Rockstar just released its new Showdown mode, “Plunder,” within the world of Red Dead Online, pitting teams of four against each other in a fast-paced battle to collect the most supplies through any means necessary. Now you can plunder your way to victory with some of our tried-and-tested tips and tricks.

Scramble!

When the round begins, it’s a mad dash to the center of the map where nine supply bags await to be collected. At this point, you essentially have one of two options: post up from afar and pick off anyone who runs to the pile of supplies with your long-ranged weapon, or smash-and-grab your way to the loot before running back towards your base in a serpentining fashion so as to not be shot in the back. Both methods have their charm, as long as you’re honest with the type of player you are. Just make sure that you are using any of the Dead Eye Ability cards available to you and your team. If you are a confident sharpshooter, you’re probably better suited to provide support. If you’re less talented at shooting, well… hopefully, your stamina is maxed out. You’ll be running - a lot.

Stealth in the Old West

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Let’s say you forego jumping into the fray. Maybe you’re more effective as a lone-wolf who is patient enough to wait out the initial chaos. Plunder’s maps are large enough to avoid confrontation while offering up plenty of crates, rocks, trees, and cliffs to use as cover before making your move. Skirting the invisible border is also a solid way to move (slowly) around the map en route to your rivals’ bases. However, keep in mind that players often respawn between the map’s border and their base, which could result in you getting caught while you’re sneaking around. Additionally, running out of bounds while carrying supplies, even for a split second, will result in the bag being reset in the center of the map (which happened to us more times than we would like to admit). If you’re patient, bases with only one or two delivered supplies remain relatively unguarded, allowing you to swoop in, steal the supplies, and run as fast as you can back to your own base, since your position on the map will be visible to everyone while holding the loot.

RELATED: Red Dead Online Adds Team-Based 'Plunder' Mode That Sees You Organizing Heists Against Other Players

Strength in numbers

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During the beginning minutes of the round, it’s all about grabbing loot, be it from the center of the map or plundering it from other teams’ base. One of the most effective strategies is to move about the map in teams of at least two people. That way, one player can provide support while the other grabs the supplies. If that player happens to be taken out, the covering player can (in theory) be right there to snag the dropped loot and run it back to the base. Running as a full team of four might seem like overkill, but overwhelming your rivals is just as effective of a strategy - at least until you start piling up the supplies.

The best offense is a good defense

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Once your team is able to hold down a respectable amount of supplies - three deliveries is a good starting number - it’s time to protect that which you have earned. The number of supplies at each base shows on the map, so your stockpile will look pretty darn attractive to the other teams that are still scrambling for their first bag of supplies. Most bases have at least one high-ground area surrounding it, making it the perfect place for a sniper to set up and pick off enemies. Once your team collects four or, dare we say five, supply bags, you will likely be in a better position for the whole team to remain on defense, with a sniper, a mid-range protector, and someone right on top of the supplies to provide point-blank defense. The fourth player could be used as a defensive roamer or as a distraction by stealing other teams’ supplies (even though they may not survive the solo attempts).

With Plunder just getting underway, now is the time to jump into the fray since everyone is still figuring out the best way to win. Hopefully, this guide will give you a leg up in the competition, assuming your team is able to work well together.

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