If you have spent more than a couple of runs in Arc Raiders, you know that awful moment when a red laser suddenly paints your chest and you freeze for half a second, because you know you are about to eat artillery fire instead of grabbing extra ARC Raiders Items. That beam is the calling card of the Spotter. It does not rush you, it does not fire bullets, it just hangs in the air like a snitch, quietly feeding your position to stronger units that are only too happy to do the real damage for it.

Spotter And Bombardier Synergy

You very quickly learn that the problem is not the drone on its own, it is what comes with it. The Spotter acts like the eyes, and the Bombardier is the hammer. As long as that floating tin can has a clean view of you, the artillery does not need a clean shot. The drone does all the targeting work. You might think you are safe behind a wall or a ridge, but if the laser is still on you, the shells will still land. That is when what looked like decent cover turns into a trap, and players end up wondering why they got deleted from what felt like a safe angle.

Why Shooting The Drone First Is A Trap

Most players react the same way the first time: look up, empty a mag into the drone, feel clever for about three seconds. Then the next Spotter floats in and the shelling never really stops. These drones tend to spawn in pairs, sometimes more, and the respawn timer is short enough that you can burn through ammo and focus just keeping the air clear while the Bombardier sits untouched in the back. You are spending time and bullets on units that the game is perfectly happy to replace, while the real threat keeps working through its firing cycle.

Breaking Line Of Sight Properly

The trick is understanding how the lock works. The laser is not some magic beam that follows you forever. It needs constant, clean line of sight, and you can break that pretty hard if you respect what counts as real cover. Thin fences, bits of scaffolding, or half-busted cars often are not enough. You want proper structures, thicker rock formations, anything you cannot see through. Once that line breaks, the targeting data stops, and you buy a few seconds to move. You end up playing this little stop-start rhythm, bouncing from solid cover to solid cover, letting the lock fall off before you peek again to push closer.

Turning The Fight Around

If you want the harassment to actually stop, you go for the Bombardier instead of wasting time on the endless drones. Once the artillery piece goes down, the Spotters usually just float off as if they know the fight is done. That is where your quick tools come in as well. A smoke or a flash tossed at the right time can blind the drone long enough for a risky revive or a sprint across open ground. It is messy, but it works. Along the way, these fights are worth doing because Spotters drop useful crafting bits like Spotter Relays and ARC Alloys, and that stuff adds up fast when you are trying to upgrade gear or even buy ARC Raiders weapons from players who focus on farming.