Getting StartedBeginner5 min readUpdated Aug 13, 2026
Onboarding: Your First Contract
What to do in the first extraction so you don't lose your starting loadout.
new playerextraction basics
Understand loadout risk before you drop
Nightwatch Protocol only lets you keep gear you extract with — die or fail to reach an extraction point in time, and your loadout is gone. Your first contract should be run with the free starter loadout, never purchased gear.
A safe plan for contract one
Blackwell Docks is the recommended first contract; it has three extraction points instead of the usual two, which forgives route mistakes.
- Move between cover in short bursts; standing still in the open for more than a few seconds raises enemy alert faster than moving does.
- Check the extraction timer as soon as you land — it starts counting the moment the contract begins, not when you request extraction.
- If you hear the two-tone alarm, an AI patrol has been alerted to your general area, not your exact position — stop moving and let it path away before continuing.
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