The boss fight against the Skulls may have been a relatively action-packed way to start off Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, but the game's second true boss fight is far more traditional than its predecessor. On top of that, the fight against a sniper known as Quiet isn't just a great boss battle, but it'll net you one of Snake's most powerful allies.

However, as with the fight against the Skulls, the sniper duel with Quiet seemingly comes out of nowhere - as a result, unprepared players can find themselves up against a foe they can't even touch. Never fear: if you've been sniped more times than you'd care to admit, this guide is for you. Plus, it'll show you how to recruit Quiet, too - meaning that you'll guarantee her services later on in the game.

Considering her importance to the story, the fight against Quiet could be considered spoiler territory: so, if you want to go into the fight completely blind, hold off on reading this guide until you need it. Otherwise, here's our guide to beating (and recruiting) the supernaturally gifted sniper known as Quiet:

Preparation:

Quiet will first appear as you unlock 'Mission 11: Cloaked in Silence' - the only problem is that Mission 11 doesn't appear until you wander into her arena. At first, Miller and Ocelot will talk about rumors of a supernaturally-powered sniper, and then Snake will be told to make contact with Emmerich - that's when you know you're getting close to Quiet's fight. Head on over to the location shown in the picture above, and the fight will start automatically.

While the last fight may have focused on more close-quarters fighting, the battle against Quiet is purely long-range: she'll retreat anytime you get too close, so don't even bother worrying about weapons like shotguns and pistols. This is akin to any of the series' sniper duels, so make sure to unlock the appropriate weaponry. Sniper rifles aren't unlocked automatically, but you should have a few different options by the time you make it to Quiet - pick whatever sniper rifle works best for you (tranquilizer rifles work especially well, even if you're not going for a non-lethal playthrough).

While the focus of your prep work should definitely be on sniper rifles, there are a few different gadgets you'll want to bring along. The inflatable decoy may not fool Quiet every time, but it should help reveal her location. D-Dog is also a great asset during this mission: while he can't exactly spot Quiet from across the map, D-Dog can pick up her scent if you're having trouble locking her location down. Finally, basics like smoke grenades and night-vision goggles are a big help too, but again - it'll mostly be you and your rifle.

Fight!

The fight against Quiet doesn't take its time ramping up the difficulty: in fact, the location where players start the fight is one of the most open spots on the map. As with the rest of the fight, you'll want to stay as low as possible, but there's not much in the way of cover - as a result, it may be best to either lay down some smoke grenades, use a decoy or just sprint away. With any luck (and a few well-timed dodges) you can find a better spot to prepare your counterattack.

Then again, there is an easier option: Quiet doesn't move from her first sniping spot until you fire back or get close enough. Try calling in a supply drop - but instead of placing it somewhere nearby, drop it on Quiet. It'll take half of her non-lethal health bar away, knock her off that first annoying perch and give you a chance to move in all at the same time.

From there, the rest of the fight is all about using the environment to hide from and get the advantage on Quiet, taking a few shots and repeating. Unfortunately, Quiet's pretty good at hiding - but there are a few different ways to find her. The most recognizable is her humming: you'll hear Quiet humming throughout the fight by looking through your scope. It won't give you an exact location, but it's a good way to narrow the choices down.

The glint from the scope of her sniper rifle is one of the easiest to spot, but it'll only really work if you're fighting her at night (and there's no safe spot to use the Phantom Cigar). Using your night-vision goggles and the scope are also a great night-time solution, but again, it doesn't work quite as well during the day. Of course, if all else fails, just call in D-Dog.

If you wander into the fight and find yourself without the proper gear (which isn't all the difficult to do), you do still have options. As with most of the game's boss fights, calling in for supplies and new weapons is always an option: during our playthrough, we boosted our R&D Team in order to develop a better rifle. Surprisingly, leaving is also an option: you'll have to go back at some point, but if you really don't want to fight Quiet, just make your way out of her arena and the fight will be postponed.

Once you've outsniped Quiet, head over to where she fell. You'll find her unconscious, and a short cutscene will begin to play. From there, you'll have the choice to either execute Quiet or recruit her. If you're choosing to recruit her, just put the controller down - after a few moments, Snake will lower his arm and another cutscene will begin to play. Congratulations, you just recruited Quiet!

Sadly, it'll still be a while before you're able to use her in battle: Quiet won't unlock as a Buddy until Mission 14. Make sure to stop in at Mother Base too: checking up on her from time to time will unlock special story cutscenes.

Quiet's fight comes out of nowhere (which seems to be a trend with The Phantom Pain's bosses), but it's easy to forgive her unpredictability when it's such a fun fight. Just remember to unlock a sniper rifle before you head in!

Quiet's easily one of the best sniper fights in the series, and she's just one of The Phantom Pain's many bosses. Don't worry, we've covered the game's other boss fights too: if you're having trouble with the game's first boss, the Skulls, just check out our boss guide for their fight.

And, as they say, that's not all: we've also got guides for getting started in Metal Gear Solid V, a character guide and a full series timeline!

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