Call of the Zone 1.2

Last Revision: May 2021

kwag3.myers@gmail.com

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Introduction

With this mod, it's important to know that the first part of the game is a series of random tasks that appear to have no connection to each other. You may find that some tasks repeat either by the same character or different characters. The goal is to make it to the start of the storyline, which is Find Doc. I haven't figured out what triggers the storyline yet, but I suspect that you must complete the following tasks. Most of these result in the collection of documents or information about the Zone:

My playthroughs have lasted from 12 to 25 game-time days and I've completed 70 to 100 tasks (not including optional Is there any work you want done? tasks).

Tasks usually have three parts: "Meet with..." where you must report to the specified character, the actual task where you perform the requirement, and "Return for your reward" where you've done what was asked of you and must now go back to the character to complete the task and receive the next "Meet with...". It is also important to know that tasks may time out after about eight game-time hours during the "Meet with..." part. So, if you want to explore, I recommend doing it during the Return for your reward part of the task.

One last thing; I'm sure this is not a complete list of tasks. Many of the tasks are simple, go here and do this. Some tasks require you to escort one or more NPCs. Also, there are several optional tasks that are not included. This list is comprised of the main tasks only from three playthroughs at Master level with no add-ons, playing as a Loner, Clear Sky, Freedom, and Duty member.

Tips

List of Tasks

You can only get these tasks when you are on good terms with the character's faction.

Bandit Backup

Go to the target location and take out the enemy squad. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Barkeep's Bounty

Similar to Thread the Needle and Kill the Profiteer, Barkeep wants you to take out some Loner that killed another Loner in the bar without involving anyone else. There's no known location, so you have to find someone who will talk to you and tell them you are looking for someone. This may take a few tries before you find someone who suggests you look in another map (it changes). After a few minute in that map, a message displays saying the target is in a certain location in the map. Only, you still don't have a target on your PDA. Ask another Stalker who might happened to know where my target is, and you get the target.

If you kill one of the target's companions you get a Friendly Fire message and you may not be welcomed in Cordon or the Bar anymore. Take the target out and get away before they return fire. Return and tell Barkeep you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

NOTE: In one playthrough, the target got whacked before I could get to him and the task failed. The trick is to go back to the save that is made at the same time as the autosave when you transition to the map. This reloads everything and I was able to complete the task. Also, the target's companions continue to be hostile throughout the rest of the game. But you can't return their fire without other Loners becoming hostile, too.

Battle of Limansk Bridge

This takes you to the Bridge Outpost in Limansk, which is just north of Dead City. Similar to the task in CS, clear the area in and around the building. When all Monolith fighters are down, another wave comes in from the left (west) along the creek. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Battle for Limansk

This is Battle of Limansk Bridge and Freedom Assult on Monolith combined where you fight a Monolith squad at the bridge, then continue on to the Contruction Site. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Clear the Village

Lukash gives you a companion to help you clear out a Monolith squad in the nearby Bloodsucker Village. There are more Freedom fights waiting to help you. Once the Monolith squad is down, Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Dangerous Mutant Extermination

The same as Open the Supply Line with Owl, group of Bloodsuckers needs to be eliminated. I like using a shotgun on Bloodsuckers. Get as close to the group as possible and find something to climb up on, such as a boulder or vehicle. Then, shoot at them with a weapon of longer range, such as a pistol or assault rifle to get their attention and let them have it when they come close. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Dangerous Mutants

You need to go to the target location and take out a herd of about 12 Flesh. An RP-74 is ideal, but a shotgun works, too. Find either something to climb up on or a nearby anomaly. Then, shoot at them to draw their attention and let them have it. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Deactivate the Brain Scorcher

NOTE: Some task givers give you a serim to fool Monolith into thinking you can be brainwashed into their cult. Others do not use the serim and you have to make your way to Lab X-19 as you did in SOC. Without the serim you don't have to leave your gear behind and you can take what you need for dealing with mutants. Monolith uses a variety of weapons here, so you can pick up some ammo as you go. There's one Monolith squad at the first checkpoint, and possibly one guard in a tower at the complex, but the rest of the way is clear of them. You just have mutants to contend with. Also, the door at the crossroads is unlocked if you need a nap.

The task giver gives you a serum that knocks you out and you wake up at the south end of Pripyat. Before you go, it's a good idea to stash everything. When you come to in Pripyat, strip the dead of any weapons and ammo. Then, go to the Radar transition point and make your way up the road to Lab X-19. I use the fallen tree near the far tower to get over the wall of the Antenna Complex, drop off to the box car and into the tunnel leading to the lab. When you spawn in the lab, a timer starts at 6:00 and psi holograms emanate from the mutants and start coming at you. The holograms cause damage, so shoot them if you can, or outrun them. Fight your way past without taking too much time. If you need to stop at the second coded door to pick up some ammo, grenades, and health packs. At some point you may have come across a document that mentioned the date of the original accident, 04-26-1986. This is the code for the door. If you don't have the code, the door should open without it. Then sprint to the Brain Scorcher switch.

When you get to the Brain Scorcher switch and turn it off, you pass out, dream, and wake up with a new task, Find Wish Granter. If you took the serim from another faction, you are now a member of that faction. For example, I took the serim from Clear Sky while playing as a Loner and became a member of Clear Sky at this point. Ignore the Wish Granter task, fight your way past Monolith to get out of the lab and head back to the task giver. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Defend the Barrier

Head out of the warehouse complex and to the barrier at the first intersection. Monolith has a squad just ahead coming from at you from Radar. Take them out, return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Disable the Miracle Machine

This is the Lab X-16 task from SOC. Recommended weaponry for this task is shotgun for Snorks, assault/sniper rifle for Zombies, and RPG/grenade launcher for Controller and possibly a Burer. For this task you are given a Psi Helmet, which allows you to enter the lab, as well as Pripyat. The shortest route is through Agroprom by way of either Garbage or Great Swamp. Use the northwest transition point to Yantar, continue north to where you met Lefty in CS.

NOTE: In this version of X-16, Snorks emmit psi holograms that cause damage. Kill the Snorks to stop the holograms. Also, once the Protection Shutdown timer starts, you can't reset it by backtracking. There are fewer Zombies than in SOC, so you should have plenty of time to stop and take a few out as you go.

Enter the lab, turn the three terminals off, and throw the main switch, just as before. Then, take out the Controller and exit through the underground (don't forget about the Pseudogiant). Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Executioner

I had to go to the southern part of Darkscape to take out someone with a bounty on their head. You can get there by the transition point on the east side of the Cordon map. There are some boulders to the west of the encampment that you can use for cover. Just be aware that he may not be alone. Once he's down, return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Find artifact Sample

The best part of this task is that Sakharov gives you a Svarog detector to find an artifact. Now you have to use it to search each anomaly in the area that produces the artifact Sakharov is looking for. For example, Burner anomalies for Mama's Beads, Electro anomalies for Snowflake, etc. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Freedom Assult

The objective is to meet up with some Freedom fighters and attack an enemy squad. I recommend an assault or sniper rifle for this task. You may want to bring a shotgun along in case you need to clear a building. The location and enemy may vary, but the concept is the same. As soon as a Freedom member greats you, check the map for the enemy location as they may be very near. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Freedom Assult on Monolith

Given by Loki - Unlike the Lukash version, this takes you to the Zaton Ranger Station. Go northeast to the Zaton transition point, then down the hill to the swamp and up the other side to the Ranger Station. Your companions prefer to go down on the east side of the bridge and up the west side. If you don't stay with them there's a chance they will engage the enemy without you. Go through the open panel in the wall and into the back door. A Monolith squad is in the opposite end of the building and will engage when they see you. Use the machinery in the center of the room as cover and take them out. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Given by Lukash - Unlike the Loki version, this takes you to the Limansk Construction Site. You can give them orders or just head for the spot on your PDA in Limansk. Take the northwest transition point to Dead City, and then the north transition point to Limansk. Keep in mind that you are escorting Freedom members who have their own set of friends and enemies.

There is some radiation in and around the Construction Site. If you get this task early in the game (like I did) your only treatment might be some vodka. If that's the case, you should be able to take out the Monolith squad before hitting the bottle.

Lead the Freedom fighters up the hill and engage the Monolith squad of four. The next step in the task is to return for your reward. You can take as much time as you want to loot the dead and search for supplies. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Hospital Assault

This is the hospital in the Outskirts, the scene of the Unidentified Weapon in COP. I recommend a sniper or assault rifle for the task and shotgun for the mutants in the Jupiter Underground. Take three or four Loners with you to link up with another group waiting in Outskirts. Go southeast to the Jupiter transition point, straight south to Jupiter Underground, which takes you to Outskirts. Be aware that you can't go into Pripyat without the Psi helmet. If this is your first time through the underground, you can expect the usual mutants and Zombies from COP. If you've dealt with them already, be prepared for more mutants (they breed like rabbits down here). When you get to the other group you get a mission update to attack Monolith at the hospital, and the new group heads that way and enter the hospital on the west side. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Find Transistors for Seminov

Seminov sends you to the front gate of the factory to find some transistors. I located them just inside the gate to the north next to a stash box. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Find Missing Scientist

Go to the target area, take out all captures, and escort the scientist back to base. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Gauss Gun Components

This is the second of what I'm calling the Gauss Gun Trilogy. You must complete the Infiltrate Lab X-8 task to aquire this task. When you return from the Infiltrate Lab X-8 task, Hog offers to build you a Gauss and gives you this task of finding the components he needs. Open the Task List of your PDA to see the target areas for the capacitors and spool of wire. They are laying on the ground somewhere near these locations (and not inside a building). This might be in Dead City, or take you to other maps. Here is a list of places where I've found items:

You have to check all Electro anomalies for the Flash artifact. Here is a list of them nearby:

Return to Hog with the artifact and tell him that you did as he asked to complete the task. Now you have to Wait for Gauss Gun Completion.

Identify the Researcher

This is a short trip south to Yantar, find the identification card on the ground. For me, the map location was the camp fire near the drainage tunnel east opening. But I have a feeling the location is random. I found the card on the north side of a bush east of three duct pipes. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Infiltrate Lab X-8

This is the first of what I'm calling the Gauss Gun Trilogy, which is important if you don't already have one. So far in my playthroughs, Hog has been the only one to give me this task. This task is also a repeat of the COP task Laboratory X8: find documents concerning experiments where you have to fight Monolith and Zombies inside the Yubileiny Service Center, turn the elevator generator on, and take the elevator down into the lab. If you have a weapons cache, be sure to take all your gear to Dead City as you may not be returning. To get to the Outskirts, go east to Army Warehouses, then southeast to Truck Cemetary and find the River Guide in the northeast corner of the map. He will take you to Outskirts. However, if you've completed the Rescue Stingray 4 Crash Survivors, the River Guide no longer has his boat and you must use the Jupiter Underground (Army Warehouses > Red Forest > Jupiter). Here is the walkthrough for the service center:

  1. Use the east entrance, find the stairs on the right (north), and go up as far as you can.
  2. Go south to the central hallway and turn right, then to the end of the hallway and turn right again.
  3. Use the northwest stairs to go up to the top floor, turn left and take the first left. The generator is immediately on the left.
  4. As you approach the generator a screen message displays, Activate generator (F). Switch the generator on and the message closes.
  5. Use the northwest stairs again to go down two floors.
  6. Go to the southwest stairs and drop through the hole.
  7. Continue down the stairs to the ground floor.
  8. Go north to elevator and press the button to access the lab.

There's a Burer, Controller, and two Snorks waiting for you in Lab X-8, but you may only have to deal with the Snorks. Here's the Lab X-8 walkthrough:

  1. From the spawn point, go down the stairs and look at the key pad. The screen message tells you to use an access card, but just press Action (F) and the door opens automatically. The arsenal room on the right is open, so help yourself.
  2. Go through the doorway with the knife and fork sign and down the stairs.
  3. Drop through the hole in the floor (this is where the Snorks come at you).
  4. Follow the arrow pointing north with the old-school computer sign.
  5. Go through the doorway in the partition frame to the workstation to the northwest of the doorway.
  6. Pick up the Prototype Weapon Specifications document. If it's not there, go to the cafeteria (if it is there, skip to step 6):
    1. Turn southeast and go through the doorway at the other side of the room. There may be a Burer above you as you go through the doorway, so be ready for that.
    2. Take out the Burer, go up the stairs, and through the door where the Burer was.
    3. Go to the table on the far side of the room to check if the document is there. Since I've had limited playthroughs, these are the only two places I've found. If it's not here, head for the elevator shaft:
      1. Back to the room with the Burer.
      2. Go down the steps and make a U-turn left to get to the elevators.
      3. Enter the second shaft and climb the ladders to the third floor.
      4. Follow around to the left where three Burers, and possibly a Controller, wait for you.
      5. When the way is clear, take the grate catwalk to the left, up the stairs, and into the room where my guess is, the document is on the table. If I'm wrong, please drop me an email.
      6. Now back down the elevator shaft and pick up at the test tube and beaker sign.
    4. If you do have the document, go back to the room with the hole in the floor and up the stairs to the exit.
  7. Turn southeast and go through the doorway at the other side of the room. There may be a Burer above you as you go through the doorway, so be ready for that. If you keep moving you can probably ignore it.
  8. Go down the steps on the right and through the doorway with the test tube and beaker sign.
  9. Turn left and follow the hallway. You probably need to jump over the Fruit Punch anomaly.
  10. Up the stairs and cross the room to the stairs that turn.
  11. Up the stairs to the exit.

When you spawn on the ground floor, you may want to check the roof for a Flash artifact as you need one for the next part of the Gauss Gun Trilogy. To get to the roof:

  1. Return to the generator on the top floor.
  2. Follow the hallway east and turn left (north) and through the doorway to the roof.

If there's no Flash artifact, be sure to check each Electro anomaly on your way back. Return to Hog and tell him that you did as he asked to complete the task. The conversation leads into the next task, Gauss Gun Components.

Infiltrate Lab X-18

The shortest route to the lab is north to Garbage and the first transition point to Dark Valley along the east side of the map. In the lab, everything is pretty much the same as SOC: same mutants, same dead scientist with access codes, Pseudogiant, etc. One thing I found slightly different is when I approached the first coded door the mutants could actually get to me through the door. I was able to get in a few head shots with my pistol (when my timing was right). Once you get to the bottom level, you have to take out the Pyrogeists, which I find relatively easy. Just use a shotgun and aim near the top of the thing. F1 grenades are efficient, too. Get to the bottom of the stairs where it spawns and take it out. The Lab X-18 Documents are on the desk between two monitors. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Investigate Stingray 1 Crash Site

The site is the same as in COP, in the southwest corner of the Jupiter map. You still have to avoid the mines, but they are well marked. Look for the Flight Plan document on ground along the southwest side of the helicopter. As with COP, picking the document up triggers a stampede of Boars. I recommend going to the front of the helicopter and jumping on the gun nozzle, then continuing up as far as possible to kill any Boar that make it through the mine field. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Investigate Stingray 2 Crash Site

To get to Zaton from Rostok, go Army Warehouses > Red Forest > Jupiter > Zaton and go west to the Iron Forest. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Investigate Stingray 3 Crash Site

This is a repeat of COP where you contact Noah on how to get to the plateau. Only this time Noah doesn't show you how to use the portal. Ask him about getting to the plateau. During the conversation, you have a list of choices in how to respond. Pick 3. "Then we must eliminate the mutants..." Any other option cause you to fail the task. Noah gives you instructions on how to get to the plateau, which I will provide with a little more clarity. You can view Noah's instructions by mousing over the task on your PDA.

  1. Enter the Burnt Village via the road leading in from the southwest.
  2. Cross the thermal field to the right to find the opening in the fence on the other side. When you approach the village, there's a bush on the right and a dead tree to the left of it.
    1. Throw a bolt in between to find a safe path and walk between the two until you're past the bush and can see the hole in the fence. You should be facing in the direction of a bent piece of metal sticking up from the ground.
    2. Walk toward the piece of metal until you can see the Skadovsk over the crest of the hill.
    3. Turn right and walk on the right side of a smal dead tree.
    4. Turn slightly left and walk on the right side of the barrel.
  3. Jump off the edge of the cliff to be transported to the plateau.

There are no Snorks or dead soldiers, just the Plateau Case in the middle of the cave. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Investigate Stingray 5 Crash Site

Get to the site in Zaton and pick up the black box, which is somewhere near the tail section. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Junkyard Brawl

Take two Dutyers and meet up with another squad in Truck Cemetary. Then lead the attack on two Monolith squads. There are three updates to this task, so don't let the first two fool you into thinking it's over. You get an update when you meet the other Dutyers, another when you take out the first squad, and the third when the last Monolith is down. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Kill the ___

Random targets are assigned to you to eliminate based on your faction. Some are similar to Thread the Needle and Barkeep's Bounty where you have to take out one guy without involving anyone else. Some give you no location, so you have to ask around. Talk to someone and tell them you are looking for someone until you get a map to search. After a few minutes on that map you may get a message giving you the approximate location of your target. You may also need to ask someone on the map to get the exact location. However, sometimes one member of a group will give false information. If you get no other promps, chances are your target is in that group. Try talking to each one to check their names, even if you don't get the screen prompt. Just be sure to save before you shoot in case you get the wrong guy. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Manhunt

This is another hitman task where you have to ask around for the target, then go to the map where he was last scene and ask around some more until you get the exact location and can take him out. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Military Counter Assault

Escort one or more soldiers to rondevu with another group, then proceed to the attack and wipe out the enemy. Escort any survivors back to base and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Open the Supply Line

This task is similar to Beard's Dangerous Mutant Extermination. Located west of the Skadovsk near the Burnt Farmstead is a group of Bloodsuckers. The easiest way to deal with them is to loop around to the south and up onto the pipe line. Then, shoot at them to get there attention. You can lob a grenade or two as they approach, or just wait for them to come to you and blast them with a shotgun. Owl pays 250 RUs for Bloodsucker tentacles. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Owl's Embargo

Go to the first target area to meet up with a group, then lead the attack on a group that's causing Owl grief. Or, sit back and wait for Owl's guys to get killed, then finish the job so you get more loot. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Protect Clear Sky Base

This is a good job for a sniper rifle. Go to the target location and take out the unwanted squad. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Rat Catcher

This task is slightly different than the hitman jobs in that you can't kill the target. Instead, determine which Monolithian he is by his avatar and shoot him in the leg. When he goes down and the area is clear of other Monolithians, talk to the target and tell him he's coming with you. You may have to give him a health pack to get him to follow you. Oddly, he picks up his rifle and follows like a good soldier. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Recover Hijacked Supply Shipment

This task is about catching up to some Bandits and getting Sid's stuff back. So, lighted your inventory, but keep your energy drinks. Also, the shipment weights 12 kg, so there's that, too. Find the Bandits and put them down. Grab the Locked Case, return to Sidorovich, and tell him that you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Recover Missed Supply Delivery

Barkeep sends you to his courier's hideout to find out what happened to a shipment. The hideout is in Outskirts and the shortest route from Rostok to Truck Cemetary and have the River Guide transport you to Outskirts. Unless you have completed Rescue Stingray 4 Crash Survivors, in which case the River Guide has no boat and you have to use the Jupiter Underground. Go Army Warehouses > Red Forest > Jupiter. Monolith troups are stationed at the River Port along the northern coast, but you can sneak past them by moving around the southeast of those buildings.

For me, the hideout was located in the Grocery Store. But I have a feeling that the location is random. I found the white case setting next to the east wall in the large west room opposite the front doors. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Recover Semenov's Stolen Documents

So is it with an e or an i? Anyway, for this task I recommend a sniper rifle, but an assault rifle works, too. The challenge is to catch the extremely mobile Bandits. Consider stashing all but essential gear and sprinting to the location on your PDA. If you're lucky (and I was), the group will encounter a firefight and someone else does the job for you. Either way, with the Bandits down, search the bodies for the Document Case. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Reinforce Clear Sky

This is a two-step task where you meet up with a Clear Sky squad and then attack a nearby Monolith squad. For me, the Monolith squad was north of the Burnt Farmstead with Clear Sky southwest of them. If this is the case, move east to some boulders that you can use as cover and snipe Monolith from the south. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Remove from Premises

Sakharov ask you to convince a Monolith squad to vacate the area where he wants to do some research. These appear to be random locations, such as the bridge in Limansk and the Barrier in Army Warehouses. This is a solo task, so go, kill, and return for your reward. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Rescue Clear Sky Operative

Head to target area and take out the Duty squad holding the operative. Escort him back to camp and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Rescue Missing Stalker

The location and faction are random. In my playthroughs it was Freedom in the Great Swamp Fishing Hamlet and Military in Cordon Abandoned Farmstead. The Stalker stays on his knees with hands behind his head until you talk to him. Now you must escort the Stalker back to the Rookie Village. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Rescue Stingray 4 Crash Survivors

Stingray 4 is also in the same location as in COP, which is the Jupiter Factory. Only this time it is much easier to get to as there are only a few mutants to deal with. I recommend a shotgun for the mutants and an assault rifle just in case you meet up with an enemy along the way.

When you get to the crash site you get an update telling you to look for clues as to where the survivors might be. Look on the ground around Stingray 4 for a PDA. Start at the base of the mound around the helicopter and slow-walk around the mound, then zig-zag across the room. You may have to be almost on top of it before see it, but I've always found it in the section of the room with the helicopter. Pick it up to get another update telling you to search the Northwestern Tunnel. There, you find a Monolith squad and one Stingray 4 survivor. Take out the Monolith squad and talk to the survivor. At the end of the conversation you have two options. If you insist that he comes with you, he promptly shoots you in the face. So, let him go. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

NOTE: This results in the survivor stealing River Guide's boat. Something to keep in mind when going from a southern map to Outskirts or Pripyat.

Retrieve the Crashed UAV Memory Module

This is the same UAV as in COP, located in the northwest corner of the Jupiter map. To get there from Dead City, go north to Limansk > Abandoned Hospital > Zaton, cross the map to the Jupiter transition point in the southeast corner of the map. Go west along the north side of the map to the crashed drone. Another option is Limansk > Red Forest > Jupiter and go northwest to the crash site.

NOTE: If you get this task from the Military, you have to go the long way around since the Military isn't welcomed in too many places. I got the task in Agromprom and to go Agromprom > Garbage > Dark Valley > Truck Cemetary > Army Warehouses > Red Forest > Jupiter.

Unlike COP, the module is under a bush northwest of the drone. If you are thinking of stopping by Yanov Station, remember to check your relations with both Duty and Freedom first. There is no cease fire and either faction will attack inside the station. Return to Hog and tell him that you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Rid Bandits from Agroprom Underground

The target underground access requires you to backtrack halfway through the underground to the factory access. So, I recommend you start at the factory. I think it's easier to take out the Bandits this way as it provides better cover than fighting your way up the spiral stairs. For this task, any close-combat weapon works. Once the Bandits are down, Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Search Agroprom Underground

The Military lost some documents in the underground and Hog sends you to find them. The underground requires close-combat weaponry, such as a shotgun or assault rifle without a scope. If this is your first trip to the Agroprom Underground, there's Bandits near the factory entrance and Military at the air shaft, which is the target on your PDA. Check your relationship with both factions to decide which entrance to use. There is also an entrance outside the southwest corner of the factory complex and another east of the institute complex. A white case in one of the following locations:

Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Search Jupiter Underground

Hermann sends you to the Jupiter Underground to find some documents. The transition point is a door at the southeast corner of the room where you encountered two Burers in the COP optional mission from Trapper, Hunting: Unidentified Mutants. When you spawn in the underground, take note of where you're standing. You will need to return to this spot after you find the documents. Make your way to the large circular room and up to the control room on the left as you enter the room. Just before reaching the control room there are two desks on the right, one turned over and the other upright. Search the upright desk for a blue folder, Emitter Project Documents. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

NOTE: When you exit the control room on the ground floor and enter the large room, the attached room on the right has a stash containing a Seva suit. The sign over the door reads, "Route Registration" in Russian.

Site Preperation

You are asked to clear out a Monolith squad so Ecologists can do some research in the area. The target area varies, but the task is the same. A sniper or assualt rifle is idea, depending on the location. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Sniper

Similar to Thread the Needle given by Sidorovich, you have to take out the target without being seen by his companions. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Stop the Cordon Killers

The location of this task varies, but you just need to take out a couple of Bandits camped nearby. A good job for a sniper rifle. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Stop the Killing Spree

Voronin uses a little reverse psycology to talk you into wiping out a group of Bandits in Wild Territory. Here's a tip: Ask Mangun, the Duty technician, if there are any jobs and he might send you to the same spot to pick up his gunsmithing tools. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Thread the Needle

Similar to Barkeep's Bounty and Kill the Profiteer, you must take out the target without involving anyone else. This task takes you to the Army Warehouses to take out a Loner without injuring his companions. For this, you must get close enough to tell which one is which, but not to alert them as they will all start shooting at you. The target is in the southeast farmstead of the Bloodsucker Village. You can enter the house to the west without detection and use it for cover. You should be able to see the Loner through a window, get a head shot, and get to the nearest transition point without too much trouble. Return and tell the task giver you did as he asked to complete the task. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Wait for Gauss Gun Completion

This is the last of what I'm calling the Gauss Gun Trilogy. You must complete the Gauss Gun Components task to aquire this task. You have a 24-hour game-time wait, so now is a good time to explore any part of the Zone that you haven't yet, do some optional tasks, or collect any stashes. Hog radios you when the wait is over. Go talk to Hog to get the Gauss Gun. I strongly recommend keeping it as it will come in handy at the end. It's not long after this that you get the Find Doc task that starts the storyline. Now check your PDA for the next task.

Wait for Psi Helmet Calibration

I got this task as a result of Sakharov giving me the Infiltrate Lab X-18 task while playing as Clear Sky. Sakharov tells you to wait will he works on the helmet, that it might take a few days. Actually, it takes 24-48 game-time hours. This is a good time to go artifact hunting, catch up on your sleep, or some optional tasks. Return to Sakharov and tell him that you did as he asked to complete the task and get the Disable the Miracle Machine task.

NOTE: This helmet allows you to go to places like Lab X-16, Pripyat, and CNPP.

Storyline

Find Doc

NOTE: You must be on good terms with the Loner and Clear Sky factions to complete this task. Otherwise, you can't talk to Doc. Check the Relations page of your PDA. You may need to switch to another faction that is either Friend or Neutral with Loners and Clear Sky.

After several tasks, someone offers to help you find the Wish Granter and tells you about Doc. This is where the storyline part of the game begins. At this point it is a one-way trip. Unless you plan to freeplay, you should bring everything you need. You will face the usual Monolith resistance going through the Sarcophagus and Monolith Control Room, as well as a Controller, Bloodsucker, Poltergeists, and Pyrogeists. I recommend an SVD or Gauss, an assault rifle, and something for the mutants, like a shotgun. You can use a PKM, but you better have a repair kit, too.

As with previous tasks when you needed to find someone, ask around to get a better idea where Doc might be. You may have already seen him wondering around the Great Swamp. Try asking around the bar in the Clear Sky camp to get Doc's location. Talk to Doc and he sends you to Hotel Polissya in Pripyat.

Hotel Polissya

You get this task from Doc in the Great Swamp by completing the Find Doc task. The shortest route to Pripyat is through Army Warehouses > Radar. There are a number of ways to get to Army Warehouses from the Great Swamp. It just depends on your relationship with Duty as to whether you can pass through Rostok or go around, such as Agroprom > Yantar > Dead City. However you go, there aren't nearly as many Monolith as in SOC and getting to the hotel is fairly simple. Same room as before (26). But before you go up stairs, check the ground floor in the area marked on your PDA. There's a known bug where the items fall through the floor. You need to find the decoder and the Stalker Diary document. If not on the ground floor, check room 26. When you have both items the task is complete and you get Search the Reactor Control Room.

You get this task by completing the Hotel Polissya task. Head through the stadium to CNPP. There's light resistance along the way to the Sarcophagus transition point. However, in the Sarcophagus map, the usual Monolith forces are in place as in SOC. Make your way through the Sarcophagus. As you climb the ladder to the room with the Monolith Control Center door, a Monolith squad spawns on the left. Finding cover before they hit you with shotguns can be challenging. I suggest saving before you go through the doorway with the ladder and have a grenade in hand. If you're lucky, you can get them all with a single F1 grenade. A second squad may spawn, so be ready for that.

The door to the Control Center is unlocked. Again, the same level of resistance as SOC, only with a few mutants added for more fun. Entering the Control Center, which is the last room before the room with the crystals and hologram in SOC, three Pyrogeists enter from the right. Use a shotgun or PKM and aim high, like a head shot. When you have cleared the Control Center, which is the last room before the one with the crystals, go up on the elevated platform and turn left to find the Order of Transfer document on top of the control panel. Pick it up to complete the task and get Find the Hidden Lab.

Find the Hidden Lab

Go through the room with the crystals and up the stairs to spawn on the north side of CNPP. Your objective is the Generators transition point in the northeast corner of the map. As you make your way, watch for snipers. I recommend going north to the road, turn right (east), and follow the road to the point where the train tracks run along the north side of the road. Following the tracks and go left at each switch until you get to the Acid Trolley anomaly. Go northeast to the road and go north to the transition point. In Generators, follow the road to the complex to avoid unmarked land minds. There may be a Monolith squad to clear out before you can enter the center building. The transition point takes you to the Monolith War Lab, which is the same map as Lab X-8 in Outskirts. At this point, the only weapons you need are a shotgun and Gauss/sniper rifle. Here's the walkthrough:

  1. Use the code from the Order of Transfer document to open the door.
  2. Go through the doorway with the test tube and beaker sign and down the steps.
  3. Cross the room and turn left to find a ladder down.
  4. Follow the passage to the large room with a sunken floor. Notice the door guarded by two Poltergeists.
  5. Use the shotgun to take out the Poltergeists. Again, aim just above the center of the glow.
  6. Walk up to the door and try to open it. This gives you Find Access Card with two possible locations. If you don't try to open the door, you won't find the card. Trust me.
    1. Turn around and go through the next doorway toward the elevators.
    2. Wait inside the doorway for the Psi Controller (emits psi holograms) to come through one of the two doorways leading to the elevators and kill it. As you battle the Controller, a damage gauge displays for the Warlab Entity. You can tell the Controller's approximate location by the direction of the holograms. If there's no Controller, it's probably waiting for you up stairs.
    3. Proceed to the elevators.
    4. Go into the shaft without the Fruit Punch anomaly and climb the ladder to the next open door.
    5. Walk off the ladder to the open door. This may take a few tries. Go up past the third rung, turn slightly toward the door, hold down the walk key (default Shift), and use the forward (default W) and right (default D) to walk of the ladder onto the floor.
    6. Follow the passage around to the left.
    7. Continue taking left turns until you come to some metal steps on the right.
    8. Go up the steps and into the next room. Check the table for the card. If it's not there, backtrack down to the bottom of the elevator shaft.
    9. Go back to through the passage with the Fruit Punch anomaly and up the ladder toward the starting point.
    10. Go through the doorway with the man on the sign and down the steps in the next room.
    11. Turn around and go under the platform to the ladder going down. At some point you will encounter a Psi Bloodsucker, also with a Warlab Entity damage gauge and psi holograms.
    12. Follow the passage to another passage with shelves, control panels, and a work station.
    13. Search the last table for the card. If you still can't find it, you may need to start the level over again. This happened to me during a playthrough.
    14. Now back up the ladder and retrace your steps to the locked door.
  7. Open the door, follow the passageway to the next locked door.
  8. Press the action key (default F) to activate the decoder.

When the door opens you pass out and a cutscene plays. When you wake up you have no tasks other than Find Wish Granter. Before you step up to the hologram, put the Guass/sniper rifle in one weapon slot and shotgun in the other. You can also use a PKM with about 300 rounds, but it's a little more challenging. Then step through the door to initiate a coversation with the hologram. Click through the dialog and make your choice whether to join or not. If not, you get Destroy the Generators.

Destroy the Generators

The best spot to complete this task is right where you are, just inside the door. There is some sort of tube in front of you where hologram Monolith decend every five seconds. The objective is to destroy the six crystals, then go to the far side of the room and throw the switch to turn off the generators. Use the shotgun to take out each hologram as it decends. In between, switch to the Gauss and take out a crystal or reload. Don't let any holograms get in a position to fire on you. Take them out as soon as you can. With each second crystal destroyed a Pyrogeist spawns. Use the shotgun on them, aiming near the top of the glow as they near your position. With all crystals destroyed, and you may need to move to one side to get the last one, sprint to the other side of the room and throw the switch on the control board. That's it. I hope you enjoyed yourself. After the cutscene you spawn back outside the lab and can freeplay.