It's just not a Metal Gear game without some great boss fights. Thankfully, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is no exception. The game has some great boss fights sprinkled throughout: not only are they fun, but they're a great change of pace from the slow, methodical tempo of the core game.

That being said, the game's first real boss fight - a battle against an enemy unit known as the Skulls - can take first-time players by surprise. There's no warning that the fight is about to start, and as a result, there's a good chance that fans are heading into the fight without the proper gear.

That's where this guide comes in: the Skulls are a tough fight, but not an impossible one, especially if you know what to do. If you've been having trouble taking these guys down (and don't feel like running from a fight), this guide will show you the best gear and tactics for showing the Skulls who's boss.

So, without further adieu, here's how to defeat the Skulls!

Preparation:

The Skulls appear at the end of 'Mission 6: Where Do the Bees Sleep?' It's a lengthy mission on its own, especially if you take the time to go through and eliminate every enemy outpost along the way. Thankfully, there's a relatively dramatic cut before the Skulls make their appearance, so it's easy to prepare for the boss fight without having to start the whole thing over.

First and foremost: before leaving on the mission, set up a heavy damage load-out. The mission takes place relatively early on in the game, so there's a good chance your weaponry choices will be limited - even so, there should be a few shotgun and assault rifle choices that will do the job nicely. If you prefer to stay on the defensive, equip one of the portable shields: they unlock early and do a good job of keeping Snake out of trouble, especially in wide-open spaces like the one the boss fight takes place in.

At the end of the mission, you'll arrive at a massive cave complex filled with enemies. The Honey Bee missile launcher is waiting for you in the caves, but don't retrieve it just yet. Clear the surrounding area, then call in your heavy weapons load-out before grabbing the Honey Bee - it's a lot easier than trying to switch load-outs in the middle of the fight.

Once you're decked out in high-damage gear, grab the missile launcher and exit the cave. On your way out, you'll be greeted by a cutscene and the fight will start.

Fight!

The actual fight against the Skulls is relatively straightforward, and you should already have an idea of what they're capable of from earlier on in the story. You'll be going up against four Skulls members, and while it may seem a bit hectic at first, the fight isn't all that hard to wrap one's head around.

The Skulls basically have two different attack modes: long-range and melee. Thankfully, it's easy to tell when the Skulls are switching between the two, and as long as you stay out of the middle of the arena, you'll be set. The Skulls will tear you apart if they all open fire and you don't have any cover - make sure there's some cover around and you have a place to fall back to if need be. Make sure to watch out for their melee strikes, too: they do massive damage, and it's easy to take a melee hit from one Skull while another finishes you off with gunfire.

There's also the 'zombie' soldiers: when the Skulls pull back and mist thickens, a few soldiers will come shambling towards you. They're basically a non-threat, just take them out with a single headshot or knock them down with CQC.

For the most part, the fight will flow as such: take a few shots at the Skulls, watch for the melee attack, dodge, take a few more shots, retreat and regroup. The dive (either Square or X on your controller) will be your best friend: a well-timed dodge will not only save you from the Skulls' melee attacks, but it'll put you in prime position to counterattack. There's also one specific melee attack that'll give you a chance to counter with CQC, but don't rely on it, especially if there are multiple Skulls still in the fight.

After doing enough damage to one Skull, another will come to protect it. While it may be tempting to try and counterattack, use this time to retreat or reload - it's one of the few times during the fight where you'll have a free moment, so don't squander it by running headlong into the fight.

Just keep piling on the damage, and one by one, the Skulls will start to fall. If you find that you're running out of ammo, find a safe spot and call in for supplies - just because they're mist everywhere doesn't mean you can't call in for ammo. The Skulls never respawn either, so take your time - there's no rush, and playing quickly and sloppily will just get you killed.

A note for non-lethal players: don't even bother. Unless you want to make it through the game without using a single lethal weapon, the fight against the Skulls is best won with high-damage firearms. As seen the in the video below, trying to take on the Skulls with tranquilizer weapons is a pain: it's not that the fight is any harder, it's just that non-lethal weapons do such poor damage that it's like trying to take on a tank with a peashooter.

Once the last Skull is full of bullets, the mist will fade away and you'll be free to call in for air support. Good job: you just beat the first boss in The Phantom Pain!

Of course, as with all Metal Gear games, the first boss fight is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't worry, we've got you covered: if you're having trouble with the game's next boss, Quiet, just check out our boss guide for her 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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