You've finally survived the Ground Zero meat grinder. You’ve handed over the wine bottle, found the hard drives, and maybe—just maybe—you thought Skier was going to give you a break. Then you see it pop up in your task list. Friend from Norvinsk Part 3. If you’ve played Escape from Tarkov for more than a single wipe, you know exactly what this means. It’s the gatekeeper. It is the quest that separates the casual Shoreline runners from the people who actually progress into the mid-game.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a nightmare if you aren't prepared.
This isn't just about clicking heads. It’s about 10 PMCs. Specifically, 10 USEC PMCs. And they have to die on Shoreline. For many, this is where the progress bar just stops moving for a week. You load into the map, you run toward the Health Resort, and you either find nobody or you find a five-man squad of heavy "chads" wearing Level 6 plates who turn you into Swiss cheese before you can even toggle your fire mode.
The Reality of Friend from Norvinsk Part 3
The "Friend from Norvinsk" questline is iconic in Tarkov lore because it represents Skier's attempt to clean up the mess left behind by Western interests. By Part 3, he’s tired of the diplomatic talk. He wants bodies. Specifically, Western bodies. Because the quest requires USEC kills, your luck depends entirely on the current "meta" of the player base. In some wipes, everyone chooses USEC for the better starting clothing or the M4s. In others, people go BEAR to avoid being shot by Rogue AI on Lighthouse.
If you're stuck on this, it's probably because you're looking in the wrong places. Shoreline is a massive, sprawling map. It’s mostly empty space punctuated by a massive, terrifying sanatorium in the middle. If you just wander the swamp or the pier, you’re going to be doing this quest until 2027.
Where the Fights Actually Happen
Don't just run to the Resort. I mean, do it if you're confident, but that's where the most "sweaty" players congregate. If you are struggling with Friend from Norvinsk Part 3, you need to understand flow.
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Players spawn in a ring around the edge of the map. They almost always move toward the center. The Gas Station is a death trap, but it’s a high-traffic death trap. The Pier is even worse because there is only one way in and one way out. If you see someone go down to the Pier to check the safes or the extract, they are basically a sitting duck if you have a decent optic and a bit of patience.
The Power Station is another hotspot. People go there for the HEPS key room or just to cross the river. It’s a transition point. If you sit on the hills overlooking the roof, you can catch people while they are busy fighting the Scav sniper or looting the toolboxes. It's dirty. It's "ratty." But it gets the quest done.
The Gear Problem
You don't need a meta Mutant to do this. Honestly, a high-flesh-damage build or a decent 7.62x51mm rifle like the RFB can do wonders. Since you need USEC kills specifically, you have to be able to drop people fast. Most USECs you encounter mid-wipe are running medium armor. If you’re still using 9mm PST GZH, you're just tickling them.
Stop.
Get some decent ammo. Even if you have to craft it in the Hideout. If you can't pen Class 4, you aren't finishing this quest easily.
Dealing with the USEC vs BEAR Variable
The most frustrating part of Friend from Norvinsk Part 3 is the RNG. You kill a guy after a ten-minute stalk. You move up to the body, heart pounding, ready to grab the dogtag. You look down.
Faction: BEAR.
It doesn't count. You just risked your kit for nothing. This is why the quest takes so long. There is no way to know a player's faction from a distance unless you are a literal expert at identifying voice lines or clothing patterns. USECs usually have tan or multicam clothing. BEARs have darker, greener, or more "tactical" Russian-style camos. In the heat of a firefight at 100 meters? You won't tell the difference. Just shoot everything that moves. Sort it out at the loot screen.
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The "Resort" Trap
Everyone says "just go Resort."
Listen, if you aren't comfortable with close-quarters combat (CQC), the Resort is where your Roubles go to die. The sound verticality in Tarkov is notoriously buggy. You'll hear footsteps that sound like they're on your head, but the guy is actually two floors down in the basement. If you’re going there for the quest, bring grenades. Lots of them. F-1s, RGDs, it doesn't matter. Use them to flush people out of rooms.
The East Wing is usually more populated because of the high-tier loot spawns like Room 222 or 310. The West Wing is a gamble. If you’re hunting USECs, wait for the first five minutes of the raid to pass. Let the "hatchet runners" get killed off. The real fights happen between the 35-minute and 20-minute marks.
Night Raids: The Secret Weapon?
Some people swear by night raids for this. It’s a different game. You need NVGs (Night Vision Goggles), obviously. The cheap ones are grainy, but they work. The advantage here is that people are often more relaxed or focused on questing themselves. You can catch people off guard at the Weather Station. Just watch out for the cultists near the swamp or the forest behind the Resort. They will end your raid faster than any PMC will.
Common Misconceptions and Mistakes
A lot of players think they have to be the one to initiate. Not true. Sometimes the best way to get your 10 kills is to find a body and wait. It sounds cruel, but in Tarkov, it’s survival. If you see a dead Scav in a weird spot, someone killed it. They might still be nearby.
Another mistake? Not checking the dogtags of people you didn't kill. Wait, let me rephrase. You need the kill for the quest. But checking tags of people killed by others helps you track where the action is. If you find three dead USECs in the basement of the Administrative building, you know a BEAR is likely hunting nearby.
Also, don't forget the quest doesn't require "found in raid" dogtags for the kills to count—it just requires the kill itself. However, Skier often follows up with quests that do require tags, so start hoarding them now.
Practical Steps to Finish This Week
If you are tired of having this quest clog up your log, follow this specific loop.
First, stop bringing your absolute best gear if you're playing solo. You'll play too scared. Take a "budget-plus" kit. An SKS with BP ammo or a suppressed shotgun with Piranha rounds can be devastating.
Second, pick a "lane." Shoreline has three main lanes: the Coastline, the Power/Gas midline, and the North/Resort line. Pick one and stay in it. If you spawn near the tunnel, don't sprint all the way to the Radio Tower. Move slowly toward the Pier. Clear the bushes. Look for the glint of a scope.
Third, use your ears. Shoreline is a quiet map until it isn't. If you hear a suppressed M4 firing in bursts at the Resort, that’s your target. Run toward the sound. Most USECs love their Western platforms. If you hear a loud, unsuppressed AK, it might be a Scav or a BEAR.
Finally, don't get discouraged by the "Shoreline Sunday" vibe where every raid feels like a ghost town. Some raids are just dead. If you haven't seen anyone by the 15-minute mark, just head to an extract like Path to Lighthouse and reset. Don't waste 40 minutes wandering the woods hoping a USEC will manifest.
Actionable Strategy
- Verify your ammo: Ensure you have at least 30-40 penetration value.
- Pathing: If you spawn East, check the Blue Fence/Construction area early. It's a prime intercept point.
- Patience: Sit at the Power Station for 10 minutes. It's boring. It's also where people cross.
- Dogtag Check: Always check the tag to confirm the kill counted toward the 10.
- Reset: If the raid feels empty, get out. High-frequency raids are better than long, empty ones.
Once you finish this, you're on to Part 4, which is thankfully much more about traveling and placing items rather than hunting specific players. Get through the grind. Your traders—and your stash size—will thank you.