Stalker 2 walkthrough: How to complete the Three Captains side mission

The many missions in Stalker 2 all take place across various parts of the Zone, a fictional area inspired by the real-life Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine. While not every interaction the protagonist Skif has with the characters around the Zone is bound to end in a fruitful manner, some missions let him choose sides or loyalties. One such mission is The Three Captains, which takes place in Zaton where you are tasked to take down two faction leaders.

However, you can choose whom you want to side with as well as gain one of game's the best assault rifles while doing the mission. Below is a guide on completing this mission.

---

Completing the Three Captains side mission in Stalker 2

Head to Zaton and reach the Sultansk base. Go inside the base, and Sonya Kalyna will offer a mission at the bar. Speak with her and accept the mission, where she asks you to eliminate Sultan and Beard. They are in a building nearby, so head over to the area.

Sonya asking you to kill the two leaders (Image via GSC Game World)

The mission will now update the objective to optionally have you take the sniper's spot to make killing them easier. At this point, you have two options, both of which are outlined below. Choosing any path is a viable way to end the mission, but note that you should start completing the objectives of the second option only once the optional objective marker shows up as the mission can possibly bug out.

You can acquire one of the game's best guns in this mission (Image via GSC Game World)

Complete this optional task, as you can obtain one of the best weapons in the game — Clusterf*ck. The steps to acquire it are laid down in the first approach.

---

1) Killing Sultan and Beard

Complete the optional objective by heading to a nearby crane tower, where a sniper's nest has been set up. Its location will also be marked on the map. Climb up via the ladder, disable the trip wire at the entry, and take down the hostile soldier. Obtain the Clusterf*ck here, which is resting against a window.

Going in guns blazing will be met with heavy resistance (Image via GSC Game World)

Now, you can use the sniper to take out Beard and Sultan via the opening thanks to the large broken wall in the building they are in. You can also choose to go in guns blazing, but beware that soldiers will be ready to take you down. Once both have been killed, return to Sonya, who will thank you and send 4,319 coupons to Skif's PDA.

---

2) Betraying Sonya and siding with Sultan and Beard (Unlocks achievement "The good ol' days")

Alternatively, found in the previously mentioned sniper's nest is a radio you can listen to. Once done, it will be revealed that neither Sultan nor Beard had any interest in fighting one another, and Sonya was setting them up.

Changing the radio frequency can help unlock this alternative objective (Image via GSC Game World)

The mission objective will update to optionally siding with the two, and Sonya's soldiers will now show up so take them down. Once they've been defeated, head to the warehouse to meet with Sultan and Beard. They will be extremely grateful, and will send 5,398 coupons Skif's way.

Sultan and Beard are very grateful to Skif (Image via GSC Game World)

Additionally, in their own words, Sonya will be "taken care of," which can be seen by heading over to Sultansk after choosing this route, where a new person will tend to the bar and Sonya is nowhere to be seen. Going down this path helps unlock the achievement titled "The good ol' days."

---

Read more Stalker 2 articles below:

• Stalker 2 walkthrough: How to complete On the Edge side mission
• Stalker 2 walkthrough: How to complete Taking Back What's Mine side mission
• Stalker 2 walkthrough: How to complete Black Sheep side mission
• Choosing Nimble's fate in Stalker 2