Extraction mechanics basics
Extraction is the win condition in ARC Raiders. Eliminations feel great, but you only bank loot, quests, and XP once you leave Dam Battlegrounds alive.
Treat every deployment like a business trip: gather intel, secure valuables, and leave before greed or campers ruin the run.
Four stages of every extract
- Scout: confirm active extraction points and backup routes.
- Activate: trigger the console, flare, or hatch without alerting the map.
- Hold: control sightlines, heal, and reposition if enemies push.
- Depart: board the shuttle or drop through the hatch before the timer expires.
Failure penalties
- Backpack loot drops on death.
- Safe pocket items survive but capacity is limited.
- Equipped weapons are lost until insurance arrives.
- Quest items often reset, wasting raids.
New to ARC Raiders?
Start with the beginner guide so shields, stamina, and stash management are muscle memory before practicing extractions.
Types of extraction points
Dam Battlegrounds currently features three extraction families. Rotating between them keeps opponents guessing and spreads out risk.
| Type | Examples | Advantages | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public pads | Helipads on apartment roofs or the dam crest | Fast timer, easy access via ziplines and vehicles | Loud flares and predictable sightlines for campers |
| Underground hatches | Maintenance tunnels, flooded bunkers | Silent activation, natural cover, one doorway to hold | Require hatch keys and longer countdowns |
| ARC uplinks | ARC towers, research uplinks | Bonus intel and scrap, multiple elevation options | Spawn ARC patrols and broadcast a loud charge-up sound |
Carry multiple keys and brief the squad so each player knows their fallback exit if the primary route collapses.
Route planning strategies
Good squads plan their exit on infil. Great squads update the plan every two minutes based on loot weight, third-party fights, and storm timers.
- Mark primaries: pick one safe hatch and one fast pad before you drop.
- Sync with contracts: if an objective ends near a pad, save that pad for the final push.
- Track storms: late ARC storms close public pads first.
- Cache loot: hide bulky items near the route so you fight light and pick them up before extract.
Study the interactive Dam Battlegrounds map to learn elevation, rope access, and sniper perches before queueing.
Timing your extract
Extracting too early wastes raid potential; extracting too late invites campers. Anchor your calls to predictable windows.
- 7–8 minutes remaining: ideal for heavy loot runs with minimal resistance.
- 5 minutes remaining: PvP squads rotate to pads—switch to hatches.
- 3 minutes remaining: storms close interior sections, expect chaos.
- Overtime: pads shrink to tiny circles, avoid unless forced.
Audio discipline
Cancel extraction if you hear two flares in quick succession. Rotating to a fresh pad is faster than taking a coin-flip fight.
Avoiding extract campers
Someone will always camp public pads. Beat campers with scouting, off-angle entries, and utility.
- Drone check: send a recon drone or audio decoy before exposing the squad.
- Counter-snipe: assign a marksman to clear roofs and cranes.
- Smoke and frags: block sightlines and force rotations.
- Fake extracts: trigger the pad, disengage, and rotate while enemies chase the flare.
If you must cross a killbox, crawl along railings or rappel from rooftops to minimize time in the open.
Team extraction coordination
Solo extractions reward speed, but squad extractions reward communication. Assign roles before infil so everyone knows where to stand once the timer starts.
- Point: throws smoke, clears the pad, activates the console.
- Anchor: watches the longest lane with a DMR or sniper.
- Flex: floats between flanks to counter pushes.
- Looter: drops heavy items before the timer and picks them up afterward.
Use short callouts (“Pad clear”, “North stairs”, “Cancel”) so every teammate reacts instantly.
Emergency extraction tactics
When storms close pads, teammates drop, or weight gets out of control, switch to emergency tactics instead of panicking.
- Drop weight: scrap low-value loot to regain mobility.
- Use caches: stash legendary items in safe containers for recovery runs.
- Chain extracts: if a pad is hot, sprint to the next hatch even if you leave with half the loot.
- Distract: fire shots or trigger AI near pads to pull campers away.
Cross-reference our loot locations guide and PvP strategy guide so you know which fights and items are worth risking.