My only idea is that the helicopters were shot down. Shot down using an extremely powerful weapon that we don't know much about. Monolith fighters used one against us during the first assault on the CNPP... I'm planning to capture one of these weapons and investigate. If you want in on the action, the Monolith squad carrying this weapon has been tracked down, and the assault team is waiting for my signal to begin the operation. What do you say?
― Kovalsky
Unidentified weapon is a mission available in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. It is the first mission given to the player in Pripyat.
Description[]
This mission begins automatically at the conclusion of the mission Pripyat 1. After getting out of the Pripyat 1 underpass and meeting a military patrol, Major Degtyarev is taken to Colonel Kovalsky, the commander of Operation Fairway, who reveals that he believes the helicopters were shot down by the Monolith faction using a powerful weapon that he wants to capture so that it can be studied.
Part 1: Obtain the weapon[]
I'm Captain Tarasov. You may be a Major, but I'm in command here and that means my orders are not up for discussion. The lives of every man in the squad depend on that. The plan is as follows: we get in position in the western section of the hospital and wait for the Monolith forces to show up. We have to work quickly to make sure we don't attract unnecessary attention.
― Tarasov
The player must go downstairs and speak to Captain Tarasov who will lead the strike team in charge of capturing the unidentified weapon. Before going, it's recommended to acquire some proper armor and stock up on ammunition as this part of the mission will involve a large shootout against many enemies. Before getting to the Underground, it is highly advised to pack a sniper rifle as it will be a great help during the mission. One can also speak to Lieutenant Kirillov to get some ammo, along with a free Bulat armored suit and Sphere M12 helmet, and repair their equipment for free.
Once the player tells Tarasov they are ready, they will be warped to the nearby Pripyat Hospital alongside Tarasov and his men. Tarasov will instruct his marksman, Morozov, to provide support from the nearby structure while he and his two other men, Podorozhny and Valentyr, slowly make their way into the western wing of the Hospital. The player should follow Tarasov to the first floor of the building where he'll get into an ambush position. Shortly afterwards, three Monolith stalkers will emerge from the eastern wing of the Hospital and walk into the courtyard. The player should wait for Tarasov's green light to open fire on the Monolithians, who will be quickly eliminated by the combined fire of the player and Tarasov's squad.
Once the enemy squad is killed, Tarasov instructs the player to search the bodies while he and his men watch the player's back. The bodies contain nothing but ordinary supplies. As soon as one of the bodies was searched, the Preacher will appear on a rooftop to the north of the courtyard and snipe Morozov, killing him instantly, before a large number of Monolithians pour out of the eastern wing, forcing Tarasov's squad to retreat into the western wing.
The priority here is the Preacher, as his weapon can deal severe damage. This is where a sniper rifle comes in handy, as all the Monolithians attack the player from afar; if the player doesn't have one, Morozov's SVUmk-2 can be retrieved from his body. The Preacher isn't the only threat, as there is a number of Monolith fighters attacking the player from afar with sniper rifles and assault rifles. To continue the mission, the player must kill all of the Monolithians, the Preacher included. Once the Preacher is killed, his body will drop into the structure below, allowing the player to secure his weapon. With all the Monolith forces down and the unidentified weapon secured, survivors from Tarasov's squad will return to the Laundromat.
Upon returning to the base, Garry appears in the building, having found an underground path to Pripyat. He acts as a guide between Pripyat and the other areas. Speak to Kovalsky. He suggests that one of the stalkers may know something about the weapon. When the dialog finishes, Kovalsky receives a radio communication. This triggers another mission, Missing recon unit.
One can still freely explore the city and complete the aforementioned quest beforehand. Likewise, the player can also rescue Zulu and collect the two Calibration tools. Once ready, speak to Garry to return to Zaton.
Part 2: Find information[]
Whoa, man... I guess it wasn't a dream, after all. This gun is a Gauss rifle, or item 62 as it used to be called officially. Whew... Back then I used to do contract work for the Jupiter plant. I designed weapons, if memory serves, "based on the principle of projectile acceleration via an electromagnetic field." See those reels? I made those... Too bad they shut down the project in 2004. We never did find a compact enough energy source.
― Cardan
At Zaton, the player should speak to Cardan and show him the weapon, which will cause him to pass out, similarly to when drunk. The player will have to wait a few in-game hours (approximately four) for him to wake up, the process can be sped up by sleeping for a few in-game hours. Once he's conscious again, show him again the weapon. He will tell the player about the weapon: originally named "Item 62", it was created in the Zone, and Cardan worked as a designer for the weapon, until the project was shut down due to the researchers failing to design a compact energy source for the weapon. He then tells the nearby Testing Workshop was sealed with the documentation. He then gives the player the Old magnetic keycard necessary to gain access to the workshop.
The entrance to the workshop is located in the Iron Forest anomaly. Use the keycard on the door to open it. The only opposition for this part is a group of six Zombified Stalkers. Past the zombies, at the other end of the corridor, go downstairs to the large room. In this room is a dangerous Pseudogiant, the first sighting of this mutant in the game. It is a very tough mutant, so make sure to pack enough ammunition to take it down - around 40 buckshot rounds and nearly 150 MG rounds will be enough. It is possible to get a RP-74 from the aforementioned zombies, an effective weapon against the creature. The fight is optional, though its shockwave attack can knock the player off the catwalks making it most certainly necessary to kill the creature before continuing.
Once done, climb up the ladder to reach the top catwalk, above the crane. Continue towards the other end, where the player can drop in the vent. Follow the vent and drop in the next room. On the table is located the Documents concerning item 62. Upon grabbing the documents, the Yellow X8 keycard is acquired and the mission Laboratory X8 begins. The player should then leave the workshop. Back at the Skadovsk, talk to Cardan again and give him both the weapon and the documents (don't forget to give him back his keycard, as he will give three Scientific medkits in exchange). After a few in-game hours, he returns the documents and the fully functional Gauss rifle. Talk to Pilot and return to Pripyat. Then simply speak to Kovalsky to conclude the mission.
Consequences[]
- Cardan no longer needs vodka to perform upgrades.
- Cardan can provide the player Homemade batteries. Unlike the regular batteries, these come with six shots per pack, but with the same weight as a regular batteries, making them much heavier. They cost 2000 RU per pack.
- The player can show the Item 62 documents to Professor Hermann, who will print his own copy and give the player 12000 RU.
- Pseudogiants now randomly spawn in the open in Jupiter.
- A Chimera regularly respawns around the Pripyat Hospital.
Notes[]
- The Monolith ambush can be triggered early by walking into the rear rooms of the eastern wing of the Hospital. There, the player can find the ambushing Monolith fighters in prayer. Simply attacking them or getting spotted will immediately cause the Preacher to appear and kill Morozov.
- Even though optional, having Tarasov, Podorozhny and Valentyr survive the assault is valuable as they will all take part in the final Evacuation. It is, however, quite difficult to save them as they often kill themselves with grenades.
- There is a glitch in this mission that can be triggered by staying as far away as possible from Tarasov at the Hospital when teleported there. Since the script that cause Tarasov to move into the Hospital is triggered by the player's proximity to him, by walking around him, he and his men will stay put behind the structure. The ambush can be triggered through the aforementioned method. Morozov will still get killed as he is scripted to, and Valentyr may be exposed to gunfire, although it is easy to district the Monolithians and prevent them from attacking him. After the ambush is over and the Gauss rifle is obtained, they will all return to the Laundromat on their own.
- At the entrance of the Testing Workshop, in a drawer, one can find a rare Black Kite with some ammo for it.
- One of the Monolith stashes is located inside the Pseudogiant room, containing a Battery for the Gauss rifle.
- It is possible to get an extra battery for the Gauss rifle by unloading the unidentified weapon before giving it to Cardan. When he returns the weapon, it will be loaded with another battery.
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