The 007 First Light Advanced Tactical Training is the first Escalation inside the Tactical Simulation (TacSim) mode, and it has 11 challenges split across three tiers. Some of them unlock just by completing the tiers. Others require you to play in very specific ways — like finishing a tier without firing a single shot, or only shooting while Focus is active. This guide covers all 11 challenges and exactly how to get them.
- Advanced Tactical Training is the first Escalation in TacSim mode.
- There are 11 challenges exclusive to this Escalation across three tiers.
- Four of them unlock automatically just for completing each tier and all three together.
- The trickiest ones are Fast Learner, Slow Learner, Hoplophobia, and Mind the Gap.
- No unique outfits are unlocked specifically from this Escalation, but you earn Intel to spend in the TacSim Shop on gadgets, weapons, and cosmetics.
- You can unlock this Escalation early — right after the nightclub training mission.
How to Unlock Advanced Tactical Training in 007 First Light
You don’t need to finish the main story before jumping into TacSim. Advanced Tactical Training becomes available right after you return from Bond’s nightclub training mission, which puts it among the earliest content you can access. Head to the Tactical Simulation Hub, complete the brief guided tour with Selina, and the Escalation will be open.
TacSim — short for Immersive Agent Training and Tactical Simulator — is accessible directly from the main menu or from Q’s basement at certain points in the campaign. It operates independently of the main story and is also IO Interactive’s primary vehicle for future post-launch content, so it will keep growing over time.
Note that most TacSim missions are locked until you finish the main campaign. Advanced Tactical Training is the exception — it opens early. If you see missions grayed out in the TacSim hub, that is why.
If you haven’t yet grabbed the full list of gadgets in 007 First Light, it’s worth knowing which ones you have available before jumping into Tier 3, since some challenges require you to play with no gadgets equipped.
All 11 Advanced Tactical Training Challenges
The game lists more than 11 challenges on the TacSim screen, but several of those are the 12 global Standard Challenges that apply across all TacSim missions. The 11 below are the ones exclusive to this Escalation.
Tier Completion Challenges (4 Total)
These four unlock automatically as you progress. No special conditions needed.
- Advanced Tactical Training 1 — Complete Tier 1.
- Advanced Tactical Training 2 — Complete Tier 2.
- Advanced Tactical Training 3 — Complete Tier 3.
- Graduated — Complete all three tiers.
Tier 1 Challenge — Fast Learner
- Fast Learner — Complete Tier 1 in under one minute.
Tier 1 is the simplest tier in the entire game. Simulated opponents barely react to you, and the objectives walk you through basic combat mechanics one at a time. The sequence is: disarm an enemy (Left Stick + X/A), then run through the door; shoot an opponent in the leg and eliminate them, then move to the next room; perform a vault disarm and move on. Just move fast and don’t stop to read prompts you’ve already seen. The time limit is 60 seconds and you should clear it comfortably on any normal attempt.
Tier 2 Challenges — Four Your Eyes Only & Slow Learner
- Four Your Eyes Only — Complete Tier 2 with four or fewer eliminated opponents.
- Slow Learner — Complete Tier 2 only shooting while Focus is active.
Important note: silent takedowns are disabled in Tier 2 by a mission modifier, so you cannot use those to skip enemies. Both challenges can still be done in a single run if you plan carefully.
Tier 2 walks you through five specific objectives with on-screen prompts: a vault disarm, a charged attack (R1+Square / RB+X), a double leg shot, a Focus Headshot, and a shoot disarm. Here is how to get both challenges in one pass:
Lean against the crate and wait for the first enemy, then vault over to disarm him (Left Stick + X/A). Use the charged attack on that same enemy twice to complete the second objective. Finish him with a Focus leg shot — that is one Focus shot done. Shoot the other enemy in both legs while Focus is active to get the double leg shot. Walk north to find two enemies in a crate area. Make them raise their guns, then Focus shot their hands to disarm them. Use remaining Focus to shoot those enemies in the head for the Focus Headshot requirement.
As long as you never fire outside of Focus mode, Slow Learner will track correctly throughout. For Four Your Eyes Only, count your kills — you are limited to four total eliminations for the entire tier, so avoid unnecessary engagements.
Tier 3 Challenges — Mind the Gap, Hoplophobia, A Lesson in Chemistry, No Gadgets
- Mind the Gap — Eliminate an opponent by throwing them off a ledge.
- Hoplophobia — Complete Tier 3 without firing a shot.
- A Lesson in Chemistry — Eliminate an opponent with an explosion on Tier 3.
- No Gadgets – Advanced Tactical Training — Complete Tier 3 with no gadgets equipped.
Tier 3 puts you in the Iceland compound against 13 enemies. If you go loud and trigger an alert, 6 reinforcement enemies are called in — including one with a high-powered sniper rifle that can be a serious problem on harder difficulties. Stealth or a fast, controlled aggressive clear is the recommended approach.
The good news is that you can knock out Mind the Gap, Hoplophobia, A Lesson in Chemistry, and No Gadgets all in a single run with the right setup — but you need to use the Laser Strap gadget for the explosion. Here is how:
Best single-run order for Tier 3: Equip only the Laser Strap before starting. As soon as Tier 3 begins, look immediately to your left — two enemies are standing near a red explosive barrel. Fire your Laser Strap at the barrel to blow it up, killing one of them. This gets A Lesson in Chemistry. Using the Laser Strap gadget on an object does not count as firing a gun, so Hoplophobia remains intact. Next, charge the surviving soldier toward the nearby cliff edge (hold R2/RT to grab rush) and push him off. That is Mind the Gap done. Clear every other enemy using only fists and ledge throws — no shooting. At the end of the tier, Hoplophobia, No Gadgets (if you unequipped other gadgets before launching), and Advanced Tactical Training 3 all complete together.
If you prefer to avoid gadgets entirely for a cleaner run, save A Lesson in Chemistry for a separate attempt using an explosive barrel without the Laser Strap — lure an enemy near it and use environmental triggers instead.
Knowing how to use your kit efficiently matters a lot in TacSim. See the best gadget loadout guide to make sure you’re bringing the right tools into each run.
Recommended Run Order for All Challenges
Here’s the most efficient order to get everything in as few replays as possible:
- Run 1 – Tier 1: Rush through all prompts in under 60 seconds. Fast Learner and Advanced Tactical Training 1 done.
- Run 2 – Tier 2: Follow the vault disarm → charged attack → leg shots → Focus headshots → shoot disarm sequence. Stay in Focus for every shot and stay under four kills. Both Tier 2 challenges done in one go.
- Run 3 – Tier 3, Laser Strap only: Blow up the red barrel left of spawn for Chemistry, charge the survivor off the ledge for Mind the Gap, then go fists-only for the rest. Mind the Gap, Hoplophobia, A Lesson in Chemistry, No Gadgets, and Advanced Tactical Training 3 all done together.
- Graduated unlocks automatically once all three tiers are completed.
What Rewards Do You Get?
Completing Advanced Tactical Training challenges earns you Intel and Clearance. Intel is the TacSim Shop currency — spend it on new gadgets, weapons, and cosmetics including outfits. Clearance is the threshold system that gates certain items until you reach specific levels. There are no unique outfits tied specifically to this Escalation, so don’t hold out for a cosmetic drop here — but the Intel you earn is directly useful for the TacSim Shop.
Completing TacSim content also unlocks three achievements/trophies: What If…? for finishing an Operation, A Change of Pace for completing an Escalation, and The Readiness is All for beating Tier 3 of any Escalation.
If you’re chasing outfits tied to main story missions and other specific completions, check the full outfits list for what’s available and how to get each one.
Global TacSim Challenges You Can Farm Here
Advanced Tactical Training is also a good map for knocking out some of the 12 global Standard Challenges that apply across all TacSim missions. Some of the easiest ones to target here include:
- Pistol Specialist — Advanced Tactical Training naturally encourages pistol usage, making it the ideal mission to complete this.
- Mix It Up — Eliminate enemies with three different weapon types. The map’s variety of encounters makes this manageable.
- All In — Grab rush two enemies over a ledge. Tier 3’s Iceland compound has multiple ledge positions to work with.
Note that Shotgun Specialist is not easily done here due to limited weapons and ammo available on the map — save that one for a different mission. The enemies in Tier 1 barely react, making it one of the easiest places to practice stealth routing for any global challenges that require takedown chains.
See the full TacSim challenges guide for the complete list of global challenges and the best maps to farm each one.
Tips Before You Start
- Unequip gadgets before launching Tier 3 if you want No Gadgets alongside other challenges. You cannot change loadout mid-mission.
- Focus mode is L3/LS by default. Hold it before pressing the fire button for every shot in the Slow Learner run — every single shot must be in Focus, with no exceptions.
- The grab rush / charge move for Mind the Gap is R2/RT (PlayStation) or RT (Xbox). Sprint at an enemy near a ledge and hold it to push them over the edge.
- The red explosive barrel for A Lesson in Chemistry is immediately to the left of your starting position in Tier 3. It is the fastest and most reliable way to get the explosion kill.
- If the timer feels tight for Fast Learner, remember that Tier 1 has no real combat — just move through the prompts as quickly as possible without reading anything you already know.
- Going loud in Tier 3 calls in 6 reinforcements including a sniper. If you are attempting Hoplophobia, stay stealthy to keep enemy numbers manageable.
Combat fundamentals matter a lot in the harder tiers. If you’re still getting used to the core fighting system, the parry guide is worth a read — parrying is central to winning the tougher Tier 3 group fights efficiently.
Related 007 First Light Guides
- All TacSim Challenges in 007 First Light
- All Global Challenges in 007 First Light
- Best Gadget Loadout
- All Gadgets in 007 First Light
- How to Get the 4th Gadget Slot
- Trophy and Achievement Guide
- How to Defuse the Bomb in 007 First Light
- All Missions, Challenges, and Collectibles
