Honestly, most people played Far Cry New Dawn just to see what happened to Joseph Seed or to finally shut up those twins, Mickey and Lou. But if you just stuck to Hope County, you missed the point. The real meat of the game—the stuff that actually felt fresh in a franchise that sometimes feels like it's repeating itself—was the Far Cry New Dawn expeditions.
Think about it.
For years, we’ve been stuck in one big map. It’s a beautiful map, sure. But after forty hours of liberation missions, every outpost starts to look the same. You see one rusty windmill, you’ve seen 'em all. Expeditions changed that. They took us out of the post-apocalyptic Montana bubble and dropped us into these self-contained, high-stakes heists across the United States. It was the first time Ubisoft really let the environment designers go nuts without worrying about how a location connected to a massive open world.
How Far Cry New Dawn Expeditions Flipped the Script
Usually, in a Far Cry game, you're the hunter. You stalk the perimeter. You disable the alarms. You win.
Expeditions are different because they are basically timed extractions. You get dropped off by Roger Cadoret—a pilot who is arguably the most entertaining character in the game—and your job is to find a GPS-tagged package. Once you grab that package, a pink flare goes off. Suddenly, every Highwayman within five miles knows exactly where you are.
It’s stressful. It’s chaotic. It’s awesome.
The difficulty scaling is where it gets interesting. You don't just do an expedition once and call it a day. There are three tiers. Level one is a cakewalk. By the time you hit Level three, the enemies are "Enforcer" rank, meaning they have more health than a tank and they don't care about your puny starting assault rifle. You have to actually think about your loadout. Do you bring Nana for the long-range support, or do you bring Horatio the boar because he can literally flip cars?
The Locations Everyone Still Remembers
If you haven't played these in a while, or you're just starting, the variety is genuinely shocking compared to the main game.
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H.M.S. MacCoubrey
This is the aircraft carrier. It’s rusted out and stuck in a swampy Florida bayou. This map is a vertical nightmare in the best way possible. You spend half the time climbing through the guts of a rotting warship and the other half trying not to fall into the water where the Highwaymen are patrolling on jet skis. It feels like something out of a different game entirely.
Navajo Bridge
Located in Arizona, this is all about height. You’re fighting across a massive bridge over a dry canyon. There is nowhere to hide. If you lose your stealth early here, you’re basically a target in a shooting gallery. Most players try to wingsuit off the edge to get to the extraction point, which is a gamble that usually ends in a faceplant or a glorious escape.
Government Plane Wreck
This one is a fan favorite for a reason. It’s the Paladin—the plane from Splinter Cell. If you look around inside, you can find Sam Fisher’s notes and his iconic glowing goggles. It’s a nice nod to the wider Ubisoft universe, but it’s also a tactically dense map. It’s small, cramped, and forces you into close-quarters combat.
Alcatraz
Yeah, they actually put the Rock in the game. Navigating the cell blocks is eerie. The lighting is fantastic, with the pink flowers of the "Superbloom" clashing against the grim, grey concrete of the prison. Getting to the roof for extraction while being chased by guys with flamethrowers is a core New Dawn memory.
The Resource Grind is Real
Let's talk about why you actually need to do these. It’s not just for the change of scenery.
Circuit boards.
If you want the "Elite" rank weapons—the ones that actually stand a chance against late-game bosses—you need circuit boards. You can't just find these lying around in a toaster in Hope County. You get them from expeditions. This is the gameplay loop: do a heist, get the boards, craft a saw-launcher that bounces off five walls and kills a guy in a different zip code.
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The rewarding nature of the loot is what keeps the expeditions from feeling like a chore. Plus, the Titanium rewards are massive. If you’re trying to upgrade your home base (Prosperity) to the max level, you’re going to be spending a lot of time with Roger and his helicopter.
Why Stealth is Your Best Friend (Until it Isn't)
Most people play Far Cry like a wrecking ball. They drive a truck into the front gate and start throwing dynamite.
In Far Cry New Dawn expeditions, that’s a death sentence on higher difficulties.
The package you’re stealing has a proximity alarm. If you’re detected while holding it, the timer for the extraction helicopter doesn't start until you hit the landing zone. But if you manage to grab the package without being seen? You get a head start. You can be halfway to the extraction point before the Highwaymen even realize their loot is gone.
It turns the game into a weird hybrid of Metal Gear Solid and Mad Max. You’re crouching through tall grass, marking targets, and using silenced weapons. Then, the moment you’re spotted, the music kicks in—that heavy, synth-distorted soundtrack—and it’s a mad dash for survival.
The Multiplayer Factor
Playing these solo is fine. Playing them in co-op is a completely different beast.
When you have two players, you can actually coordinate a pincer movement. One person stays on a ridge with a sniper rifle while the other infiltrates. In the H.M.S. MacCoubrey mission, having a buddy to cover the rear while you navigate the tight corridors of the ship makes the higher tiers much more manageable.
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It’s worth noting that the "Master of the Hunt" and "Hit the Road" achievements/trophies are tied to these missions. If you’re a completionist, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in these seven locations.
Common Misconceptions and Mistakes
A lot of players think they should wait until the end of the game to start expeditions. Don't do that. Start them early. Even the Tier 1 rewards will give you a massive leg up on the early-game struggle in Hope County.
Another mistake? Ignoring the "Elite" enemies. On Tier 3, these guys will hunt you down. They don't just stand behind cover; they push your position. If you see a yellow health bar, prioritize that target immediately.
People also tend to forget about the "Homebase" upgrades. You can't just jump into the hardest expeditions without upgrading your Expeditions facility at Prosperity. Each level unlocks new locations and better rewards. It’s a linear progression that feels earned.
Actionable Tips for Dominating Expeditions
If you want to stop dying at the extraction point, follow this logic.
- Bring Nana. Seriously. Her level 3 ability allows her to shoot through cover. In the tight confines of the Government Plane Wreck or Alcatraz, this is broken in the best way possible.
- The Smoke Screen. Use smoke grenades when the helicopter is landing. The AI in New Dawn isn't great at shooting through smoke, and it gives you those precious five seconds to board.
- Prioritize the Healer. If you see a Highwayman with a white icon above their head, kill them first. They will revive their friends faster than you can knock them down.
- Watch the Water. In the Florida and California missions, the water is often more dangerous than the land. Not just because of the enemies, but because you move slowly. Use the grappling hook points whenever possible to stay elevated.
The Far Cry New Dawn expeditions were an experiment. Some might say they were a precursor to the "Special Operations" we saw in Far Cry 6. But there's something about the atmosphere in New Dawn—the vibrant colors, the scavenging mentality, and the absolute absurdity of the locations—that makes these missions stand out even years later.
Stop grinding outposts for five minutes and go talk to Roger. The change of air will do you good, and your weapon stash will thank you for the circuit boards.
Next Steps for Success:
Open your map and head to Prosperity. Talk to Roger Cadoret at the helipad to unlock your first expedition. Focus on the H.M.S. MacCoubrey first to get a feel for the verticality and the alarm mechanics. Once you have enough circuit boards, craft the "Lucky Shot" Compound Bow; its high stealth damage is a game-changer for Tier 2 and Tier 3 extractions where staying quiet is the only way to survive the initial wave.