Quest Overview and Prerequisites
A First Foothold is a multi-objective quest in Arc Raiders that sends you across the Blue Gate map to complete various repairs and maintenance tasks. Apollo (also called Lance in Speranza) gives you this quest as part of making the Blue Gate area safer for Raiders.
- Complete 18 raids on any map to unlock Blue Gate
- Blue Gate is the final map available at launch
Blue Gate is easily the hardest environment you'll face in Arc Raiders right now. The map is massive and mountainous, crawling with ARC robots, and full of players running high-tier gear. Navigation alone can be tricky thanks to the terrain.
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Planning Your Approach
Can You Do It in One Run?
Yes, you can complete all four objectives in a single raid. Whether you actually pull it off depends on where you spawn and how much time you have left in the match. If you'd rather not rush it, you can tackle the objectives across multiple raids without losing progress.
Route Planning
There's no required order for these objectives. Start with whichever location is closest to your spawn and plan your route from there. The four objectives sit in different corners of the map, so you'll be doing a lot of traveling either way.
Objective 1: Rotate Satellite Dishes at Data Vault
Finding the Location
Data Vault sits on the northern part of Blue Gate, roughly between Pilgrim's Peak and the Village. You're looking for a small, destroyed church in the mountains just northwest of Data Vault itself. The building is tall with satellite dishes on top, so it stands out once you get close.
Getting There
Zoom in on your map during the inspection phase to spot Data Vault. Once you're in the raid, drop a waypoint on the church location to make navigation easier. When you arrive, you'll see the church has two roof levels: the main roof and a smaller section at the very top. You need the main roof.
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Reaching the Roof
Look for boxes and scaffolding at the front of the church. Jump onto the crates first, then use them to climb onto the scaffolding. The scaffolding leads you up to the main roof level. Don't go all the way to the small upper section.
Finishing This Objective
Once you're on the main roof, you'll see an interaction prompt. The satellite dishes sit on your left. Interact with them to rotate them and complete this part of the quest.
Objective 2: Stabilize Observation Deck at Ridgeline
Finding the Location
Ridgeline is on the eastern side of Blue Gate. The observation deck sits right in the center of Ridgeline and shows up as a marked location on your map, making it one of the easier objectives to find. The terrain here is rough and mountainous, so watch your footing as you move around.
Getting There
Head to Ridgeline and look for a big truck blocking the main road. You can't miss it. Go around to the back of the truck and climb the small slopes behind it. As you reach higher ground, you'll spot the observation deck: a simple metal platform with an antenna structure and a yellow flag.
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Finishing This Objective
Walk up to the metal platform. You'll get a prompt to stabilize the deck (sometimes shown as a yellow interaction). The platform has two objects on the floor you can interact with, but you only need to use one. Complete the interaction and you're done with Ridgeline.
Objective 3: Enable Comms Terminal at Olive Grove
Finding the Location
Olive Grove is down on the southern part of Blue Gate. To orient yourself, find Ancient Fort on your map and look northwest of it, just below the Checkpoint area. The comms terminal isn't actually inside Olive Grove itself but sits a bit to the southeast of the grove area.
Getting There
Go to where "Olive Grove" appears on your map, then head a short distance to the southwest (or southeast, sources differ slightly on this). You're looking for a small metal platform on the side of a road.
Spotting the Terminal
The comms terminal is a yellow computer mounted on the platform. It's bright yellow and sits out in the open, so it's much easier to spot than some of the other objectives.
Finishing This Objective
Walk up to the yellow terminal and interact with it to turn it on. That's all you need to do for this location.
Objective 4: Nail Down Roof Plates at Trapper's Glade
Finding the Location
Trapper's Glade is on the western side of Blue Gate, directly below Raider's Refuge. The structure you need is in the forest at the center of Trapper's Glade, sitting a bit south of where the location name appears on the map. One source says it's specifically under the 'S' in the Trapper's Glade text.
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Getting There
Look for a small, ruined building in the forested area. This Raider Structure has a roof you can climb onto. Find the box on the east side of the building and use it to climb up.
Finishing This Objective
Once you're on the roof, you'll see metal roof plates right in front of you. Two traffic cones mark the spot, making it easy to identify. Interact with the plates to nail them down (shown as a yellow prompt), and you're done with Trapper's Glade.
Claiming Your Rewards
After you've completed all four objectives (Data Vault, Ridgeline, Olive Grove, and Trapper's Glade), head back to Lance in Speranza. Good news: you'll get credit for quest completion even if you die during the raid, so your progress isn't wasted if things go sideways.
Tips for Success
Navigation
Blue Gate is huge and full of mountains. Use waypoints constantly to mark your next objective. Getting lost between locations will eat up your time fast.
Timing
If you spawn near one corner of the map and want to finish everything in a single raid, you'll need to move efficiently. The four objectives are spread far apart, and you're racing against the extraction timer.
Solo vs. Group
You can do this solo or with a team. If you're going solo, seriously consider that free loadout strategy. Between hostile players and robot patrols, you're constantly at risk.
Order Flexibility
There's no set order for these objectives. Pick the nearest one to your spawn and build your route based on where players and robots are moving.
Extraction
Once you've finished the objectives, getting to an extraction point safely should be your priority. You need to make it back to Speranza to claim the rewards, but at least the objective progress saves even if you don't extract.
Why This Quest Matters
A First Foothold does more than just hand you some grenades. The repairs and activations you complete actually help make Blue Gate safer for Raiders. More importantly, the quest forces you to visit every corner of the map. You'll learn the layout and key landmarks of the toughest environment in the game right now.
This is part of what sets Arc Raiders apart from typical extraction shooters. Sure, looting and combat are still the main attractions, but the quest system adds structure and narrative progression to each raid. You're not just grabbing loot and running. You've got specific goals that tie into the larger story of reclaiming the Topside.