Tears of Metal Battlefield Tactics Guide: Solo vs Co-Op Strategy Breakdown

Tears of Metal is the kind of game that looks simple for about five minutes before it starts punishing every bad decision you make. On the surface, it is a fast-paced medieval action game filled with swords, huge enemy formations, dark fantasy monsters, and enough blood to make every battlefield feel like a disaster zone. But underneath that chaotic hack-and-slash layer is a surprisingly deep tactical system that changes dramatically depending on whether you play alone or with a full co-op squad.

That is what makes the game so interesting to me.

In most action roguelikes, adding more players simply means there are more characters on the screen and the enemies get a little stronger. Tears of Metal takes a different approach. Solo and co-op do not just feel like two versions of the same campaign. They demand completely different mindsets.

When playing alone, you are a commander first and a warrior second. Your Scottish battalion becomes an essential part of your survival strategy, and controlling the battlefield is often more important than dealing the highest possible damage.

In 4-player co-op, however, the game becomes something much more chaotic. Human players replace much of the tactical role normally handled by your AI forces, while the enemy armies respond with heavier formations, stronger elites, and much more aggressive pressure.

So, which mode is actually better?

After spending time looking at the game’s systems and thinking about how these battles play out, my personal opinion is that Tears of Metal is at its best when you understand what each mode is asking from you. Solo is the more tactical experience. Co-op is the more explosive one. Neither is simply the “correct” way to play.

Solo vs Co-Op in Tears of Metal: Two Very Different Battlefield Experiences

The first mistake many players will make is assuming that the only difference between solo and co-op is the number of heroes on the screen.

That is not really how Tears of Metal works.

The entire battlefield changes depending on the number of human players involved. In solo mode, your AI-controlled Scottish soldiers are far more important because they effectively become your extended combat system. They can absorb pressure, create space, occupy enemy formations, and help prevent you from being surrounded.

You, meanwhile, are responsible for the most important targets.

In co-op, the balance shifts. Your teammates can cover flanks, attack enemies from behind, revive fallen players, and coordinate damage in ways that AI soldiers simply cannot replicate. As a result, the game can afford to throw more dangerous threats into the battle.

My advice: do not approach solo and co-op with the same build philosophy. A setup that feels incredibly safe when playing alone might become unnecessary in a coordinated team, while a glass-cannon build that works beautifully with three friends can be extremely frustrating in solo runs.

The Best Solo Tactics in Tears of Metal

Solo mode is where Tears of Metal feels most like a tactical action game rather than a traditional multiplayer brawler.

You have to think ahead.

Every enemy formation matters. Every dodge matters. Every mistake becomes more dangerous because there is nobody nearby to rescue you when your health disappears.

1. Use the Environment to Create Chokepoints

The handcrafted environments are not just scenery. They are weapons.

Narrow bridges, ruined gates, forest paths, trenches, and broken village streets can completely change the outcome of a fight. If you allow a massive enemy army to surround you in an open area, your chances of survival drop rapidly.

Instead, try to force the enemy into narrow spaces.

A chokepoint allows your heavy attacks to hit multiple targets while limiting the number of enemies that can attack you at once. This is especially useful when dealing with large groups of basic soldiers.

The general strategy is simple:

• Find a narrow passage before the enemy fully surrounds you.
• Keep the main enemy force in front of your character.
• Use wide attacks to damage multiple targets.
• Retreat before the formation can spread around your flanks.
• Let your battalion help control the pressure.

This might sound basic, but it is one of the most important Tears of Metal solo tips. The game often rewards players who control where the fight happens rather than simply reacting to whatever is on screen.

2. Treat Your Scottish Battalion as a Real Military Resource

One of my favorite ideas in Tears of Metal is the fact that your soldiers are not completely disposable.

Your battalion develops over time, and experienced troops can become incredibly valuable during difficult runs. Because permanent death is part of the system, losing a veteran soldier is more than just losing another NPC.

It can affect your future campaign.

That means your soldiers should not always be thrown into the most dangerous part of the battle.

A good solo commander should use their own hero as the tip of the spear. Break enemy formations, stagger powerful targets, and create openings before ordering your troops into the fight.

The biggest mistake is sending your battalion into a wall of heavily armored enemies and hoping that numbers will solve everything. Sometimes they will. Sometimes you will return to your settlement with half your best soldiers missing.

And trust me, rebuilding a veteran roster after a disastrous run is not nearly as fun as it sounds.

3. Learn to Kite Elite Enemies

Bosses and elite commanders are where solo players are truly tested.

A powerful enemy may have huge attacks, long-range abilities, and devastating area-of-effect damage. Trying to stand in front of these enemies and trade hits is usually a terrible idea.

The safer approach is to bait attacks.

Wait for the enemy to commit to a large animation, dodge out of danger, reposition behind the target, and deliver a short burst of damage. Then get out before the enemy has a chance to recover.

This is particularly important during encounters such as Gilles the Hog, where a single poorly timed attack can quickly turn into a failed run.

The key solo rule is:

Never stay in melee range longer than necessary.

Hit the enemy. Make them commit. Dodge. Punish. Reset the fight.

It is not always the most exciting way to play, but it is far more reliable than trying to win every encounter through pure aggression.

Tears of Metal Co-Op Strategy: Why Four Players Change Everything

The moment you enter a full four-player co-op campaign, the game becomes significantly more chaotic.

The battlefield is larger in terms of what you need to monitor. You have multiple players moving in different directions, more dangerous enemies appearing at once, and far greater potential for both powerful combinations and complete disaster.

A good co-op squad should not be four people independently playing solo on the same map.

That is the fastest way to create a very expensive group death.

1. Build Around Different Roles

The best co-op teams should have some form of role separation.

You do not necessarily need traditional MMO-style classes, but every player should ideally bring something different to the battlefield.

A strong four-player composition could include:

• A frontline fighter focused on knockback, defense, and enemy control.
• A primary damage dealer designed to destroy armored enemies quickly.
• A second DPS character focused on elemental effects and group damage.
• A mobile specialist who can hunt archers, shamans, and dangerous backline enemies.

The important thing is not the exact role names. The important thing is that your team can answer different battlefield problems.

If all four players build for maximum melee damage, the squad may look incredibly powerful during the first few minutes of a run. Then a large enemy formation appears, the team loses control of the battlefield, and suddenly everyone is asking why nobody brought a defensive build.

Classic co-op gaming.

Emblem and Artifact Synergy Is Where Co-Op Gets Really Interesting

The Emblem and Artifact systems are arguably where the co-op experience becomes much deeper than simply attacking the same enemies together.

Different elemental effects can be combined between players to create powerful chains.

For example, one player may focus on freezing groups of enemies. Another can use fire-based effects to exploit those immobilized targets, while a third player adds lightning damage to create even more area pressure.

The result is not just four characters dealing damage independently.

It becomes a coordinated damage system.

A defensive player controls the battlefield. A damage player capitalizes on the opening. A mobility-focused player attacks the backline. Suddenly, the team is creating opportunities for one another rather than simply swinging weapons in the same general direction.

This is the kind of synergy that makes Tears of Metal co-op builds worth experimenting with.

You should not be afraid to build around a teammate’s strengths. A support-oriented artifact may look weaker on paper than a pure damage option, but if it allows another player to trigger devastating elemental effects, the total team damage can be much higher.

Aggro, Revives, and the Difference Between a Good Team and a Dead Team

Co-op players also need to understand how to manage enemy attention.

When an elite enemy focuses on one player, that player should not always panic and run randomly across the battlefield. In many cases, the targeted player can deliberately pull the enemy away while the rest of the team attacks from the rear.

This creates a natural rotation:

1. One player attracts the elite enemy.
2. The target focuses on survival and defense.
3. Other players attack the exposed flank.
4. The enemy switches pressure.
5. The team rotates positions.

This works especially well against enemies with predictable attack patterns.

Revives are another major part of co-op strategy. When a player goes down, the worst possible reaction is for all four players to rush directly toward the fallen teammate.

That usually creates a second problem.

A better strategy is to create a safety zone first. The frontline player can use defensive abilities and the battalion to absorb pressure while the most mobile teammate completes the revive.

Communication matters more than raw damage during these moments.

A team that communicates clearly can recover from a mistake. A team that says nothing usually turns one downed player into a full party wipe.

The Meta-Progression Loop: Your Settlement Matters More Than You Think

The battlefield is only half of the Tears of Metal experience.

Between runs, your settlement and permanent progression systems determine how strong your future campaigns can become.

This is where players need to think beyond the immediate run.

Upgrade the Right Settlement Features First

Permanent resources should be spent carefully, especially during the early stages of the campaign.

In my opinion, improving your settlement infrastructure should usually be a priority over making small temporary upgrades that only benefit one run.

The Blacksmith is particularly important because better weapon blueprints can dramatically improve future campaigns. Meanwhile, upgrades to the Clan Hall can expand the size and strength of your battalion.

The more powerful your permanent foundation becomes, the less dependent you are on getting lucky during individual runs.

Build a Reserve of Soldiers

One of the most important long-term lessons is not to take every veteran soldier into every dangerous mission.

Your strongest troops may be extremely useful, but putting your entire best roster into one high-risk challenge is a dangerous gamble.

A better approach is to create a balanced battalion:

• Keep several experienced veterans.
• Train newer recruits alongside them.
• Avoid risking your entire elite roster at once.
• Maintain reserve troops for difficult future campaigns.

This approach may seem slower, but it protects your long-term progression.

And because permanent troop death can make mistakes genuinely painful, having a reserve force is one of the smartest Tears of Metal progression strategies you can develop.

Tears of Metal Weapon Upgrade Guide: Best Progression Paths & Builds

Final Verdict: Should You Play Tears of Metal Solo or Co-Op?

Honestly, I do not think there is a single correct answer.

Solo mode is the better choice for players who enjoy control, careful positioning, and methodical combat. You are constantly thinking about enemy formations, chokepoints, battalion survival, and how to safely eliminate dangerous targets.

It feels more personal.

Every successful run feels like your victory because you were responsible for almost every important decision.

Co-op, meanwhile, is where Tears of Metal becomes gloriously chaotic. Four players combining builds, splitting enemy formations, saving one another from impossible situations, and accidentally creating complete battlefield disasters is exactly the kind of experience that can make a game memorable.

Tears of Metal Best Artifacts Tier List & Loadout Guide (2026)

Personally, I think the ideal way to experience the game is to play both.

Keep a solo campaign for those slower, more atmospheric runs where you want to focus on tactical combat and carefully develop your clan. Then maintain a separate co-op campaign for the weekends when you want to gather a full squad and turn the battlefield into absolute medieval chaos.

That is ultimately the biggest strength of Tears of Metal. The game does not force you to choose between tactical depth and pure action. It simply emphasizes a different side of its design depending on how many players are fighting beside you.

Whether you are carefully funneling enemies through a ruined gate alone or coordinating four different builds against an overwhelming army, the objective remains the same:

Rally the clan, protect your battalion, master your build, and take back the island one bloody battlefield at a time.

Action RPG Roguelike for 4 Players : Tears of Metal (Playtest) | Online Co-op Campaign Full Gameplay