Marauders is an interesting concept: take space pirates, equip them with weapons from the Second World War, and pit them against each other in an alternate, dystopian universe. This is an all-new title from Team17, fusing together space-faring adventures with intense PvPvE combat that endeavors to rival the likes of Escape From Tarkov. In Marauders, players must embark on rapid-fire raids, launching an assault on abandoned facilities adrift in the cosmos, loot their hearts out, fight other players, and hopefully, escape.
It’s another exciting game in an ever-expanding genre – survival-looter-shooter. However, the twist in Marauders is that almost all the equipment seems to be made up of leftover relics from days gone by. There are World War Two-era weapons, rudimentary, outdated pieces of armor, and factions reminiscent of those seen at war eighty years ago. Did we mention that they’re seen immediately alongside space shuttles, warp engines, and interstellar mining facilities?
10 Civilian Helmet
From the moment a player launches into Marauders, they’re given a range of armor items to get them started on their space-based journey. At the top of this range sits the Civilian Helmet, a basic but extremely important piece of equipment for those new to the game. Upon starting out in Marauders, players will receive three Civilian Helmets in their inventory.
Now, while the Civilian Helmet boasts an armor rating of just four points, it could save a raider’s life in those earlier missions. With just twenty durability points, the helmet won’t last forever, but it’s extremely affordable at just $600, it can be crafted at a low level, and ultimately, it’s better than nothing for those eager to get stuck into the looter-shooter mechanics.
9 Brodie Helmet
As a mid-range piece of armor, the Brodie Helmet is a staple among Marauders players, for several reasons. Firstly, it’s relatively easy to obtain, and can be found in-game or bought from traders. While it might not look very interesting, the Brodie is a strong piece of equipment that won’t break the bank, and it’s suitable for use even by high-level players.
With a durability rating of thirty-five and an armor rating of six, the Brodie should protect a player against almost any kind of incoming attack. It won’t last forever, but if it even helps a raider get through one fight, it has done its job remarkably well. There’s no way to craft the Brodie Helmet, but it only costs around $740 from traders.
8 Heavy Stahlhelm
At the top of the helmet stakes is a piece of armor that might seem hard to come by but is actually relatively easy to find. As one of the toughest helmets in the game, the Heavy Stahlhelm is the item of choice for the ‘chad’ players – the raiders that go in loaded for action and ready to kill. When wearing this, players have a chance to deflect shots from even the best snipers in the game.
It boasts a durability rating of one hundred points – the highest in the game, and an armor rating of nine. It’s pointless buying one, as it’ll set a player back around $5700, but it can be looted from the heavier Central Empire enemies found around the map – particularly on the CE ships adrift in the play area. It’s relatively easy to board these ships, but players will need to come equipped for a fight.
7 Leather Jerkin
For the newer players, the Leather Jerkin is one of the best armor items in Marauders for one key reason – it’s free at the start of the game. When a player kicks off their Marauders journey, they’ll be blessed with three free Leather Jerkins in their inventory. While these don’t offer the best protection, they are one of the best items in Marauders for several key reasons.
Firstly, they will protect a player in a fight – even if they won’t last long or stand up against the most powerful weapons in Marauders. They’re rated at level five and boast thirty points of durability, but also, they come equipped with extra slots that can be used for carrying various items. Furthermore, the Leather Jerkin can be bought for just $720, or crafted by the player when they reach level three, making them super accessible.
6 M1 Flak Vest
In the M1 Flak Vest, the player will find their ‘bread-and-butter’ armor item. It’s a middle-of-the-road piece of equipment, but it’ll serve any raider in battle – and it’s remarkably easy to obtain. In Marauders, there are few protective items easier to come by than the readily-available M1 Flak Vest.
At the beginning of the game, players will receive two M1 Flak Vests for free, but they can be subsequently purchased from any of the game’s traders. Not only that, but it costs just $522 to buy one, and at level six with forty-five durability points, players will be hard-pressed to find a better deal. As if that wasn’t enough, the M1 Flak Vest can also be crafted from level seven onwards, and players will find one in almost every raid, provided they’re fighting effectively.
5 Pouch Rig
It’s possible to farm the Pouch Rig, which has a chance of appearing in the ship when a player first enters a raid. If that’s the case and a player has loaded in ‘naked’, it’s a huge bonus, and it’s what makes the Pouch Rig one of the best armor items in Marauders. It’s only rated at level four with thirty durability points, but it boasts a little extra capacity that players can use to store items.
The Pouch Rig is reserved almost exclusively for pirates, and it can’t be found on any military enemies in the game, such as the Central Empire opponents. It’s a cheap and easy fix at just $720, and it’ll enable a player to at least wear something as they head into a raid.
4 Panzer Rig Armor
This is a perfect fusion of carrying capacity and intense protection, with the Panzer Rig Armor boasting extra slots and a level fifteen armor rating. It’s a seriously strong piece of armor, and at the base level, it boasts 115 durability points. There are few pieces of armor in Marauders more protective than the Panzer Rig Armor.
However, it cannot be bought, and it cannot be crafted, so players will need to get creative if they want to secure one. Primarily, that creativity will involve crashing through a Central Empire ship mid-raid and fighting the enemies found within. There’s a fine chance that raiders will walk away with Panzer Rig Armor, which only the most destructive guns in the game can defeat.
3 Full Panzer Armor
If a player runs into a raid wearing Full Panzer Armor, it’s because they want to dominate the entire lobby. There are no armor items more beneficial than the Full Panzer Armor when it comes to overall durability. While it boasts a lower armor rating than the Panzer Rig Armor at just twelve, it comes equipped with 140 durability points.
With opponents likely wielding 10mm or 9mm weapons early on in the game, players wearing Full Panzer Armor can just laugh off any incoming attacks. Like the Panzer Rig Armor, the Full Panzer Armor can be found by raiding a Central Empire ship and killing the powerful, skilled, and high-level enemies found within, which make up the baddest boss-like characters in Marauders.
2 Light Bag
For looters, the Light Bag is a lifesaver, fusing affordability with a relatively high capacity for loot. At the start of the game, few backpacks are more accessible, and the Light Bag will be a stock-standard item for raiders launching offensive missions with the goal of securing a lot of loot.
It’s a $1000 backpack that can be found on Central Empire troops, or it can be crafted when a player reaches level five. It’s a low-effort craft, and it’ll reward the player with twenty slots of carrying space – a fine number for those seeking to carry a lot of items out of their raids.
1 Commando Backpack
As one of the most helpful armor items in Marauders, the Commando Backpack sits at the top of the bag chain. It’s a large item that will cost a player $1700 from traders, or it can be crafted from level thirteen onwards – which means a little work needs to be put in before the benefits can be seen.
It’s a durable and versatile piece of equipment, boasting twenty-five slots for items. As one of the core mechanics in Marauders is looting, it’s almost guaranteed that a player will need a large bag, and that’s where the Commando Backpack comes in clutch.
Marauders will enter closed beta between the 20th and 25th of July for PC and is expected to launch in 2022.
