I'm really enjoying this game, but finding it extremely difficult once I hit about the 7th level. If I get an easy mission objective I might have a fighting chance at hitting it quickly and getting out, but if it's a DREADNAUT or multiple land targets, etc. my odds are pretty slim. It seems like the sky is completely full of enemy missiles, VETs, and ACEs, and if I fail to dodge sometimes even a single higher-tier missile I'm toast. And if it's this bad at 7, I shudder to think what it'll be like in later waves.

What strategies have y'all found for progressing further? Particular loadouts that are good, or tactics the AI opponents are vulnerable to?

I'm still fairly new to the game myself but I have a few tips.

• Start at day/mission #1. You can earn way more money that way than the game gives you for skipping.
• Be sure to take down the carriers and aerodromes before they can spawn too many drones. (I think there's an enemy cap though?).
• Don't destroy the mission target until you've done all you want, or else you can't land to heal.
• There are sometimes friendly airstrips on the islands. Useful for an emergency landing or just when the base is faraway.

Healing does cost money though, so don't be too lax. Dunno how it exactly works however.

Cool, appreciated--I hadn't been paying much attention to the carriers, that's good to know! I have managed to get further now that I've unlocked more goodies; the rear-firing micro missile and Drakon jet have both proven really useful.

With rear firing weapons I wish there was a "quickly look behind" button like some racing games have.

You can glance back by holding the "change targets" button for an instant. But with the rear micro I don't really need to--if there's something close enough for it to lock on to, I'm happy for it to do so!