Escape from Tarkov
Beginner's Guide to Woods
Introduction
Tarkov's Woods, also known as the "Priozersk Natural Reserve", is a moderately large forested (hence the name) area abounding with hills, rocks, and segments of opened terrain that make it perfect for long-range combat (hills and rocks offer great vantage points for snipers, while open fields tend to turn into kill zones). Each Raid on the Woods map lasts for 45 minutes, features 6 to 12 players and a large number of NPC Scav spawns.
Woods are regarded as a map that new players should try to avoid unless they want to complete a specific quest. There are a few reasons for this:
- There is not too much to loot on this map. If you want to make good money on Woods, you pretty much have to engage in (and win) some PvP fights.
- Map layout promotes long-range combat and makes gear advantage even more important. Powerful sniper rifles and high-end optics win fights on Woods (not to mention the end-game gear, like Thermal Scope, that allows experienced players to obliterate unsuspecting enemies through soft cover). However, it is worth noting that cheap rifles, like scoped Mosin Nagant and Vepr Hunter, can be very effective on Woods as well.
- The map is very PvP-focused and attracts players who are looking for kills, not for loot which means that new players are likely to meet enemies that both outgear and outskill them (more likely than on Customs or Shoreline, that is).
Points of Interest
There is a lot to explore inside Tarkov's Woods, from abandoned bunkers hidden in the area, through lumberyard and a sawmill to a plane crash site and an abandoned tank randomly parked in its northern parts; here are some of the most interesting locations (possible loot included).
Note1: Left-clicking on the map will open the full-sized version in a new window.
Note2: We plan on expanding this section of the guide and making it much more detailed in the future (some points of interest that are bulked together might be separated, others will be added, etc.).
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1. West Bunker (ZB-016)
A small bunker, hidden in the woods, known by its number - ZB-016. This place serves as an optional PMC extraction point (look for the green smoke outside of the bunker). If the extraction point is active, approach it with caution as there can be someone camping inside (this is a very common practice). The extraction point is located in the bunker's second room.
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Location - Western part of the Woods, north-west of the plane crash site. The West Bunker is marked as number "1" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: Contents of four wooden crates.
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2. East Bunker (ZB-014)
Second of the two bunkers hidden in Tarkov's Woods. This one is called "Zb-014" and, just like its western counterpart, serves as an optional extraction point but, unlike it, requires a Key [ZB-014] to unlock. If the extraction point is active, there will be a green flare outside the bunker. This is also a quite popular camping spot, especially if the extraction is open. This one of the bunkers offers better loot, but some of it is hidden behind the lock.
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Location - Eastern part of Tarkov's Woods, north-east of the Ritual site. The East Bunker is marked as number "2" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: Outside the locked area: a duffle bag, a wooden crate, some loose loot in a locker. Inside the locked area: Weapon Box, 60-round 6L31 5.45x39 magazines, and some loose loot.
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3. Plane Crash Site
Crashed Russian airliner, most likely shot down during the escalation of Tarkov conflict. The area does not offer too much in ways of loot but serves as a landmark and is one of the more aesthetically pleasing areas inside Tarkov's Woods.
Note: This is one of the places in Tarkov that screams "there will be something big added here in the future!" - we'll have to wait and see.
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Location - South-western part of the Woods, south-east of the West Bunker and west of the Lookout Rock / Spine. The Plane Crash Site is marked as number "3" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: If you think that there must be some good loot inside the wreckage, you will be disappointed. Currently, all you can find at the Plane Crash Site is some misc loot that is not worth too much.
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4. Lookout Rock / Spine
One of the most powerful sniper locations on the map. It overlooks a large portion of the Woods' western side and offers a great vantage point against anybody who wants to go into the Mill / Lumberyard area located in the center of Woods. Because of this, you are very likely to find a sniper somewhere on these rocks (approaching this area from the south is generally the safest option as players are less likely to look in that direction).
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Location - South part of the Woods, close to the map's center, east of the Plane Crash Site and south-west of the Mill / Lumberyard area. The Lookout Rock / Spine is marked as number "4" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: Contents of a file cabinet that is located at the campsite just west of the rock and some possible PvP loot as this place is very popular among players.
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5. RUAF Roadblock
An abandoned Russian military blockade (RUAF stands for Russian Armed Forces, most likely; Ru - Russian, AF - Armed Forces), easily recognizable by a Tank parked close to it. This place serves as an extraction point is you have spawned on the other side of the map. This whole area should be approached with caution because there is not too much cover and the place is somewhat often visited by players. Be aware that, during clear weather, it is possible to get shots on the Shoreline Sniper Rock and inside the Lumberyard from the shore just east of the Roadblock (and vice versa), which makes it good sniping location.
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Location - North-western part of the Woods, far north from the Lookout Rock / Spine and north-east of the West Bunker. The RUAF Roadblock is marked as number "5" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: A Duffle Bag on the back of the pickup truck parked just outside the gate. Two weapon crates, hidden behind the large rock, just east of the roadblock (close to the shore).
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6. Shore Sniper Rock
An inconspicuous rock on the Woods' shore... if you get shot by a sniper while traveling close to the water, you can be 99.9% sure the shot came from here (hence, the Rock's other nickname "D***head... how fitting). If you want to clear this area, it is a good idea to come from the east or south-east, so that trees cover your approach. The popularity of this camp spot comes from the fact that it offers a good overview of a large part of the map (including most of the shore).
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Location - In the middle of the map, on the Woods' shore, north-east of the Lumberyard and north of the Ritual ring. The Shore Sniper Rock is marked as number "6" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: There are loot containers at the rock's base. Also, there is a campsite with a lootable medbag just south of it. Moreover, there is a Flashdrive spawn just outside the tent, so it is always worth checking for it as it sells for a very good sum. If someone is camping there and you know how to approach them without being seen, the Shore Sniper Rock also offers a good opportunity to get a brand-new sniper rifle...
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7. Mill / Lumberyard
Industrialized part of Tarkov's Woods that features a Sawmill, wood/plank stockpiles, worker shacks, and a warehouse. This is by far the most popular location on the map, not only because it is in the middle, but also because it features the most loot spawns and the map's Boss (Shturman; Dead PMC's are often a good indicator of him being around as he is a good sniper and often easily takes down unprepared players) spawns nearby and patrols the general area with his two bodyguards (he spawns in roughly 1 in 3 Raids).
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Location - Dead center of the Woods map, east of the west bunker and west of the east bunker, just south-west of the Shoreline Sniper Rock (the area is impossible to miss). The Mill / Lumberyard is marked as number "7" on our Map.
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Possible Loot:
- Inside three Shacks located in the south-western part of the area: 1st from the south - 2 Jackets, Duffle Bag, and some loose loot. Second from the south - Grenade Box, a Safe, and some loose loot. The third one from the south - A Duffle Bag, a Weapon Crate, some loose loot and the East Wing Room 308 Key [San.308] (on the nightstand between the beds).
- Shack located on the north-eastern part of the area (aka. Guardhouse): 2 Jackets, a Cabinet, a Duffle Bag, some loose loot, and Lab. Violet Keycard [Violet] on a table, next to an opened book.
- A Weapon Crate in the back of a Pickup Truck parked in the south-eastern part of the Lumberyard, close to the Blue Building/Warehouse (this is also a Quest Item location). Inside the Blue building, there are two more Weapon Boxes, and some loose items (tools).
- Inside the "Skeleton" (southern covered wood stockpiles), there are some loose Weapon parts and a Jacket.
- Contents of the Common Fund Stash (Shtruman's stash, opened only with his key). The stash is located on a tire, close to a woodpile, just north-east of the three shacks.
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8. Sniper Rock
Another place favored by "snipers" and campers. It offers a good view of the neighboring area and covers the southern approach to the Lumberyard which makes it very popular among "less proactive" players (it requires somewhat high Strength to get on top of it, however).
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Location - South of the Lumberyard and south-west of the Ritual Ring. The Sniper Rock is marked as number "8" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: Nothing of note, unless you catch someone who is camping there off guard and treat him as a source of loot.
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9. Ritual
A location used by the local sect to perform Occultistic Rituals. The circle is where the Cult makes their sacrifices (which consist of weapons, often high-end ones). This is one of the "The Cult - Part 2" Quest locations and one of the more mysterious areas of Tarkov.
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Location - Central part of the Woods, east of the Lumberyard and north-west of the southern checkpoint. The Ritual spot is marked as number "9" on our Map.
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Possible Loot: Loose Weapon spawn inside the Ritual ring (fully loaded RSASS can spawn here), a Jacket under the tree, just outside the Ritual ring. At the Checkpoint, south-west of the Ritual, a Cabinet and a Weapon Crate can also be found.
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Spawns and Extractions
| Detailed Extraction/Spawn map of the Woods coming soon! |
Raid Strategy
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END NOTE
Escape of Tarkov is a tough game with a steep learning curve. This is why we have decided to aim this guide at new players who tend to struggle with their first Raids and help them learn about different maps that the game has to offer.
We hope that you have found this guide useful and informative. If we have missed an important piece of information, please let us know! Also, we will be happy to receive constructive criticism that will help us improve our future work so leave your suggestions in the comments section below.
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Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of the Battlestate Games.
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