Mini Militia Game Modes Explained: Survival, Team Battle, CTF, VIP and PTB

Mini Militia Game Modes at a Glance

Here is a quick overview of every mode named on the official pages for the mobile apps. "Solo" means you can play it alone against computer-controlled enemies.

Keep in mind that apps change over time. A mode can be renamed, moved or removed in an update, so treat the mode menu in your app as the final word.

Mini Militia Classic Game Modes vs Miniclip's Version

There are two current versions of the original mobile game, and they do not list the same Mini Militia modes.

Mini Militia Classic (Appsomniacs)

The official Mini Militia Classic page lists offline Training and Survival, Team Battle, and "restored" CTF, plus newer modes like VIP and Plant the Bomb (PTB). Its App Store listing says you can play multi-team or two-team matches. The player limit depends on how you connect: the Google Play listing says up to 6 players online or 12 over local Wi-Fi.

Miniclip's version

Miniclip runs its own version, called Mini Militia - Doodle Army 2 on the App Store and Mini Militia - War.io on Google Play. Its App Store listing describes online multiplayer with up to 6 players and an offline Survival mode, and its update notes mention a Team Deathmatch mode and Capture the Flag.

Not sure which app you have? Our guide to Mini Militia Classic vs War.io explains the split in plain terms.

Our browser game

The free game on our homepage is different from both apps. It is a fan-made, open-source remake of single-player Survival only. It has no Team Battle, CTF, VIP, PTB or multiplayer of any kind.

Training Mode: Learn the Basics With the Sarge

Training is an offline mode listed on the official Appsomniacs pages for Doodle Army 2 and Mini Militia Classic, which describe it as a chance to "train with the Sarge" and sharpen your skills with different weapons and grenades.

The goal is to get comfortable with the controls before real players punish your mistakes.

What to practice in Training

• Dual-stick control: one stick moves you and the other aims and shoots. Practice moving one way while shooting the other.
• Rocket boots: the official pages call them rocket boots; most players say jetpack. Learn to fly in short bursts so you do not run dry in mid-air.
• Weapons and grenades: try each weapon you can pick up, and practice throwing grenades over cover.

Spend a few sessions here, then move on. Training will not teach you how real players move, so do not stay too long.

Mini Militia Survival Mode: Solo and Co-op

Survival is the mode most people mean when they search for Mini Militia solo play. Both the Appsomniacs page and Miniclip's App Store listing name it as an offline mode, so you can play it without anyone else.

How solo Survival works in the apps

You fight computer-controlled enemies on a map and try to last as long as you can while taking them down. Details such as how many lives you get and how the enemies get tougher can differ between versions and updates.

How to last longer

• Stay near cover instead of hovering in the open.
• Fight enemies one at a time. Pull back when two or more have a clear shot at you.
• Keep some jetpack fuel in reserve so you can escape a bad spot.

What about Co-op?

Mini Militia Classic's Google Play listing names an offline Co-op mode next to Training and Survival, and Wikipedia also mentions cooperative play. The idea is the same as Survival, except you and a friend share the fight. Check the mode menu in your app to see what it supports.

Practice Survival in your browser

You can also practice the basics in our free Mini Militia Classic game, a fan-made browser remake of Survival. It runs on PC with keyboard and mouse, and on phones and tablets with touch joysticks. You get 3 lives, and a new jetpack enemy appears every 3 seconds until six are alive at once. Our survival tips for the browser game will help you last longer.

Team Battle and Team Deathmatch

Team Battle appears in the feature lists on Appsomniacs' pages, and the update notes on Miniclip's App Store listing mention a Team Deathmatch mode. Both put you on a side and ask you to beat the other team in a straight fight.

This is the easiest multiplayer mode to understand. There is no flag or bomb to worry about, just you, your team and the enemy.

How to win team matches

• Stick with at least one teammate. Two players aiming at one enemy win most fights.
• Grab useful weapons and power-ups early. The official pages list power-ups such as the health pack and riot shield.
• Don't chase a kill deep into enemy ground alone. Every time you go down, the other team gets closer to winning.

Mini Militia Classic's listing also mentions multi-team matches, so you may see more than two sides. To set up a match with people you know, see how to play Mini Militia with friends.

Capture the Flag (CTF): How It Works and How to Win

Capture the Flag is listed as a "restored" mode in Mini Militia Classic, meaning it returns from earlier versions of the game. Miniclip's App Store update notes also mention adding Capture the Flag, so you may find it in either app.

In most shooters, Capture the Flag means each team guards a flag at its base and scores by carrying the enemy flag back home. The official pages do not spell out Mini Militia's exact scoring, so check the mode description in your app.

Kills still help, but in a flag mode they usually are not the main goal.

How to win CTF

• Split roles. Have one or two players defend your flag while the rest attack.
• Escort the carrier. Whoever holds the flag becomes everyone's target. Fly ahead and clear the path.
• Use high routes. Flying over the map with the jetpack is often faster than running across the ground.

VIP Mode: Protect Yours, Hunt Theirs

VIP is one of the newer modes named on the Mini Militia Classic page. The official pages do not spell out the rules, but as the name suggests, the match centers on a VIP player on each team: you protect yours and go after theirs.

This changes how you play. Instead of spreading out for kills, your team needs to stay close to one person and react fast when that person is under fire.

How to win VIP

• If you are the VIP, stay behind your team and avoid open air.
• If you are guarding the VIP, put yourself between them and the enemy.
• On attack, skip easy kills on regular players when you have a clean shot at the VIP.

Scoring rules can change with updates, so read the mode description in your app before your first match.

What Is PTB in Mini Militia? Plant the Bomb Explained

PTB stands for Plant the Bomb. It is one of the newer team modes in Mini Militia Classic, listed on the official Appsomniacs page next to VIP.

As the name suggests, the match revolves around planting a bomb, so you win by playing the objective rather than just chasing kills. Details such as where the bomb goes, timers and defusing are set by the app and can change between updates, so check the mode description before you play.

Tips for PTB

• Talk to your team before the round. Decide who goes for the objective and who covers them.
• Use grenades to clear defenders out of tight spots.
• Don't rush in alone. A single player near the objective is an easy target.

Because PTB depends so much on teamwork, leave it until you are comfortable with the other modes.

The Best Order to Learn Mini Militia Modes

If you are new, learning the modes in this order keeps things simple and builds one skill at a time.

1. Training: learn the controls with no pressure.
2. Survival: practice aim, movement and cover against bots.
3. Team Battle or Team Deathmatch: your first fights against real players.
4. Capture the Flag: learn to play an objective and a role.
5. VIP: practice protecting and focusing one target.
6. Plant the Bomb: put it all together in an objective mode that rewards team planning.

Whatever mode you play, a few habits help everywhere: aim while you move, stay near cover, and never chase a lone kill into enemy ground. Our Mini Militia tips and tricks guide goes deeper, and the Mini Militia guns list explains the weapons you will pick up along the way.

On a laptop or desktop? The official apps are for iOS and Android, but you can still practice Survival basics with Mini Militia for PC in your browser, with no emulator needed.

Frequently asked questions