Equipment
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 equipment — Signature weapons, customizable sidearms, augments, weapon traits, decals and Challenge Cards that define your marine.
Introduction
Equipment in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 covers everything that is not a primary gun — the Signature weapons, the fully customizable infinite-ammo sidearm, augments, weapon traits, decals and the Challenge Card system that modifies missions for better rewards. Signature weapons like smart guns, flamethrowers and rocket launchers occupy their own loadout slot and give each class a powerful tool. The sidearm replaces the old secondary weapon with an infinite-ammo pistol you can build around. Challenge Cards add perks and debuffs to a mission in exchange for higher payouts, and augments on fully upgraded weapons change how your ammo behaves. This guide breaks down each gear system, how to unlock it and what is actually worth equipping.
Gear System Quick Reference
| System | What It Does | Unlock | Worth It? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature Weapon | Heavy tool in its own slot | Campaign progression | Yes — horde lane control |
| Customizable Sidearm | Infinite-ammo secondary | Always available | Yes — ammo fallback |
| Augment | Modifies ammo behavior | Fully upgraded weapons | Yes — endgame damage |
| Weapon Trait | Passive gun bonus | Weapon drops / upgrades | Yes — build-defining |
| Decal | Cosmetic slots on guns | Vendors / loot | Cosmetic only |
| Challenge Card | Perk / debuff for rewards | Vendors / progression | Yes — high payout |
Gear Systems
Signature Weapons
Heavy tools for crowd clearing
Customizable Sidearm
Your infinite-ammo fallback
Augments
Ammo behavior modifiers for endgame
Challenge Cards
Risk-reward modifiers for any mission
Weapon Traits
Passive bonuses that define a gun
Decals
Purely cosmetic customization for your guns
Core Mechanics
Gear systems layer on top of the three-slot loadout. Signature weapons occupy the third slot and give you a heavy crowd-clearing tool with limited ammo, best saved for elite packs and horde waves. The sidearm is always available with infinite ammo, so it is the reliable fallback when your primary runs dry. Augments unlock on fully upgraded weapons and modify ammo behavior — longer ignitions, farther chains, deeper pierce. Weapon traits add passive bonuses that shape how a gun plays. Decals are purely cosmetic, with three slots per gun. Challenge Cards are equipped before a mission and apply a perk or debuff in exchange for increased rewards, giving veterans a risk-reward lever on every deployment.
Advantages
The gear system gives you meaningful choices at every stage of progression, from the moment you pick a sidearm to the endgame augments on fully upgraded weapons. Challenge Cards add a risk-reward layer that keeps even familiar missions fresh, and the Signature slot gives every class access to a powerful crowd-clearing tool. Because augments and weapon traits modify weapon behavior, gear is a real part of buildcrafting rather than a passive stat stick, and the cosmetic decal system lets players personalize their loadout without affecting balance. Knowing what to equip before a mission saves credits and prevents wasted upgrades on gear you will replace, so the equipment guides focus on practical advice.
Challenges
Gear depth means more to learn — new players must wrap their head around Signature slots, augments, traits, decals and Challenge Cards all at once, which can be overwhelming early on. Some of the best augments are gated behind fully upgrading specific weapons, which takes time and can feel grindy. Challenge Cards add debuffs that can wipe an unprepared squad, and pre-launch gear details come from verified coverage and may shift at launch, so some recommendations are provisional. Gear guides will be updated with confirmed drop sources and prices after launch. Re-check gear pages after launch for confirmed drop sources and any day-one changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Signature weapon and is it worth using?+
How do augments work in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2?+
What do Challenge Cards do?+
Quick Tips
Equip a Challenge Card on every mission you replay — the reward boost is worth the added risk, and cards teach you how to handle debuffs before horde mode forces you to, building habits that keep you alive in the endless waves that follow. A little preparation before deployment goes a long way in a co-op survival shooter.
Always keep a different ammo type on your sidearm than your primary, so you always have an answer to whatever the wave throws at you without swapping mid-fight, and the infinite-ammo sidearm keeps you firing when your primary runs dry. A little preparation before deployment goes a long way in a co-op survival shooter.
Prioritize upgrading your Signature weapon and main rifle — augments are the biggest endgame damage increase and only unlock on fully upgraded weapons, so pick two guns you love and pour upgrades into them first before spreading resources. A little preparation before deployment goes a long way in a co-op survival shooter.
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