The Tarkov Handbook

Rules of Tarkov

Combat

Respect The Tag

Whoever gets the killshot, gets the loot. Sure, that M1A looks sexy, their armor may be better, or maybe your buddy can't even carry it all. What the tag reads is who now owns that loot.

Ask, don't take.

Roam on Auto

When you're just walking around, a PMC can pop out of the blue and annihilate you at pretty much any time. You need to be ready to spray him back to the Walmart office chair from whence he came.

Keep it on auto.

Where There's One, There's Two

Don't pop off at the first sight of an enemy. Assume there's two, assume there's three, assume there's FIVE. Maneuver to gain tactical advantage. When the enemy is hopelessly positioned, open fire with the force of a thousand Suns. When the fight is over play like there's 1 more.

Clear, Then Loot

When the killing is done, let the murder scene breathe. Then, check the area. Only after should you loot.

Aggression is King

There is no time when you are more vulnerable, than when you are not moving. You don't need to sprint everywhere, but movement will save you when a fight kicks off. Creeping around may get you the jump sometimes, but anytime you're creeping slowly and get spotted first, you're dead.

Ammo is Everything

Ammo is the most expensive thing in Tarkov. All is lost without high penetration ammo. The recoil system and SCAV aim-bot can hurt you, sure. But, tanky chad PMCs absorbing 30 rounds while (Head, Eyes)'ing you with M61, that's the real killer.

Invest in ammo.

Practical

SCAVs Can Be Worth More Alive

Sure, it's hard to resist the juicy SCAV vest and TOZ, but SCAVs can be your early warning system. Like the days of the US Army: if the birds are singing in that treeline, there are no fighters in that treeline. SCAVs are your closest thing to a minefield. They tell you where PMCs aren't.

Proof of absence is knowledge.

Ears, Then Eyes

Eyes will put sights on targets, but ears will orient your body towards potential threats. Pay attention to your audio.

Touch the Butt

Tarkov is all about money and XP. If you see a body on the ground, open its inventory to gain search XP- even if there's nothing good on it. It helps in the long run.

Loss is Inevitable

Your hours played and the age of your account doesn't factor into your obligation to endure loss when you launch this game. When you play Escape from Tarkov, you will experience loss. Even that giant kitted-out try-hard who "literally kills you every raid" has days when he simply can't extract from a single raid and takes huge losses.

Don't let it get it to you.

Don't Hesitate

When you hesitate in EFT, you put yourself at a loss. Every movement in Tarkov should be executed with confidence. Have the mental solidity of a pro, even though your mechanics may not be there. You'll win some, and you'll lose some. But do it confident and proud. You're learning something in the end.

Advanced Concepts

What separates the good players from the great players?
Tempo.

Tempo mastery necessitates a comprehensive comprehension of intricate map design, efficient resource management, player movement prediction, PvP tactics, and audio recognition. Moreover, it mandates the skill to effectively apply this knowledge and promptly adapt gameplay accordingly. Mastering each individual aspect of Tempo is an arduous task in itself; nevertheless, lacking a profound comprehension of all individual aspects will hinder your ability to anticipate and respond to stimuli in Tarkov accurately.

Pre-Raid Checklist

Step 1

Primary Weapon

You don't want to go in raid without your most important piece of gear. Without a primary weapon you're vulnerable to all the little Timmys and Breekis that roam the lands of Tarkov.

Please, bring a weapon.

Step 2

Medical Items

Before you go into raid make sure you have your meds sorted. Too many times have PMCs loaded in a raid and realized they have no medical items after a SCAVs blasts their arm off with a TOZ. Here's a checklist of medical items you need every raid.

- Medkit
- Painkillers
- Hemostat / Esmarch (+Bandages if you're running an AI-2)
- Splint(s)
- CMS / Surv. 12

Step 3

Armor & Helmet

Don't. Forget. Your armor.

Even low level armor is valuable in Tarkov. If you don't have the money, or ability, to get Class 4+ armor bring something. While low class armor wont help much against other PMCs it could save your life from a SCAV.

Step 4

Tac. Vest & Backpack

You don't want to go into a raid without the ability to bring anything out with you. You could stumble across a quest item, valuable ammo, and who knows what else. Make sure you bring at least something with you for storage.

Step 5

Keys

If you have keys you regularly use, make sure you bring the appropriate map specific keys. You don't want to kit out and get to the marked room on Customs just to find out you have your Shoreline keys on you...

Step 6

Backup Ammunition

If shit goes south and you get into a 1v5, you're going to wish you brough enough ammo to chew through those tanky chads. Invest a slot in your secure container to bring a stack of backup bullets, and I typically throw another stack in my pockets for good measure. You don't want to be caught defenseless.