Escape From Duckov is a top-down extraction shooter where money sets the pace for your upgrades, crafting, and runs. If you’re just getting started on PC, you can grab it from the official Steam listing at store.steampowered.com/app/3167020/Escape_From_Duckov.

Cash vs Money (Duck Dollars): how currency actually works

There are two forms of currency to track:

  • Money (account balance): This is your base balance used for buying at the Vending Machine, funding upgrades, crafting, and skills.
  • Cash (the green inventory item): This sits in your bag and is required by certain “cash only” traders you meet out in the world. If a vendor says “cash only,” you must have the green Cash item on you.

Early in progression, you unlock an ATM in your base that lets you store or withdraw funds as Cash. If your Money balance dips below zero when paying for something in base, the game will pull from your Cash automatically. Don’t sell Cash at the Vending Machine—it converts at a worse rate than using it directly with black‑market vendors.

Helpful landmarks:

  • Ground Zero has a hooded trader on a small hill who takes Cash only.
  • Another vendor appears later in Farm Town in the hills to the southeast.

Fast early money: the Share Box reset loop

If you need a safe, low-stress starter income, there’s a quick loop you can run in the first map without firing a shot:

  • Exit the bunker and take the first right.
  • There’s a Share Box here that typically contains a “Crappy Glick” pistol.
  • Loot it, head straight back to the bunker to reset the world, and repeat until your inventory is full.
  • Sell the haul at the Vending Machine.

You’ll net roughly ~40 Money per pistol. It’s repetitive, but it’s consistent, safe, and perfect for kickstarting your economy in the first hour.

Profitable Ground Zero route (bandit camp to black birds)

Once you’re ready to fight, Ground Zero offers a compact loop that feeds you higher-value loot in one run.

  • Go left to the bandit camp: From the bunker entrance, take the left path at the crossroads and hug the map edge. Loot toolboxes along the way for materials. Inside the camp, clear a couple of hostile ducks and open the weapon chest left of the campfire. It rolls a random weapon and can spawn pricier guns like assault rifles, plus there are boxes with food and meds.
  • Open the cellar shortcut: Head back toward the bunker, then take the right path until you reach a broken bridge. Repair it with two pieces of wood, cross, then go south to unlock the shortcut to the bunker’s cellar for faster resets and safer turn-ins.
  • Push north to the fenced compound: From the shortcut, follow the road north to a clearing. On the upper-right is a fenced site guarded by heavily armed black birds. Use the sandbags for cover and clear them for higher-tier guns, standard ammo, and level 2 armor.
  • Optional boss: Pato Chapo patrols further up the road. He’s tanky but drops valuable loot if you can take him down.

Turn in at the bunker via the cellar shortcut to bank the gains or find a field merchant to turn items into Cash. This loop costs only two wood to prime, and it scales well with your survivability and bag space.

Sell smart: what to keep and what to dump

Your main income stream is selling what you bring back. The most reliable approach is minimal hoarding:

  • Keep only what you need to survive your next raid or to craft your next upgrade. Everything else is sellable.
  • Dump duplicates. Weapons and armor hold strong value—especially at higher rarities—and don’t earn you anything sitting in storage.
  • Bosses and elite enemies tend to drop rarer items that sell for more, so routing through tougher camps can outpace pure scavenging once you’re geared.
Tip: Before selling, double-check your immediate quest asks and crafting requirements so you don’t have to re-farm a critical component.

Quick quest money (easy early wins)

Early quests hand out small cash infusions for simple objectives—building a basic workbench, using a healing item, and similar first steps. Many of these award around 500 Money, which is enough to fund a few gear buys or a key hideout upgrade. Knock these out early to build momentum and reduce the temptation to hoard low-value loot.

“Cash only” vendors and how to prep for them

Field traders that advertise “cash only” won’t accept your account balance. To use them:

  • Withdraw some of your balance as Cash at the ATM before heading out.
  • Carry that Cash in your inventory so you can buy on the spot. These vendors stock weapons and quest or crafting items, making it easier to clear blockers without multiple raids.
  • If you’re short on Money in base, the game will draw from your Cash automatically, so don’t keep all Cash in your bag—store the excess.
Note: Shooting at a vendor is a fast way to get deleted and lose the convenience they provide. Treat them like a mobile supply stop.

At-a-glance: three reliable money-makers

Method How it works Risk Typical payout When to use
Share Box loop First map, first right from bunker; loot pistol, reset, repeat; sell at Vending Machine Very low ~40 Money per pistol First hour; safe bootstrap
Bandit camp roll Left path to camp; loot toolboxes and weapon chest (chance at pricier guns) Low–medium Variable; weapon rolls can spike value Early–midgame; fast, compact route
Black birds + boss Open cellar shortcut, go north to fenced site; farm elite guards, optionally fight Pato Chapo Medium–high Higher-tier guns, ammo, L2 armor When you can handle tougher fights

The simplest path is to use the Share Box loop to build a cash cushion, then pivot into the Ground Zero route for higher-value drops. Sell duplicates without hesitation, finish a few early quests for guaranteed payouts, and keep some Cash on hand for field vendors. That mix keeps your economy moving and your duck geared for tougher maps.