OVERVIEW
Context
Boreas is a major Story Chapter in Escape from Tarkov. It begins after the player encounters a Paradigm Shipping poster or receives a distress signal through the radio system at the Intelligence Center level 3 in the Hideout. The chapter spans multiple maps and culminates in boarding and exploring an Icebreaker ship accessible via Shoreline transit.
Objective Summary
Investigate the TerraGroup / Paradigm Shipping connection, repair field equipment on Woods, retrieve documentation from Lighthouse, arrange transport to an Icebreaker, and then navigate through the frozen ship to uncover its secrets — including battling elite Black Division soldiers and The Wedge squad.
Progression
The chapter is heavily branching. Multiple objectives change depending on your prior completion of Falling Skies, The Price of Independence, and Choose Your Friends Wisely. Plan your route through the story questline accordingly.
Difficulty Notes
The Icebreaker segment features multiple elite enemy encounters including Black Division soldiers spawning from catwalks and The Wedge squad with a teargas tripwire trap. Bring Class 5+ armor and high-tier ammunition. The optional boss rescue sequence adds significant complexity.
Estimated Duration
Due to the multi-map nature and numerous branching objectives, expect 5–10+ hours of active play across multiple raid sessions, particularly for collecting handover items found in raid and navigating the Icebreaker.
REQUIREMENTS
Option A — Obtain a Paradigm Shipping poster in-game (found during raid).
Option B — Check the distress signal via the radio system at the Intelligence Center level 3 in your Hideout.
Neither option requires completing a specific quest beforehand, making this accessible once either condition is met.
ALL OBJECTIVES
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Visit Mechanic through the trader screen and ask him about the distress signal. This is the starting conversation of the Boreas chapter and initiates the investigation into TerraGroup's connection with Paradigm Shipping.
Locate and repair the equipment at the Scav bunker on Woods. You need a Toolset in your inventory (not found-in-raid). Navigate to the cellular tower area — the exact location is indicated on the in-game map with a marker at the Scav bunker. Interact with the equipment while holding the Toolset. The Toolset is consumed (removed from inventory) upon use.
| Item | Amount | Requirement | FIR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toolset | 1 | Required | N/A | Consumed upon use |
Return to the trader menu and speak with Mechanic to report your findings at the cellular tower.
The Paradigm Shipping directive must be found in the warehouse at the freight yard in the north of Lighthouse. It is found on a table next to a lamp inside the warehouse. This item must be found in raid.
| Item | Amount | Requirement | FIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paradigm Shipping directive | 1 | Required | ✓ Yes |
Visit Mechanic through the trader screen to relay the information about Boreas and Paradigm Shipping.
Visit Prapor through the trader screen and ask him about the transport to the icebreaker. The subsequent objectives depend on your prior progress in the Falling Skies quest chain.
The AMG-10 hydraulic fluid has multiple possible spawn locations on Reserve.
Talk to the BTR Driver and ask about transport. The resulting objectives depend on your progress in the BTR Driver questline.
The hovercraft is located at the pier on Shoreline. Boarding costs 400,000 Roubles. To extract from the Icebreaker, you will need a green flare and 2,400 Euros. Bring all three items in your rig/backpack before accessing the Icebreaker.
Access the Icebreaker through the Shoreline transit. Once you arrive, the map is a multi-level ship environment with numerous hostile encounters.
Talk to the surviving scientist through the intercom located on the ground floor of the Icebreaker on the east side of the ship. The intercom is located through the door next to the stairs on the east side.
Use the Boreas engine room keycard to access the engine room. The route is: find the keycard on the first floor next to an engineer body → go to Level 0 east side → find the keycard-reader door after the control room → take stairs to Level 1 → unseal the engine room doors → enter and proceed downstairs to Level -2.
| Item | Amount | Requirement | FIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boreas engine room keycard | 1 | Unlocks door | N/A |
Keycard spawn locations — it is found on the first floor next to an engineer body with 3 possible positions:
Navigate to the extraction zone area, but instead of extracting — go two levels down, turn around the helipad, proceed all the way to the side of the ship, and ascend to Level 3. Find the door with a chain. When you try to open it, the game will prompt you to find explosives. You can then safely extract from the Icebreaker.
Ask Mechanic about explosives (menu), then ask Prapor about explosives (menu). This unlocks purchase of the SZ-1 explosive charge (Icebreaker) at Prapor LL1. Buy it and prepare for the next Icebreaker run.
Return to the Icebreaker with the SZ-1 explosive charge. Navigate back to the damaged door with chains on the roof of the engine room. Equip the SZ-1 charge and place it on the chain to destroy it. Enter the superstructure.
After clearing The Wedge squad in the crew quarters, ascend to Level 5 of the ship. Exit the quarters and take the exterior stairs to find the code-locked door leading to the upper decks.
After obtaining the code from the scientist and Mechanic (through intercom + trader conversations), use it on the keypad to unlock the code-locked door. This code works on every door of the zone that leads to the exterior. The code does not change between raids.
Access Code
Valid for all code-locked doors on the Icebreaker leading to exterior zones. Does not change per raid.
Compartment C-1 is located on Level 7 next to the exit of the floor. Requires the Compartment C-1 keycard to open. Once inside, search all three areas:
Exit Level 7 using the code 3-1-2-2-2-0 and go upstairs to find the bridge. The frozen hatch with a frozen lever is located on the roof of the bridge. Use the BBQ-S43 gas torch to thaw it and gain access.
After searching Compartment C-1 and accessing the bridge, turn over all the recovered data equipment to Mechanic. All items must be found in raid.
| Item | Amount | Requirement | FIR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultralink satellite modules | 3 | Handover | ✓ Yes | Can be found on the Icebreaker (optional) |
| Server RAM modules | 4 | Handover | ✓ Yes | Can be found on the Icebreaker (optional) |
| Cryptographic processors | 2 | Handover | ✓ Yes | Can be found on the Icebreaker (optional) |
Rescue the icebreaker captain. Inform the scientist about the captain's death. Ask the BTR Driver if he can help evacuate the scientist, then supply the required items.
| Item | Amount | Requirement | FIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respirators | 5 | Handover | — |
| Class 5+ ballistic plates | 2 | Handover | — |
| Kirasa-N body armor | 1 | Handover | — |
ALL REQUIRED ITEMS
| Item | Amount | Type | FIR | Condition / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toolset | 1 | Required | N/A | Repair equipment on Woods. Item is consumed. |
| Paradigm Shipping directive | 1 | Required | ✓ Yes | Freight yard warehouse, north Lighthouse |
| AMG-10 hydraulic fluid | 1 | Handover | ✓ Yes | All Prapor transport routes require this |
| Military power filters | 3 | Handover | ✓ Yes | Only if kept Armored Case in Falling Skies |
| RSP-30 yellow flare or 26x75mm yellow flare + SP-81 pistol | 1 | Required | N/A | Only if Falling Skies not completed. Fire at sky at Reserve transit. |
| 7.62x54mm R BT gzh | 200 | Handover | No | Only if Choose Your Friends Wisely completed |
| Skier's docs | 1 | Required | ✓ Yes | Only if Choose Your Friends Wisely completed. Customs, ditch near Scav base. |
| Boreas engine room keycard | 1 | Unlocks door | N/A | Found on engineer body on Icebreaker, 1st floor |
| SZ-1 explosive charge | 1 | Required | N/A | Purchasable at Prapor LL1 after asking traders about explosives |
| Local network hacking device | 1 | Required | N/A | Stash in The Lab server room (auto-completes if done in Blue Fire). Mechanic provides one via mail. |
| Compartment C-1 keycard | 1 | Unlocks door | N/A | Optional — needed to open C-1 compartment on Level 7 |
| BBQ-S43 gas torch | 1 | Required | N/A | Thaw frozen hatch on bridge roof. Found Level 3 kitchen on Icebreaker. |
| Ultralink satellite modules | 3 | Handover | ✓ Yes | Can be found on Icebreaker (optional spawn locations) |
| Server RAM modules | 4 | Handover | ✓ Yes | Can be found on Icebreaker (optional spawn locations) |
| Cryptographic processors | 2 | Handover | ✓ Yes | Can be found on Icebreaker (optional spawn locations) |
| Respirators | 5 | Handover | — | For BTR Driver scientist evacuation |
| Class 5+ ballistic plates | 2 | Handover | — | For BTR Driver scientist evacuation |
| Kirasa-N body armor | 1 | Handover | — | For BTR Driver scientist evacuation |
| 400,000 Roubles | — | Optional | N/A | Boarding fee for hovercraft |
| Green signal flare | 1 | Optional | N/A | For Icebreaker extraction |
| 2,500 Euros | — | Optional | N/A | Evacuation fee from Icebreaker |
KEY LOCATIONS
ITEM SPAWN LOCATIONS
QUEST CHAIN
Boreas is one of the main Story Chapters. Its branching objectives are influenced by your progress in three parallel questlines:
Falling Skies Branch
Determines whether you hand over the AMG-10 fluid alone, or must also provide 3 Military power filters. Or, if not completed at all, must eliminate 30 targets on Reserve and launch a yellow flare.
BTR Driver Branch
Completing The Price of Independence, Choose Your Friends Wisely, or neither determines whether you return to hideout, hand over ammo and burn Skier's docs, or simply eliminate 10 targets.
Blue Fire Integration
If you have already planted the Local network hacking device in the server room of The Lab during the Blue Fire story chapter, this objective in Boreas auto-completes.
Related story chapters: Accidental Witness · Batya · Blue Fire · Boreas · Falling Skies · The Labyrinth · The Ticket · The Unheard · They Are Already Here · Tour
REWARDS
TIPS & STRATEGIES
🟢 Beginners
- Complete Falling Skies before Boreas if possible — it unlocks the simplest transport route (just the AMG-10 fluid handover, no kills or extra items).
- The Toolset for repairing the Woods equipment does NOT need to be found in raid — purchase it from any trader before going in.
- Stock up on Roubles (400k), Euros (2,500), and a green flare before your first Icebreaker run — losing these costs real currency.
- On the Icebreaker, stick to walls and peek angles slowly. The Black Division ambush in the engine room is deadly for unprepared players.
- Always check multiple spawn positions for the Boreas engine room keycard (head/left hand/right hand of the engineer body).
🟡 Experienced Players
- Pick up the BBQ-S43 gas torch in the Level 3 kitchen when clearing The Wedge — saves a full return trip to the Icebreaker.
- The access code 3-1-2-2-2-0 is universal and permanent. Memorize it to skip the code-retrieval objective loop.
- Farm the Icebreaker for Ultralink satellite modules, server RAM modules, and cryptographic processors in the same runs where you're completing main objectives.
- The teargas tripwire at the crew quarters entrance can be disarmed or worked around — approach the entrance cautiously and clear it before proceeding.
- The SZ-1 charge is purchasable from Prapor LL1 without FIR requirement after unlocking — buy spares in case of wipes.
🔵 Equipment Recommendations
- Bring Class 5+ armor and a high-tier helmet for Icebreaker runs — Black Division is heavily armored and accurate.
- Use high-penetration ammunition (7.62x54 BT, 5.45 PP, or better) for fighting Black Division soldiers.
- Carry at least 2 grenades — useful for the Black Division ambush in the engine room catwalks.
- Bring a suppressor for crew quarters — The Wedge squad can be engaged stealthily with the right approach.
- Bring enough medical supplies for at least 2 full heals — Icebreaker combat is attritional.
🔴 Key Hazards
- Black Division Ambush: Appear from catwalks halfway through the engine room. Hug the wall and pre-clear angles before advancing through the catwalk zone.
- The Wedge Teargas Trap: A teargas grenade tripwire is set at the crew quarters entrance. Walking in unprepared will disorient and expose you to The Wedge squad's fire.
- Helipad Ambush: A Black Division group patrols the helipad AND one under the helipad near the engine room roof exit. Expect a two-level ambush.
- Icebreaker Extraction Cost: Without the green flare and Euros, you may be unable to extract — plan accordingly and check inventory before boarding the hovercraft.