Arc Raiders Field Depot Locations: How to Deliver Field Crates

Guide: arcraiders · Published · 3,514 words · 18 min read

arcraiders key art
In-game screenshot

Quick Answer: Find a Field Depot, grab a Field Crate from the supply point, and carry it to the matching delivery station before you overextend. In Arc Raiders, the safest route is usually the shortest one with hard cover and a clear extraction plan.

What Field Depots Are and Why Field Crates Matter

Field Depots are the kind of objective that teaches Arc Raiders’ core loop in one neat package: move through a hostile zone, secure loot, and extract before the ARC or another squad punishes a mistake. In practice, Arc Raiders Field Depot Locations: How to Deliver Field Crates is less about memorizing a single map pin and more about learning how depot runs work, what makes a route safe, and when to leave with your reward instead of greedily pushing for one more room.

A Field Depot usually sits in a contested area that tempts you with resources but also exposes you to patrols, sightlines, and third-party ambushes. The crate-delivery flow is straightforward once you understand the rhythm. You locate the depot, interact with the crate or supply point, pick it up, then move it to the delivery objective tied to that run. The challenge is that carrying a crate changes how you move and fight, so a “simple” objective becomes a mini extraction puzzle.

That is very on-brand for ARC Raiders as a whole. The game is a multiplayer extraction adventure, set in a lethal future earth, ravaged by a mysterious mechanized threat known as ARC Source. It is designed around decision-making under pressure, not just raw aim. That is also why the game can take time to learn: HowLongToBeat reports roughly 38.43 hours for the main story, 73.74 hours with extras, and 157.95 hours for completion Source. A beginner does not need to master everything in hour one, but you do need a practical plan for the first few sessions.

Two examples make this easier to picture:

  • You enter a depot-heavy zone, spot a crate, and immediately hear ARC patrols nearby. Your best play is to mark a safe exit before you even touch the crate.
  • You and a teammate grab a crate together, but one player sprints ahead. That usually causes a split, which invites enemy pressure. Staying coordinated is more important than moving fast.
  • You find a delivery point but another squad is already camping the lane. In that case, back off and circle around rather than forcing a fight while carrying objective weight.

If you treat Field Depots like a race, you will lose them. If you treat them like a route-planning exercise with occasional combat, you will start surviving them much more often.

First-Hour Checklist

Your first hour should be spent building comfort, not chasing perfect loot. The best early progress in Arc Raiders comes from learning movement, inventory habits, and how to survive a short objective run without panicking. If you want a simple first-hour plan, keep it focused on these actions.

1) Learn your extraction rhythm in low-risk runs

  • Start with short runs that have one clear objective and one clear exit.
  • Practice entering a depot area, identifying cover, and leaving before your backpack fills.
  • Do not try to “clear” the whole map; that is a fast way to burn meds and ammo.

A beginner’s biggest advantage is flexibility. You are not attached to a perfect loadout yet, so use that freedom to observe routes. If a depot sits near multiple angles of attack, note which side gives you the most cover. If the route feels bad, leave and try another approach next time.

2) Test weapons and tools before you rely on them

  • Fire each early weapon in a controlled setting so you understand recoil and reload feel.
  • Try your throwable or utility item in a safe moment so you know its timing.
  • Compare how each weapon performs against light enemies and sturdier targets.

You do not need to memorize a full tier list on day one. You do need to know whether a weapon feels good in close range, at mid-range, or only as a panic backup. A shotgun-style option can save you in tight depot interiors, while a more controlled rifle-type weapon helps on open approach lanes. That difference matters when a crate run turns messy.

3) Get familiar with inventory pressure

  • Leave with only the materials you actually need.
  • Extract once your bag starts to force hard choices.
  • Store anything rare-looking instead of immediately dismantling it.

Early on, your biggest enemy is over-looting. It is tempting to fill every slot, but field crate runs often punish slow decision-making. The moment your inventory starts becoming a problem, you should think about the next exit rather than the next room.

4) Practice movement under stress

  • Sprint between cover pieces instead of crossing open ground.
  • Stop peeking after every shot; re-position after a short exchange.
  • Use terrain to break line of sight before healing or looting.

This matters because crate delivery is a movement challenge disguised as a loot objective. The more comfortable you are with corners, dips, walls, and route changes, the less dangerous depot delivery becomes.

5) Leave a little early rather than a little late

  • If your objective is complete, extract before greed sets in.
  • If you hear multiple enemy cues from different directions, disengage.
  • If your team gets split, regroup first and deliver later.

In extraction games, “one more minute” is how good runs go bad. Your first hour should teach you that success is not maximum loot; success is coming home with something useful.

ARC Raiders · Wikipedia
ARC Raiders · Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA 4.0 · CC-BY-SA 4.0

You might also like

How to Find Field Depot Locations and Deliver Field Crates

The easiest way to handle Field Depot Locations and crate delivery is to approach the objective in three stages: identify the depot, secure the crate, then deliver it using the safest route you already planned. Even if the map layout changes from run to run, the process stays familiar once you recognize the pattern.

Step 1: Identify the depot before you engage

Field Depots are easiest to handle when you spot them from a distance. Look for a route that lets you observe the area before committing. You want to know three things:

  • Where the depot entrance is.
  • Which nearby cover can block enemy sightlines.
  • Whether ARC patrols or rival players are likely to arrive first.

A beginner mistake is walking straight into the objective and only then discovering the problem. Better play: pause outside the area, listen, and move around the perimeter if necessary. In a game where another squad can arrive from behind, the first minute of observation often decides the whole run.

Step 2: Grab the crate only when your exit is ready

Once you interact with the Field Crate, your movement and attention become more constrained. That means you should not pick it up while low on ammo, low on healing, or standing in a bad lane. Good crate pickups usually happen when:

  • Your route out is already visible.
  • You know which door, hill, or corner you will use first.
  • At least one teammate can watch your flank.

If you are solo, be more conservative. Solo players should prioritize a route with hard cover and fewer forced fights. If you are in a duo or trio, assign roles before the pickup: one carrier, one spotter, one rear guard if available.

Step 3: Deliver the crate with a “two-cover” rule

The two-cover rule is simple: never move from one exposed area to another without knowing your next two pieces of cover. For example, if you leave the depot through a doorway, your next stops should be a wall, then a vehicle, then a slope or rock. You are not trying to win a firefight while carrying the crate; you are trying to make enemy fire awkward.

Use these examples to stay grounded:

  • Example 1: You leave a depot interior and cut behind a concrete barrier before crossing open ground.
  • Example 2: Your team takes a side path through broken terrain instead of the obvious central road.
  • Example 3: You hear gunfire near the delivery station, so you wait behind cover until the lane clears rather than sprinting straight in.

Step 4: Deliver, then reset your mental state

Once the crate is delivered, do not instantly rush into the next fight unless the reward justifies it. Delivering safely is the real win. After that, check:

  • What resources you still have.
  • Whether your armor, ammo, or healing needs a reset.
  • Whether the match has become too hot for a second objective.

This is where beginners often overstay. They finish the hard part, then lose everything trying to be heroic. Cash in the objective, stabilize, and leave if needed.

Resource Priority Order

Your resource priority should be survival first, flexibility second, and greed last. In Arc Raiders, beginners usually fail not because they have zero loot, but because they spend or carry the wrong things too early. A clean priority order helps you avoid wasting valuable supplies on the wrong upgrades.

Priority What to Spend or Hoard Why It Matters First Beginner Rule of Thumb
1 Healing and survivability items You cannot deliver crates if you get forced out by chip damage Keep enough to recover from one bad trade
2 Reliable ammo and basic combat tools Consistent damage is more useful than fancy situational gear Use what you can restock easily
3 Mobility and escape utility Objective runs often fail during disengage, not the fight itself Save tools that help you leave safely
4 Crafting materials for core upgrades Early upgrades give steady value over time Hold materials until you know what you actually use
5 Rare cosmetics or luxury items Nice to have, but they do not improve extraction success Ignore until your basics feel stable

What to hoard first

Hoard the items that keep you alive during a bad route. That usually means healing, ammo, and any utility that helps you cross unsafe ground or break pursuit. For example:

  • If a loadout choice forces you to cut armor or healing, that loadout is too risky for depot runs.
  • If you find a scarce material, keep it until you understand what it crafts.
  • If you have two of a useful item, treat one as emergency insurance instead of immediate spend fuel.

Beginners often dismantle or sell useful-looking materials because they do not yet know the economy. That is understandable, but it slows down progression. Hold onto anything that repeatedly appears in your early crafting or upgrade plans.

What to spend first

Spend first on upgrades that improve consistency, not flashy power spikes. If a purchase helps you survive more depot runs, that is better than something that only works in a perfect fight. Three examples of smart early spending priorities are:

  • A weapon you can control comfortably, even if it is not the most exciting choice.
  • A basic kit improvement that reduces how often you have to abort a run.
  • Utility that helps with disengage or positioning, especially on objective routes.

If you are torn between two options, ask which one saves more runs. The answer is usually the correct purchase.

What to craft first

Craft the items that let you keep playing without depending on luck. Good first crafts are usually the things you use every run or every other run. Avoid overcrafting niche gear until you have a stable loop. If you craft three items that sit unused in storage, you have effectively spent resources on uncertainty.

A practical order is:

  1. Basic survival tools.
  2. Ammo or equipment you burn often.
  3. One reliable combat setup.
  4. Only then, specialized tools for harder objectives.

That order keeps you from looking rich while playing poor.

Common Mistakes

New players usually make the same mistakes in Field Depot runs, and each one has a simple fix. The good news is that these are habits, not permanent skill gaps, so you can correct them quickly.

  1. Picking up the crate before checking the exit

    • Why it happens: The objective is obvious, so players get excited and rush the interaction.
    • Fix: Stop outside the depot, identify your first two cover points, and only then grab the crate.
  2. Fighting too long while carrying objective weight

    • Why it happens: New players want to “win the area” before moving on.
    • Fix: Break line of sight immediately after the first bad trade and reposition instead of re-peeking.
  3. Ignoring audio cues from ARC or other players

    • Why it happens: Focus narrows onto the crate, so the rest of the map becomes background noise.
    • Fix: Pause every few seconds to listen; if you hear movement from more than one direction, assume the route is compromised.
  4. Over-looting and running out of time or space

    • Why it happens: Extraction games train players to value every pickup, especially early on.
    • Fix: Decide in advance what you are actually hunting; if the inventory gets messy, leave with the valuable item and drop the rest.
  5. Splitting from your team during delivery

    • Why it happens: One player thinks sprinting ahead will speed things up.
    • Fix: Move as a unit, assign a front and rear position, and regroup before entering the delivery lane.
  6. Using expensive resources in low-risk moments

    • Why it happens: Players want to “test” powerful gear on easy fights.
    • Fix: Save premium items for the run where they change the outcome, not the run where they look impressive.

Common Mistakes

The same mistakes also show up in how beginners manage progression around depot missions, and fixing them early makes the whole game smoother.

  • Selling or dismantling unknown materials immediately
    Players do this because storage feels limited. The fix is to keep one of each suspiciously useful material until you learn its crafting role.

  • Upgrading the wrong weapon first
    Beginners often upgrade what looks strongest instead of what they actually hit consistently with. The fix is to upgrade the weapon you can land shots with under pressure.

  • Chasing every fight near a depot
    This happens when players assume combat equals progress. The fix is to ask whether the fight improves the delivery route; if not, disengage.

  • Ignoring practice time in favor of live runs only
    Players skip rehearsal because it feels less rewarding. The fix is to spend a few minutes testing recoil, reload speed, and utility timing before committing to real loot runs.

  • Treating every extraction like a full-clear run
    Players fall into this because loot anxiety is real. The fix is to define your mission before you load in: delivery, resource farming, or combat practice.

Common Mistakes

You can also avoid a lot of pain by recognizing these late-session mistakes that show up after you get comfortable.

  • Getting greedy after one successful delivery
    Why it happens: Confidence spikes after a clean run.
    Fix: Reset after every completed delivery and decide deliberately whether the next objective is worth the risk.

  • Leaving no room in inventory for high-value finds
    Why it happens: Players fill the bag with low-value items.
    Fix: Reserve space for one important drop by not packing the run with junk.

  • Forgetting that the route back is part of the objective
    Why it happens: The moment the crate is delivered, attention drops.
    Fix: Treat the return or extraction path as important as the pickup path.

Pro Tips

These are the small habits that separate “I can finish a run” from “I can finish a run reliably.”

Tip 1. Scout the route twice, once visually and once by sound

When you first approach a Field Depot, check the terrain with your eyes, then slow down and listen before entering. The extra pause helps you catch patrol movement, enemy footsteps, or firefights you might otherwise walk into.

Tip 2. Carry your crate only when your squad is positioned

If your team is nearby but not ready, wait a few seconds. A well-timed pickup is safer than a rushed one, especially in an area with multiple entrances.

Tip 3. Use hard cover as a checkpoint system

Every time you move, pick the next object that can save you: wall, crate, rock, vehicle, slope. This “cover chain” makes movement less stressful and keeps you from improvising under fire.

Tip 4. Save one emergency escape option

If you have an item or ability that helps break contact, keep it in reserve until the run is actually in danger. New players waste their best escape tool on minor threats and then have nothing when a real ambush happens.

Tip 5. Deliver when the lane is quiet, not when it is perfect

A perfect delivery window never appears for long. If the area is merely quiet enough and you can see a safe path, move now instead of waiting for a dream scenario.

Tip 6. Turn every failed run into route knowledge

If you lose a crate, note the exact reason: bad sightline, late rotation, split team, or unexpected patrol. That feedback is worth more than the loot you lost.

Graduation Threshold

You are out of the beginner phase when you can complete Field Depot runs without having to think about every basic action. The milestone is not a level, a rank, or a specific piece of gear; it is the point where your decisions become deliberate instead of reactive.

You have probably graduated from beginner status when you can do most of the following consistently:

  • Enter a depot area and identify the danger before committing.
  • Decide whether a crate run is worth the risk based on your current resources.
  • Move through open ground without panic-sprinting into bad angles.
  • Stay with your team during delivery instead of scattering.
  • Leave with the objective instead of forcing extra fights for “just one more” opportunity.

Three real examples of this transition:

  • You see a contested depot, pause, reroute, and still complete the delivery.
  • You take damage on the approach, but you do not freeze; you retreat, heal, and re-enter from a safer angle.
  • You get the crate, but another squad arrives, and you extract rather than trying to farm them while under pressure.

There is also a broader progression signal outside the depot itself. ARC Raiders currently shows Very Positive Steam reviews with 82.8% positive across 408777 reviews Source, and that kind of community volume usually means the game rewards learning rather than brute force. In practice, once you stop asking “what button do I press?” and start asking “what route is safest?” you are no longer a beginner. You are learning the real game.

These are the best next steps after you understand Field Depot delivery and early survival.

Sources

See also

Arc Raiders Hub Editorial avatar

Reviewed by

Editor · GameFleet

Expertise: Editorial team behind Arc Raiders Hub. Content is compiled from official patch notes, community wikis, and playthrough notes, then reviewed and updated on schedule.

Editorial policy

Sources

📋 Patch Notes & Updates

Browse all patch notes →

Was this guide helpful?

Help us grow — rate this guide so we can improve it.

Share your own tip

Found something not in the guide? Submit it below — our editors review every tip before publishing. No account required.

30 more chars needed800 chars left
10 submissions / IP / day · plain-text only · moderated.