Following gatecrashing an encounter between Faust and Strider at the end of Hot on the Trail, Strider will help you intercept the message, and urges you to head to Azimuth Station to do so. Keep reading to learn how to reach this station and what you can expect in this Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl main mission.

Table of Contents¶

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Retrieve the Azimuth Access Key from the Ward¶

As mentioned above, you’ll receive the Chasing Ghosts main mission immediately following Hot on the Trail and your task is a simple one in practice, get to Azimuth Station and get the Access Key from the Ward, and then use it to intercept the transmission and pinpoint its location. As always with Stalker, though, things rarely go as simply as planned.

Your destination lies to the southeast of Noontide Base, at Azimuth Station (Map Marker), so follow the route off Wild Island and onto the southeast part of the region. As you get closer and cross over a barge, you’ll intercept a transmission from the Ward calling for help, looks like something is going on at the station.

Respond to the Distress Signal¶

As you get closer to the station, your vision will start to blur due to the nearby psi influence, although not enough to debilitate you completely. As you enter from the northwest of the station, go up the slope near the tunnel and then run forward to hit the outer wall of the complex. Follow this to the left and you’ll find a hole with which you can use to safely get into Azimuth Station.

Immediately to the right is a building where the distress signal was raised, head inside and loot everything you can, there are multiple Ward bodies where you can get some much needed supplies. For the sake of the mission though, just outside of the building are some stairs leading down, at the top of these is a body that you can search to find the key needed to open the door at the bottom of the stairs.

Find the Surviving Wardens¶

Follow the path down and slide down the ladder to reach the basement, and then you’ll reach an intersection. Take a right and follow this path and you’ll come across a body with a door on your right, indicating that something is not right here. Go through this door and continue following the path, looting the bodies along the way, and you’ll reach a room full of brainwashed enemies that leave you with no choice but to take them down.

Don’t take this for granted though, use the doorway of this room for cover and peek around the corner to take them out, they can quickly kill you if you’re not careful. Once the area is clear, head through the opposite doorway and back into another tunnel. Head down the path to your left and a final group of enemies will attack, deal with them and then search the body at the far end, to your left, to get the Keycard along with a ladder that exits the building.

Give Strider Access to Azimuth’s Systems¶

Once back outside, you’ll find yourself being fired upon by Foma from atop the tower, the highest point of this station. Ignore any inclinations to try and fire back, and instead make for the tower itself, dashing in between shots. Make a save once you reach the entrance to the tower, the place is rigged with traps and you can easily die if you’re not careful.

As you head through the door on your right, you’ll come across your first tripwire, either disarm it and move back, or hop over it (the better choice). As you continue into the main room, you’ll find the card reader you’ve been looking for, insert the access key and you’ll successfully give Strider access to the systems.

Replace the Inductor¶

All that remains now is to get to the roof, where Foma is still holed up, and replace the Inductor you got at the end of Hot on the Trail. As you reach the stairs that wind up, you’ll find multiple tripwires that block your route, disarm one and then move out of the room to avoid taking any damage. Equip a gun as you head up the stairs, as soon as you get close to the top, Foma will shoot at you, keep in cover and fire away to knock him down, allowing you to climb to the top of the tower.

Speak with the injured Foma to attempt to get a better understanding of the situation, but try as you might, his fate is sealed, so put him out of his misery and the install the new Inductor. To listen to the transmission, you need to head outside of this room and climb up to the antenna and flick the switch. The transmission reveals that Faust is the one planning all of this, and a location is revealed, Camp Icarus, thus completing the Chasing Ghosts main mission and beginning Dead Frequency.