Escape From Tarkov Guide: Challenge Rulebook

This Escape from Tarkov challenge rulebook can be of great help to the player, This idea is to simulate an actual Escape from Tarkov from the Streets to the Terminal with the current access we have to the game's maps and mechanics with a high emphasis on immersion.

Chapters:

• Introduction & Lore
  
• Objectives
  
• Equipment Rules
  
• Game Over and Death
  
• Deployment, Insertions, and Transitions
  
• Communications (Optional Rule)

1) Introduction & Lore

You play as a PMC member freshly escaped from the downtown district of Tarkov and start making your way to your company's extraction point in the port Terminal south of the Shoreline. You give one last look to your hideout and make sure you have everything before stepping out of it for the last time; it's either do or die, one final stretch before freedom from the constant fighting and survival.

But it won't be too easy. To buy your freedom out with the UN and Russian Army officials, you must carry proof of the Terra group Labs activity, evidence that can only be found scattered all over the Norvinsk region in the form of documents and notes, as well as access to the underground lab and data flash drives.

Although a Duo is highly recommended, this challenge can be played solo or in a team.

Let's jump right into the objectives and rules.

2) Objectives

There are two main objectives to this challenge:

Firstly, At least one member of the team must survive the journey and escape through the Railway Extract on Shoreline (Formerly the CCP Temporary extract, serving as a replacement to the Terminal map and canonically the extraction point through the Tarkov blockade)

Secondly, the member(s) extracting must do so with a select number of items serving as evidence of Terra Groups' plans (Employee diaries, a folder of various notes on the Blue Ice Project, encrypted flash drives with computer access codes, and an employee access keycard to the underground laboratory), serving as your ticket out of Tarkov. Suppose an item is missing from that list. In that case, the extraction is considered invalid, and the group must either restart from scratch (Shot on sight by the Terminal security) or turn back through Shoreline to find the missing Escape from Tarkov items.

The items that must be found are:

• Intelligence Folder -  Labs Access Keycard
• Secure Flash Drive (1/survivor) - Slim Diary - (1/survivor)
• Diary (1/survivor)

3) Equipment Rules

This challenge is based on realism. Some rules are applied to the equipment your Character is allowed to bring with him.

Firstly, the initial loadout goes as follows:

Note: The Pockets section can contain any item fitting in them, as they are your Character's belt or outfit's pockets and pouches.

The Secured Container is only allowed to carry your Character's keys (In a container like an SICC case or Keytool or as is) and dog tag pouch if necessary. No surgery items or injectors.

Your Character isn't allowed to carry any repack ammo not found during the journey. The magazines you bring are all you have as starting ammunition.

You're not allowed to carry another primary unless it is in your Character's backpack. If you wish to take a weapon found in a raid, you must take it in your pack. You can transition between your primary and support/extra weapon in your pack by exchanging them through the "On back" slot or drop your current rifle to simulate an actual swap time.

(For example: in the Character, Barmaley from the Raid series, swapping from his sniper rifle to an AK takes about 30 seconds, whereas in-game, it takes less than 5.)

Regarding in-raid looting, you can take anything in your pack. However, keep in mind that a weapon found must fit in your pack or rig if you want to take it with you and that your mission takes priority over the monetary value of items.

4) Game Over and Death

The challenge may end under two circumstances, either at least one member of the party successfully extracted through the 

Terminal by matching all the conditions or all party members are killed.

Killed party members can rejoin the survivor(s) as reinforcements by rebuilding a valid kit and restarting the challenge, either from Interchange or Labs, and catching them back into a map they are heading into. Of course, if a party member was to die pretty far from the start, they are bound to have a lot of roads ahead of them. The survivors can shorten that trip by heading into Labs or Interchange, making the killed party member "Respawn" instantly. 

As a solo player, you can select a safe house as a respawn location near one of the bunker entrances (ZB bunkers and Hermetic Door), limiting your respawn options to Woods, Customs, and Reserve. You must reach that location first to validate this respawn, and any objective item found is lost upon death.

5) Deployment, Insertions, and Transitions

Do you feel you're ready and didn't forget anything? Make sure because you won't get a chance to go back into your stash once you deploy for the challenge!

Once you're ready, grab your potential buddy, select either Interchange (our closest analog to Streets of Tarkov) and select a time. Be very mindful of what time you choose because it will be the one "timeline" you follow throughout your journey. Then, make your way out of Interchange. Consider that any extraction except Saferoom will lead you to Customs as it is the only map directly connected to Interchange.

Once extracted, make your way to the next map, select the matching time of your extraction (Or the closest to it) and repeat right away. No modification to your current loadout is allowed for this challenge.

Of course, be aware that you are, authorized to revisit maps you have been through before. If you were to go to Customs to Reserve and back to Customs to search for some items you may have missed, you could do that.

Each extract of each map may lead to a different map. Refer to this interconnected map featured in this Gigabeef's video (https://youtu.be/OossVc1u5ls) as a reference, as well as details of each map in the "Tools" (7) section:

In the case that you are arriving at a new map but not having the extracts you wanted (Which is usually a 50/50 coinflip), consider either repeating the map till you have the right extracts by going to an extract leading to a place you do not have access to, like Labs for example, or doing a quick jump to the next map and coming back.

6) Communications (Optional Rule)

This Rule is entirely optional.

The Communication system is minimal by this extra Rule. Your characters can only talk using in-game VOIP, character voice lines, and hand signs.

"Radio" communications can only be done through text chat on a third-party app, like Discord, not to disrupt the immersion to be careful of your surroundings and eavesdroppers when communicating. It's highly advisable to possess a second screen to watch your radio comms.

This Rule is also to encourage team members to strategize and plan before making a move or splitting off. Taking a knee and discussing plans and directions is best done safely while repacking ammunition, having a snack, or healing your wounds. Remember that scavs react to VOIP discussions and recent upgrades to their AI make them able to sneak up on you.

Related: The complete guide to tell the difference between Scav AI and player in Escape from Tarkov!