So, to summarize, there's an underground underpass designated Pripyat 1, which runs under the city of Pripyat, with one section that ends in a lock located in the Jupiter plant's transportation section. Impressive! Judging by the notes it has been sealed, filled with gas and the power to it has been cut. I suppose I could try to revive the generator and open the lock. Only I ain't going through Jupiter without protection, and I suggest that you don't even think about going underground on your own. You'll need to have a couple of buddies with you, at least. You're all going to need suits with closed-cycle respiratory modules, too, otherwise you won't last a minute down there... Listen, Zulu lives in a tower not far from here - try talking to him. If you guys hit it off, he'll tell you how to put a squad together.
― Nitro
Pripyat 1 is a main mission in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.
Hiring the team
The mission is given once the player has brought Nitro the Duty Shift Log, Documents with notes and the Underpass Schematics from the Road to Pripyat mission. Nitro advises the player to speak to Zulu regarding putting a squad together to go through the underground.
Zulu is found at the nearby tower. After a drunken conversation (where the player can humorously tell Zulu about events in the storyline), Zulu agrees to go to the underground with the player, although at least one teammate will be required.
Hiring all available squadmates will earn the player the Leader achievement, making the squadmates more resistant to damage.
Zulu
- Outfit: PSZ-9Md Universal Protection
- Weapon: Zulu's RP-74
Zulu is hired by default for the trip. Zulu has a fairly weak PSZ-9Md outfit, although this is offset by his extremely powerful custom RP-74, making him very effective against both mutants and NPCs alike.
Vano
Vano is found at the bar in Yanov station, and can only be hired after completing the Debts side mission. The player will need to give Vano 5000 RU so he can reclaim his outfit he previously bought from Jack and pawned in order to re-pay Jack.
Vano uses a shotgun as a main weapon, although he is able to grab any weapon along the way (but with limited ammunition). Vano is very helpful during the mutants section of the underground, but is less effective during long-range engagements with NPCs due to the shotgun's limited effectiveness at range. As well, he is quite weak due to his outfit.
Sokolov
- Outfit: SSP-99M Suit
- Weapon: AKM-74/2U
Lieutenant Sokolov can be found inside Hermann's bunker in Yanov. In order to be able to hire him, the player will have to complete the Anomalous Plant mission for Ozersky, allowing Sokolov to receive a SSP-99M suit from the scientists.
Sokolov is definitely not the best fighter available - he uses a low-tier AKM-74/2U as a weapon, and is quite inaccurate with it. However he is the most resistant teammate available, due to his strong outfit. As he uses an assault rifle, he is effective against NPCs and mutants alike.
Strider
- Outfit: Scientific Monolith suit
- Weapon: SVUmk-2
Strider can be found in the south-western part of Yanov, as the leader of a squad of rogue Monolith fighters. In order for the player to hire him, the player must complete Monolith survivors by hiring Strider and his squad either in Duty or Freedom - after that he is found inside Yanov station.
Strider uses a fairly tough outfit, akin to Monolith foes wearing the same outfit. However, his main weapon - a sniper rifle - makes him overall ineffective during close-quarters parts as the SVU is anything but suited for close-quarters engagements. On the other hand, he is very helpful during the medium range engagements as while not the best marksman, he can take down enemies at long range.
Find a closed-cycle suit
This part of the mission just requires the player to get a SEVA suit. SEVAs are available by default from Owl (25000 RU) and Hawaiian once the mission is triggered, and can be also bought from Nimble (30000 RU).
Go to Pripyat
This part of the mission is set in the Jupiter Underground. The player must go through the underpass until they reach Pripyat.
Recommended loadout includes any shotgun with high fire rate - the Carabiner and Eliminator are must-have - and many buckshot rounds. A sniper rifle is also highly recommended, and an assault rifle of the player's choice will also help a lot. Medical supplies will help as well. Due to the SEVA suit lacking night vision, a scope with integrated night-vision can also help the player in dark areas. If the weight capacity allows the player to do so, a secondary outfit (preferably one with good hit protection) will also come in handy, as only the first parts are full of gas - once the player reaches the large dome they can switch suits for good.
A (presumably) complete cache walkthrough is available here. While a strong preparation will likely yield the best results, compulsive hoarders will see how prevalent supply caches are in the tunnels and can potentially enter the tunnel empty-handed, relying on the early SPSA-14 and Black Kite. Reducing initial carry weight will allow the player to pull more loot from the tunnel.
After Nitro lowers the elevator, it loses power - the player can't leave until they reach Pripyat itself and complete the Unidentified weapon mission. The initial resistance in the level isn't too terribly difficult, but the more party members the player brings, the more hectic it becomes, and they'll more likely suffer from friendly fire incidents.
The first few sections of tunnels are patrolled by Rodents and Snorks, which usually attack in pairs. If the player hasn't brought a back-up suit, their flash-light will be the only way of seeing anything - and due to the short range, one will have to rely on their teammates' flashlights in order to spot most threats at a distance. A handy solution to this is to purchase a night vision scope from the trader Owl. They can be attached to many of the assault rifles and the Eliminator shotgun, allowing the player to check for snorks approaching at a distance without needing to remove the SEVA suit. It is important to quick save after every encounter - the snorks get progressively stronger and more numerous until they can tear the player or one of their partners apart in seconds.
At some point the player will come upon a cluster of Whirligigs. If the player has brought Vano, he will safely guide the player through them. Eventually, after the first long staircase, the snorks will begin coming from behind, lunging from behind piles of rubble and ventilation shafts to try and get the drop on the team. If Strider and Zulu have survived to this point, they are their normal targets. The large blast doors the player comes across further on marks the last of the mutant threat - upon nearing it, three snorks will leap from behind, and once the door opens, another five come scrambling through it - if the player panics and hits the switch too soon, his squad can be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer onslaught. For whatever reason, the snorks coming from behind the door are bugged and have very little health and can be killed by most weapons in a single shot, meaning it is advised to crouch in front of the door and kill as much snorks as possible as soon as they show up.
After they breach the main chamber of the underground, the player is free to switch out the SEVA Suit for a more rugged suit if they brought one - the carbon monoxide and chemical compounds dissipate. By searching around, a Jellyfish can be found near the only lit building, inside a cargo container, and a Meat Chunk is in a room behind the containers area. The goal is to now turn on the power and open the last door leading to the Pripyat sewer system. Climbing onto the generator and throwing the switch triggers an ambush - Monolith units were prepared for such an event, and come pouring out from behind the cargo containers behind the player, led by an expert. After putting them down, the player can investigate their hideout for a silencer, before returning to the lit building.
The player must unlock the door. The control room is on the left side of the dome area. The entrance is full of Vortex anomalies, meaning unless the player has the Svarog detector to accurately locate the vortexes, it is best to stick to Vano as he will safely guide the player through the anomalies. A sniper rifle or a very accurate assault rifle is a must for this next part, as the moment the player approaches the top floor of this building, Monolith snipers appear on catwalks, and begin firing on either him or his surviving squad. One appears high on the left, and another on the right, while three more move in from one of the tunnels on the right side, and two more appear once the player opens the door. The snipers are the first priority as they can easily kill the player with a single shot from each of them. However, Strider does a good job killing the snipers but don't rely on him or the other teammates.
Once this ambush is put down, the most difficult part of the trip is done. Up ahead are numerous Zombified Stalkers, and a few more snorks and rodents, but they're relatively easy to put down. Push through a couple chambers of these, and a ladder will be found, leading the player directly to Pripyat.
If any of the teammates die at any time, the ending of the campaign will suffer. It is recommended that the player restarts from a previous save game if they suffer a casualty. Be sure to quicksave often, preferably before opening a door to a new area.
Once the player has reached Pripyat, their squad is intercepted by Captain Tarasov and his squadmates. Much to the surprise of others, Major Alexander Degtyarev reveals his true identity as a SBU officer, with Zulu leaving in anger. The player and his mates are later introduced to Colonel Kovalsky - triggering the Unidentified weapon mission.
Trivia
- This is the only appearance of the Jupiter Underground - the player can no longer access it once the mission is completed.
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