Usage Points

To keep track of an agent's progress and level of skill, Border implemented a tracking system based on usage points. All combat triggers have usage points, which are adjusted in real-time based upon a number of criteria, including: their performance against other agents in rank wars, battles against Neighbors, and any noteworthy exploits.

Agent Ranking System

Border's agents are divided into four ranks: S-Rank, A-Rank, B-Rank, and C-Rank. Of these four ranks, B-Rank and C-Rank are closely linked to usage points, and promotion from C-Rank to B-Rank is based solely on the level of usage points an agent has accumulated. For a trainee to become a full-fledged border agent, or B-Rank, they must accrue 4,000 usage points with their chosen training trigger. Upon reaching the designated point value, the agent is promoted and allowed to form a team, take part in patrol duty, expand their trigger count to eight, and use their triggers outside of Border's HQ.

Once the agent has been promoted to B-Rank, they can replace their training trigger with a combat trigger, and now have the option of using more than one trigger. Going forward, their progress is tracked based on what triggers they choose to use, and what role they fulfill as part of a team: Attacker, Gunner, Shooter, or Sniper. Each trigger is tracked independently from the others, so an agent who wields a Kogetsu and an Asteroid trigger will have usage points associated with each, and those values will be updated based on how much they use one or the other.

B-Rank agents who reach 8,000 usage points with a single trigger are considered to have reached Master Class with that trigger, and an agent who does so with any Attacker Trigger, and their choice of any Gunner trigger, will be considered an All-Rounder. Furthermore, if an agent reaches 8,000 points with a trigger from the three main roles, Attacker, Gunner, and Sniper, they are classified as a Perfect All-Rounder.

Anytime an agent adds a new trigger to their setup, it begins with 3,000 points, or 4,000 if they are Master Class. An agent who replaces their primary trigger with a new trigger may be reduced to 3,000, but would not be demoted back to trainee. The only time an agent would be demoted is if their usage points dropped to 1,500 or less, but no one has been demoted in this manner before.

Agents are competitively ranked based on their usage points, either as an overall rank, or as part of their role. Their overall rank is determined by their highest usage point value among equipped triggers, and their role's rank is based on their highest value within that role. Similarly, an All-Rounder's overall rank is based only on their highest equipped trigger, not a accumulation of two or more.

Earning Points

Earning usage points is based primarily on what trigger is used, and how often it is used. Of course, how skillfully it is used determines whether or not the agent's points will increase or decrease. One important thing for agent's to keep in mind when trying to get more usage points, is that whichever trigger gets the kill, will get 70% of the value, while the trigger in their other hand will receive only 30%.

For B-Rank agents, and for many C-Rank trainees, the preferred method of gaining points is through solo Rank Wars. These one-on-one battles give agents a chance to earn points by fighting against each other, with the points gained and lost depending on the difference in rank between the combatants. When the point value is closer together, or the victor is ranked lower, the amount of usage points gained will be higher. A high-ranked agent earns very few points by defeating someone significantly lower than them, but they are an excellent opportunity to make a large change in standing if someone can defeat them.

B-Rank agents, who have formed a team, have access to team Rank Wars, and though the primary focus is on changing the team's overall rank among their peers, each individual battle between agents can still influence their overall agent ranking, just like a solo battle.

While it is possible for B-Rank and C-Rank agents to battle, they cannot gain or lose points in those battles.

The second most prominent method of gaining points is through patrol duty. B-Rank agents are regularly assigned to the restricted zone to help defend Mikado City from invading neighbors. Because patrol duty can get spaced out, and deployment may not be action-packed, most agents concerned with their rank would rely on solo wars.

The last method of acquiring usage points is through exemplary service and merits as determined by Border's staff. The criteria is not quite clear on what can count towards these merit points, or how many points an agent can gain in this manner, but participation in events like a large-scale invasion, or defeating a humanoid neighbor, will not go unnoticed.

Trainees

See also: C-Rank Trainees

Every new border recruit is given 1,000 usage points towards a trigger assigned to them by Border's staff, and their starting value may be increased depending on their performance during their preliminary tests. Traditionally, this preliminary test involved each trainee fighting a simulated Bamster, albeit smaller than usual, and the speed and skill used to dispatch it would give more points. Ai Kitora, who defeated the Bamster in 9 seconds, was awarded an extra 2,600 points, for a total of 3,600.

After the second large-scale invasion, and Border's announcement about the Neighborhood and recovering the captives, Border received a larger-than-average amount of enlistments. Not only did they switch from an enlistment ceremony every four months, to one every month, but they changed the preliminary test's content. Under these new conditions, all new recruits were split into groups of five and let loose in a small battle royal. They repeated this process until each trainee participated in four matches. Every opponent eliminated awarded 120 points. Because these matches were scheduled irregularly, there was no standard duration for the probationary period during this time.

After the preliminary testing and probationary period concluded, the trainees had their starting usage points assessed and assigned, and were allowed to attend scheduled training events. Attacker, Gunner, and Shooter trainees were able to take part in group training sessions twice a week, which consisted of one of five drills, only three of which are known: Topography Traversal Training, Covert Action Training, and Detection and Tracking Training.

Snipers, on the other hand, had significantly more opportunities for training. Group sniper training could award up to 20 points for a perfect score, and up to 200 per week, meaning there were at least 10 sessions a week. These training sessions were important for sniper progression, because a trainee that was able to maintain their ranking in the top 15% for three weeks would be promoted to B-rank. It is unclear if promotion in this manner would automatically adjust their usage points to 4,000 or not.

All trainees, including snipers, could take part in solo rank wars. During these battles, trainees would fight one-on-one for usage points. A larger difference in usage points would result in a larger gain or loss. In one example, a trainee with 1,100 points defeated an opponent with 2,358 and was rewarded 225 usage points. A smaller difference resulted in less points, as did someone with significantly higher usage points defeating someone with a lower value.

No matter the method chosen, so long as the agent received 4,000 points with their trigger, they would be promoted to B-Rank.

Trivia

• Border's usage points system favors of people who use one type of trigger exclusively, such as Kei Tachikawa. People who frequently switch, or use 3-4 triggers, would struggle to keep up in points even if they were similarly skilled.
• A C-Rank trainee is assigned a trigger by Border's staff based on their initial assessment tests, but is able to switch to something else at any point, including immediately. It is unclear if C-Rank usage points are cumulative or trigger-based.
• It is implied that C-Rank snipers do not engage in the rank wars, but focus on training, instead. Unlike B-Rank snipers, C-Rank trainees have only their sniper rifle, giving them an even larger disadvantage than normal.
  • However, a lack of radar and no operator support could mean a sniper able to break line of sight could use their superior firepower to eliminate their opponents, but many would not consider it worthwhile.
• Changing to the new preliminary test means that a trainee could only get a maximum of 2,920 points, which would require eliminating every other trainee in all four matches.

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