You've likely been there. You are tearing through the streets of Gotham in the Batmobile, feeling like an absolute tank, until you stumble upon a glowing red light in the pavement. Suddenly, the sky turns red, a dozen Rattler drones surround you, and Alfred starts talking about "controlled explosions." This is the Batman Arkham Knight campaign for disarmament, and honestly, it’s one of the most polarizing parts of the game.
Some players love the high-octane vehicular combat. Others? They’re just tired of the "World's Greatest Detective" spending 40% of his time acting like a demolition derby driver.
But here’s the thing. This mission isn’t just filler. It is the literal gatekeeper to one of the most iconic boss fights in the series. If you want to see a certain legendary mercenary behind bars, you have no choice but to clear these mines.
Why the Campaign for Disarmament is a Love-Hate Relationship
Rocksteady took a massive gamble with the Batmobile. In previous games, Batman was about shadows and broken bones. In Arkham Knight, he's about 60mm cannons and EMP pulses. The Batman Arkham Knight campaign for disarmament side quest (one of the "Most Wanted" missions) tasks you with finding and defusing 14 explosive devices scattered across Gotham’s three main islands.
The loop is simple:
- Find a bomb (usually by following the red beacons or Alfred’s intel).
- Plug in the Power Winch to upload a "virus."
- Survive a massive wave of militia drones that desperately want to turn your car into scrap metal.
- Rev the engine like a madman to trigger a controlled explosion.
"The bomb's payload is exposed. I can use the power winch to trigger a controlled explosion."
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If you’ve played this mission, that line is probably burned into your brain. It became a massive meme for a reason—Batman says it every single time. It’s repetitive, sure, but the stakes get surprisingly high toward the end.
The Grind: Breaking Down the 14 Bomb Locations
You can’t just do these all at once. The game locks them behind story progression. You’ll clear the first one on Bleake Island as part of the main quest, but the rest? You're on your own.
Bleake Island (4 Bombs)
These are your starters. Most have "Minimal" or "Low" threat levels. You’ll find them in places like the Cauldron and near the GCPD. The one near the train yard is basically a tutorial, but don't get cocky. By the time you hit the fourth bomb on this island, you're looking at nearly 50 drones.
Miagani Island (5 Bombs)
Things get spicy here. You’ve got mines near the Botanical Gardens and the Bank of Gotham. The drones start bringing friends—specifically Mambas (which fire those annoying homing missiles) and Diamondbacks (the ones with the triple-shot spread).
Founders' Island (5 Bombs)
This is the "endgame" for the Batman Arkham Knight campaign for disarmament. You shouldn't even attempt these until you’ve upgraded your Batmobile's armor and weapons. The Port Adams bomb is notoriously brutal. You’ll be dodging dozens of incoming shots in a cramped space while trying to keep your virus upload from failing. It's pure chaos.
The Deathstroke Disappointment (And Why It Matters)
Wait, why are we doing this again?
Oh, right. Slade Wilson.
Once you clear all 14 bombs—and finish the "Occupy Gotham" (towers) and "Own the Roads" (checkpoints) missions—you trigger the finale. Deathstroke takes over the militia after the Arkham Knight's... let's call it a "career change."
Most fans expected a repeat of the legendary Arkham Origins hand-to-hand fight. Instead, we got a tank battle. You hunt Deathstroke’s personal tank through the streets of Miagani, picking off his Cobra guards one by one.
Is it a letdown? Kinda. Honestly, seeing a master martial artist like Slade get taken out by a car feels a bit cheap. But from a lore perspective, it shows how the militia has completely crumbled into a machine-reliant mess without their original leader.
Survival Tips for the "Ultra" Threat Levels
If you're struggling with the later stages of the Batman Arkham Knight campaign for disarmament, stop trying to shoot everything with the primary cannon. It's too slow.
- Prioritize the Mambas: The second you see a red target lock on your screen, find the Mamba drone and delete it with your Vulcan gun (the machine gun). Those missiles will chip away your health faster than anything else.
- The Drone Hack is your best friend: Seriously. Level up your Secondary Weaponry. Hacking a Diamondback or a Mamba doesn't just remove an enemy; it gives you an ally that draws fire and kills other tanks for you.
- Don't forget the EMP: If you get boxed in, the EMP blast is a literal lifesaver. It shuts everything down for a few seconds, giving you a window to breathe and reposition.
- Keep the streak alive: The more drones you kill without getting hit, the faster your "Missile Barrage" charges. A Level 4 Missile Barrage can wipe out 10 tanks in three seconds. Use it.
The Real Reward
Beyond the 17 WayneTech points—which are huge for upgrading your combat moves—completing the Batman Arkham Knight campaign for disarmament is essential for the "Knightfall Protocol."
You cannot get the "True" ending of the game without 100% completion. That means every bomb, every tower, every checkpoint, and yes, every single Riddler trophy. If you want the full story, you’ve got to put in the work behind the wheel.
What to do next:
Open your "Most Wanted" wheel and check your progress. If you're stuck at a certain percentage, you likely need to progress further in the main story to unlock the remaining islands. Focus on upgrading your Energy Storage III and Drone Hack abilities in the Batmobile tech tree first. These make the final "Ultra" threat bombs in Founders' Island significantly less of a headache. Once the last bomb is gone, make sure your Cobra-takedown skills are sharp; you'll need them for the showdown at Grand Avenue.