You’ve finally made it past the initial chaos of the Lesser Zone. Your PDA is buzzing, your radiation levels are probably fine, and then Richter or Captain Zotov drops a bomb on you. They need sensors. Specifically, Ward Sensors held by a guy named Squint. This is the STALKER 2 Needle in a Haystack mission, and honestly, it’s where the game starts testing if you’re actually paying attention to the environment or just following white dots on a map.
The name isn't just flavor text. Finding this guy can be a genuine pain if you don't know where to look, especially since the "farmstead" the game sends you to is crawling with mutants and empty houses.
Finding Squint: The Old Mill Mystery
Most players arrive at the farmstead east of Zalissya and start clearing houses. Wrong move. You'll waste ammo on Blind Dogs and find nothing but empty cupboards. Squint isn't in the houses. He’s hiding in the Old Mill. It’s the tallest structure in the area, a big brick building that looks like it's seen better days.
Don't just sprint inside.
The place is absolutely rigged. Squint is paranoid for a reason, and he's laid tripwires everywhere. If you hear a faint clicking or see a thin wire stretched across a doorway, stop. You can disarm these manually to scavenge some grenades, or just crouch-jump over them if you're feeling lazy. Squint is waiting at the very top of the stairs.
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The Stalker Path vs. The Ward Path
Before you even get to the mill, the way you find Squint depends on who you talked to back in town:
- Richter’s Route: He’ll have you messing with radio antennas. You’ll go to a tower western side of Zalissya, realize it’s busted, then hike southeast to a second antenna. It’s more legwork, but it feels like "classic" Stalker.
- Zotov’s Route: The Captain is more direct. He basically tells you Squint has his property and to go get it. No radio puzzles, just a straight hunt to the farmstead.
Dealing with Squint: Kill or Spare?
Once you’re staring at Squint at the top of that mill, you have a choice. You can blow his head off and take the sensors. It’s fast. It’s efficient. But you’ll miss out on a decent side quest called Piece of Cake.
If you talk to him, he’ll beg for his life. He wants to leave the Zone but needs an artifact to pay his way out. This leads you to a nearby cave hidden under a dilapidated house. Fair warning: there is a Bloodsucker in that cave. If you aren't prepared for a cloaking mutant jumping out of the shadows, you’re going to have a bad time.
Grab the artifact, bring it back to Squint, and he’ll hand over the Ward Sensors willingly. It’s the "moral" choice, but in the Zone, morality is usually just a fancy word for "wasted medkits."
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The Big Decision: Richter or Zotov?
This is the part that actually matters for your playthrough. After you have those sensors in your backpack, you have to decide who gets them. This isn't just about a few extra coupons; it changes your next main story mission and how you enter The Sphere.
Giving the Sensors to Richter
Richter is the Stalker choice. He wants to keep the Ward from gaining more ground.
- The Reward: Roughly 2,024 Coupons.
- The Outcome: He tells you about a "back door" into the Sphere through an area called The Ribs. This path is heavy on anomalies but light on human enemies. If you prefer dodging gravitational distortions over firefights, pick Richter.
- The Follow-up: You’ll eventually head to the Garbage region to meet a guy named Star.
Giving the Sensors to Captain Zotov
Zotov represents the Ward (the military/corporate authority).
- The Reward: Around 1,350 Coupons (Yeah, the Ward is stingy).
- The Outcome: You get authorized access through the IPSF Outpost. You can theoretically sneak in, but it’s a heavily guarded military base. If you screw up the stealth, you’re fighting a small army.
- The Follow-up: This leads to a mission involving Colonel Korshunov and an attack on a bandit gang at the Depot.
Common Bugs and How to Not Get Soft-Locked
Let’s be real—STALKER 2 is a massive, complex game, and sometimes it breaks. The STALKER 2 Needle in a Haystack mission has a known issue where the "Old Key" (required for the backup comms center if you side with Richter) doesn't spawn in your inventory.
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If this happens, don't panic. You don't actually need to go through that specific door to progress the story. You can skip the comms center entirely and just head straight to the Sphere facility. Once you get close enough to the main objective, the quest marker should update itself, bypassing the bugged step.
Another weird one? Sometimes the artifact for Squint doesn't appear in the cave. If you've killed the Bloodsucker and the detector is silent, try quick-saving and quick-loading right there in the cave. Usually, this forces the physics engine to "pop" the artifact into existence.
Actionable Strategy for Success
If you want the "optimal" run for this mission, here is how you should handle it.
First, make sure you have a shotgun. The Bloodsucker in the cave is a nightmare with a pistol, but two shells of buckshot to the face will end the fight instantly. Second, take the time to disarm Squint's traps in the mill. Not only does it save your life, but those grenades are worth a decent chunk of change at the trader later.
Finally, think about your playstyle before handing over the sensors. If you like the "loner" vibe and want to see the more rebellious side of the story, go Richter. If you want to feel like a tactical operative working with the big guns, Zotov is your guy. Just remember that the Zone doesn't forgive mistakes, so keep your finger near the quick-save button.
Check your gear one last time. Ensure your radiation meds are hot-keyed. The path to the Sphere is significantly more dangerous than the farmstead, regardless of which side you choose. Good luck, Stalker.