Barotrauma Early Campaign Guide: Acceptance, Departure, Objectives and Return
Review accepting jobs, choosing routes and missions, resupplying before departure and checking results afterward in the early Campaign. Specific steps for representative missions are in collapsed solutions.
Edition: Normal PC Steam base game, app 602960, without mods. Covers the opening Campaign and basic/job tutorials. Uses the standard Dugong, approximately Normal difficulty and Jovian Radiation off. Distinguishes solo AI from co-op; individual talents, Workshop submarines, the late game and special modes are treated separately.
Verification scope: Public sources compared on 2026-10-04. The latest base-game patch confirmed through official Steam was v1.13.4.0, dated 2026-06-18. Home & Harbor is an upcoming, unreleased expansion. The game has not been launched; the current Japanese UI and reproduction of all wiring have not been checked.
Sources checked: 2026-10-04
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Distinguish Campaign from standalone Mission mode first
This covers the opening Campaign in the normal base game with a standard Dugong, approximately Normal difficulty and Jovian Radiation off. In solo, enabling Tutorial introduces the outpost and first voyage.
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| Check | What to inspect in Campaign | If different from this guide's assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Play format | Solo AI or co-op | Do not require the solo Campaign Tutorial in the same form in co-op |
| Departure and destination | Route, depth warnings and destination type | Natural locations have no Outpost for resupply |
| Selectable mission count | Max missions per round and mission entries | Normal defaults to two. Follow settings and talent differences |
| Submarine and inventory | Dugong equipment and crew | Do not copy the whole supply routine from another submarine with crafting devices |
| Checked scope | Acceptance, selection, objective completion and ending the route | The ending, every faction and every mission solution are excluded |
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This is not the fastest money-making route. It is a check order for inspecting submarine condition and supplies without taking on too many missions.
After speaking at the outpost, check the missions on your route
- Speak to the NPC offering missions and read the objective, destination, reward and danger. During Tutorial, prioritize the person indicated on screen
- Finish shopping, necessary repairs and crew preparation. If your submarine lacks crafting equipment, craft or buy supplies at the outpost
- Open the departure map and choose a destination. Undock at the Navigation Terminal can also open the map
- Select this round's missions in the displayed list and check the marks beside their names. Do not assume accepting a job selects every mission
- Confirm destination, selected missions and crew aboard before starting. Coordinate departure with the host or authorized player in co-op
- After starting, recheck active missions and equipment. If supplies were delivered, distribute them from shared containers to the relevant devices
If a planned mission is missing, review destination and checkmarks before departure. There is no fixed guarantee that returning to an outpost gives identical jobs.
Separate progress during a route from its final results
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| Stage | Requirement to check | Action | Success check | Exception |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accept | An NPC has a job | Read and accept it | The mission appears on a map route | NPC differs by Tutorial, outpost and faction |
| Resupply | Submarine shortages identified | Use shops, outpost facilities and shared containers | Check actual items and contents | Ordering and receiving are separate. Read delivery timing |
| Depart | Destination and missions selected | Check them, then start | Active missions appear | Mission limits vary with settings |
| Approach | Site safety and a return route | Stop or hold the submarine and approach the target | Share position and assignments | Autopilot does not guarantee an accident-free trip |
| Complete objective | Target matches the mission text | Check specified item, quantity and state | Mission entry or notification updates | Specific conditions are in the collapsed solutions below |
| Return aboard | People and target items outside | Return with gear and recovered objects | Check crew count and target objects aboard | Also check AI movement after switching characters |
| End route | Destination dock or exit | Use the ending action at the arrival point | Check missions and rewards on the round results screen | Uninhabited locations have no shop for resupply |
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"Arrived nearby," "found the target" and "completed the mission" are separate states. Use missing results to plan repairs and resupply before departure.
Plan as far as the next resupply point for the job you accepted
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| Supply | Check location | Assignment and distinction | If short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reactor fuel | Contents in use and spares | Reactor operator checks before departure | Acquire at the outpost; do not assume onboard Dugong crafting |
| Welding equipment | Welding Tool and Welding Fuel Tank | Separate onboard-maintenance stock from supplies taken outside | Return spares to shared containers |
| Oxygen | Tanks inside each item of gear and spares | Account for breathing and cutting consumption separately | Fill at compatible refilling devices |
| Electrical and mechanical repairs | Screwdriver and Wrench | Carry the appropriate tool for devices that may break | Use outpost facilities and retain supplies for the return |
| Work outside | Suitable suit, lighting and necessary tools | Assign someone to check depth and oxygen | Do not go outside if requirements are unmet |
| Ammunition | Each turret's Loader and ammunition-box contents | Turret operator checks actual compatibility | Do not buy only ammunition for the wrong turret |
| Medical supplies | Treatment lead and storage location | Prepare for treatment on recovery or after returning aboard too | Report shortages and injuries before departure |
| Budget | Total supply and repair costs | Do not spend the entire mission reward in advance | Read current shop and Shipyard displays |
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Fixed advice such as "10 oxygen tanks are enough" is not used. Consumption varies with equipment, difficulty, route and detours; there is no universal required quantity.
Answer 6 (spoilers)
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Deliver a Normal Cargo Mission All the Way
Specific Cargo solutions follow. Hazardous cargo and special missions may have different conditions. Examples include Arms Delivery and similar jobs to deliver assigned cargo to the next outpost.
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| Stage | Requirement and landmark | Action | Completion check | Action that can cause failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select | Destination and Cargo job | Check the mission on the route list | Mission appears after the voyage starts | Leaving after only hearing about it |
| Inspect cargo | Mission crates aboard | Locate and count them, keeping them separate from other supplies | Required cargo is aboard | Mixing contents into ordinary personal supplies |
| Transport | Route to the destination | Respond to damage and flooding while retaining cargo | Cargo has not been lost | Selling, deconstructing, consuming or abandoning it |
| Deliver | Arrive at the specified destination | Dock and end the round | Successful Cargo result and reward | Ending at another destination |
| Hazardous items | Handling specified by the mission text | Read the hazards separately from normal Cargo | Maintain the job's conditions | Ignoring flammability or water reactions |
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Rewards, cargo quantities and the consequences of loss differ by mission. This guide guarantees neither fixed rewards nor partial completion. Normal transport is not treated as a route without combat or failures.
Answer 7 (spoilers)
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Mining Missions: Return Specified Minerals Aboard Unprocessed
Specific Mining solutions follow. Distinguish merely seeing ore from holding mission samples. Prioritize the mineral names and quantities displayed in the job text.
- Read the requested mineral, quantity, delivery conditions and destination. Prepare oxygen for the Plasma Cutter separately from spare suit oxygen
- Hold the submarine near the target and assign defense and repairs to AI or allies aboard. Check the return airlock and submarine location
- Wear the suit, approach the site and use the Plasma Cutter on the required mineral. Pick up detached items and check inventory names and quantities
- Return the required quantity to the submarine. Do not place ore in a Deconstructor or process it into another product before completion
- Recheck the mission display and retain the target items while heading to the specified destination. Do not move mission goods into ordinary stock before reading round results
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| Problem | What to inspect | Task to return to |
|---|---|---|
| Count does not rise after mining | Requested mineral name and inventory | Pick it up if you only detached it. Do not count another mineral |
| Cannot cut | Plasma Cutter tank | Insert oxygen with contents remaining, not welding fuel |
| Requested quantity differs from the guide | Current mission text | Prioritize the screen for difficulty or variant differences |
| Failed after returning | Was the mineral processed or consumed? | Compare unprocessed target objects with mission conditions |
| Return is more dangerous than the outward trip | Supplies remaining and submarine position | Stop extra mining and return first |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
The public Wiki's Mining Pyromorphite example lists eight required samples. Read delivery conditions in the job text; eight is not the requirement for every mining mission. Searching along the main route also differs from searching inside caves.
Answer 8 (spoilers)
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Beacon Stations: Power the Transmitter and Confirm Active Transmission
Specific Activate Beacon solutions follow. Rooms and wiring differ between beacons, so this is not a universal instruction to connect every facility with the same wire color.
- Before approaching, prepare a suit, oxygen, fueled welder, Wrench, Screwdriver, necessary wires and a fuel rod that is not empty
- Assign position holding and crew remaining aboard, then identify the entrance. Account for enemies and the return route; do not all leave the uncrewed submarine together
- First check holes and flooding to make the site workable, then repair walls and drain water as needed. Inspect closed doors rather than cutting unrelated walls
- Check condition and connections on the reactor, intervening junction boxes and Sonar Monitor. If disconnected, read the original devices' inputs and outputs and restore only the needed path
- Insert a fuel rod with contents remaining and check Power and Automatic Control. Once power reaches downstream, select Active on the Sonar Monitor
- Check the mission update and transmitting state, then return aboard. Stay alert after the notice, leave devices running and confirm results at the next destination
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| Symptom blocking progress | Inspection point | Next action | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reactor will not operate | Fuel rod, Power and condition | Check fuel and electrical repairs | Reactor generation display |
| Reactor runs but transmitter is dark | Junction boxes and power route | Restore intervening damage or disconnected wires | Transmitter controls work |
| Transmitter is visible but objective remains incomplete | Active／Passive | Switch to Active | Mission notification and transmission display |
| Water rises while working | Holes, open doors and drainage | Limit inflow first to restore the working environment | Water level stabilizes |
| Attacked on the way back | Oxygen, return route and submarine position | Stop risky exploration and prioritize returning aboard | Have crew returned inside? |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Older guides say devices keep taking water damage after activation, while the current Wiki describes protection after activation. This guide does not advise leaving faults unattended on the assumption of protection; confirm the operating display. Additional enemy types, counts and rewards are not fixed.
Screens to Return to When a Mission Stalls
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| Symptom blocking progress | Objective or state to check | Device or person to return to | Mode differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job missing from list | Have you selected a different route? | Map and mission NPC | Follow the indicated person during Tutorial |
| Cannot add a mission | Selection count and Max missions per round | Departure map and settings | Do not treat the configured limit as universal across saves |
| Mission after departure differs from expected | Mission name and checkmark | Review the selection before departure | In standalone Mission, check the mode selected at the start |
| Purchased items are not in hand | Immediate receipt or submarine delivery? | Shop and submarine storage | Also check price, stock and permissions |
| Cannot go to the work site | Equipment, tools and crew guarding the submarine | Shared containers, suit lockers and crew panel | Do not automatically assume AI pathfinding succeeds |
| Stuck at the objective location | Target in the mission text and incomplete display | Local devices and target items | Check specific requirements in the collapsed solutions |
| Arrived but cannot resupply | Does this location have an Outpost? | Campaign map | Natural locations have no normal shops |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Noting the mission name, incomplete display and current location makes it easier to distinguish missing equipment from a selection mistake.
Frequently asked questions
Does accepting an outpost job start it automatically?
Choose the destination on the departure map and check the mission entries for that route. Inspect acceptance and this voyage's selection separately.
Should I select the maximum number of missions immediately?
You do not need to fill every slot. This guide suggests selecting only what your outside-work equipment, supplies and remaining guards can support. The limit itself varies with Campaign settings.
Where do I check specific mission-completion requirements?
First read the in-game mission text and incomplete display. Collapsed solutions here break representative jobs into steps. Target names and solutions are not included in this FAQ.
I arrived but there is no shop
Campaign includes locations without an Outpost. Check the location type on the map and prepare fuel, oxygen and ammunition at the previous outpost to last until the next inhabited one.
The Dugong has no crafting devices
The standard Dugong has no Fabricator, Medical Fabricator or Deconstructor. Prepare using outpost facilities and shops. You do not need to keep searching the submarine for those devices.