Just when players thought This War of Mine couldn't get any more desperate or stressful, the game starts reminding players that sitting still in a warzone is also a death sentence. Human bodies can be very needy, and that well-fortified shelter might as well be a grave without supplies. So there's no choice but to dance with the devil and scavenge in the middle of a siege.
But not all is hopelessly dangerous in This War of Mine. Players need not risk Marko or Pavle's life too much by scrounging for scraps in low-reward, high-risk locations. Some in-game locations are a lot more generous than others that might as well be a buffet in the middle of a war. Consider these hotspots in Pogoren during supply runs.
8 Brothel
Minimum equipment needed:
- Sawblade - 2
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 2
The Brothel is a godsend later in the game because it only becomes available once conditions start becoming harsh for the survivors. There's danger in the place as it's run by thugs (four of them, five if players count the thug-trader) so killing them has no depression penalty.
Moreover, most of the thugs can be offed easily with backstabbing attacks. Players would want to risk sending their toughest and meanest survivor to this place (preferably with a gun) because it's overflowing with everything. Moreover, players can rescue the sex slaves to give their characters a morale boost which is always great for depressed survivors.
7 City Hospital
Minimum equipment needed:
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 3
- Shovel - 2
There are plenty of guards in this place, so it's best to come here with no intent to fight, but rather only to steal. Obviously, don't get caught as getting out alive after such a blunder is too risky. The guards usually won't become violent until they catch the players doing something bad.
In terms of supplies, the City Hospital is one of the best places to get medicine as well as crafting parts. It's a last-ditch spot for an epidemic in the shelter where everyone needs proper healthcare. There's also plenty of canned food and other loot in the place.
6 Supermarket
Minimum equipment needed:
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 2
- Shovel - 1
Sure enough, the Supermarket is a highly-coveted place in This War of Mine as there's no shortage of food in this area. It's also not just food— there are weapons and ammunition for the taking in the Supermarket, meaning it's well worth the risk.
Oh, it's risky, alright. Some soldiers called dibs in this place and upon entering the area for the first time, there's a chance encounter where a soldier is out to violate a random civilian woman. Players can intervene if they have weapons and this will boost morale.
5 Airport
Minimum equipment needed:
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 1
- Shovel - 3
The Airport is also similar to the Supermarket but with more focus on materials and parts instead of weapons. It's also a guarded place, but there are only two soldiers patrolling the area and both of them can be killed easily without any noise or firearm.
The best part is that killing these two soldiers won't incur a depression penalty. There is, however, one civilian in the area but they thankfully do not interfere with the player's scavenging and can be safely ignored. Overall, it's a good area for repair and upgrade materials as well as food.
4 Abandoned Cottage
Minimum equipment needed:
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 2
- Shovel - 1
For a location that's relatively stress-free and comes with no enemies (usually), then the Abandoned Cottage is a good spot. There's no danger in this place and the only thing players have to worry about coming here is running out of time. There's one nasty rubble pile that takes a while to dig out.
Beyond that, a couple of lockpicks or crowbars ought to do the trick. Any survivor who brings those three pieces of equipment will have the place all to themselves with a healthy serving of food, medicine, and other essentials.
3 Hotel (Trader/Scavenger/Bandit)
Minimum equipment needed:
- Sawblade - 2
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 6
- Shovel - 4
The equipment needed for the Hotel varies depending on its current state, but the Scavenger variant demands the equipment above and also yields the best rewards. The Scavenger scenario also has the least amount of threat while the Trader and Bandit variants have guards and enemies respectively.
In any case, players should aim for the Scavenger scenario for a balanced ratio of loot and a generous number of weapons and ammunition. In the Scavenger scenario, there is also a deranged civilian armed with a shotgun but he's generally harmless unless provoked.
2 Garage
Minimum equipment needed:
- Sawblade - 1
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 1
The Garage is the first scavenging location where players' moral codes are tested. There's no danger here. The only inhabitants are a father and his son who used to run an honest and respected automotive repair business. They're just unfortunate enough to be sitting on a pile of supplies during a war.
Players will have to be careful here. While there's not much consequence for getting spotted as the father and son don't fight back too much, most characters will take a depression penalty. After all, they robbed some genuinely harmless and sincere people. Roman doesn't seem to mind stealing from them, so it's best to let him do the dirty work. All is fair in love and war.
1 Military Outpost
Minimum equipment needed:
- Sawblade - 3
- Crowbar/Lockpick - 4
Don't be fooled by the required basic equipment, a gun is highly recommended going in here. It's one of the most armed and dangerous locations in the game. It has around seven soldiers all brandishing assault rifles and will shoot if players step closer after being warned.
So why go to this place? Because successful looting (or conquest) of the Military Outpost will make the rest of the game a breeze. There's no shortage of powerful weapons here. Moreover, it's brimming with supplies and ammunition. After taking advantage of this place, the player's survivor group easily becomes the top faction in Pogoren with all their firepower. They probably could have ended the war themselves.