Tunnels are the North Vietnamese Army’s answer to mobility in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam. Only the NVA can build them, and once a network is in place, players skip across the map without exposing themselves to US firepower along the way. You never physically crawl through a tunnel. Instead, a short cutscene and a time skip play out, and the length of that skip depends on the distance between the two points you travel between.
Quick answer: Play on the NVA side, switch to your Field Pad with the scroll wheel or keybind, scroll to the Tunnel option, and hold left click to place it. To link tunnels, open the Tactical Map as a Commander or Squad Leader, click one tunnel icon, then click another tunnel or a Garrison to connect them.
What you need before building a tunnel
Tunnels are locked to the North Vietnamese Army, so you must be on that side to place or use them at all. US players can never access a tunnel, which is exactly why the mechanic gives the NVA an edge in repositioning.
Two things make a tunnel possible. You need the correct badge on your chest, and you need the Field Pad equipped. No supplies are required, which means you can build even when your team is low on resources.
How to construct an NVA tunnel
Note: Tunnel creation carries a 5-minute cooldown, so plan each placement instead of dropping them one after another.
Tunnel rules, limits, and ranges
Tunnels follow fixed rules that shape how you space them out and how many you can keep on the map. Route length is capped on both ends, and the total count can grow slightly with Commander support.
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Supplies needed | None |
| Build cooldown | 5 minutes |
| Minimum route range | 100 meters |
| Maximum route range | 400 meters |
| Base tunnel limit | 12 |
| Limit with Commander Ability | 15 |
| Valid placement | Friendly, neutral, or unlocked enemy territory |
Two extra behaviors matter in a live match. Tunnels detect nearby enemies, giving your team early warning of a push. They can also be destroyed by enemy players, so a poorly hidden tunnel is a liability rather than an asset.
How to connect tunnels and garrisons into a network
A single tunnel does nothing on its own. Fast travel only works once you link tunnels to each other or to a Garrison, and that linking is done through the Tactical Map. Only the NVA Commander and Squad Leaders can make these connections.
A single network is capped at 5 connections. Tunnels can chain to other tunnels and to garrisons, but garrisons cannot be connected directly to each other. Keep that limit in mind when you decide which points to prioritize.
Confirming your tunnel works and common blockers
You know a tunnel is functional once it appears on the Tactical Map and can be linked to another tunnel or Garrison. After a successful connection, NVA players can select the network and trigger the travel cutscene, which is the clearest sign the route is active.
If you cannot build or link a tunnel, the usual reasons are straightforward. You may be on the US side, which blocks the mechanic entirely. You may lack the correct badge, or you may still be inside the 5-minute cooldown. Connection attempts fail if you are not the Commander or a Squad Leader, if you have already hit 5 connections in that network, or if you are trying to join two garrisons directly.
Placed well and hidden from US patrols, a tunnel network keeps the NVA moving faster than the enemy can react. Space your tunnels between the 100 and 400 meter range, watch the cooldown, and use the map connections to turn scattered entrances into a real fast-travel web.
