The Combat Recon quest in ARC Raiders sends you to Buried City to scout three cover spots, destroy two Spotters, then extract a Spotter Relay for Shani. You can complete the objectives across multiple raids, so there’s no pressure to do everything in one run.
Quick answer: Scope out the Parking Garage staircase, a bus in Marano Park, and an attic overlooking Main Street, then kill two Spotters near a Bombardier, loot a Spotter Relay, stash it in your safe pocket, extract, and hand it to Shani in Speranza.
Combat Recon quest objectives and rewards
Shani, the Security Trader in Speranza, gives you Combat Recon. The quest has five objectives:
| Objective | What you need to do |
|---|---|
| Scope out a cover spot in the Parking Garage staircases | Find the staircase inside the Buried City Parking Garage and use the “Scope out” prompt at the top. |
| Scope out a cover spot in the buses near Marano Park | Enter one of the derelict buses beside the Marano Park extract and interact with the prompt inside. |
| Scope out a cover spot in the attics around Main Street | Reach an attic window in the Plaza Rosa/Main Street building and use the “Scope out” prompt there. |
| Destroy 2 Spotters | Kill two drone Spotters that escort a Bombardier anywhere in Buried City. |
| Deliver a Spotter Relay to Shani | Loot a Spotter Relay from a destroyed Spotter, extract with it in your safe pocket, then turn it in to Shani. |
When it’s complete, and you return to Speranza, Shani rewards you with:
| Reward | Quantity / type |
|---|---|
| Red (Radio Renegade Color) | 1 outfit color |
| Firecrackers | 5 |
| Fireworks Box | 1 |
Where to scope out the Parking Garage staircases
The first cover spot is inside the Buried City Parking Garage.
Head to the Parking Garage landmark near the Hospital and Space Travel buildings. There are two reliable approaches:
- Roof or upper floors via ramps/zipline
- Side entrance through a breachable door to an internal rope
From the garage interior, locate the concrete staircase tower attached to the structure. Go inside and climb to the very top of the stairs. At the top landing, you’ll see a white circle interaction prompt. Use it to “Scope out” and the Parking Garage objective will complete.
Where to scope out the buses near Marano Park
The second cover spot is in the broken buses beside Marano Park.
From the Parking Garage, move out into Marano Park, the green area in the middle-west of Buried City. You’re looking for the surface extract entrance there and a small group of parked buses right next to it.
Enter one of the buses closest to the building by the extract. Inside, stand near the marked white circle until the interaction appears, then trigger the “Scope out” prompt. Any bus with the prompt active counts, so you only need to scan one to clear this objective.
Where to scope out the attics around Main Street
The final recon spot is an attic overlooking Main Street from Plaza Rosa.
On the map, find Main Street and then look directly south of the word “street” to the Plaza Rosa area. You want the western building there, often reached from the Santa Maria/Santa Mara House side via rooftop routes and a permanent zipline.
Enter the building from ground level or drop in from the roof. Inside, use the internal zipline or stairs to climb into the attic level. Look for an open attic window or hatch overlooking Main Street; at this window, you’ll see the familiar white circle. Interact to “Scope out” and the recon portion of Combat Recon is done.
How to destroy two Spotters and get a Spotter Relay
With all three locations scouted, you only have to deal with Spotters and extract a Spotter Relay.
Finding Bombardiers and Spotters in Buried City
Spotters are small flying drones that escort a Bombardier. In Buried City they commonly appear:
- On or around the Parking Garage roof
- Patrolling Main Street and Marano Park
Look up for the twin drones circling above buildings; they’re easier to spot than the Bombardier itself. If you still struggle to find one, check the Parking Garage roof and the open space in the middle of Marano Park first, as both are frequent patrol routes.
Best way to kill Spotters safely
Spotters are fragile but dangerous because they call in Bombardier mortars when alerted. A heavy weapon like an Anvil or Ferro takes about two shots per Spotter.
Safer tactics:
- Shoot from cover in the Plaza Rosa attic window overlooking Main Street.
- Tag the Spotters from a rooftop, then duck back inside between shots.
- If they notice you, retreat indoors immediately to avoid incoming explosives.
You only need to destroy two Spotters total. They usually travel in pairs, so one Bombardier group is enough if you kill both drones.
Looting and securing the Spotter Relay
After you destroy a Spotter, loot the wreckage on the ground. One of them will drop a Spotter Relay, the quest item Shani wants.
Important details:
- You only need one Spotter Relay for the quest, even though you must kill two Spotters.
- Place the Relay in your safe pocket immediately so you don’t lose it if you die.
Once the Relay is secure, head to any available extract in Buried City. The extract near Plaza Rosa is especially convenient if you’ve been using the attic window there to snipe Spotters.
How to turn in Combat Recon to Shani
After extracting successfully with the Spotter Relay in your safe pocket, return to Speranza.
Speak to Shani, the Security Trader, and hand over the Spotter Relay when prompted. This completes Combat Recon, awards the Radio Renegade Red outfit color plus explosives, and unlocks the next quest in Shani’s line, which focuses on destroying a Bombardier outright.
