Bosses

Bosses and squads turn up on their own, a new event about every 12 minutes while at least 3 players are on, and staff run them as live events too. The server runs fewer when it is busy. A boss the server sends never appears within 250 m of a player, and none appears under the map. Nobody is announced when he arrives, an untouched boss leaves after an hour, and whoever kills him isn't announced either, so the only people who know he went down are the ones who were there.

Marked events and surprises#

Only the events that carry keys and keycards show on the map. With a working radio in your group, a marked event appears as a shaded circle: he is somewhere inside it, not at its centre. Kollontay, the Goons, the Shadow of Tagilla, and the USEC, BEAR, Rogue and Black Division squads are marked, and their leader can carry keys, keycards and valuables.

Everyone else is a surprise: Killa, Tagilla, Shturman, Sanitar, Reshala, Glukhar, Kaban, Zryachiy, the Raiders, scavs, snipers and cultists never show on the map. You find them by exploring, or by hearing the fight.

The roster#

Each boss has his own loadout and walks his ground, patrolling a loop around his area with his guards in formation. Some call in reinforcements when the shooting starts.

Every boss and guard you kill pays XP at Tarkov's own rates for him, and drops what he carries. Levels & Loyalty.

How they fight#

Every Tarkov boss fights his own way:

• Killa rushes you, firing as he comes.
• Tagilla closes in silently, then it is the shotgun and the hammer.
• Shturman holds at range, crouched, and sees further than anyone else.
• Reshala hangs back while his four guards rush you.
• Sanitar heals himself and his men while he lives. Kill him first.
• Glukhar appears out on open ground and walks in to his spot.
• The Goons roam the map, one group at a time, rather than holding one place.
• Zryachiy can also turn up at Tisy.

Six of them always carry a signature item: Killa's lion, Tagilla's welding mask, Shturman's maps, Sanitar's ophthalmoscope and Propital, Reshala's gold chain and Glukhar's intel folder.

All of them, guards and scavs included, notice you the way a person would. Stance, distance, darkness, fog, cover and a raised gun all count. They hear gunshots, warn their squad, push and search for you.

Shturman's stash is a locked chest opened with Shturman's stash key (Keys & keycards). It is one of the few places military C4 turns up.

Cultists at night#

After dark, 4 cultist squads roam the map, in camps and ruins, unmarked and unannounced. They come out only at night, and at first light they leave once nobody is near them. They are dressed like Tarkov's cultists: all black, hooded and masked.

Scav patrols#

Between events, scav patrols spread through whole towns, villages, camps and ruins: up to 135 groups of 1 to 3 out at once. Each scav is assembled piece by piece, so no two in a group look alike, and they spawn at a distance from players rather than on top of them. They carry what a scav carries: barter in the pockets, ammunition for what they're holding, and a thin seam of real finds.

Crashed convoys and downed helicopters#

Out on the map, a crashed convoy or a downed helicopter is guarded by a USEC, BEAR, Rogue, Black Division or Raider squad, with a locked crate at the wreck. The squad leader carries its key. Inside: a faction rifle, a helmet, a class IV vest, a large pack, medical supplies and valuables.

• Up to 3 at once, a new one about every 20 minutes, whatever the bosses are doing.
• With a working radio in your group, the site shows on your map as a circle for as long as the crate is there.
• Opening the crate is heard. A rival squad comes in on it about 1 min later, so loot fast.

The Lab's garrison#

While anyone is near, the Raiders hold the Lab, and three times in ten Black Division are there as well, under their leader Wedge. The Raiders carry Tarkov's own Raider kits: plate carriers and chest rigs, M4A1s and AKS-74UNs, and a pistol each. Clear them, and the next squad arrives 30 minutes later. The Lab.