Operations

Operations are a new kind of mission, added into Tom Clancy's The Division with Expansion 1: Underground. As such, one must have DLC 1: Underground or the Season Pass purchased to access Operations. They consist of 1 or more phases of various difficulties and challenges, called Directives.

Overview

Operations are the main content to come out of patch 1.3. These missions are PvE, and generally take anywhere from less than 15 to 45 minutes to complete, based on difficulty, Directives, and player ability.

Depending on the difficulty and Directives active, a player can receive anywhere from 500 underground XP up to several thousand on higher difficulties with multiple directives.

Phases

Each phase consists generally of a set of 2 or 3 mini objectives in a randomly generated dungeon, culminating in a boss fight or final objective, which spawns a named enemy. After this boss fight, the players are directed into a room with a chest containing either a High-End weapon, or a High-End or Gear Set piece of equipment, along with a High-End crafting component, and a Lock-pick item. Its Gear Score is based on the World Bracket of the host.

The amount of phases in an operation depends on the amount which was selected in the Tac-Op center.

1 Phase Operations are completed after the final objective of the Phase is complete, and after players collect the chests contents, the door to the right will be unlocked, and allow the players to return to the Tac-Op center. Multi-phase operations continue by using the elevator to the left of the chest in the ending room.

Directives

Once a player reaches Underground Level 5, they unlock optional challenges called Directives. These challenges put a twist into the Operation by changing a game mechanic or aspect. Each Directive requires Intel, which is awarded from named enemies in the Underground and, rarely, in Manhattan and the Dark Zone.

Each Directive adds a new challenge, and adding more than 1 Directive to a single Operation awards more Underground EXP and an extra reward. There are currently 5 Directives available once a player unlocks them. They are:

1. Fog-Of-War: The minimap is disabled. The only way an enemy shows up is when they are pulsed or marked. Target indicators only appear when the reticule is aimed over them.
2. Mad Skills: Using a skill resets the cool down for both skills, essentially using one resets both your skills. Using a Signature Skill resets the cool down for the whole group.
3. Waste Not Want Not: Ammo left in the magazine is lost (this means the ammo left in your magazine is subtracted from your reserve, and THEN the magazine is reloaded). Enemies do not drop ammo pickups. Starting ammo capacity is reduced.
4. Special Forces: Enemies may use special ammo. The ammo used is based on enemy faction.
5. Sickness: Health drains at a constant rate. Health may be regained as normal.

Difficulties

Currently, there are 4 difficulties to choose from. They are Normal, Hard, Challenging, and Heroic. Note that Multi-phase operations (meaning any Operation with more than 1 phase) must be played on Hard or harder, and 1 phase Operations cannot be played on Heroic. Higher difficulties increase the rewards the player receives when the operation is complete, but it also increases the enemies levels and toughness, turning some gunfights into long, drawn-out engagements on higher difficulties.

Other Information

The Underground can be as rewarding as it is daunting, so try and scavenge around, as only High-End crafting materials, and High-End and Gear set items, including weapons, appear in Operations.

Increasing the difficulty of the mission increases the standard enemies the players face (including making enemies all Elites at Challenging difficulty) and also increases the amount of loot that drops.