Resident Evil 5: The Mercenaries - The Mines DUO strategy

This is a post for archive information for strategies of The Mines DUO in Resident Evil 5 - The Mercenaries.

Bottom (Cave) Spawn strategy



Player: Kirin

This is the most popular strategy for the Bottom (Cave) spawn on The Mines DUO.

Killing and agitating the first few enemies is the most important part to scoring high in The Mines duo from the beginning. Enemies need to be activated and killed as quick as possible to get the enemy spawn flowing. This video shows a start that only Wesker can use. A non-Wesker must melee kill the first few enemies in the surrounding tunnel and then grab the first combo chest. The second combo chest is basically useless to a non-Wesker player.

NOTE: Make sure to run all the way to the long tunnel at the front of the cave in order to agitate all camping enemies.

All time bonuses are left until later into the run for the bottom spawn player. The main strategy from the beginning for the bottom player is to seek and destroy any enemies that are in the area. You'll need to move back and forth from the front to the back of the cave in order to do this. Be sure to kill the CHICKEN enemy in the middle dead end tunnel - he will likely move out of the tunnel by the time your character gets there if you're not playing Wesker.

NOTE: There is a Big Man Majini and a dynamite Majini that will spawn in the back tunnel then camp there (below the high ledge), so you'll have to move back there in order to make them attack and melee kill them to increase enemy spawn.

The FIRST REAPER SPAWNS AT 30 KILLS from the high ledge spawn point across from the explosive barrel in the back of the cave. The bottom spawn player can meet up with the Reaper or wait for the Reaper to come to the player. Just be sure to be aware that he will appear at 30 kills.

NOTE: The player avoids shooting scripted critical Majini and immediately activates scripted Cephalos in order to melee kill them quicker. I'll list up all the scripted plagas and criticals at a later date. Just know that, the two cocktail Majini in the back area that spawns from the high ledge above the first combo chest and 60 second time bonus are scripted criticals and there is one shovel Majini critical that spawns from the middle portion of the tunnel very early.

1:36
The top player gets very little health, so the player in the video uses a random green herb in order to increase the chances for his partner to get a green herb from an enemy item drop since his partner is in low health.

Once again, the player returns to defeating enemies that are in the surrounding area after the first Reaper is defeated. It's very important to move around and find the enemies as they spawn. If no enemies appear for your character in the back of the cave, run to the front. If no enemies appear in the front of the cave, run to the back.

NOTE: Majini will light their dynamite in the spawn points of the back tunnel, so it's a really good idea to stay away from the back tunnel portion near the high ledge and fence spawn points to avoid this.

NOTE: It's best to hit the 30 SECOND TIME BONUS in the back tunnel before going to defeat the second Reaper or before about 120 combo. There is no reason to go back to that area at that point, so it's best to hit it early. In the video, the player hits the 60 SECOND TIME BONUS near the first combo chest early to save a melee kill - it can be saved until about 130 combo though.

The SECOND REAPER SPAWNS AT 70 KILLS from the right high ledge spawn point at the end of the tunnel. Either player can fight this Reaper. In order for the bottom player to avoid this Reaper, the player must stay in the very back of the tunnel and this will make the Reaper go toward the top spawn player. The third Reaper that spawns at 90 kills from the east high ledge spawn point in the north will go to the top spawn player - be sure to keep this in mind since that player might not be able to keep the combo that well.

4:20
The bottom player decides to discard the Hydra since all Reapers are killed on his end and this will increase the likelihood of more handgun and magnum item drops from enemies and breakable objects. Even though the other player still has a Hydra at this point, discarding one will decrease the chances of shotgun ammo appearing.

NOTE: The top player can be under MAJOR stress after 120 combo with all the cocktail Majini that will appear in the tunnel, so you might have to shoot with a powered weapon to help keep the combo if needed.

At 130 combo, the bottom player can start to leave the bottom tunnel. Hit all time bonuses on the way out. Any time bonus that has not been hit by now, needs to be hit. Often times, players leave behind the 30 SECOND TIME BONUS in the dead end tunnel and the 60 SECOND TIME BONUS in the middle. Usually the back 30 second time bonus is hit early, but sometimes a player will save it until the end.

Exit the cave then be sure to hit the 60 SECOND TIME BONUS in the dead end alcove in the outside area. Players always leave this time bonus until the end. You just basically fight off the remaining enemies from then on while in the outside area. The last few enemies will spawn in the upper tunnel and they will spawn S-L-O-W most of the time.

NOTE: BE SURE to look up toward the middle platform in the outside area to see that the 30 second time bonus on the bridge has been hit and BE SURE to look up on the high platform on the left side of the open area and make sure that the 90 second time bonus is hit. In the video, the other player hits them, but this will not always be the case. Sometimes both of them are left behind by players. Climb the surrounding ladders and hit them if so.


Top (Platform) Spawn strategy



Player: Kirin

This is one of the many strategies for the Top (Platform) spawn on The Mines DUO.

Players usually equip a powered weapon directly from the start before falling from the platform in order to deal with the Big Man Majini in the tunnel below. Falling from the right side is the quickest, but keep in mind that the Big Man Majini will likely be right in your face if you drop from the right side. In other strategies, players will drop from the left side and turn to face the Big Man Majini.

NOTE: There is a camping Majini with a shovel in the middle area below the platform. In some strategies, a player will shoot this Majini, but in the strategy in the video, the player does not shoot him. When the player falls and runs toward the 30 seconds on the bridge this will agitate him.

Your main priority from the beginning is to get all enemies' attention on you. Wesker can do this the best since he can simply dash right through the tunnel! Run through the top tunnel and kill enemies and be sure to kill the CHICKEN enemy in the tunnel. The chicken in the top tunnel always drops a white egg, which is not even worth picking up. Leave the 30 second time bonus in the cave and run to the other end.

Kill the camping dynamite Majini at the end of the tunnel and then drop to the ledge below. Be sure to run toward the 30 seconds on the bridge along the middle platform - this will agitate the Majini with the shovel below then he will climb the ledge and attack you. Fight on the second level ledge and be wary of the cocktail Majini that spawn from the top cave. The player in the video takes shelter under the middle platform, in order to avoid the rain of cocktails.

NOTE: The player in the video does not shoot Majini that stand near the side of the ledge since that would make them drop and damage them further and basically screw up the melee kill. It's very important to avoid Majini that stand near the edge of the ledge - Big Man Majini are the same way.

2:30
The Majini with the pickaxe that is shot at 2:30 in the video is a random Cephalo. Both red wrench and pickaxe (along with one dynamite that spawns from the fence spawn point in the tunnel above) have the potential to spawn a random Cephalo at any time, so limit your melees and gunshots to their heads. There are two scripted sickle Cephalo Majini and two scripted pickaxe Cephalo Majini that will appear sometimes after 60 combo (they are both left handed). There is also potential for a green bottle Cephalo from the bottom spawn at any time (they are right handed) - they will climb the ledges and attack your character.

Work your way toward the 30 SECOND TIME BONUS on the bridge along the other side of the ledge then hit it when you have time to - when not many enemies are around. The SECOND REAPER SPAWNS AT 70 COMBO from the bottom tunnel and either you or the bottom player will have to deal with it. It might differ per run based on the bottom player's actions.

Sometimes after about 75 combo, once the second Reaper has been defeated by either player, run over to the platform with the 90 second time bonus on top of it then climb the ladder. The player in the video request an egg to let the other player know that he is climbing. Break the 90 SECOND TIME BONUS at the top of the platform then drop from the right side.

You need to enter the top tunnel after dropping. The 30 SECOND TIME BONUS in the tunnel should be broken when you have the chance to break it - when there are not many enemies around. The THIRD REAPER SPAWNS AT 90 COMBO from the top ledge spawn point above the starting platform that you started out on. Be sure to keep this in mind, since he will drop then enter the left side of the tunnel like in the video. Be wary of the legion of cocktail Majini that you will have to face after 120 combo. Things can really get bad with the constant cocktail tossing at times, much like it does in the video.

Fight inside the cave until the end of the run. The other player will hit the 60 second time bonus in the dead end cave below.

NOTE: One of the final few enemies has a tendency to be one of the scripted Cephalo pickaxe Majini (he's left handed and spawns from the fence spawn point), so be sure to keep this in mind and be ready to fight or cancel the Cephalo that spawns from him. He has the potential to take a good bit of time away from the total time if you're not read for him or can't get a leg stun on him with a non-Wesker.