MENACE Kody Build: Assault, Ambush, and Anti-Tank Tips

Close-Range Assault Build: Guerrilla and Assassin

Hit a healthy, isolated enemy hard enough, and Kody can turn a dangerous approach into an opening for your entire force. A MENACE kody build centered on Guerrilla and Assassin rewards that opening attack with increased accuracy and damage against high-HP targets, plus additional damage against isolated enemies. Shape your MENACE kody build around a specific target and a protected approach so those bonuses support the fight you actually need to win.

Kody brings damage tools that work without relying on enemy morale. That matters against Constructs, which do not suffer morale effects. His kit also includes defensive options and suppression recovery, giving you more to work with after the opening exchange.

Build component	Skill or equipment	What it contributes
Opening attack	Guerrilla	Improved accuracy and damage against high-HP targets
Target selection	Assassin	Increased damage against isolated targets
Suppression management	Recover	Removes some suppression when Kody kills an element
Close-range weapon	SMG or shotgun	Firepower for close-quarters engagements
Approach support	Smoke Grenades	Blocks enemy vision to support movement and disengagement

Build around the interaction between Guerrilla and Assassin. Identify a healthy enemy separated from its allies, then line up an attack that benefits from both conditions. Avoid spending Kody’s opening attack on an already weakened target when another squad can finish it.

An SMG gives this setup rapid fire at short range. The MP3A9 PPP has strong HP damage and a high rate of fire, but heavy armor limits its effectiveness. Its tap mode provides a longer-range option, though rifles handle that job more effectively.

The Stoneclad CS185 offers a different close-range package. In v0.7.16, its damage increased from 10 to 20 and suppression increased from 4 to 6. However, its accuracy bonus fell from 20 to 10, and several other damage-related values were reduced. Keep it close rather than trying to stretch its range: the same update increased its damage dropoff.

If you acquire a Pirate PDW, put it into consideration for this assault loadout. Its combination of high rate of fire and armor penetration suits Kody’s close-range role. It can remain useful into the midgame, including against bugs, although heavily armored enemies still require attention.

For this MENACE kody build, keep smoke support available. Use another squad to provide it when Kody needs his accessories for damage or ammunition. Preserve enough AP to deploy smoke before committing to an exposed position.

Official page: MENACE (menacegame.com)

Vanguard Build: Plan the Opening Strike

Vanguard supports an aggressive mission opening, letting Kody start close to a high-priority target. Combined with Guerrilla and Assassin, it creates an opportunity to attack a healthy, isolated threat immediately.

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The important decision happens before the shooting starts: choose a target worth committing to, then account for everything that can retaliate.

Build component	Skill or equipment	Tactical purpose
Forward deployment	Vanguard	Enables an aggressive opening position near a priority target
Initial damage	Guerrilla	Rewards attacking a target at high HP
Isolated-target damage	Assassin	Adds damage against separated enemies
Mission information	Sensor OCI	Helps identify targets when planning Vanguard deployment
Follow-up support	Pike with Rally	Removes suppression to help maintain the advance

Use mission intelligence to decide whether the opening position supports your weapon. An SMG needs a close engagement. A rocket-equipped Kody needs a vehicle or another armored threat worth spending ammunition on. Avoid choosing an aggressive deployment simply because the option exists.

Plan the opening in this order:

1. Identify the target you want Kody to attack.
2. Check whether it is isolated and still at high HP.
3. Match Kody’s weapon to its armor and engagement range.
4. Position support to cover the enemies left alive.
5. Keep smoke or a fallback route available after the attack.

Treat that sequence as a commitment check. Kody’s damage bonuses improve the attack; they do not remove nearby threats. A vulnerable specialist can be an attractive target, but pushing toward it while leaving several supporting squads untouched creates another problem.

Bring scouting alongside the assault. Darby can fill that role with scouting and concealment tools, while binoculars improve vision and detection. Let the scout reveal the approach before sending other squads forward to support Kody.

Pike adds suppression recovery through Rally. Time it after relevant enemies have acted whenever the situation allows. Removing suppression only to have the same squad immediately pinned again wastes the opening you were trying to preserve.

Keep the MENACE kody build focused on the opening target, but give the rest of your force jobs for the following exchange. Assign another squad to handle nearby infantry, place anti-tank support where it can respond, and avoid sending every unit toward the same victim.

Against Constructs, lean on Kody’s direct damage bonuses. Guerrilla and Assassin do not require the enemy to become frightened or flee, so they remain relevant when morale-based attacks lose their purpose.

Tankbuster Build: Add Mobile Anti-Armor Firepower

Equip Kody with a rocket weapon and Tankbuster when the mission calls for an armored target to take priority. Guerrilla and Assassin also support this role when their target conditions apply.

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This changes how you spend supply and accessory slots. The special weapon becomes central to the squad’s assignment, while the primary weapon handles infantry or finishes lighter threats.

Build component	Skill or equipment	What to account for
Anti-vehicle perk	Tankbuster	Supports Kody’s rocket-equipped anti-armor role
Opening bonuses	Guerrilla and Assassin	Reward healthy, isolated targets
Mobile special weapon	Workshopped RPG	Fires without deployment and can fire twice per turn
Ammunition support	Ammo Bag	Adds ammunition for the special weapon
Backup squad weapon	Battle rifle	Can damage light vehicles and engage at longer range

The Workshopped RPG offers useful flexibility. It does not require deployment, although deployment helps its mediocre accuracy. Its ability to fire twice in a turn gives you another attack when the first rocket leaves a vehicle operational.

Use that mobility deliberately. Move into a suitable firing position, preserve the AP needed for the attack, and avoid assuming that one hit will finish the target. Keep another squad ready to exploit a disabled vehicle or finish a damaged one.

A battle rifle gives the squad something useful to do between rocket attacks. The BR3A3 Kr-BaR “Crowbar” has the range, damage, and penetration to threaten light vehicles such as pirate trucks. Its lower rate of fire and poor close-range accuracy make nearby infantry a separate concern.

Budget ammunition around the current balance changes. In v0.7.16, the standard Crowbar’s ammunition dropped from 12 to 10, while its supply cost increased from 9 to 11. Avoid building the squad around older ammunition expectations.

For an occasional anti-vehicle shot, consider a Disposable Rocket Launcher accessory instead of making rockets the squad’s main assignment. It provides a vehicle attack once per mission without replacing the squad’s rifle role. Against heavy tanks and mechs, use it to pursue a disable or armor break rather than expecting a kill.

Choose this MENACE kody build when vehicles justify the equipment commitment. Against numerous lightly armored enemies, keep enough full infantry squads available to handle the volume of targets. A launcher solves a different problem from a squad of automatic weapons.

Fortify Build: Hold Ground After the Push

Kody’s durability, Fortify, Zig-Zag, and Recover support a loadout that can remain useful after the initial assault. Use this MENACE kody build when reaching a position is only part of the mission and holding it matters just as much.

The v0.7.16 balance update expanded Fortify with a sandbag-cover ability usable once per mission. The same update capped damage reduction at 90%, so defensive combinations still leave room for incoming damage.

Build component	Skill or equipment	Defensive contribution
Position preparation	Fortify	Adds one sandbag-cover setup per mission
Defensive perk	Zig-Zag	Adds another defensive option to Kody’s kit
Suppression recovery	Recover	Removes some suppression after killing an element
Protective equipment	Boarding Commando Armor	Heavy protection with a limited-use jetpack
Vision control	Smoke support	Helps protect movement, withdrawal, and rescue attempts

Place Fortify’s sandbags where the squad can keep contributing. Consider weapon range and likely enemy approaches before using the once-per-mission setup. Cover has less value if your short-range weapon cannot reach the fight or enemies can flank the position.

Boarding Commando Armor pairs with shotgun and SMG assault squads. It provides heavy protection and a jetpack with six uses per mission. Its supply cost is substantial, and movement without jetpacking is slower for squads lacking movement support.

Keep that cost visible during preparation. Avoid loading Kody with expensive armor, a special weapon, and multiple accessories if doing so leaves the rest of the force unable to cover essential threats. Preserve a functioning scout, enough infantry firepower, and anti-armor coverage.

Recover connects this MENACE kody build to careful target selection. Killing an element removes some suppression, so look for a reachable finishing attack when suppression starts interfering with Kody’s contribution. Avoid treating it as a complete substitute for Pike’s Rally or a protected withdrawal.

Smoke remains valuable, but account for its updated supply cost of 15 in v0.7.16. Use it to break enemy vision during movement or to cover a rescue. Remember that marked units remain vulnerable to attacks through smoke.

Before deploying, reassess these points:

• Match the primary weapon to the expected engagement range.
• Bring ammunition support for prolonged special-weapon use.
• Keep smoke available somewhere in the force.
• Include a response to vehicles.
• Avoid leaving every squad dependent on close-range attacks.

Existing saves remain compatible with v0.7.16, but the update refunded promotion points and requires promotions to be reassigned. Rebuild your perk selections before deploying an established squad. Hotfix v0.7.17 subsequently restored Zig-Zag to Lim by replacing Solid Grouping; that change applies to Lim.

FAQ

What should a MENACE kody build focus on?

Build around Guerrilla and Assassin for strong opening attacks against healthy, isolated targets. Add Vanguard for aggressive deployment, Tankbuster for a rocket-focused assignment, or Fortify when the squad needs to hold its position after advancing.

Should Kody use an SMG or a shotgun?

Choose an SMG for rapid close-range fire, particularly against lightly armored enemies. Choose a shotgun for a dedicated close-quarters loadout. Check the opponent’s armor and keep another squad available for threats outside Kody’s effective range.

Why use Kody against Constructs?

Constructs do not suffer morale effects. Kody’s Guerrilla and Assassin bonuses depend on target HP and isolation instead, giving him damage tools that remain relevant against them. Select targets that meet those conditions and bring weapons suited to their protection.

Does Kody need Pike supporting him?

Kody has his own suppression-management tool in Recover. Pike adds Rally for suppression recovery and can transfer 40 AP through Take Command. Bring that support when maintaining an aggressive push requires more assistance than Kody’s own kills provide.