Loadouts are a feature in Section 8 and Section 8: Prejudice that allow soldiers to customize their powered armor with weapons and gear. Loadouts are a more flexible version of the "classes" mechanic that appears in similar video games.
Overview[]
When the player starts each multiplayer match, he will see a character screen that describes what his soldier is carrying and wearing. Each set of armor has Passive Modules that can be upgraded. A set number of points are available to spend on these, and how the player uses them depends on how he/she wants to play. Multiple different loadouts can be created for quick swap-outs between spawns.[1]
Information on the individual loadout items, and how to obtain them, can be found in the Unlockables page.
Section 8: Prejudice[]
Each loadout can have two weapons of any kind, two pieces of equipment, 10-14 gear modules (depending on rank upgrades), and an aesthetic armor upgrade. Any weapon or equipment is equipable in either slot (no secondaries), however a player cannot select two of the same weapon or equipment. There are seven weapons types, eleven types of equipment, four armor upgrades, and sixteen Passive Modules.
There are many combinations that can be made, all with their own "personalities."
In greater elaboration, players can create and customize loadouts with singularly-focused specializations, completing ideal dynamic combat missions (DCM) with top performance, or multi-purpose loadouts with average effectiveness at multiple types of DCM. For example, one purely specialized loadout may be packed to the brim with Polarity Charger and Assassin Module upgrades to complete many "point-A-to-point-B" or recovery DCMs, ideally using a pistol or machine gun to defend themselves. Another example may involve fully upgrading Repair Field and Engineering Interface modules while wielding the Repair Tool equipment to quickly repair valuable team assets, including VIPs, Outposts, Infiltrators and Convoys, and keep some of the allies who can dish out more of the real damage to the enemy team alive.
A more "general" loadout can be created to defend a control point using mixes of composite plating, shield generators, repair field, and tungsten coating upgrades to kill enemy intruders with assault rifles and shotguns while surviving multiple barrages of bullets or near miss grenades, also leaving for awhile to maintain and repair base structures that have been damaged in an assault.
Downloadable Content[]
Currently, the only DLC is the Blitz pack, which gives access to the Blitz armor, an aesthetic upgrade, the shotgun Incendiary Shells variant, and the Napalm mortar. The Incendiary rounds and Napalm mortars can be unlocked in-game without the DLC, but the armor upgrade can be obtained from DLC purchase only.