How do I race into Blackwater without dying? (Horseman 9 challenge)

[Dirt Merchant]

The Horseman 9 challenge is requiring that I race my horse through "red" territory, meaning I will be spotted and shot at. I wanted to scout out a path before trying it in earnest, but as I was galloping my horse towards Blackwater, the game instantly spawned a bunch of bounty hunters close enough for them all to blast me with enough shots all at the same time to take me from full health and a gold core heart to dead in less than a second. Was that just a fluke? If not, is there any way I can run my horse through that hostile territory without instantly dying like that? Should I have had my horse sprinting at maximum speed to survive (I have an Arabian)? Basically, how do I complete the Horseman 9 challenge once I enter "red territory?"

[Bubley]

Originally posted by Dirt Merchant:

The Horseman 9 challenge is requiring that I race my horse through "red" territory, meaning I will be spotted and shot at. I wanted to scout out a path before trying it in earnest, but as I was galloping my horse towards Blackwater, the game instantly spawned a bunch of bounty hunters close enough for them all to blast me with enough shots all at the same time to take me from full health and a gold core heart to dead in less than a second. Was that just a fluke? If not, is there any way I can run my horse through that hostile territory without instantly dying like that? Should I have had my horse sprinting at maximum speed to survive (I have an Arabian)? Basically, how do I complete the Horseman 9 challenge once I enter "red territory?"

The easiest solution is to advance in the story and do this challenge later. The only other way is to use glitches you can find on youtube that will allow you to explore Blackwater.

[MAXE]

I shot the bounty hunters horses with the roleback rifle, that made it to a minimum of how many that was after me

[JuiceWSA]

Iused a,trainer and,turned on "never wanted. Done and,done.

Also,did,all,those other things in new austin the developers didn't want Arthur doing and never,batted an,eye.... Screw em.

Reskinned native trainer with arrow keys. Google it.

[Dirt Merchant]

Okay, I finally managed to complete a "practice run."

I haven't done the actual challenge yet, but what I did was save the game at one end of the "red territory" I have to cross on my way to Blackwater, and then try to dash into Blackwater right through it. After many deaths, I have determined there is no way I'm going to be able to do this without racking up additional bounty and losing honor, or just outright cheating. So I've resigned myself to slowing the horse down to a gallop the moment I see "red dots" on my minimap, pulling out a gun, guzzling dead-eye tonic like it's going out of style, and blasting every bounty hunter in my way the moment they come into view. Then guzzling health tonics like there's no tomorrow.

The first time I finally did it, the bounty was 80 dollars and a morality drop that can be atoned for with a day of all the chores at camp and a donation of some meat and money.

[Dirt Merchant]

Just completed a second practice run. Third time will be "for real" to complete the challenge.

It was a lot easier this time around, with all that practice. It really all boils down to taking absolutely no chances: The moment you see red dot on the minimap, whip out a gun and have your finger on the dead-eye button to push the moment you see them or you hear a shot. This time, I had to use a lot less health and dead-eye tonic, and I went on to practice an "exit strategy" so that hopefully I can complete the challenge in time and then NOT DIE after I ride into BlackWater. But for some reason I racked up a bounty of $255 - I guess because I killed a lot more bounty hunters this time through. I'll craft some explosive rounds and see if that makes it even easier.

[in]

You can simply ignore NPCs and keep riding while chugging tonics. The only "hard" area is those curvy roads past owanjila dam. Once you pass the trees, you're good.

[Dirt Merchant]

Originally posted by in:

You can simply ignore NPCs and keep riding while chugging tonics. The only "hard" area is those curvy roads past owanjila dam. Once you pass the trees, you're good.

I already tried that during all my practice runs. Either I'm really slow on the draw when it comes to drinking tonics or else I've had a run of bad luck where the Bounty Hunters are spawning in such a way that they all start shooting at me at exactly the same time - and boy are they accurate with their shooting. Therefor, I take a big bite of "spike damage" that puts me down in literally less than 2 seconds. If I don't hit dead-eye fast enough, I'm a dead man.

I know it could be argued that if I'm fast enough to hit dead-eye and kill them, I should be fast enough to open up the menu and drink a tonic. Unfortunately, the way the game seems to be working for me, chugging a tonic is a lot slower than putting a bullet in their faces. And I really am dying fast enough that it doesn't complete the drinking animation in time to save me. Either that or you meant I should start drinking the moment they show up on the minimap and literally just continuously guzzle tonics one-after-another the moment a drinking animation finishes.

[JuiceWSA]

Google and watch the video with the guy with radio announcer voice. He's got it down, but still need to cheat.

[The Sundance Kid]

Just do it with John when you get to the epilogue, lol

[Pieshaman]

I tried it too in early stage. It is impossible cause even if you pop all enemies there will magically spawn new ones at this stage of the game.
The only way is to do this later in the game when you can without all those enemies.