Quick Guide (TL;DR)
🎯 Fast Strategy for 40K+ Points
- Wait for 2x multiplier maps: Hidden Bunker (Spaceport - best) or Locked Gate (Bluegate) - check event tracker
- All husks = 600 points on 2x maps (300 on standard). Skip slow Baron husks
- Click a map below to plan your route with husk filters enabled
- Target 70+ husks in 40 minutes = 42,000 points (requires good routing)
- Avoid PvP, must extract - your score only counts if you survive
- Team play multiplies score: 3 players splitting the map = 40K+ for everyone
What You're Looking For
The three First Wave Husk types you'll be opening: Wasp, Rocketeer, and Baron (click to enlarge)
Interactive Maps with Husk Locations
Click any map to open the interactive view with First Wave Husk filters pre-enabled. Plan your route from your spawn point.
⚠️ Important: Husk Spawns are Randomized
The locations marked on our interactive maps show where husks can spawn, not where they will always spawn. In each match, husks spawn randomly at a subset of these marked locations. This means you'll need to adapt your route based on which husks actually spawned in your current match, but knowing all possible spawn points helps you plan efficient paths.
Spaceport - Hidden Bunker
Best map for this trial. 40 min matches, 2x multiplier, most husks mapped.
Bluegate - Locked Gate
40 min matches, 2x multiplier. Fewer husks mapped but still solid.
Dam Battlegrounds
Second most husks mapped. No 40-min event, use Electromagnetic Storm for 2x.
Buried City
Alternative option. Standard 30 min, 300 pts/husk unless 2x condition active.
Understanding the Trial Mechanics
The Search First Wave Husks trial is straightforward: open as many First Wave Husks as possible during a single raid. The beauty of this trial is that it doesn't matter if another player already looted the husk—opening an already-touched husk still counts toward your score.
Scoring Breakdown
| Husk Type | Base Score | 2x Multiplier Score |
|---|---|---|
| Wasp Husk | 300 points | 600 points |
| Rocketeer Husk | 300 points | 600 points |
| Baron Husk | 300 points | 600 points |
| All husk types award equal points. Focus on quantity, not husk type. | ||
Visual guide to the three First Wave Husk types: Wasp, Rocketeer, and Baron (click to enlarge)
Key insight: All First Wave Husks are equal in scoring—300 points on standard maps, 600 points on 2x multiplier conditions. This means your strategy should focus on opening as many husks as possible, not hunting specific types.
⚠️ Critical Rule: You Must Extract
Your trial score only counts if you successfully extract. If you die before reaching an extraction point, you lose all progress for that round. This makes the Search First Wave Husks trial particularly friendly for players who prefer to avoid PvP—your best strategy is speed and survival, not combat.
The 2x Multiplier Strategy: Locked Gate & Hidden Bunker
The key to achieving a 40K+ score is playing during 2x multiplier major map conditions. These conditions double your husk points from 300 to 600, effectively cutting the husks you need to open in half while also giving you more time to work with.
Best Map Conditions (Ranked)
🥇 #1: Hidden Bunker (Spaceport)
- Score Multiplier: 2x (600 points per husk)
- Match Duration: 40 minutes (vs. standard 30)
- Why it's best: Spaceport has the most husks mapped on our interactive maps, making route planning the most efficient. The 40-minute timer gives you plenty of time to cover ground
- Downside: Not always available—check the event tracker
🥈 #2: Locked Gate (Bluegate)
- Score Multiplier: 2x (600 points per husk)
- Match Duration: 40 minutes (vs. standard 30)
- Why it's good: 40-minute matches with 2x multiplier, though Bluegate has fewer husks mapped compared to Spaceport
- Downside: Not always available—check the event tracker to plan your runs
🥉 #3: Dam Battlegrounds (with Electromagnetic Storm)
- Score Multiplier: 2x (600 points per husk, only during Electromagnetic Storm)
- Match Duration: Standard 30 minutes
- Why it's good: Second-most husks mapped after Spaceport, making it a solid alternative
- Downside: No map-specific 40-minute event like Hidden Bunker or Locked Gate. Must wait for Electromagnetic Storm for 2x multiplier, which adds visibility issues and lightning hazards
💡 Pro Tip: Wait for the Right Condition
Since only your best weekly score counts, there's no reason to grind this trial on standard 30-minute maps. Wait for Hidden Bunker (Spaceport - best) or Locked Gate (Bluegate - second best) conditions to go live, plan your route using our interactive maps with savable routes, and knock out a single high-scoring run. Use our event tracker to see which conditions are currently active and when your preferred 2x multiplier events are coming.
Alternative: Electromagnetic Storm
Electromagnetic Storm is a 2x multiplier condition that can appear on any map, making it more common than map-specific events. However, it comes with significant downsides:
- Visibility Issues: The storm effects make it harder to see husks and navigate the map
- Lightning Hazard: Random lightning strikes can damage or kill you, adding unnecessary risk
- Navigation Difficulty: Reduced visibility slows down your route efficiency
Bottom line: Electromagnetic Storm works if Locked Gate or Hidden Bunker aren't available, but the added hazards make it less efficient. If you're patient, wait for the cleaner 2x conditions.
Route Planning: Using Our Interactive Maps
The key to a high score is route efficiency. You want to plan a path from your spawn point that hits as many husks as possible before the match timer ends. Our interactive maps (linked in the Quick Guide section above) have every First Wave Husk location marked and filterable, and you can save your custom routes directly in the map interface for future reference.
💡 Understanding Husk Spawn Randomization
The markers on our interactive maps show potential spawn locations—not guaranteed spawns. Each match randomly spawns husks at a subset of these marked locations. Use the maps to familiarize yourself with all possible spawn points, then adapt your route in real-time based on which husks actually appear in your current match.
Map Filters for First Wave Husks
The map links above already have the correct filters enabled, showing:
- Wasp Husk (most common, found in various locations)
- Rocketeer Husk (moderate spawn density)
- Baron Husk (optional—see note below)
⏱️ Baron Husks: Worth Skipping?
Baron Husks have a long opening animation and take significantly more time to fully open compared to Wasp and Rocketeer husks. While they give the same 300/600 points, the time investment often isn't worth it. In a 40-minute match, you'll get more points by skipping Baron husks and hitting more Wasp/Rocketeer spawns instead. However, if a Baron is directly on your route and there are no closer alternatives, go ahead and open it.
How to Plan Your Route
- Note your spawn location when you load into the match
- Open the interactive map for your current map (linked above)
- Plan a half-circle route from your spawn point that hits as many husks as possible without backtracking (there isn't enough time for a full circle loop)
- Prioritize clusters of husks over isolated spawns—you want to minimize travel time between husks
- Plan your extraction so you're near an extraction point when the timer is running low
- Save your route in the interactive map so you can reference it quickly in future matches with similar spawn points
💡 Advanced Route Strategy: The Half-Circle Sweep
Instead of trying to hit every husk on the map, identify a dense half-circle route with clusters of husks you can hit in sequence. On a 2x multiplier map (600 points per husk), opening 70 husks gets you 42,000 points. This is achievable in a 40-minute Hidden Bunker or Locked Gate match if you stay focused and avoid unnecessary combat, though it requires consistent movement and good route planning.
Loadout & Lobby Selection
Chill/Friendly Lobbies (Recommended)
Arc Raiders uses aggression-based matchmaking, and if you typically play in chill or friendly lobbies, this trial becomes significantly easier. In these lobbies, you can:
- Run a minimal kit—basic weapon, minimal armor, light inventory
- Stack adrenaline shots to boost movement speed and cover more ground
- Ignore PvP entirely and focus purely on route efficiency
- Extract safely without worrying about extraction campers
This is the ideal environment for this trial. You're essentially racing against the clock, not other players.
Aggressive Lobbies
If you tend to get placed in aggressive lobbies due to your play style, you'll need to adjust:
- Bring your preferred PvP loadout—you may need to defend yourself
- Stay aware of your surroundings while opening husks (you're vulnerable during the animation)
- Still avoid initiating PvP—fighting wastes time and risks losing your score if you die
- Plan safer extraction routes and avoid obvious extraction points if possible
Even in aggressive lobbies, your best strategy is avoidance over combat. Every second spent fighting is a second not opening husks, and every death means zero score for that round.
Recommended Items
- Adrenaline Shots: Speed boost for faster husk-to-husk travel
- Healing Items: In case you take environmental or PvE damage
- Minimal Gear: Keep your inventory light—you don't need heavy armor or multiple weapons for this trial
- Stamina Management: Conserve stamina for sprinting between husk clusters
Team Strategy: 40K+ Scores for Everyone
If you're running this trial with a team, the scoring system works in your favor in a huge way: all individual score contributions from every team member get added to every team member's total.
How Team Scoring Works
Let's say you have a 3-player squad:
- Player 1 opens 25 husks in the north section = 15,000 points (25 × 600)
- Player 2 opens 25 husks in the central section = 15,000 points (25 × 600)
- Player 3 opens 20 husks in the south section = 12,000 points (20 × 600)
Final score for ALL three players: 42,000 points
This is the most efficient way to farm this trial. Instead of competing for the same husks, your squad splits the map into zones and covers ground simultaneously. Everyone gets credit for everyone else's work.
🎯 Best Team Strategy
- Coordinate after spawning: All 3 players spawn at the same random location. Once loaded in, quickly decide who goes in which direction from that spawn point
- Split up immediately: Don't waste time hitting the same husks—spread out in different directions for maximum efficiency
- Communicate extractions: Make sure everyone extracts—if one person dies, they get zero score
- Regroup if needed: If someone encounters PvP, the team can support, but prioritize survival over combat
⚠️ Team Lobbies = More PvP
Team-based lobbies tend to have higher PvP activity compared to solo chill lobbies. If you're running as a squad, expect to encounter other teams competing for husks or trying to ambush you at extraction. Coordinate your routes to stay together when near high-traffic areas, and always have an escape plan.
Tracking Map Conditions: Use the Event Tracker
Since the best scores require 2x multiplier conditions like Locked Gate or Hidden Bunker, you need to know when these events are active. Our event tracker shows:
- Currently active conditions for all maps
- Upcoming event schedule so you can plan your play sessions
- Event duration timers so you know how long you have to play
Don't waste time grinding this trial on standard 30-minute maps with no multiplier. Wait for the right conditions, then execute a single high-scoring run. That's all you need for the week.
Summary: Your 40K+ Checklist
✅ Quick Reference Guide
- Check the event tracker for Hidden Bunker (Spaceport - best) or Locked Gate (Bluegate) conditions
- Open our interactive maps with First Wave Husk filters enabled (Wasp, Rocketeer, optionally Baron)
- Plan your route from spawn to extraction, prioritizing husk clusters and minimizing travel time
- Bring adrenaline shots and minimal gear for speed (if in chill lobbies)
- Target 70+ husks on a 2x map (600 points each) for 40K+ score
- Avoid PvP—every fight is wasted time and risks your score
- Extract successfully—your score only counts if you make it out alive
- Team play (optional): Split the map with your squad to multiply efficiency—everyone gets everyone's score
Remember: Only your best weekly score counts, so focus on quality over quantity. One perfect 40-minute Hidden Bunker or Locked Gate run beats ten rushed 30-minute standard runs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do already-looted husks count toward my score?
Yes! If another player opened and looted a husk, you can still open it and get the full 300/600 points. This makes the trial very forgiving—you're not competing for exclusive spawns.
What is the best map for Search First Wave Husks?
The best map for Search First Wave Husks is Spaceport during the Hidden Bunker event. Spaceport has the highest number of mapped husk spawn locations, giving you the most potential targets in a single match. Combined with the 40-minute timer and 2x score multiplier (600 points per husk), Hidden Bunker on Spaceport consistently delivers the highest scores. Dam Battlegrounds is the second-best option with many mapped husks, but requires Electromagnetic Storm for the 2x multiplier since it lacks a dedicated 40-minute event.
Should I open Baron husks?
Only if they're directly on your route. Baron husks have long animations and give the same points as faster Wasp/Rocketeer husks. You'll score higher by skipping them and opening more of the faster husks instead.
Can I do this trial solo?
Absolutely. Solo play in chill lobbies is actually ideal—you don't have to coordinate with anyone, and you can focus purely on route efficiency.
What happens if I die before extracting?
You lose all progress for that round. Your trial score only counts if you successfully extract. This is why avoiding PvP is so important for this trial.
How many husks do I need to open for 40K+ score?
On a 2x multiplier map (600 points per husk), you need to open approximately 67 husks to hit 40,000 points. On a standard map (300 points per husk), you'd need 134 husks—which is why waiting for 2x conditions is crucial.
Good luck, Raiders. Plan your route, stay efficient, and extract safely.
//-Arc Raiders Hub
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