For the Live a little achievement, you may want to consider completing the Criminal Mastermind Challenge for the $10 million
What I spent mine on for the achievement
Kuruma (unarmored) - Sold
Kuruma (armored)
Hydra
Savage
Dinghy
Insurgent with gun
Technical
Gang burrito
However if you're not looking for CMC Tips, then press left, there's a solution back there with pricing with each vehicle, if you have that kind of money, buy whatever tickles your fancy, you can buy, sell, buy, sell etc the Kuruma for example to keep some money.
If you're not made of money like the rest of us, I've put together all the Tips you need below for the $10-12million rewards that'll earn you more than enough to get this achievement.
I have completed the Criminal Mastermind Challenge three times over and these tips are guaranteed to make your life much easier and making the torture end much faster. However note that the last time I played any heist was about a month after the release of Ill gotten gains ptII which may slightly affect your experience compared to mine, most especially if the Kuruma glitch gets or has been patched.
I am open for questions also, send a message to TAKT CheesyBell (Xbox) if there's something you need clearing up.
Tips for Criminal Mastermind Challenge
Firstly you will need a somewhat experienced crew that you can rely on, with free time that matches everyone else's with a steady connection and will not die. If you are looking for such players and your friends are idiots or you have no friends, then I recommend using the website Gta LFH and either posting your own listing or browsing for crews already scouting.
When your crew is assembled, it is essential that each person owns the heavy combat outfit that can be bought from any of your local clothing stores, these are found under the section Heist outfits; Heavy and a bullet proof helmet should also be purchased, found under the hats section, Choose any colour that tickles your fancy as they all do the same job. When you have the outfits it is essential that you each save the outfits for them to be accessible during heists.
It is also preferable that each member has their own armoured kuruma, But at least two people must have them.
Before every heist and set up, ensure each player is fully stocked on both snacks and the heaviest armour unlocked at Ammu-Nation.
The host must ensure also the difficulty is set to hard before EVERY heist and set up! And the outfits set to player saved outfits when possible in order to have the heavy combat suits usable.
Note that the heavy combat armour will remove your ability to sprint. However jumping can be used as an alternative. The loss of sprinting is a worthy sacrifice as the outfits provide roughly triple the damage you would usually take from gunfire, even some explosions are survivable. (Measurements not accurate but you'll be thankful you deleted your beloved fairy outfit in order to accommodate for the combat armour)
If death occurs ensure somehow each player is prepared to pull the plug to their console or something that will close the game down before the death is counted and progress is reset (progress can be checked in the stats menu)
Remember, failing by means other than dying is acceptable, as long as nobody died, a quick restart from checkpoint is okay.
Fleeca job
Scope out
-When assigned driver drives to the bank, have them do a 180 degree spin/drift into or before the marker, this is not major but will slightly speed up the dreaded fleeca job.
-Passenger seat has to complete only one hack during the introductory mini-game and the others don't are not essential.
Kuruma
-Assign the heavy combat suits here, they're not necessary but you don't wanna be the guy dying on the very first and easiest heist do you? Have a player with an armoured kuruma on both teams, these accompanied by the heavy combat outfits, heavy armor and snacks will make for a near invincible combination and should be used as often as possible. This combination will make every setup easily completable.
-When returning to Lester's garment factory there is a bridge right before the destination that the route will take you, however driving slightly right of the bridge will take you on a path between the bridge and the rooftop rumble car park. Drive at full speed and you will glide over a couple train tracks and over the LS river, you should drive up the other side's slope which will bring you through a broken a wall to LS customs with your destination just a few seconds to your left, cutting a whole U-turn on the bridge.
The Heist
-You may want to take the same shortcut route under the bridge here depending on the route you take from your apartment and this will shave a good few seconds off your time, however you should even think about attempting that drop if you're using a motorcycle. In fact never drive motorcycles period. Also the shortcut is pretty much one-way and is pointless on the when headed away from the garment factory.
-After arriving at the checkpoint, before both players are requested to leave the vehicle and prep their masks, there is a short few seconds to move the car a little bit closer to the doors.
-Upon destroying the cameras with the assault shotgun, the driver should pull out the classic RPG to control the crowd, as this means you only have to aim in the general direction and the intimidation is always full with no chance of failure. When you hear confirmation of the drillers completion of the drilling, the driver should head back to the car, entering through the passenger door and then holding the brake and accelerator/gas to perform a wheelspin, leaving the door open for the drillers shaving a couple more seconds, and the wheelspin to allow for maximum acceleration when the driller sits down.
-During the escape the driver will be faced with 3 roadblocks, however the first two are avoidable, the first few cars you can drive around easily either taking a left path and staying on the road, sliding between the car and a small wall, or taking a right path around, over a small grassy area, be wary of rocks however as, if you don't focus or cant handle the car, you may end up stuck on a small rock for a few moments. The second roadblock is much easier to pass by as they have a bigger space to drive around, found on the left side, there is almost no chance of collision here. The third roadblock is almost impossible to avoid however, but hitting the front end of the cop car on the right without hitting the car left of it will keep you at almost full speed and take very little of your time.
Prison Break
Plane
-Kurumas and combat suits and you're pretty much set to go, trip skip is your friend. Destroy the gas tanks so your crew have no accidents. They may respawn so be careful, kill all waves before letting the plane take off and clear the runway. Pilot to do no stunts in his plane, take no risks!
Prison Bus
-First person to arrive head straight to bus kill driver then make some distance, and use the homing launcher to take out the heli and run from the cops, everyone else should take care of the rest.
Police station
-Easiest way I found for police, drive nearish to the underground tunnel used in the first GTA V single player heist, however don't drive on the motorway just a road nearby and call 911 and request police, away from motorway ensures you're not ran over by peds speeding, when you kill the cops for their car, drive your newly acquired police car into the tunnel and head underground, (I have had a player blow us up by jumping that drop so just drive around) and head round a couple corners, cops won't follow you far into here at all and so losing them without losing tires won't be an issue, sometimes if you don't go far enough a cop car will wait stuck at the entrance so, go far enough in but you'll only need to drive through the first set of pipes. Drive to the station, have passenger run in and grab it and run out back into the car.
take the cop car to the secluded area and request your personal vehicle (using the interaction menu) before destroying the cop car. Then destroy it, get personal vehicle, head home, have a nice cuppa and wait for it all to blow over
Dock Team
-Take a faster car, you'll not be taking much damage here, drive around the docks upto the stairs, head up kill all you see and head up the more stairs enough to get you high enough to climb the cargo crates and head for casco, you'll have a couple up top but nothing you can't handle, if you fall from the cargo crates, then head to other side of ship and there are containers there you can climb up again but you'll have more enemies.
-In the casco do not shoot at all, keep your head down and your armor up and you should be okay, shooting will attract police and your mission will be a touch harder.
City hall
-Bring Kuruma, have it waiting, road blocking the alley where your ladders are, take out the guys after they get out of their car and worry about no one else, both players get into the Kuruma waiting for them, drive to the documents and have the passenger get out and straight back in provided you put passengers door next to docs so he/she doesn't get shot at too much.
Mansion team
-Mansion team should be headed home before the snipers on the city hall team have even taken their shots! This is a simple job, The guy doing the work gets in their fastest car, and heads to destination, watches cutscene and then heads to main gate to mansion asap. Climb the gate kill the first guard with a loud weapon to alert the guy you're after, run round the right side of the mansion as soon as you drop the guard, around the corner there will be a couple guards and then you'll meet the target on his way downstairs, kill him and head back to front gate, where you'll be met by person 2 of mansions team, who should be waiting by the gate in their Kuruma, climb the gate again and get in the car and head home or help city hall team.
Prison Break.
Pilot, when you get the plane you can wait in the hanger till around 3:00 mins left. then set off, stay behind the attack jet as much as possible by heading in circles above the sea. When the ground team leave the prison the chasing plane will despawn and you can land on the air strip, press left d-pad once grounded to open door ready.
Demolition, fast car head to bus kill driver, take bus to airfield, use a grenade, get in the red mesa and head to buzzard, kill the two guards and either head to help the plane if they aren't too great
-Or help out by killing guards in the prison, if you do this be sure not to get anywhere near the fences of the prison as you will be shot down by lock on missiles at short notice, also avoid getting in the jets way as he will lock on to you if you're an open target and you will not escape. (This is a more dangerous option but not a problem if you know it)
Head to main gate kill the cops you can but focus on the helis from now onwards
Ground team, drive into prison carefully, no wheel spins as this will alert. Head inside, upon exiting the bus, have the prison guard (the guy with better guns) kill the two guys instantly and the convict kill the guy in the distance, let the convict grab all ammo and watch for the guard above your head when you pass through that first area. Head to rashkovskii safely kill the guards, and let the convict collect all ammo before activating the rashkovski cutscene. Move up slowly keep watch of armor and snacks as you will not be wearing heavy combat gear! Do not move up too fast as they may spawn around you. Drive to airfield.
Avoid all helis on way to checkpoint, demo kill as many as possible, and everyone be sure not to parachute into helis blades and do not walk around the back of the heli as the back propeller will kill you.
Humane Labs Raid
Key codes
-Minimise the use of explosives they aren't all that necessary and can cause accidental unintended failure no matter how confident you are. This applies to any mission.
During the waves of approaching enemies, it is possible for the ground team to utilise a nearby garage for much cover and/or as a place to hide taking minimal to no damage.
The documents are better collected as soon as possible when they're collected everyone can head for a car and escape, note that there is an extra exit to the left of the entrance, this exit is a small alleyway type escape covered by a smashable fence. This will be the only exit not surrounded by FIB, simply drive into the fence knocking it down and continue to destination.
Insurgents
-Trip skip here to save time, bring a Kuruma or two and use these to clear the area.
It is possible to use the Kuruma during the convoying of the insurgents (ie. 2 in the gun armed insurgent, 1 in the unarmed and 1 in the Kuruma, however these are susceptible to heli fire so these must be taken down to keep the Kuruma alive, the Kuruma is not necessary however during the escort, just ensure each player has their snacks/armor inventory ready and race to the destination. Utilise the offroad.
-Player in the gunner seat can hold right D-pad to sit inside the vehicle during off road to ensure the player is not flipped out of the vehicle when going over jumps. When the two helis are destroyed, the gunner should use this for the majority unless enemies become persistent or swarmed around either insurgents.
Hydra
-Destroy explosives on the carrier before anybody moves up as they are liable to explode and sometimes will sneakily kill an unexpecting teammate.
-After climbing the stairs and headed back to the door up, use an assault shotty, there will be a guy that pops out from the door, a guy in the door, a guy up the first set of stairs, and a couple upstairs before reaching the outside area.
I have failed CMC once on this mission due to our anticipated pilot not having much experience flying the hydra, ensure your hydra pilot knows what they're doing, and be sure they get some height before switching from hover mode to ensure they don't swoop down onto the deck and explode.
-Jets should avoid flying the same paths as failure by accidental crash will send you back to fleeca, no stunts should be attempted here as tempting as they are and if you're damaged at all it is safest to jump from your jet and parachute to the sea below and swim toward land. Remember the hydra can take a couple of hits before exploding, do not abuse this however. If hydra pilot feels unsafe it is okay for them to bail from the hydra so long as the hydra destroys and all players live you will be able to restart from the carrier deck.
Valkyrie
-This set up is best done in two teams, two players in a Kuruma and two in their fastest car.
The two in the fast car should head to the dock right of the destination and use this as a place to snipe, clearing a few enemies on the destination dock, but focusing on the attacking buzzard, the buzzard has immense aim and can take out your Kuruma within seconds.
-Kuruma team should wait for the dock team to arrive and begin sniping before heading to the valk. They should wait back until the snipers are in place and when they are. The Kuruma should head directly for the indoor area before the valk, forgetting all enemies and hiding inside there until the buzzard that will shortly spawn has been taken out. If the Kuruma is inside, then the buzzard takes a path around the dock allowing for the sniper team to easily take the buzzard out before it becomes a problem.
-When the buzzard is dealt with, the Kuruma team can then proceed outside onto the dock, clearing it before getting into the Valkyrie. The Valkyrie should then be flown to the dock to the left where your sniper team are located. Pick them up and fly toward the incoming helis, take out each one by one flying to the nearest one each time.
-The pilot should keep the Valkyrie higher than the incoming buzzards to avoid direct crashing of either the buzzards, or the buzzards wrecks that can still be moving at full force even after destroyed and may still destroy the Valkyrie.
Deliver the EMP
This is simple and can be failed many times over without worry of death.
-When arriving at the Labs with the insurgents and after watching the camera feed, two snipers with silencers should take out the first two guards at roughly the same time (one person can do this but they have to be quick) now the guards are down by the gate it is possible to drive the insurgent straight into the Labs without getting caught before the enemy vehicle even gets near to turning that corner. Drive the insurgent into the car park straight ahead and everyone head to the stairs.
-Two should head to the right and take out the guard on the higher platform, these two should then move closer to the rail and begin killing each set of guards together one by one.
In this order,
-two guards next to car
-two scientists behind car
(Move up)
-guard at electrical box by himself
-two scientist that will come round the corner eventually
-two by the humane van
-then the guy up above
It's been a while but I believe that is all, either way it's more or less correct. The other two player don't have to do too much but they can be of help.
Humane Labs Raid
-Ground team, have an assault shotgun at each corner and kill all guards, you should more or less know the pattern of approaching guards, but it's simple enough. Don't forget the guard stood right there waiting at the elevator doors when you are about to exit the elevator.
-Heli team, the pilot should stay in range of enemies allowing the gunner to take out the majority, however the team should focus on incoming helis, there are I believe two from the same hill/mountain in the first two waves, then on the third wave, two helis will come from the main island area toward sandy shores, just focus on helis and be ready to pick up ground team, hopefully pilot knows pick up location before hand. Again try keep the chopper above enemy choppers, but insight of all gunners as much as possible.
Series A Funding
Coke
-Helicopter team should land their heli in the pier and use snipers to help clear the yacht and focus on incoming enemy helis. The helicopter team has no reason to go to the yacht at all.
-Boat team can stop the boat and snipe at a distance from the yacht if they wish, they should then head inside as quickly as possible to allow the heli team to snipe and also destroy choppers. When the coke is collected and helis destroyed they should move up.
-When boat team have acquired all coke, they should head back to the back of the yacht and climb aboard a jet ski, there is tunnel at the nearby beach enterable by boat that the players can hide in to lose cops. If there has been no restarts here then boat team can head to the road and use the interaction menu to request personal vehicles, or risk stealing another and having to lose the police once more.
-Heli team also needs to lose the wanted level by any means, once done so can head to Trevor's warehouse.
Trash trucks
-A player with the Kuruma should set themselves as operator team and once in mission should head for the gas station near the eastern LS customs, leaving the Kuruma there and entering a new car to head to the Trash truck. The other players shouldve cleared the area, and if they know the destination, begin taking the truck there and waiting for the 2nd operator to arrive.
-This is probably known by everybody by now, but I'll mention anyway just incase, have the driver back the Trash truck in each location to make for less travel for the collectors.
-During the location before/after the gas station, depending on the variation, there is an alley that is shaped like a T, if you drive up this alley, and crash the front of the Trash truck into the wall ahead, you create a cover for either side, so someone focusing on one side will not get shot from behind.
-During the gas station, it is best that the pumps are destroyed firstly before anything. Then the players should jump in the Kuruma previously left here by your thoughtful teammate, so ensure the driver had it set to everyone, the driver of the Trash truck should back the truck into the gas station on flat ground at this point.
It is not possible to kill every enemy here, however the Kuruma should work to kill the majority, before the collectors collect. Then drive to your next destination.
-When headed back to the warehouse and
throughout the mission players should watch their armour and be ready with extra armor and snacks as the drive home can be very overwhelming.
Bikers
-Trip skip
-Silently take out the bikers
-Locate the Vans, Kurumas may be used to protect if requested
-Do not in any case use bikes
-Avoid all oncoming bikes and bikes lying on the ground, sometimes driving over these may cause them to explode which can be critical to the vans.
Weed
-Trip skip in Kuruma
Everyone can use the Kuruma here till the area is cleared or just ground team and snipers stay in their position.
-There are two ways I would do this, you can take the freeway on the west side of the map and keep following that to come int o contact with as little enemies as possible, but you have to stay quick with little set backs in order to beat the timer.
-Or you can take the route provided, taking this route it would be highly preferable to take a left when coming out of the tunnel, following this dirt path will cut time and avoid 2 road blocks, you must maintain speed to get up the hill at the other side and back on the road in the Benson's. It's not much a difficult drive home from then on, keep your snack menu open if needed.
Meth
-Trip skip in Kuruma
-Eliminate all the enemies outside, I like to drive around the outside and work my way inward in a spiral kind of direction, be careful of explosives around the barn.
-If your tankers health gets low before you attatch it, destroying it may help, refilling its health and keeping a checkpoint with no enemies in the area. However this will mean the Kuruma will not be useable when escorting the truck as it will despawn upon restart. Its recommended if you have to do this, that the defending teammates get their own semi to escort as these will provide more protection than a bifta.
-Teammates should keep some distance from the tanker to avoid accidental collisions and should aim to take enemies off the road before they get the same idea.
Series A Funding
-South defence may bring a longer car and park it sideways above the ramp as cover.
-When you get in the Benson's you can go straight up the hill and soon left to quickly get on the freeway
-You will come to a part in the road that will allow access to the train tracks, i use this each time just to avoid enemies on the road, (they can still shoot you but if you're all together it's no problem) taking this way I have seen a train on the tracks once however it's very easy to avoid. Just join back onto the road before the bridge.
Pacific Standard
Vans
-Navigators can do this themselves whilst the drivers sit back. One van drives around the block near the beach.
-One around the freeway near to the airport
-One near the Pacific bank areaish?
-And the last near the middle Los Santos customs (this is typically the one you'll be requested to steal)
-Clearly these aren't exact locations as they do move around, however they're roughly the location youll find each, you'll have the trackify app to help out the rest of the way
Signal
-If you know where the second spawn of jet skis are it is faster to drive to them than the ones suggested. They're by the shore before the passage toward the Alamo sea
-Jet skis are faster than the boat you are given and faster than the go back to land and get your car trick. Get Avi on a jet ski and head to destination, when told to lose cops, drive around Alamo staying on the jet ski and avoiding sight of the helis
-On land request personal vehicle using interaction menu and cruise to the finish
Hack
-Have one Kuruma driving to the go postal area to begin clearing enemies sooner on safer. Have another person fetch the van from Lester's garment factory while the Kuruma does its thing.
-Supposedly it's safer for the person(s) in the back of the black van to not shoot as this way enemies only have the windows to shoot through as oppose to fully open doors.
-It is most certainly safer for the black van to carry on straight for a few blocks further after taking the left out of go postal, a certain late left will make travelling pretty much a whole straight and make things easier & faster.
(We have failed before due to the guy in the back holding grenades that whilst in his hand were shot by enemies, destroying the van and everyone inside, don't be the fool using explosives)
Convoy
-The way to complete this mission safest is to take out the first chopper sniping, move up on the convoy with Kuruma(s) and killing the guy on the gun and working your way round, the trucks are susceptible to gunfire however so don't get too close incase your team accidentally explodes any truck.
-move the barracks up behind the cargo container hidden and have the insurgent in front and in view of enemies as to make this the main target, avoiding the barracks getting shot up. Wait here till the next 3 choppers are destroyed.
When all choppers are dealt with it's pretty safe to head to the destination, but allow the Kuruma of insurgent to go in front to clear roadblocks.
Bikes
-Kurumas till on bikes
I take this route..
Head straight down out of gate, heading straight on until you need to turn right, soon after the right a sports field will come up on your left, cut left onto that and proceed onto the freeway below, follow the route to the destination, this way you'll encounter less enemies, but be prepared with snacks/armour incase.
The Pacific Standard Job
Going with the three heavy combat to one agile as suggested by myself, the agile person holding all the cash should be the person who owns the apartment right by the bikes, with a Kuruma armoured waiting in their garage.
I don't remember the name of this apartment however I think it's the number 0402. Possibly something like strawberry ave 0402, anyway it's a 6 car garage near the go postal place with the numbers 0402 somewhere in its name :P
I typically would run this with three guys in heavy suits and one in something more agile, the agile would collect all the money and stay inside as to not get shot however you can run this however you wish, note that the longer you take to get to your apartment the more cops will surround you and the less likely you will be able to do the Kuruma garage glitch.
-Inside the bank, the RPG trick used in fleeca can be reused to control civilians easily, wave it around in the direction of everyone equally and it will be enough to keep the intimidation full, if your other crowd control is no good or busy, the RPG holder must be ready to go between rooms to aim on the tellers then to the civs, the threat does not pass the bulletproof glass so you must go back and forth through the gate.
- When hacker begins hacking the upstairs door will unlock and two guards will come out that the demolition can take care of, also don't forget the two downstairs when you first go down.
-Crowd control will then have to guard the stairs after.
-Allow the agile player not in a heavy combat suit to collect all the cash.
-After regrouping at main doors, the cash collector should hide back inside the vault in order to protect money (this was my job and we took 100% cash and I took a full 70 for myself thanks to my generous team, During CMC with noose too!) ((I don't advise getting noose so don't shoot civs!!))
The three in armour should clear the street, non explosive, when the first street is cleared head to the alley, the cash holder will emerge from the bank and follow the group to the alley, do not wait for the alley to be completely empty, but enough to make a run while gunners clear alley, cash holder should run into the right area behind the blue fences. Throw a couple nades (if it's safe) toward the parking garage at the other side where a cop car will pull up to hopefully take them out early.
When the money is safe in the blue fence area, the other three members should follow up, 2 heavy guys climb the smallest part of the fence to land safe, one armor stay while the agile climbs next and then follow. Kill cops to cover agile as he/she makes a run for the wall in front.
And then follow up after them.
Be sure each player hits the checkpoints, to do so, after jumping the wall head left until checkpoint moves, turn around and head half way up a staircase towards the next checkpoint, when the next checkpoint is activated, come back down the stairs and take a left. Quickly kill the cops on the ground and safetly destroy the chopper, this should be done quickly else the team will get swarmed.
Agile should jump the wall if the heli is down, about to be downed or player begins to receive gunfire from swarming enemies.
The three cover the street moving up towards bikes with agile.
Agile switch to RPG and fire on the cop car that will pull up ahead of you.
One heavy should take the cop car behind.
Agile in this alley should be sprinting towards the bikes now while the heavies catch up.
Everyone get on bikes and take a u turn left and climb the wall, if the agile gets over the wall first to his front door before everyone else you should be okay. Enter with all nearby players when they get nearby.
If unable to access apartment in sight of cops, owner should climb back over the wall and climb back over again try again, if still nothing you can keep trying, restart mission or resume back on bikes, it's your call but remember, if you die cause you couldn't be bothered to restart to get the Kuruma it's your own fault.
Once inside the player's apartment nobody should move asides the owner, the owner should walk to their front door and move all players to garage. Once everyone is in garage everyone is to climb into the Kuruma.
Remember outside of the apartment the only person able to get back into the Kuruma is the owner of it, so if owner isn't preferred to drive, have your preferred driver sat in passenger seat, so outside, the owner can get out (no one else) and run to passenger door, previous passenger will move to driver's seat automatically provided that the access is set to everyone and not passengers.
From here it's pretty plain sailing, follow the route all the way, after going over the small bridge featured in convoy, the driver should look for a flatbed trailer on the left, drive behind that onto the dirt path and follow that up, shortly you will see the tunnel, come off the shortcut and enter the tunnel, this avoids losing cash as the cops on the bridge you just avoided have decent accuracy.
Carry on the provided route however do not jump the ramp as told, activate the jump checkpoint but reverse and take the steepish drop to the right instead, (everyone still inside the car). Take this path very very slowly in order to keep traction and not plummeting to an explosion, follow the path now all the way down carefully to the boat and swim to the dinghy without jumping from the car if you wish to attain max money. Also no flares on the boat, i'm pretty certain when someone has shot me with a flare accidentally here I lost a heap of cash.
Hopefully this works for you. It will do if you have already half decent players and commitment.
Any queries I'm almost always available so message TAKT CheesyBell and if its a request to join and help you out, I'll likely do it, for a nice cut! ;) Good luck!