As an experienced Tarkov player with over 1000 hours racked up, I‘ve learned the hard way that surviving and thriving in raids requires much more than just solid shooting skills. Tarkov‘s notoriously unforgiving and intricate mechanics demand next-level strategic thinking regarding tactics, loadouts, economics and beyond.
Luckily, this comprehensive advanced guide serves as an all-encompassing key detailing everything required for new players to gain an equal edge over hostile PMCs and deadly Scavs alike. Follow my in-depth analysis drawing from veteran insights and you‘ll start unlocking the full potential for securing legendary riches within Tarkov‘s war-torn borders.
Master All Raid Arenas
The foundation towards excelling in Tarkov begins with extensively studying offline raids to memorize the ins and outs of all available locations where firefights occur. Learn lucrative loot spawns, tricky extraction points, fatal funnel zones, long-range sightlines and more strategically vital terrain factors.
- Customs – Fairly linear paths across dorms, garages, gas station, military checkpoint extracts. Beginner friendly but lots of long angles favoring snipers.
- Factory – Extremely CQB heavy with almost instant contact. Shotguns and SMGs recommended. Brutal difficulty.
- Labs – Two underground floors with enticing rare loot behind swarms of menacing raiders. Excelsior!
- Interchange – Iconic multistory shopping mall encouraging stealth looting under Killa‘s lurking watch.
I cannot stress enough how critical havingcomprehensive map knowledge is before attempting actual raids with other players. Learn offline first then focus efforts on easier beginner maps like Customs to start racking up wins. As experience grows begin tackling more advanced high stakes locations rewarding jackpot runs.
Listen Like Your Life Depends On It
Operating "deaf" in Tarkov practically guarantees finding yourself disabled or dead sooner rather than later. Why? Audible cues reveal incoming threats long before becoming visible. The ears serve as an early warning system tracking hostile movements through cover, notifying of potential ambushes and hidden dangers before one sees them literally coming.
Wield sound information wisely avoiding noisy behaviors like sprinting everywhere or stomping over broken glass carelessly. Instead crouch walk silencing movements while amplifying environmental listening range and pinpointing targets by their revealing audio footprint.
Equip headsets religiously prioritizing expensive variants like Comtac 2s or Sordins that isolate subtle sounds from farther allowing a directional awareness edge over cheaper models. Hear them before they hear loudmouth you!
Packing The Proper Punch
Simply equipping any old ammunition into magazine wells significantly risks gimping an otherwise capable gun platform from achieving full lethality potential. Why such complexity for bullet types? Ammo attributes including penetration chance, armor damage plus flesh impact all combine creating radically outcomes during shootouts with both humanoid and A.I. threats based upon equipped armor (or lack thereof).
I‘ll break down exactly how to match ammunition appropriately:
| Ammo Type | Penetration | Armor Damage | Flesh Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7N39 "Igolnik" | High | Medium | Low |
| RIP .45 ACP | Low | Low | High |
- Igolnik: Devastates armor. Use against thickly protected PMCs
- RIP: Shreds unarmored flesh without overpenetration. Ideal for Scavs.
Memorize weapon systems paired with ammo unmasking full potential then apply such intimate understandings measuring notable performance differences when blasting away at differently vulnerable opponents. Soon recognizing precise moments favoring AP or hollow points becomes second nature elevating survival odds tremendously.
Stop The Bleeding Or Stop Breathing
Simply healing damage via med kits won‘t cut it under heavy incoming fire. Prioritize stopping heavy bleeds first by applying the Hemostat tourniquet before wounds escalate from injured into applying death‘s doorstep. Carry extra esmarch bandages as backup for when tourniquets somehow get used up during prolonged firefights which happens more often than one expects!
Cheese slices directly restore depleted energy which drops while overloaded slowing movement to an exhausted crawl. Stay nourished and keep chewing for speed.
Popping painkillers buys precious time to retreat safely once crippled by fractures rather than limping helplessly. They numb fractures for several minutes but at the cost of heightened audible groans giving away positions. Use judiciously.
Check medical supplies ensuring each raid run carries the following bare essential meds or suffer the consequences:
- Salewa x 2
- Hemostat Tourniquet x 2
- CMS Surgical Kit
- Army Bandage x 2
- Painkillers x 2
- Ibuprofen x 2
- Splint x 2
- Aquamari x 3
Follow this health management system religiously and it just might save life and limb!
Scavs or PMC? Balancing Risk vs Reward
Tarkov allows players alternating between playing as either Scavs or PMC characters featuring very different survival styles and priorities. I‘ll compare them contextually analyzing when best opting for each during campaigns.
Scavs
- Pro: Zero gear loss if killed. Short scav cooldown timers
- Con: Mismatched crappy loadouts. No persistent storage of looted goods.
PMC Operators
- Pro: Keep successfully extracted equipment. Customizable weapon/armor loadouts.
- Con: Lose all gear brought in upon death. Longer spawn timers.
Clearly PMCs are the end goal allowing assembled guns/armor suiting preferences. The catch? Dying as heavily equipped PMC means kissing sweet personalized kits goodbye if failing to successfully extract gains. Hence I strongly advise new players start as Scav who cares zero about death‘s sting while learning maps extractions under combat pressure minus loss penalties.
Once confident handling AI plus obstacles eventually transition towards playing mostly as PMC operator. Why? Persistent inventory management and exciting build customization options fundamentally define the proper Tarkov experience despite inherently higher loss risks. Just beware losing beloved equipment kits stings badly!
Magnified Situational Awareness
Wielding proper sighting systems transforms mere guns into tactical instruments enabling the delivery of precisely aimed ordinance downrange onto small or surprisingly distant targets that irons simply cannot effectively reach.
Consider variable zoom optics with chevron reticles best suited up close for quickly acquiring and tracking combatants during short range shootouts without overly magnifying situational awareness challenges. Plus chevrons intuitively guide shots previewing bullet drops compensating gravity‘s curving ballistic effects. Fantastic for skirmishing storming structures.
Conversely, higher magnification scopes like the Vudu significantly enhances observational scouting and positively identifying targets for positively discriminating hostile from friendly. Ideal setups for calculated overwatch element coordination. Maximize view with mounts benefitting peripherals whenever possible.
And while we‘re scoping, give special considerations towards night vision optics lending 24/7 operational capabilities under thermail systems locating heat signatures through visually obscuring darkness. Don‘t get caught off guard half blind stumbling around in the blackness!
I suggest memorizing various scope types below including relative magnification levels, reticle types, and effective ranges. Custom tailor preferred primary weapons accordingly.
| Scope | Magnification | Reticle | Effective Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valday 1x/6x | Variable 1-6X | BDC | 0-400m |
| Elcan Spectre 1x/4x | Variable 1-4X | BDC | 0-200m |
| Vudu 1-6×24 | 6X Fixed | MIL-DOT | 400-800m |
| FLIR RS-32 2.25-9x | 6X Fixed | CROSS | 300m+ |
Saving Money With Budget Runs
Money gets extremely tight in Tarkov especially after consecutive disasters losing everything equipped. To recoup cash reverting to budget runs where only essential cheap gear taken focusing exclusively looting for profit proves a stable strategy.
What exactly is considered "budget"? I would qualify pistols, shotguns, SMGs and low grade ammo as bottom dollar only kits. For example, a triple capacity 12 gauge shotgun shooting flechette or magnum buck costs under 15k roubles while threatening CQB lethality.
The philosophy here lies with accepting diminished combat effectiveness offset by minimal loss should things go sideways. Additionally such loudouts demand alternative tactics like stealth, traps and ambushes to gain sneak advantages streamsniping chadded pseudo-juggernauts charging around like overconfident maniacs.
It might sting the pride losing expensive equipment but financially speaking limiting losses ultimately enables stable wealth building rather than going bankrupt. Best part? Successfully downing geared players with pea shooter budget builds provides extra satisfying underdog feelings!
Strength In Numbers
Lone wolf players eventually reach severe limitations progressing only so far alone in Tarkov. Combining multiple PMC operators into coordinated battle squadrons unleashes exponentially greater capabilities over summing gear carried by individuals. This emerges from effectively distributing key roles among teammates dictated by unique specialist proficiency.
A few archetypal examples:
CQB Entry Pointman – SMG, flashbangs, tank armor
Marksman Overwatch – Designated sniper, scopes, advantageous positioning
Demolition – Undertakes explosives ordnance, breaching
Technical Support – Carries meds, ammunition replenishment
Squads arrange custom compositions for assaulting maps they intend to target. Formulate plans accordingly then unleash hell on unfortunate souls caught at the wrong place wrong time!
Just ensure establishing clear disengagement protocols if things go FUBAR. Surviving groups live cooperating together outmaneuvering lesser lone players for best chances navigating hazards. Planning, specialized skills/gear and most importantly trust in each other makes all the difference.
Inventory Tetris Mastery
Veteran Tarkov operators know squeezing maximum practical storage out of limited capacity gear represents an art form unto itself between successful raids. Specific techniques central towards hauling increasingly heavy loads extracted include:
- Fill every available slot in tactical rigs, containers and backpacks when looting so nothing gets wasted or left behind.
- Stack backpacks into backpacks like nesting matryoshka dolls. Saves immensely on space!
- Break down guns into receivers, magazines and components for optimized packing density.
- Utilize specialized cases like medcase and ammo case to efficiently store piles medical supplies plus ammunition from consuming general capacity.
Observing such universal inventory principles while hauling profits pays exponential dividends over time. Ammassing weapons, armor and cash builds stable wealth until nothing stands threatening mighty PMC any longer!
Engaging At Smart Advantage
Unlike twitch focused arena shooters where reckless aggression pushes advantages, Tarkov punishes impulsive lack of tactics and observation flagging hostile targets fast. Instead smart engagement protocol considers:
- What visible equipment do they wear? Fort armor and meta HK416 means big threat!
- Any audible comms hints on squad size? Single shotgunner less concerning than a 4 man.
- Do optics suggest longer range capabilities?
- Rotate to isolate enemies limiting return fire exposures when opening first.
Share explicit realtime observations over squad nets contributing towards an information aggregate summarized the game state. Thus coordinating timing when groups transition from shadowing contacts into unleashing decisive surprise assaults as multiple shooters hungrily feast!
Isolate bigger picture conditions granting exploitable environmental position advantages including daylight, fog, rain and indoor/outdoor zones. What weapons/gear warrant given ranges, cover and concealment? Coordinate squad roles, loadouts per factors then clinically execute.
Avoid questionable solo attacks on unknowns. Be patient, gather intel, strategize with allies supporting coordinated violence of action and live keeping hard earned loot!
Conclusion
And there you have it! Consider everything outlined intimately in this definitive guide and survive escaping Tarkov raids more geared in wealth and understandings. Train tactics, fine tune loadouts, stick with reliable teams against increasingly lethal foes until eventually reigning undefeated! Its an unforgiving crucible but one ultimately rewarding mastery in all respects.
Stay cheeki breeki out there warriors of Tarkov! See you in the field…
