ECC: REDLINE Tactical Items: Recon Drone, Smoke Barrage & Area Bombardment

ECC: REDLINE allows players to purchase tactical support items during matches, including a Recon Drone for locating enemies, a Smoke Barrage for moving through contested areas, and Area Bombardment for attacking a selected location.

These items are bought with in-match currency rather than tied exclusively to an Athlete's abilities. In an October 10 hands-on preview, we gathered prices of 6,000 credits for the Recon Drone and 2,000 for the Smoke Barrage. The price of Area Bombardment was not specified.

The items were documented in a prerelease build of NetEase's upcoming shooter. Their English names, prices, and exact effects have not yet been finalized for the global version.

All known ECC: REDLINE tactical items

We identified three purchasable support items in its hands-on coverage.

Prices refer to in-match currency in the build previewed. The English item names are descriptive translations of the Chinese terminology, not confirmed global localizations.

Recon Drone: Detect enemy positions

The Recon Drone (侦察无人机) is a reconnaissance item that helps players locate opponents.

I, it costs 6,000 in-match credits and is intended for enemy detection.

That gives players an information-gathering option separate from their selected Athlete's abilities.

For example, detecting opponents before entering a contested location could help a squad decide whether to approach or reposition. The item provides information rather than additional weapon damage.

The available footage and reporting do not establish the drone's detection radius, duration, cooldown, or whether it continuously tracks moving targets.

It is also unclear exactly how detected enemies appear to players or whether the drone can be destroyed.

Smoke Barrage: Create cover for movement

Smoke Barrage (烟幕炮击) costs 2,000 credits in the build.

This is a tool for moving quickly through areas where opposing players are fighting.

Unlike the Recon Drone, which provides information about enemy positions, Smoke Barrage is intended to provide visual concealment.

That makes it relevant when a squad needs to cross an exposed area or move away from an unfavorable position.

The Chinese name refers to a smoke bombardment rather than an ordinary handheld smoke grenade. However, the preview does not document its full deployment mechanics.

There is no verified information yet about the size of the smoke-covered area, how long the effect lasts, or whether players designate its location through the map.

The reported 2,000-credit price makes it the cheaper of the two support items with published prices.

Area Bombardment: Attack a selected location

Area Bombardment (区域轰炸) gives players an offensive support option.

In the hands-on preview, the item was purchasable from an in-match shop and using it to drop explosives over an area containing enemy players.

The player can use the bombardment drone with a targeting sequence.

The player can select a target location, followed by a brief camera movement and an attack accompanied by effects visible both in the game world and on the minimap.

The players can designate an area for bombardment rather than relying solely on direct weapon fire.

Area Bombardment may therefore be useful when enemies are concentrated around a known location.

How to buy tactical items in ECC: REDLINE

Tactical items are part of ECC: REDLINE's in-match economy.

NetEase's official Steam description confirms that players earn credits by eliminating opponents and completing objectives. Those credits can be spent on equipment and upgrades.

You can also collect currency through looting and bounty activities.

Players can then use shops to purchase equipment, including the tactical items.

This creates a choice between buying support equipment and spending the same resources on weapons or protection.

For example, purchasing a Recon Drone for 6,000 credits requires three times the currency of a Smoke Barrage at its reported 2,000-credit price.

The more expensive item provides enemy-detection capabilities, while the cheaper option supplies concealment. Neither replaces the other directly.

Players can also spend credits on customized weapons, armor reinforcement, and certain recovery options.

Are tactical items different from Athlete abilities?

Yes. The support items documented are purchasable equipment within the game's economy, while Athlete abilities are associated with the character selected before or during a match.

NetEase has confirmed that different Athletes possess abilities involving movement, defense, and team support.

Those abilities are separate from the purchasable Recon Drone, Smoke Barrage, and Area Bombardment described in the hands-on coverage.

This distinction matters because a squad's equipment choices do not necessarily have to duplicate its character abilities.

A movement-focused Athlete, for example, can still benefit from information supplied by a reconnaissance item.

The precise restrictions on tactical item purchases, inventory limits, and any interactions with particular Athlete abilities have not yet been established.

Which tactical item should you buy?

There is not enough comparative testing to identify one universally strongest tactical item.

The available information supports three different uses:

• Recon Drone: When locating opponents is more important than obtaining additional damage or concealment.
• Smoke Barrage: When a squad needs visual cover to move through a contested area.
• Area Bombardment: When players want to attack an identified location containing enemies.

These choices follow the reported functions of each item, not verified competitive performance data.

Their relative value will also depend on factors that remain undocumented, including equipment availability, activation restrictions, and the exact price of Area Bombardment.

Will tactical items change before release?

ECC: REDLINE's first limited PC test is scheduled to begin on October 15, 2026.

The Recon Drone, Smoke Barrage, and Area Bombardment have been documented in prerelease hands-on coverage, but NetEase has not yet published a complete English database of tactical equipment.

The first test should provide an opportunity to verify item prices, targeting methods, durations, and other mechanics.

For now, the clearest confirmed distinction is between the three functions: Recon Drone gathers information, Smoke Barrage provides concealment, and Area Bombardment attacks a designated location.

The reported purchase prices and effects should be treated as test-build information until confirmed in the playable version.