NL get gas masks too which helps with hope popular smoke is on FOBs
I like short range and shields now too because obviously shields help a lot versus grenade launchers or run and gunning with a AM semi-auto sniper rifle... but I feel like short range AI is different, too.... long range snipers sit back and let the Invader hide on the stairs and heal.... I mean, it's like the SP, right? who were the most annoying in-your-face NPCs? guys with shields and shotguns... they always charged you more. that's useful against Invaders that want to hang back, hide, kite, etc to snipe, lose alert, etc... more important than 'added armor' or faster killing is keeping the Invader in Combat Alert and suppressed... and NL short range guards that have shields or shotguns, and gas masks, seem the most annoying in terms of... they chase you more, get in close range and chase you downstairs more, you can't just smoke grenade 'em to sleep cuz the gas masks... harder to grenade laucher them to death cuz the shields protect against grenades... they basically bum rush you more and are harder to neutralize.