Escape From Tarkov: 16 Pro Tips For The Reserve Map (2024)

Reserve is an awesome map, but it can be hectic, especially late in a wipe. Similar to the Interchange map, Reserve has one main POI at the center of the map with spawn points around it. The map is on the smaller side and is more PVP-intensive than most of the other locations in Tarkov.

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The design of the areas on the map allows players to have success with alternative gameplay styles. Because the extraction points do not draw players to the opposite end of the map, being conservative is a valid way to play Reserve. Aggressive players will be able to get their fill of PVP as well, particularly in the early game. This list will provide players with a few advanced Reserve Tarkov tips for people of all skill levels.

Updated on November 26, 2021, by Payton Lott: This updated list will explain a few more important details about the Reserve Map in Tarkov. The Reserve map has a few keycard locations and loot spots that gamers will want to check out while they are trying to survive the raid.

Players can follow the strategies at the bottom of this list to get the proper keycards, secure the loot, and extract those valuable items. While getting the keycards is not essential, it will help players maximize their efficiency during raids on Tarkov's Reserve map.

16 Spawn Strategy

Almost every single spawn point on reserve is near the edge of the map. Most of the time, gamers will want to move toward the center of the map immediately and find a safe location to scan the area.

The only spawn points that are relatively safe are near the Cliff Descent. Usually, only one PMC will spawn there, and there is a decent amount of loot in that area. Camping near spawn at any other location will often result in a flank or a grenade barrage from another PMC.

15 Early VS Late Wipe

The amount of time that has passed since the last wipe will have a considerable impact on strategy. Even though it is a notorious PVP map, most PMCs will play a lot slower at the start of the wipe. During this time, players should be more concerned with looting and extracting than PVP. This is because the majority of the lobby will be trying to do the same. Successful extractions are important early in the wipe to get off to a quick start.

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At the end of the wipe, gamers will want to keep their heads on a swivel as they approach the chess piece buildings. It is not uncommon to cross paths with an opposing player while en route to the center of the map.

14 Extracting On The Cliff

Spawn PVP is inevitable on the smaller Reserve map. Gamers that get into fights in the first few minutes and win will want to secure their loot as soon as possible. Anyone who has a starting point in the west or northwest has the Cliff extraction just a few hundred meters away.

There may be one PMC close to the descent, but the extraction is one of the safer points in the game. After extracting, survivors can make their way back down the hill to fight more PMCs or Scavs.

13 Where To PVP

The Reserve map is small, and the layout of the buildings makes it feel even smaller. It is hard to pin down a specific location because of how many hot zones there are on the map. The main areas of focus will be the Chess piece buildings at the center of the map and the Train Station on the bottom right of the map.

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Reserve is great for PVP because not every player will travel to one zone. Instead, gamers will get the opportunity to fight multiple enemies in several different spots on the map.

12 Know The Underground Expansion

A few months ago, Reserve received an expansion. There is now a series of underground tunnels that connect the Pawn and Bishop buildings on Reserve. The underground tunnel system is confusing, and all players should take some time to learn the intricacies of these areas.

The tunnels provide opportunities to retreat, flank, and kill Raiders. There is also a fair amount of loot underground, so survivors should keep an eye out for valuable items.

11 Best Builds

Reserve is one of the few maps in Tarkov that supports essentially every playstyle. PMCs can get aggressive and run an SMG as a primary, or sit back and let the action come to them. Guns like the MP7 are great for taking on enemies in the buildings or in the underground tunnels. Likewise, any of the meta assault rifles or semi-auto rifles will be sufficient out in the open.

Reserve is a smaller map, but there are some long sightlines. One of the best vantage points to snipe from is the area by extraction called the dome.

10 Snipe From The Dome

From the cliffs, nearly the entire map is visible. This area is a sniper's paradise on Reserve. On a clear day, it is even possible to see the Train Station on the opposite end of the map.

Because there are a couple of spawns near the zone as well as an extraction point, the Dome can be a small PVP zone as well. It is a sound strategic move to clear the area before finding a good cover location and sniping. Other people know about the spot too, so scanning below for enemy snipers is important as well.

9 Check Angles

Due to the constant threat of PVP and raiders, knowing and checking sightlines is key on the Reserve Tarkov map. Every player will have to move from their spawn point to the extraction on the cliff, and there are a number of places where PMCs can hide along the way.

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Aside from the dome area, which is a popular sightline, gamers will want to learn all of the chess buildings and peek spots between them. Remember that every single spawn point converges on the path to extraction. This can sometimes give those on the north side of the map a huge advantage, but by knowing the map and staying aware, gamers will be able to reach the dome.

8 Where To Loot

All of the Chess buildings have worthwhile loot hiding within. The King/Queen building has a lot of military technology loot, while Knight buildings have random loot items that vary from raid to raid. The Train Station is another great location to search for valuable items.

Any of these marked locations will be contested for the majority of a raid. Essentially, any marked building will have enough loot to be worth the risk and effort involved.

7 Duo Strategy

When playing with a squadmate, communication will be important. Many of the buildings on Reserve have a counterpart, and learning each building's name can be confusing. With a little practice, players of all skill levels will be able to identify where an enemy is located and relay the information to a teammate.

The close-quarter gunfights in buildings provide plenty of opportunities to push, pinch, and flank too. With the underground tunnels connecting many of the buildings, squads can make their way below any PMCs that are hunkered down.

6 Watch Out For Scav Boss Glukhar

Glukhar is the Scav boss gamers will want to look out for on Reserve. He spawns in locations throughout the map, but will primarily spawn near the Chess buildings, particularly either of the Pawn buildings or the Knight buildings.

Glukhar can spawn near the Railyard as well. He has a group of guards that accompany him, and each has pinpoint aim. Players should watch out for him as they move through the map.

5 Taking Down Glukhar

The boss and his guards will drop a lot of valuable loot if PMCs are able to kill him. However, the fight can be frustrating if Raiders and opposing PMCs show up to third-party. Glukhar is not as much of a tank as some of the other bosses, but his guards make landing shots difficult.

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Playing in a duo or squad will make the chaos easier to deal with. It is often a sound tactical move to target the guards first, and then focus attention on Glukhar. With good weapons and hopefully a few teammates, killing the boss should be straightforward.

4 Have Long-Lasting Painkillers

Like Shoreline, Reserve is a map that people will need painkillers to survive on. The spawn dynamics and size of the map mean that PMCs will receive a fair amount of damage every raid.

Gamers will want to come equipped with Propital and Ibuprofen to stave off pain and confusion for several minutes.

While these meds are not cheap, players will be glad they invested some of their Roubles when they play Reserve. In many ways, having enough painkillers is more important than using a meta weapon.

3 How To Spawn Raiders In Reserve

Raider loot is notoriously fruitful if players can locate them and defeat them. They spawn randomly, but will usually be near a couple of main POIs listed below.

One proven way to get raiders to spawn on Reserve is to press the alarm button in the hut to the right of the white pawn building. They also commonly appear near the black pawn building as well as near the knight buildings. If the armored train arrives, there will almost always be a couple of Raiders in the Train Station.

• Press the button in the hut to the east of the white pawn building (train station spawn)
• Random spawn by the black pawn building
• Random spawn between the knight buildings
• Probable to spawn if the armored train arrives

2 Map Awareness & Callouts

In duos and squads, learning the layout of the map and creating callouts for the various areas is extremely helpful. On Reserve, there are two different Pawn, Bishop, and Knight buildings. Knowing which building is being called out will help players identify enemy locations and rotations.

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Because of how congested the center of the map is, gamers will want to be able to identify the direction of every threat, and understanding callouts is essential to this.

1 Reserve Key And Loot Tips

There are way too many keys on the Reserve Map in Tarkov to cover in this list. In fact, such a guide would probably be the length of a novel. Instead, this section will focus on some of the more notable keys on the map. Even with the right key, there is no guarantee that people will strike it big in a locked room. Still, opening key rooms is a low-risk, high reward play. See below for the best keys and what rooms they open.

• RB-AO and RB-VO (fully modded AK): Two buildings below the train station in the bottom right corner of the map. The fully modded AK is in RB-VO, but both keys should be picked up since the buildings are next to each other.
• RB-PS Keys (rations and utility items): Each opens a particular gate in the bunkers on the bottom of the map. These are the gate-locked areas. Loot is in the crates and on top of the shelves.
• RB-ST (Mission Key): Garage above the right Knight building. Look in the garage itself and the offices. There is some loot here, but the keys should be acquired for the mission.
• RB-SMP (good loot and missions): Unlocks several rooms in the Black Queen building. Loot varies but can be valuable. A number of top-tier weapons spawn throughout.
• RB-BK and RB-TB (fully modded weapons and attachments): Access to the locked rooms in the Black Pawn building. This is one of the best places to land a fully modded weapon.
• RB-AM (top tier loot): Use to open rooms in the Black Bishop Building. Another great place to get usable items.
• RB-KPRL and RB-RLSSA (military equipment): These keys open the Dome rooms and rooms in the other two buildings.

Each of these keys provides the most bang for buck on Reserve. There are no 100% spawns in Tarkov, but gamers will make the most profit if they acquire the keys listed above.

Escape From Tarkov was released for closed beta on July 27, 2017, and is available on PC.

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