You’ve spent forty-five minutes training zombies around the gas station, your Perk-a-Hols are humming, and your Pack-a-Punch Level III weapon is basically a handheld delete button. But then the rounds start getting heavy. The screen is a blur of purple Mangler blasts and those annoying Vermin jumping at your face. Suddenly, that "Exfil" icon on your radio looks a lot more inviting than pushing for round 50.
Honestly, knowing how to exfil Liberty Falls is the difference between keeping your hard-earned XP and watching your operator face-plant into the pavement while the Chopper Pilot yells at you from safety. It’s not just about holding a button. It’s about timing, crowd control, and not being a hero when your armor plates are bone dry.
The Raw Mechanics of Getting Out Alive
Let's talk about how this actually starts. You can't just leave whenever you want. The game forces you to wait until Round 10. After that, you get a window every five rounds—Round 15, 20, 25, and so on. You’ll see the radio icon pop up on your mini-map. In Liberty Falls, the exfil site is located right by the Riverside area, near the starting spawn point.
You need to interact with the radio. If you’re playing solo, it’s instant. If you’re in a squad, your teammates have to vote. Don’t be that person who starts an exfil vote while someone is halfway through a side quest or trying to craft a Jet Gun. It’s rude. Once the vote passes, the music shifts. You’ve got a time limit. You have to clear out a specific number of zombies in the landing zone before the helicopter can actually touch down.
Preparation Is Why You’re Failing
Most players fail their exfil because they treat it like a normal round. It isn't. The game ramps up the spawn rate specifically in that small Riverside zone. You aren't just fighting the leftovers; you're fighting an accelerated wave designed to overwhelm you.
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Before you even touch that radio, look at your gear. Do you have a Monkey Bomb? If the answer is no, go to a crafting table. Right now. Monkey Bombs are the MVP of any exfil. They buy you five to eight seconds of "not getting hit," which is an eternity when a Mangler is charging its arm cannon.
Killstreaks and the "Panic Button"
Don't hoard your Salvage. If you have enough for a Chopper Gunner or a Sentry Turret, buy it. A Sentry Turret placed facing the direction of the spawns near the bowling alley entrance can thin the herd while you focus on the elites. The Chopper Gunner is even better because it makes you invincible while you’re using it. You can literally clear the entire exfil requirement from the air while your physical body sits safely on the ground. It feels like cheating, but hey, a win is a win.
The Strategy for Liberty Falls Specifically
The Riverside area is cramped. You’ve got the river on one side and buildings on the other. It’s a literal bottleneck.
When the timer starts, don't just stand in the middle of the street. You want to kite the zombies toward the bridge and then loop back around the parked cars. If you stay stationary, the Abominations—if you’re at a high enough round—will just beam you into oblivion.
Pro Tip: If you have the Wonder Weapon (the Thrustodyne M23, or Jet Gun), don't just hold the trigger until it breaks. Use it in short bursts to suck in the trash mobs (the regular zombies) to clear the kill count requirement faster. The faster you hit that required kill number, the sooner the pilot descends.
Managing the Elites
Manglers and Disciples love to ruin an exfil. If a Disciple starts buffing a horde of zombies, that horde becomes significantly harder to kill, which slows down your progress toward the landing requirement. Prioritize the Disciples. Take them out of the air immediately. For Manglers, aim for the arm. If you blow off the cannon, they stumble, giving you a window to breathe.
Why Your Build Matters More Than Your Aim
You've probably noticed that some guns just stop working around Round 30. If you’re trying to figure out how to exfil Liberty Falls on a high round, you need high-penetration weapons. Light Machine Guns are okay, but the reload time will kill you. Assault Rifles with large magazines are the sweet spot.
- Ammo Mods: Brain Rot is surprisingly good for exfils because it turns a heavy hitter into an ally for a few seconds. However, Napalm Burst or Cryofreeze can help with crowd control.
- Field Upgrades: Aether Shroud is your "get out of jail free" card. If you get pinned against a wall by a horde, pop it, and you’re invisible for a few seconds. This is often enough time to sprint to the helicopter once it lands. Frenzied Guard is another beast—it repairs your armor and makes zombies move at a crawl.
The Final Dash: 30 Seconds to Glory
Once the kill count hits zero, the helicopter drops its ramp. This is the most dangerous part.
Zombies don't stop spawning just because you finished the objective. They will keep coming until the cutscene triggers. I’ve seen so many players die two feet away from the ramp because they stopped shooting.
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Sprint. Don't look back. If you have a tactical grenade like a Decoy or a Cymbal Monkey, throw it away from the helicopter right as you make your run. Jump onto the ramp and stay there. Once all living players are on the ramp, the game ends. You get your bonus Aetherium Crystals, your XP, and that sweet, sweet victory screen.
Common Mistakes That Kill Runs
People get greedy. They think they can finish one last camo challenge during the exfil. Don't do that. Focus entirely on the timer and the kill count.
Another mistake is forgetting about the "Vermin." Those little plague-dog-looking things are fast and can trip you up. If you're reloading and one of those hits you, it slows your movement, allowing the bigger zombies to catch up.
Also, watch out for the water. Jumping into the river might seem like a good escape, but it limits your mobility and makes you a sitting duck for ranged attacks. Stick to the pavement where you can slide-cancel and keep your momentum up.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
- Check the Round: Only attempt exfil on 10, 15, 20, etc.
- Stock Up: Hit the crafting bench for at least two Monkey Bombs and a Sentry Turret.
- Clear the Zone: Head to Riverside before you call it in to make sure you aren't already surrounded.
- Pop Killstreaks Early: Don't wait until there are 10 seconds left to use your Chopper Gunner. Use it when the kill count requirement is still high.
- Be Aggressive: You need to kill quickly to satisfy the landing requirements. This isn't the time for kiting in circles for ten minutes.
Getting out of Liberty Falls isn't about being the best shot in the world. It’s about managing the chaos and having the right tools in your pocket when the timer starts ticking down. If you follow this rhythm—prep, clear, and dash—you’ll never lose your extraction bonus again.
Next Steps for Success
To maximize your efficiency, start practicing the "Jet Gun" quest line early in your matches. Having that Wonder Weapon makes the exfil kill requirement trivial because of its infinite ammo (on cooldown). Additionally, focus your early-game Essence on upgrading your weapon rarity at the Arsenal; a Legendary (Orange) wall-buy weapon will perform significantly better during a Round 25 exfil than a Pack-a-Punched Green weapon. Always ensure your armor is Level 3 before Round 20, as the damage spike from Manglers can one-shot a player with basic or no armor plates.