Story Mission: Death Wish

• Prerequisites: Rescue Merle Briggs
• Rewards: Death Wish (Vehicle), Medium Resistance (Holland Valley)
• Details: Merle knew the cult was up to no good from the start. Retrieve his truck and tag-team the cultists at the construction yard to the north.

MISSION Commencement (1)

The easiest location to find Merle Briggs is the Silver Lake Trailer Park (north of the orchards). He’s hanging around the south entrance and may need to be rescued from three to four cult members. This is straightforward as long as you don’t use projectiles and can tell the difference between a kneeling civilian and a bare-chested zealot.

Afterward, he tells you about his truck, “Death Wish.” He needs it back, and the cultists at U.S. Auto know where it is.

MISSION Commencement (2)

Another way to begin this mission is by clearing the U.S. Auto Cult Outpost without ever talking to Merle Briggs. Merle arrives in his car once you liberate the outpost and tells you about his truck.

RAID U.S. Auto to Find Merle’s Truck

Head west to this remote warehouse and junkyard along the main east-west road north of Fall’s End, and survey the location. This is one of many cult outposts, and liberating it satisfies the Cult Outposts missions for this location too. Check the Training section to refresh your memory about alarms and enemies inhabiting these locations. Then consult Cult Outpost Mission: U.S. Auto for advice on liberating it.

TALK to Merle

After you liberate U.S. Auto, Merle turns up, but his prized truck doesn’t; the cult has taken it. However, as it’s a thirsty beast, the cult might be refilling it at a nearby gas station. Check the nearest one. At this point, Side Mission: Uncrate is available. It’s worth doing now or before the final objectives, unless you want to return here later.

GO TO Golden Valley Gas

TAKE CONTROL of Merle’s Truck

CHASE AND RETRIEVE Merle’s Truck

Drive west in a chase vehicle of your choosing, something that is nimble, reasonably heavy, and can navigate dirt tracks. As you reach the gas station, you’ll spot Merle’s truck at the pump. It’s being driven by a heavily armored foe. There are around five other enemies and a dog, and the truck leaves the gas station after around 20 seconds, or once you’re discovered. A rapid respond is needed:

OPTIMAL Path

Remain in your vehicle so you’re seen, and the heavy weapons enemy starts the truck. Then give chase, down along Redler Creek and up to Red’s Farm Supply. Then the foe heads north up the dirt road, passing St. Isidore School and usually heading left, and then south along the main road to the gas station again. If you haven’t apprehended the vehicle by this point, you’re doing something wrong.

Cut off the truck. The first real opportunity is when the foe makes a sharp left turn at Red’s Farm Supply. Shunt and block the vehicle, then aim all your rapid-fire weaponry at the helmet of this heavily armored foe, using any nearby vehicles as cover. Keep going until he drops.

If he gets out of the truck, it’s usually better to run him over, then e-brake and run him over again until he’s dead. This dude is tough! After that, simply drive the truck back to U.S. Auto.

OTHER Paths

Here’s what doesn’t work: Shooting the driver at the gas station; you’re usually swarmed by foes and a dog before you can fire enough bullets into the head of the heavy. His armor means he takes at least five to six high-powered sniper rifle shots to the head before he keels over, so slaying the foe at the gas station is possible but incredibly difficult (ease this difficulty by having a second player firing, too, catching the heavy in cross fire).

In addition, don’t use RPGs, explosives, or other projectiles, as you want the truck in one piece. Firing through windows is okay, though.

Be sure you’re accelerating hard and fast, and shunt the truck into a spin or off the road as quickly as possible. Ignore other enemies for the most part (they tend to arrive in pickups to thwart you); only Merle’s truck should be your focus, unless you have a second player to shoot at these secondary foes or cause a distraction.

Got an ally? Have them fire at the heavy driving Merle’s truck so he’s wounded and stops more quickly.

Want to relive a 1980s action flick? Crouch at the rocks to the west of the gas station, then move to the forecourt. Sprint and jump onto the truck’s hood just as the vehicle accelerates away! Don’t leap or move about or you may fly off; just stand on the hood, firing through the windshield until one of you dies.

RETURN to U.S. Auto with Merle’s Truck

PICK UP Merle at U.S. Auto

Return to U.S. Auto, ideally avoiding enemy confrontation along the way so the truck remains roadworthy (the Auto-Repair perk helps automatically repair the vehicle along the way). Speak to Merle, waiting for him to join you in his vehicle.

DRIVE Merle to the Construction Yard SMASH through the Cult Supplies (9)

Merle is ready for some Peggie payback, and the plan is rudimentary and violent. Head to the Reservoir Construction Yard (Merle rides shotgun, and you should have an ally on the mounted M60), and drive to the north section, where the warehouses are. Remain driving and at speed, and start to circle the warehouses, smashing into the light-green bliss crates. There are nine total. Keep your speed up, and circle around to locate any you missed. Ram into the cult members as you go. Keep this up until you destroy all nine crates, before bringing some vehicular hurting to any cult stragglers. Hop out if you want to end the massacre on foot. Either way, you’ve a great new ride, a firm friend, a possible Perk Point from “Hit and Run” kills, and a completed mission.