Running Military Tunnels in Rust is one of the best ways to farm high-tier loot early in a wipe. The Military Tunnels monument combines PvE combat, a small puzzle, and access to military crates and elite crates inside the underground complex.
To complete the run:
Bring a green card, fuse, and basic meds
Clear the scientists inside the main entrance
Activate the fuse box and press the timer switch
Open the green door leading deeper into the main tunnel
Inside the tunnels you’ll find several military crates, plus a locked elite crate room near the armory area. With good aim and positioning, this monument offers pretty good loot with manageable risk.
What You Need To Bring To Military Tunnels
The majority of the Military Tunnel monument is underground, which means low visibility, tight corridors, and dangerous radiation pockets. Proper preparation is the most important step before attempting a run.
Players should arrive fully equipped with combat gear, healing supplies, and the puzzle items required to progress deeper into the tunnel system.
A typical loadout includes:
A green, blue, and red keycard for the swipe points
2 electrical fuses to activate the monument system
A weapon with plenty of ammunition to shoot scientists
Bandages or syringes to heal damage
Extra food for health regeneration
Armor with at least 25+ radiation protection
Enough inventory storage for loot
Unlike simpler monuments in the game, Military Tunnels contain heavily armed scientists who attack on sight, use cover, and work together. Without the right gear, most players won’t make it far.
Entering Military Tunnels
Military Tunnels can be found on the map of nearly every server, usually positioned on the main island.
The monument spans a large area with multiple entry and exit points, though most players start at the main building entrance. Several exterior paths connect to underground routes, including the mine, silo, and laboratory sections.
While navigating the outside area, players should be cautious. Many players camp on the perimeter waiting for someone else to kill the scientists and collect the loot.
Look for scattered barrels and crates outside the building, which can provide early scrap and components before entering the tunnels.
The Main Entrance
The main entrance is the most obvious entry point to the monument.
A large concrete ramp leads down toward two rusted doors at the front of the building. These doors are unlocked and allow immediate access to the underground hall system.
Before reaching the doors, watch the overhead walkway carefully. A patrolling scientist is usually visible above the ramp and will immediately shoot players upon line of sight.
Taking this scientist down quickly is important. If he survives too long, additional scientists deeper in the tunnel may hear the fight and move toward your position.
Once inside, the lighting becomes darker and the tunnels narrow. You’ll see sandbags, a hanging sign, and branching corridors leading deeper into the complex. Directly to the right, you'll find the Armory where the first keycard puzzle is located.
The Mine
One of the external exit routes from Military Tunnels connects to a mine entrance outside the monument.
This tunnel contains railway tracks, mining equipment, and several resource nodes. Players can often find stone, metal, or sulfur deposits along the path.
The mine is relatively well-lit compared to the rest of the monument, but the deeper hall areas still have poor visibility.
Loot opportunities include:
Barrels
Military crates
Component boxes
Resource nodes
At the end of the mine tunnel is a locked door inside the complex that leads to the Shelter 4 Storage section. This door requires the puzzle to be active and a fuse to be inserted already before the green card swipe will work.
Because this path is technically an exit, entering through the mine is usually opposed by radiation and locked doors.
The Silo
The silo is another major section of the Military Tunnel system and serves as a vertical middle area connecting different tunnel routes.
Outside, the silo is hidden behind a tall concrete wall. Inside, players will find a large cylindrical chamber with a spiral staircase and metal platforms.
Two scientists typically patrol this area and will open fire the moment they gain sight of a player.
Be careful when climbing the stairs or ladder, as enemies below can still see and shoot upward.
At the bottom level is a locked door inside the complex that can only be opened from within the tunnels. A red button beside the door opens it for about five seconds, creating a quick escape point if things go wrong.
How To Solve The Military Tunnels Puzzle In Rust
Solving the puzzle inside Military Tunnels unlocks deeper sections of the laboratory and provides access to elite loot.
The process requires a fuse, keycards, and careful navigating through multiple scientist-controlled areas.
Step 1: Clear The Entrance
After entering the main building, move past the sandbags and follow the corridor marked by a hanging sign pointing toward the Armory.
You may encounter multiple scientists in this hall, so use corners and sandbags as cover while you shoot and kill them.
Step 2: Activate The Fuse System
Inside the armory room you’ll find the monument power system.
Insert a fuse into the fuse box and flip the timer switch. Once active, the system powers the green keycard door inside the tunnels.
The timer lasts roughly two minutes before restarting becomes necessary.
Step 3: Reach The Green Card Door
Leave the armory and move deeper into the tunnels following the sign pointing toward Storage Laboratory.
Eventually you’ll reach a raised metal platform surrounded by sheet metal panels.
Behind a crate on the platform is the green card reader. If the light is visible, pull out your keycard and swipe it to open the door.
Inside this area is the Shelter 4 Storage section.
Step 4: Activate The Laboratory Switch
Inside the storage hall, locate a switch labeled Laboratory.
Flip the switch to activate the next puzzle stage. This powers the blue keycard door deeper in the system for several minutes.
Be quick when navigating toward the next puzzle section, you'll only have about 4 and a half minutes to activate the next keycard.
Step 6: Swipe The Blue Keycard
Further down the corridor you'll see another door inside with a blue card reader and a sign reading Laboratory.
If the reader light is visible, swipe the blue keycard to open the door.
Immediately inside is another scientist guarding the corridor.
Step 7: Open The Red Keycard Room
In the next hall, activate the timer under the red card reader and quickly swipe the red keycard.
The door opens for only a short moment, so move fast.
Inside this room players will face multiple scientists protecting the final loot storage area.
Step 8: Loot The Laboratory
After clearing the enemies, players can access the middle laboratory room filled with military crates and elite crates.
This room is the final reward for completing the full Military Tunnel puzzle.
Grab the loot quickly and prepare for a fast exit, as other players may have heard the gunfire.
Exiting Military Tunnels
Once you've collected your loot, it’s time to leave the monument.
Players have two main options:
Climb the spiral staircase inside the silo to reach the surface
Take the underground mine path and escape through the cave exit
Both routes can be dangerous if hostile players are nearby, so stay alert and maintain a safe distance from open areas where ambushes are common.
Once outside, head back to your base and deposit the loot before another group kills you on the way home.