Land mines (Мины) are an explosive device featured in all three S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games.
Description[]
Land mines are concealed explosive devices designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automatically by way of pressure when a target steps on it or drives over it. In the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, stalkers or mutants approaching a land mine will trigger it, usually resulting in severe damage or death. In all games, mines can be spotted by throwing bolts at them, resulting in a distinct "clicking" sound.
They are identified as anomalies within the game's code, although unlike regular anomalies, mines do not regenerate after being triggered, and cannot be spotted by detectors.
Shadow of Chernobyl[]
Mines can be found in the swamp in the Army Warehouses, next to the Freedom base. The player will have to go through this minefield for Max's mission Get a flash drive from the crazy sniper. Mines deal minor to moderate damage to the player when wearing suits with adequate explosive resistance. Another minefield can also be found in the Cordon, in the grassy areas near the military outpost.
Clear Sky[]
Land mines appear in Limansk, by the Bandits ambush. The mine field is located on the first road just after the bandit held as hostage by the first Clear Sky squad the player encounters - who tells Clear Sky about the ambush. It can be avoided by using the road going behind the houses. There is another mine field in the Limansk Hospital, in the corridor where the player encounters a Monolith machine gun nest - to deter the player from approaching the machine gunner.
The mines in Clear Sky are far more lethal in comparison to their Shadow of Chernobyl rendition. Unless the player wears a heavily armored suit, one blast from a mine will likely result in death.
Call of Pripyat[]
A minefield can be found in the Helipad in Yanov. The player will have to avoid these in order to reach the Stingray 1 wreck. After searching the wreck, a horde of boars and fleshes rushes through the minefield, usually triggering most of the mines. Afterwards, any mutant rushing through the minefield may trigger the remaining mines, though due to the game considering mines to be anomalies, NPCs can freely walk through without being hurt.
Unlike previous games, mines can be easily spotted as they can be seen as dark patches, similar to explosions craters, albeit darker. This is best seen on the concrete pathway. As well, they can be seen as dark spots on the minimap. Mines have the same damage properties as their previous rendition, dealing heavy damage to health and armor (headgear will suffer the less, but can take as much as 1/4 damage on a single hit), and inducing critical bleeding, leaving little time for the player to heal.