Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Horde Build Tier List
Best squad compositions for every stage of Horde survival.
Horde mode in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 challenges your squad to survive escalating waves of enemies across dedicated maps. The right squad composition significantly extends your survival depth. These rated builds cover the full spectrum from early waves to deep Horde pushes.
Tier S — Meta Compositions
Marauder + Duelist + Machinist + Medic The most consistently strong Horde composition. Marauder handles burst heavy damage and area control. Duelist provides sustained DPS and flexibility for priority targets. Machinist’s Cross-Platform Synergy makes the entire squad more durable while the Bodyguard drone adds additional damage. Medic keeps everyone alive through surge events. This composition works at every Horde depth with coordinated play.
Tier A — Strong Compositions
Marauder + Marauder + Duelist + Medic Double Marauder for maximum explosive crowd control. The two Marauders can stagger Titan Rocket volleys to create continuous area denial. Duelist handles precision targets. Medic sustains the squad. Effective for squads that prefer aggressive pushing over defensive turret setups.
Machinist + Machinist + Duelist + Medic Double turret for overlapping fields of fire. The two Machinists create a turret density that holds chokepoints without player involvement, freeing both players to focus on primary weapons. Duelist handles priority targets. Medic sustains the combined squad. Extremely strong in organised groups; less effective in pubs.
Tier B — Viable Compositions
Marauder + Duelist + Duelist + Specialist Aggressive burst composition. Two Duelists with Stay on Target create sustained high damage. Marauder provides area control. Specialist (with Machinist fragments) adds a mobile turret drone for additional damage. No dedicated Medic — requires more aggressive play and less margin for error.
Marauder + Duelist + Specialist + Specialist Hybrid fragment composition. One Specialist on Machinist fragments for turret support, one Specialist on Marauder/Duelist fragments for aggressive pushing. Experimental but powerful in the right hands.
Wave-by-wave recommendations
Waves 1-5 Any composition works. Use early waves to establish positions, build credit, and experiment with loadouts. Focus on Machinist turret placement and Marauder weapon familiarity.
Waves 6-12 Start transitioning to your intended deep-wave composition. Machinist turrets should be established. Medic stim management becomes more important as enemy density increases.
Waves 13-20 Your composition is fully online. Marauder Titan Rockets handle Praetorian spikes. Duelist Stay on Target should be stacked and maintained. Machinist synergy should be active throughout.
Waves 20+ Meta composition is effectively mandatory. At this depth, the difference between a coordinated meta squad and a random composition is measured in waves survived.
Frequently asked questions
Can I win deep Horde without Medic? Yes, but the survival window is significantly shorter. Without Bedside Manner revive speed and healing, mistakes are more punishing.
Is Specialist better than a second base class? A well-built Specialist with a coherent fragment combination is better than a poorly-played base class. Against an experienced player on a specialised base class, the Specialist’s hybrid advantage is less clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2.
What is the best single-class Horde squad?
Four Marauders is surprisingly effective for early-to-mid Horde due to stacked explosive area denial. It falls off in late waves where precision target handling becomes more important than raw crowd control.
Are double-class compositions worth running?
Double Machinist with overlapping turrets is genuinely strong for coordinated squads. Double Duelist provides exceptional sustained DPS but lacks area control. Double Marauder is niche — effective but replaceable.