Mercenaries are the human threat in Escape From Duckov: well-armed, mobile, and frequently guarding high-value routes. If you’re pushing trader quests or just need reliable combat XP, knowing where they spawn, how to identify them, and how to reach those hotspots quickly will save you time and gear.
Mercenary basics: what they are and how to identify them
- Enemy type: generally well-armed soldiers with firearms.
- Regions: Ground Zero and Warehouse Area.
- Visual ID: they dress in black.
- Loot tell: they drop suitcases instead of the usual cooked meat many enemies leave behind.
That combination — dark uniforms and suitcase drops — makes it easy to separate mercenaries from wildlife or basic hostiles when you’re clearing a camp for quest credit or specific loot.
Best places to find mercenaries (by map)
| Map | Hunting ground | How to get there fast | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Zero | Road Camp, the highway approach | Teleport to your Ground Zero beacon, then route toward Road Camp | Frequent fights tied to early weapon quests; mercs appear alongside other hostiles |
| Warehouse Area | East Road Camp | Zipline in from North Mountain or use the Warehouse beacon once you’ve unlocked it | Consistent mercenary presence; good for early Warehouse clears and keys |
| Warehouse Area | Gas Station (highway north) | From East Road Camp, push up the highway; the beacon sits to the right of the station | Combat plus a convenient beacon activation for future fast travel |
| Warehouse Area | Lumber Mill (west of factory) | Past the Gas Station and extraction; right turn into the Lumber Mill | Heavier resistance; an extraction point on-site; expect named encounters |
Reaching Warehouse Area quickly (zipline, beacon, and extraction flow)
- From Ground Zero, head to North Mountain. Past the lake, use a grenade to break the wall blocking the path.
- Climb to the summit and take the zipline into Warehouse Area.
- On your first run, clear East Road Camp, then push north to the Gas Station and activate the teleportation beacon on the right side.
- Use the Lumber Mill extraction point to leave once your pack is full or objectives are done.
Once the Warehouse beacon is activated, future mercenary runs become point‑to‑point: teleport in, sweep your preferred camps, then extract. This minimizes hydration, stamina, and inventory pressure across back‑to‑back raids.
Quest: Men From The West (AK‑47 kills in Warehouse Area)
This Weapons Shop assignment asks you to thin out Warehouse Area mercenaries with a specific gun. It’s straightforward but picky about how kills are credited.
- Giver: Xavier (Weapons Shop).
- Objective: Kill 5 mercenaries in the Warehouse Area using an AK‑47.
- Rewards: +2200 experience, +1500 money.
Checklist to ensure your progress ticks up:
- Equip an AK‑47 and secure the kill with that weapon. Assists or grenade downs won’t count if the finishing blow isn’t the AK‑47.
- Confirm you’re in the Warehouse Area. Ground Zero mercenary kills do not apply to this task.
- Target mercenaries specifically: black uniforms, suitcase drops.
Efficient route for all five in one outing:
- Teleport to Warehouse (after activating its beacon) or zipline in from North Mountain.
- Clear East Road Camp first. It reliably spawns multiple mercenaries and warms up your route.
- Move north to the Gas Station along the highway for more targets; if you haven’t yet, activate the nearby beacon.
- If you still need kills, detour into the Lumber Mill before extracting at its exit.
Loadout, upgrades, and research that help vs. mercenaries
- Enhancer – Precise Aim I: +3% gun headshot damage. This stacks cleanly with the high headshot value on human enemies.
- Enhancer – Eagle Eye: +4.8 visual range. Spotting first matters on open highway pushes.
- Research – Jogging: reduces stamina drain. Helpful for flanking and disengaging along long Warehouse lanes.
- Research – Hydration Reserve: +5 to hydration reserve. Extends time on target if you’re chaining multiple camps.
- Utilities: carry grenades for breaking the North Mountain wall and for crowd control if you get swarmed between camps.
These are low‑friction upgrades you can unlock early without reshaping your build. They directly affect sightlines, mobility, and time‑to‑kill against human AI.
When mercenaries show up in Ground Zero (and why you might still go there)
Ground Zero does feature mercenaries, particularly around Road Camp and the neighboring highway. If you’re already running other early quests there, it can be worth clearing the camp for extra weapon credit or loot. You’ll also encounter named targets tied to weapon unlocks and progression, so it’s a reasonable detour if Warehouse isn’t unlocked yet.
Once Warehouse access is online, the density and efficiency of its camps make it the better choice for dedicated mercenary farming and weapon‑specific kill quests.
Run‑to‑run variation: expect changes in spawns and pacing
Escape From Duckov leans on randomized elements — loot containers, weather shifts, and other procedural pieces — which means the exact number and position of mercenaries can vary. Treat the locations above as reliable circuits rather than fixed spawn charts. If a camp feels light, move to the next stop on the route instead of waiting around.
Key takeaway: unlock the Warehouse beacon as soon as you can, then loop East Road Camp and the highway to Gas Station with an AK‑47 in hand. The black‑clad, suitcase‑dropping mercenaries you need are packed along that stretch, and with a teleporter and local extraction online, you can clear and reset in minutes.
