enter a hangar deliberately. |
| Boarding | Approach, entry point, interior objective, extraction | You understand why the boarding action helps the wider battle. |
| Command | Map reading, squad selection, destination, order feedback | You can predict what a useful order should accomplish. |
Which official tutorial covers each system?
| System to learn | Official tutorial route | Practice follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Infantry objectives and loadouts | Infantry tutorial | Weapons and infantry practice arena |
| Ground vehicle requisition and movement | Vehicle tutorial | Vehicle practice arena |
| Fighters, bombers, capital ships, and boarding flow | Ship tutorial | Ship practice arena, then one bot scenario |
| Squad orders and tactical map | Command tutorial | Observe one squad in a bot match |
Infantry: win the objective before the firefight
Infantry is the common language of the game. Even space scenarios can move into hangars, corridors, bridges, or internal subsystems. Your first job is therefore not to chase the most dramatic vehicle; it is to understand what your team is trying to capture, defend, escort, or destroy.
- Read the objective marker before choosing a route or loadout.
- Move with allies until you recognize safe approaches and interior entrances.
- Choose equipment for the next task, not for every possible task.
- After respawning, reassess the objective instead of repeating a failed route automatically.
Vehicles: requisition with a job in mind
Official materials describe both ground vehicles and spacecraft, while Update 30 specifically calls out vehicle controls and requisition. Treat a vehicle as a tool that solves a battlefield problem: moving a group, surviving exposed terrain, pressuring armor, or reaching another combat layer.
- Name the task. Decide what the vehicle must do before taking it.
- Check the route. A powerful vehicle in the wrong lane contributes nothing.
- Learn the exit safely. Update 30 changed bailout and exit behavior, so follow current prompts.
- Return to the objective. Do not stay in a vehicle after its useful job has ended.
Spaceflight: practice the full sortie
The useful beginner unit is not "how to dogfight." It is the complete sortie: find the launch point, leave safely, orient to the battle, choose a target, and return. Official materials confirm fighters and bombers launching from stations and capital ships.
| Phase | Beginner focus |
|---|---|
| Launch | Clear the hangar and identify a safe reference point. |
| Navigation | Use the battle and objective markers before selecting a target. |
| Engagement | Make one controlled pass rather than following a target indefinitely. |
| Return | Break away early enough to find and enter a friendly hangar. |
Boarding: connect the space battle to an interior objective
Boarding is not a separate minigame. The official description frames it as a way to capture or destroy stations, shipyards, and vessels from inside. Before committing, know which structure you are entering and which internal objective matters.
- Confirm the target is boardable and relevant to the active objective.
- Watch how transport or docking flow delivers infantry to the interior.
- Once inside, switch back to infantry priorities: route, cover, allies, objective.
- Do not wander the interior without tracking the wider battle state.
Command: issue one order you can evaluate
Commander mode exists for squad and team orders, and Update 30 includes a dedicated command tutorial. Start with one squad, one destination, and one visible result. Complex plans are hard to learn if you cannot tell whether the first order was understood.
- Read the tactical map. Identify the active objective and friendly concentration.
- Select a limited force. One squad is easier to observe than the whole team.
- Give a concrete destination or task. Avoid issuing several overlapping orders.
- Watch the response. Confirm movement and adjust only after reading the result.
Mistakes that make the game harder to learn
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Trying every combat domain in one life | Choose one transition to practice per match. |
| Learning from old key lists | Use current bindings and official tutorial prompts. |
| Taking a vehicle without reading the objective | Define the vehicle's job before requisition. |
| Starting command before understanding unit roles | Play each layer first, then direct it. |
| Treating a failed sortie as wasted time | Evaluate launch, navigation, engagement, and return separately. |
Beginner FAQ
Which Angels Fall First tutorial should I play first?
Start with infantry, then vehicles, ships, and command. That order adds one layer at a time and follows the four tutorial domains named in official Update 30.
Do I need to learn every vehicle and ship immediately?
No. Learn how to contribute on foot, complete one ground objective chain, and safely launch and return a fighter before adding boarding or command.
Why does Angels Fall First feel confusing at first?
A single scenario can connect infantry combat, vehicles, spacecraft, capital-ship interiors, boarding, and squad orders. The game becomes easier when you treat those as separate layers and learn one transition at a time.
Are the controls in this guide exact for version 1.0?
No. This guide explains decisions and learning order using official system descriptions. It avoids unverified key names and menu labels because the current 1.0 control map still needs a manual in-game pass.