Intro: What is FOB ghosting?

 
FOB ghosting is an infiltration style which revolves around successfully reaching the core of an FOB without triggering combat alert even once. Hardcore FOB ghosting involves never activating Reflex Mode, so you can get a tremendous amount of bonus ESPG points. 
This method is massively used by players who pursue high ESPG ranks due to the whole game being extremely rewarding in terms of being steallthy and not killing anyone. 
Additional advantage of this infiltration method is that opponents you attack cannot retaliate. 
 
 

Chapter 1: Advantages of FOB ghosting

 
There are many reasons. Most obvious ones are: 

• MGSV:TPP is a game that rewards being stealthy and not leaving casualties, most important things FOB ghosting contributes to are Heroism that will go up constantly and the fact that you literally cannot become Demon Snake. Additional aspect that FOB ghosting contribute to is much greater ESPG points gain per one infiltrated FOB; 
• By practicing FOB ghosting, you will learn much about guards positioning, FOB layouts, mines, UAVs, anti-theft devices security camera locations and how to avoid them, as you need to be extremely focused on those aspects during ghost infiltration.

 
 
Example of a successful ghost infiltration and tremendous bonus ESPG points gain thanks to total stealth 
 
 

Chapter 2: Weapon loadouts

 
Choosing weapon loadouts extremely up to your personal preference, as each player has their own weapons they are used to. My personally favorite basic loadouts for FOB ghosting include: 
 

Loadout 1

• Primary: S1000 AIR-S and AM MRS-73 NL; 
• Secondary: Macht 37L (for taking down cameras, UAVs and Antitheft devices in case of emergency); 
• Support weapons: Magazine, Sleep Grenade, Smoke Grenade, Stun Grenade, Hand Grenade, FOM Decoy, M21 D-Mine, Decoy; 
• Items: Pentazemin, Noctocyanin, C.Box (SMK), NVG. 
• Uniforms are your personal preference, you don’t get any penalties for using any uniform.

(Loadout for FOBs with equipment grade lower than 9, where guards can be 1-shot stunned by S1000 AIR-S) 
 
 
Mission sortie for loadout 1 
 

Loadout 2

• Primary: AM MRS-4R and AM MRS-73 NL; 
• Secondary: AM A114 RP (for instant takedowns when necessary, DO NOT USE IF DEALING WITH NON LETHAL DEFENCE); 
• Support weapons: Magazine, Sleep Grenade (not for non-lethal defense), Smoke Grenade, Stun Grenade, Hand Grenade, FOM Decoy, M21 D-Mine, Decoy; 
• Items: Pentazemin, Noctocyanin, C.Box (SMK), NVG. 
• Uniforms are your personal preference, you don’t get any penalties for using any uniform.

 
 
Mission sortie for loadout 2 
 
Again, these loadouts are my personal favorites, use any loadout that works best for you. 
 
 

Chapter 3: Analyzing an FOB you’re planning to ghost

 
Analyzing a platform you’re planning to ghost has a crucial role in majority of decisions you are going to make during mission sortie and during the infiltration. Remember that you have unlimited time to analyze the platform you are about to ghost, so take as much time as you need to make sure you got everything covered. 
These are some critical aspects to pay attention to: 

• Defense level: This depicts the overall strength of a platform you are about to infiltrate converted into one number. 
   
   
• Attack properties: This is the aspect that is a huge turning points mostly regarding the weapons you are choosing. Non-lethal guards are immune to any gases induced effect, like sleep grenades gas and AM A114 RP pistol rounds. 
   
   
• Guards rank: The higher it is, the more sensible and cautious guards are for your actions. This is most easily noticeable when going against long range S++ guards. 
   
   
• Guards count: Note that this number doesn’t include only guards on platforms, but also the Guards that serve as backup, so it doesn’t help you very much in having sense about amount of guards. 
   
   
• Range type: There are some major differences between the range types. Medium range is pretty much a big grotesque, long range can be a pain in the *** as it can severely punish even the slightest mistakes you make. Short range defense is also easy to deal with until you raise the combat alert. 
   
   
• Equipment grade: This number depicts the average grade of equipment guards are using. The most important info regarding this is that guards and security devices will be tougher. Guards cannot be 1-shot stunned by S1000 grade 7 Air-S shotgun anymore (headshot still stuns them immediately). Check Chapter 2 for weapons loadout for these kind of FOBs. 
   

Chapter 4: Infiltrating

 
This chapter will be divided into parts so I can explain each part of the infiltration process. 
 

Drop in point

 
When you are on the drop in point selection screen, always choose the point that looks like the one given on the screenshot, as it gives you the shortest and easiest clear of the beginning deck: 
 
 

Bridges

 
Bridges between decks are usually not hard to go through, but more experienced players place the custom Mines overlooked by cameras on choke points to drastically lower your chances of not being detected and so, reaching the core. But every single one mines formation has a weakspot where you can almost painlessly go through. One tactic of avoiding them is given in this YouTube clip: 
 

Chapter 5: Security devices

 
Security devices serve as additional layer of protection for an FOB. They consist of: IR-Sensors, Antitheft devices, Surveillance cams (Gun-cam defenders) and UA drones. 
 

IR-Sensors

 
IR-Sensors are placed on catwalks and alert enemies whenever you pass through the beam emmited by them. There are 2 ways to deal with them: 

• Go around them by hanging over the fence (100% stealthy way, just make sure there aren’t UA drones passing by as they will raise combat alert as soon as you’ve been seen hanging, even if you don’t move. Also, be cautious about the Cameras usually overlooking the IR-Sensors) 
   
  Example of bypassing the IR-Sensor by hanging over the fence 
   
• Destroy the IR-Sensor by shooting at the frame (be aware that this will make guards be alerted to investigate the destroyed IR-Sensor immediately, so this isn’t quite the 100% stealthy way to bypass this security device)

Antitheft devices

 
Antitheft devices are placed close to majority of containers and gun emplacements. Level 1 Antitheft devices won’t trigger when you pass by them, but don’t risk testing if they are level 1 or higher. There are 2 ways to deal with them: 

• Go around their trigger area so they never get triggered (100% stealthy way) 
• Destroy them (this easily attracts guards, avoid destroying them as much as possible when ghosting, unless you want them to serve as distraction)

Surveillance cameras/Gun-cam defenders

 
Surveillance cameras are placed on many spots around the platforms where intruders are expected to be seen when infiltrating. 
There are 3 ways to deal with them: 

• Play around their movement. Cameras have a fixed movement angle and joint movement speed (joint movement speed is greater on upgraded cameras). Use the moment when camera isn’t overlooking your path and quickly go through (100% stealthy way) 
• Use smoke grenade to “blind them”. This works great, but guards will be attracted by smoke and possible moderate alert will be raised. Despite that, this is still very effective way to deal with cameras. 
• Destroy them. This is the least recommended way as guards will be immeiately called to investigate the camera that has been destroyed, and they will raise the moderate alert when they see camera destroyed.

UA drones

 
UA drones are overlooking the random spots on the platform over the time. If they notice any guard taken down, guards will be called to investigate and moderate alert will be raised immediately after. 
There are 3 ways to deal with them: 

• Just ignore them and try to avoid them as much as possible, and make sure you mark every single one you come by so you always know their position. If you get noticed by one, just lie down on the ground and play dead, and they will continue their patrol short after. Make sure you never get noticed by them while hanging over the fences or climbing up the pipes as you won’t get a chance to take them down and they will raise the combat alert immediately. This way is a 100% stealthy one to deal with them. 
• Destroy them. This might have 2 outcomes: if you destroy them when nobody sees you and they fall into water, no alert will be raised nor guards will be attracted. But, if you destroy them when any of the guards sees you doing so or UA drone falls onto the hard ground, guards will be attracted and alert will be raised. This can be fatal for you if dealing with long range defense.

Additional note: NVG

 
Not very much to be told here. Just wanted to mention that, if guards don’t have NVG equipped, your Smoke grenades are extra effective 😉 
 
 

Chapter 6: Reaching the final deck of the platform

 
Okay, you we passed all the decks on the platform you are infiltrating without being noticed even once, but now you’ve reached the final deck. This one differs a lot depending on the platform you are infiltrating. 
 

Command Platform

 
Core reaching difficulty: 7/10 
When trying to reach core of Command platform, the most important thing is to reach central building, along with it’s corridors and stairs up too the core. However, be aware that this is the place where you will always find some guards just behind the corner. Defenders also like to camp here, but it’s also easy for you to CQC them in these kind of spots. Just make sure you take off the right guards that overlook your passage to this building and you will be good. 
 

Combat Platform

 
Core reaching difficulty: 7/10 
Combat platform is quite similar to command platform in it’s properties, so practise same techniques asas for the previous one. 
 

R&D Platform

 
Core reaching difficulty: 5/10 
This one is not that hard at all. You can literally climb up the pipes all the way up to the core and reach the core with little to no problem. Just be aware to the UA Drones overlooking catwalks outside of the main building on the platform, because being noticed while on the pipe means instant combat alert. 
 

Base development platform

 
Core reaching difficulty: 4/10 
This one is pretty much easy. You can literally come all the way near the core, take down 3-4 guards patrolling there, blind the camera overlooking the very entrance to the core and finish your infiltration successfully. 
 

Support Platform

 
Core reaching difficulty: 3/10 
In my honest opinion, this is the easiest platform to infiltrate. You can take down guards watching the entrance to the “bunker” where core is located, get into there and quite easily reach core. Just watch for cameras and 1-2 guards that might be there from time to time. 
 

Intel Platform

 
Core reaching difficulty: 10/10 
Ohh yes, this is the absolutely most painful platform that could be made. Try disabling the power source for the cameras at the very first. Then make sure to mark every single UA drone patrolling the very inside of the Intel Platform main building, where core is located, as being seen only once by UA drone while climbing the ladders (which you must climb in order to reach the core) means instant combat alert. Be extremely cautious and don’t rush at all. 
 

Medical Platform

 
Core reaching difficulty: 4/10 
This is one of the easier ones too. Basically just make sure you don’t bump into any guard unprepared, plus watch out for the camera overlooking the core entrance, plus the one one level higher. 
 
 

Chapter 7: Placeholder

Chapter 8: Placeholder

Chapter 9: Epilogue

 
This is the basic (not very final) version of my guide which will be updated regularly to give you even more intel on how to be successful at ghosting. 
I will look into any suggestion for improvement of this guide you give and implement something new according to that. 
Guide created: 20th of Jun 2021. 
Updated on: 
 

I hope you enjoy the Guide we share about METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN – FOB Ghosting Gameplay; if you think we forget to add or we should add more information, please let us know via commenting below! See you soon!