Cleared Hot Beginner's Guide: How to Actually Land, What to Buy, and Why You Are Exploding
If you thought flying a helicopter was hard, try landing one on a tiny H while getting shot at by a tank.
Cleared Hot dropped into Early Access about a week ago, and while it channels the spirit of the classic Strike games, it doesn't exactly hold your hand. It hands you the keys to a multimillion-dollar war machine and says, "Good luck."
I’ve spent the last week blowing myself up, crashing into trees, and figuring out why my missiles weren't reloading. Thanks to some trial and error (and a fantastic steam community FAQ by BlackjackGT), I can now tell you exactly how to survive the first few missions.
How to Land Without Looking Like an Idiot
The hardest part of this game isn't the shooting, it's the landing. You will overshoot the pad constantly.
The secret is tiny. Look for a small triangle directly under your chopper. That is your actual landing point. The massive shadow is a lie. The triangle is the truth.
It can be hard to see if there is a big white "H" on the ground, but trust the triangle. Line that up, drop your collective, and you'll stick the landing every time.
The Ammo Confusion
Here is the thing that confused me for hours: guns have infinite ammo. You don't need to pick up crates for your minigun. You just need to manage the cooldown.
Missiles, however, are finite. And they are picky.
If you have a Heavy Missile Launcher, a "Light Missile" crate will do absolutely nothing for you. You need the big single-missile icon crates.
But here is a pro tip: if you equip one Heavy launcher and one Light launcher, picking up a Heavy crate will often give you a little bit of ammo for both. It’s a great way to keep your reserves topped up without hunting for specific crates constantly.
What to Buy First
You start with a pea-shooter and a dream. You need an upgrade fast.
Don't waste money on the weird incendiary stuff yet. The meta right now is simple:
Light Gun: Get the GAU-19 .50cal. It shreds.
Rockets: The Hydra M151 HEDP. These are "High Explosive Dual Purpose," meaning they kill tanks and infantry equally well.
As for helicopters, the starter "Lil Bird" is fine for a while. But your first big purchase should be the Cobra or the Hind. The Hind is a flying tank with massive payload capacity, but it flies like a brick. The Cobra is the sports car of death. Choose your vibe.
The Map is a Mess of Icons
The map is colorful, confusing, and vital. Here is the quick legend you need to memorize:
Green "Cross": Repair Kit. Use this to heal yourself, OR drop it on a friendly convoy truck to repair them. Yes, you can do that.
Blue Dot: A friendly NPC. Rescue them for a reward crate. Note: try not to land on them. They squish easily.
Orange Crosshair: Something you need to blow up.
Green Dollar Sign: Literal cash. It's usually $100. It adds up.
Cheats and Secrets
For the old heads asking about the Desert Strike cheat codes: no, typing in the old passwords won't give you 10 lives.
However, there is a "cheat / exploit" for escort missions. Instead of slowly following the convoy trucks and watching them get shot, you can just pick them up with your winch. Carry them to the destination yourself. It’s faster, safer, and hilarious to see a truck dangling from a helicopter as you fly into the sunset.
Now get out there and clear it hot. Just watch out for the trees. They are harder than they look.
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