The loop in one paragraph
Every DMZ session is a loop between two places. At the Forward Operating Base (FOB) you pick an Operator, pack a loadout from your Stash, and choose what kind of deployment you want. In Hajin you loot, fight, finish objectives and then leave by an exfil. Whatever you carry out goes back to the FOB and feeds the next run. If you die, the gear you took in is gone, but the experience you earned is not.
Step 1: Choose how to deploy
At the Deploy station you pick one of three deployment types. Your pick is also used for matchmaking, so you land with players who wanted the same kind of match.
| Deployment | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Story Missions | Hand-built missions that carry on the campaign story. They play the same way every time and pay well. | Learning the map and earning big cash rewards |
| Dynamic Ops | Randomly generated chains of objectives that send you around Hajin. Each finished Op pays cash, XP and a Supply Drop. | Cash and loot in one deployment |
| Free Roam | No set job. Loot, hunt, run Side Ops or chase a Lieutenant. | Farming materials and keys |
Picking one does not lock you in. In every type you can still wander off, loot and pick fights.
Step 2: Survive Hajin
Hajin is shared with up to 59 other players, plus North Korean forces. A few rules keep you alive early on:
- Read the threat level. Each area of the map has a threat rating, from Low up to Extreme, shown under your compass. Start in Low and Medium areas. See threat levels.
- Watch the radiation timer. A storm of radiation spreads across the map. The HUD shows how long until it gets worse. When it does, start moving to an exfil. See the radiation storm.
- Going down once is survivable. Every Operator carries a Tourniquet that gets you back up, but you stay wounded until you use a Medkit. See health and healing.
Step 3: Get out
Loot only counts once you are out. Exfil sites are marked with green smoke: call the helicopter, hold the area until it lands, and get on. A Fulton balloon or a flare are other ways out. The full rundown is in the exfil guide.
Step 4: Spend it at the FOB
After every deployment, win or lose, the After Action Report grades your run from F to S++ and pays out XP. Back at the FOB:
- Cash goes into your Bank, and loot into your Stash.
- Everyday items break down into four Resources (Synthetics, Electronics, Chemicals and Metals) that the 3D Printer turns into armor, backpacks, medkits and grenades.
- Weapon Manuals you extract unlock that gun at the Gunsmith.
- DMZ Orders on the Orders tablet walk you through the mode and open up more of the FOB.
Your account climbs DMZ levels 1 to 70, and each Operator also earns Trait Points through its own Dog Tag rank. More in DMZ levels and Traits.
The one rule that matters most
What you bring in is what you can lose. Early on, take cheap gear, extract often, and let the 3D Printer and your DMZ level do the work. A run where you leave with a backpack of crafting materials is a good run.