I wasted a few raids on this myself because Buried City doesn't make Old Town obvious at all. If you're trying to finish damage trials or just want a cleaner route through the area, the trick is knowing the border before you start chasing fights. I usually set my run up around the bridge by Grandioso Apartments, then move across with ARC Raiders Items in mind so I'm not stuck scrambling later. Once you cross south over that bridge, you're in the right district. That one landmark saves a ton of time, and it's way more reliable than trying to guess from the map.

How to tell you're actually in Old Town

The area looks different pretty fast, and that helps more than people think. West Village still has bits of structure and space to move, but Old Town feels broken up. Sand pushes into the streets, buildings look half-collapsed, and sightlines get messy in a hurry. If you're unsure, watch the left side of the screen when you cross over. The zone name pops up for a second, and that's your confirmation. Don't start dumping ammo into the first machine you see until that appears. Plenty of players do that, then realise too late the damage didn't count.

Best targets if you're doing trial damage

If your goal is raw damage, Bombardiers are the best value by a mile. They're sturdy, they hang around long enough to let you stack hits, and they tend to turn a quiet corner into a full fight. That's useful if you came in for progress, not loot. Spotters are worth shooting too, even though they fold fast. People skip them because they don't feel worth the bullets, but trial damage is trial damage. If a Bombardier drags extra ARC into the fight, even better. Just don't tunnel vision on one target and let the smaller units circle behind you. Old Town punishes that mistake fast.

Moving through the district without getting trapped

The biggest problem in Old Town isn't finding enemies. It's getting boxed in. The rubble, tight lanes, and awkward angles make retreats feel clumsy, especially once shots start echoing and more ARC join in. I try not to stand still for long here. Fire, shift position, check rooftops, then move again. If you hear the fight getting louder than you planned, back off before it turns into a mess. You'll usually get another chance a street over. There's no point winning one fight if it burns all your meds and leaves you limping toward extract.

When to leave and how to make it out

This is the part people ignore until it costs them. Old Town can snowball from manageable to awful in seconds, so keep one escape in mind before you even start shooting. If you've got a Raider Hatch Key, bring it. The hatch near the western side of the district is one of those exits that bails you out when the timer's low or another squad is nearby. I've had runs where that was the only reason I got out with anything decent. If you're heading in geared and want to buy ARC Raiders gear for smoother farming later, treat extraction as part of the route, not something you figure out after the shooting starts.