In the tough survival shooter Escape from Tarkov (EFT), you play a soldier from a private military unit who fights for survival in a sealed-off city. EFT comes with a high level of difficulty and is a real challenge, especially for beginners. We have some useful tips for you so that you don't despair in the first few hours.

Escape from Tarkov  Beginner's Guide

EFT is brutal and the first rounds can quickly end in disaster without proper preparation.

With these tips, however, you should get through the first steps halfway undamaged. Even if something does not work, stay calm and move on to the next round. Your chances of survival will increase with every match.

Tip 1: Be Ready To Die

What is that tip? Escape from Tarkov hardly forgives mistakes and you will not survive the first few laps.

Especially if you try it solo first, the game will do it for you. There is no HUD, but a bunch of buttons for the simplest information and not even the doors are easy to use.

Getting started is extremely hard and will take a lot of patience on your part. Stay tuned, play a few rounds, try to approach the gameplay very slowly, and then you will also get the first successes.

But don't expect miracles in the beginning, but rather lethal shelling from an unclear direction.

Tip 2: Take A Close Look At Everything

What is there to see? In addition to the gameplay on the various maps, Tarkov also offers smaller elements that you shouldn't neglect.

Get an overview of the possibilities and push through all the menus. The following things can be discovered:

Your hiding place

Here you can build various devices and workbenches with which you can improve your soldiers.

Different dealers

There are several traders who offer ammunition, weapons or even consumables.

Your character

Get an overview of your inventory. Even with the Standard Edition, you already have a few useful Escape from Tarkov items that you can examine.

When you start the game for the first time, it takes 20 minutes before you can play a pillager, but more on that below. During this time you can familiarize yourself with the controls and take a look at everything.

Tip 3: Accept Orders From Dealers

What kind of orders are there? Quest play a significant part in getting ahead in Escape from Tarkov and are available from dealers.

The completion of a mission not only brings you experience points and money, but you also rise in the favor of the respective dealer and get a few items for the inventory.

At the start you can accept two orders:

Prapor debut

Here you should take out 5 scavengers on the customs premises and hand over 2 MP-133 shotguns to the arms dealer.

Bottleneck at therapist

The doctor wants you to find 5 Salewa first aid bags and then hand over 5 of these bags.

When your character rises in level, you unlock more and more orders and level the dealers, who then give you further advantages.

Tip 4: Write Down Important Control Elements

What is so important about it? At the start of a new game, learning the controls is the most important basis for being successful.

Tarkov offers a bunch of buttons for movement possibilities, postures, but also to get information that is hidden in other shooters in the HUD.

In addition, many keys are assigned twice. For example, if you want to change the fire mode of your current rifle, you press [B] by default. But if you only want to check which fire mode is currently activated, you have to press [B] + [Alt-Left].

So make a list of the most important buttons and place them next to your monitor. You will need it.

Tip 5: Play As A Scavenger

What are these characters? Scavengers (SCAVs) offer you the opportunity to get into a game without risk and still loot something for your services.

Your loadout, such as weapons, health, etc., are randomly determined and you spawn on one of the scav spawns on the map. So you can play the game as normal without having to be afraid of losing some of your stuff.

Especially at the beginning it makes sense to play a few rounds as a scav. The cooldown is 20 minutes after each round, but there's hardly a better way to get to know the game at the start.

By the way, scavs on the map do not necessarily have to be players. Scavengers can also be AI-controlled.

Tip 6: Use The Insurance

What types of insurance are there? When you get into the game with your main character, you can have items that are particularly important to you insured. You will get these items back even if you get them done.

However, there are two catches. On the one hand, it takes almost a day or even longer to get the items back, and on the other hand, you only get the items if no other enemy has looted the stuff.

In the beginning you hardly have things that interest others, but are very strong for you. So insure your good items and hope that the things aren't too useful for your killer.

Tip 7: Get A Map Ready

Why do I need an extra map? The in-game map only works if you actually have a map of the map you are playing on.

However, knowledge of the map is necessary in order to reach the extraction points in a targeted manner or to drain certain locations or boxes.

Find the card you want to tidy up in the next match and leave it open on your mobile phone, tablet or on the second screen so that you can check your position at any time.

Tip 8: Plan Your Approach

How should I plan that? Don't just go in any direction and, if you're lucky, look for Loot and the exit. It is best to plan your route in detail and follow the path consistently.

When you spawn, look around, take your map and try to find out where you are. Many of the maps that you can find on the net not only show the extraction points, but also boxes, bosses, POI and everything else that is important.

With a given route you have a bit of security and can set goals. First reach house 1 and loot box A, then to the next point and so on. So you know roughly what is coming and when you will reach the exit.

Tip 9: Dare Little and Get Better

How is that meant again? As a scav or with your main char, you are inferior to many players who have been traveling in Tarkov for some time. Avoid unnecessary encounters and play for victory to get ahead.

On the map you can find particularly worthwhile boxes or spots with really good loot. But the veterans know these places too, and even better than you.

Avoids dangerous areas. Play in the beginning in such a way that you reach the extraction point reasonably safely and gradually increase with your character.

As soon as you have better weapons, ammunition, skill and equipment, you can go on the big chunks. Until then, extreme caution is required!

Tip 10: Don't Get Into Long Battles

Why are prolonged skirmishes so dangerous? If you engage in a long fight with an opponent, the chances of getting killed are much higher than if you always try to surprise opponents.

"Shoot & Scoot" is actually a principle of artillery units, but applies here as well.

Because as soon as an enemy knows roughly where you are, he can show up at any time and give you the rest. The other way around, this also applies, but you have a much better chance of catching opponents who don't count on you.

So if you were hit and can still walk halfway, look for space. Likewise, if you couldn't kill an enemy after a gun battle.

Tip 11: Stay Alert When Looting

What can happen when you loot? Whether you've killed an opponent or a Scav, you're never alone. An enemy can come around the corner at any time and rivet you while searching through other bags.

Always remember: you are never alone! If you have a player, a group member will definitely come to check the area. If you do a scav, even extra "revenge scavs" spawn to check the area around the fallen colleague.

In addition to the allies of your victims, enemies are also often drawn to noise. Undamped shots can be heard over the whole map and enemies could come from all directions to check what's going on.

So always be on your guard and rather wait a little longer before you help yourself to the body-warm treasure chest. Maybe a camper is already sitting somewhere, just waiting to search two fresh inventories.

Tip 12: Turn Every EFT Ruble Twice

Why be economical? Your character will be improved with experience points, but you can also view your services balance as an in-game progress.

Escape from Tarkov roubles in your services represents equipment or new ammunition that you can use for the upcoming rounds. Think carefully about what expenses you are spending and whether it is worth it.

Keep an eye on how much your equipment is worth and create a balance. If you carry around an expensive weapon with your main char, you also buy expensive ammunition, otherwise the good weapon won't do you any good.

As long as you still have space in your box, definitely collect everything! Is getting scarce, dismantles the weapons found and takes the 1-slot items with you, which you can then monetize at the dealers.

Tip 13: Take Friends With You

Escape from Tarkov offers an intense experience and will push your pulse to unhealthy heights now and then. The game lives from its “gear fear” and shared suffering is known to be only half as bad.

This experience is even more fun with friends and the frustration of death is usually alleviated a little by stupid sayings of the buddies. At the moment, you shouldn't have any problems finding players. Suddenly everyone is into this 3-year-old game.

You can't currently buy the game on Steam, but the in-game features are more than enough for a smooth co-op experience.

What do you think of the hardcore shooter? Have you already done a few rounds and maybe other tips for newbies?