Best way to enter final section of Maintenence?

[oinkratpig]

I've done multiple playthroughs already, and I still don't know if there are multiple ways into there. From what I can tell, the only way to get in is through the workshop tunnel. It's fairly annoying to get through it, though, since there are three groups of rats that need clearing. Is there another way in?

Obviously there's the padlocked door too, but unless I'm missing something, it's only openable from the back.

Edit: I've done some experimenting and I have yet to test if grenades work on padlocks but it does seem like you can lob a grenade down there. Nvm it doesn't destroy the padlock for some reason. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYXj2UgiFDc

[Magos Flibble]

Only tunnel. A single piece of meat can attract all 3 groups of rats if you get the perfect throw, you might have 1 or 2 rats if the throw isn’t perfect.

Otherwise you could also try collecting 3 gas cans and 3 flares or hope that the lighter isn’t in the tunnel.

[Samz]

I got lucky and found the lighter.

I did initially try to gas grenade it, but it turns out you'll need 3 gas grenades for this, due to how small the radius is. (basically just enough to cover 1 corpse)

[Young Freak]

I was annoyed by that fact too. Like, rats are keep on occupying the tunnel no matter what I do. Seemed like a very weird level design driven trade-off to basically convert your supply for a couple of bottles of gas at best.
Initially I used molotov and 2 bandages to tank the rat damage while entering and leaving the tunnel.
I didn't realize at that point there's an alternative route blocked by the padlock door. Just invest one bullet and you won't be bothered with that nasty rat hole ever again.
So yeah, just try to unlock the door in the first run. You can also rely on the torch to get through the tunnel if you have the lighter by that point.

[DoremianCleff]

Tunnel is only way in, but you always have a solution for it.
If you get gas mask early - 1-2 gas grenade cover tunnel in its entierty.
If you get a lighter early on - maintenance area got everything you need to craft a torch. Or you can use a molotov, for extra spite.

If you haven't got any of those - meat can lure them out and flares can scare them off. If you have an abundance of meds, you can tank them.

Personally, even tho maintenance area has most Dog Tag spawn locations, i would instead go to Soldier Quarters first, because kitchen has a lot of good item spawns, which will help getting through maintenance area. On hard, you need only 2 cans of fuel to get all the way through maintenance, get a key, open the shortcut and return. After that, you can explore it at leasure pace, even without light. Foreman's Quarters and Clerk's Office has a lot of goodies to pick up, especially when running on fumes. A quick peek in Arsenal could provide 1-2 cans of fuels otherwise.

[WRAITH]

I used the Torch .

[[40-1] MORD]

Does chunk of meat spawns for you in a room with a wounded soldier? Asking as it does for me in every playthrough (hard). If it does grab it, go to maintenance aree, then pantry and chuck it in the corner to make the rats move from a middle of this room. There is a crate next to cheese full of meat. Take as 3 or 4 and then use it in the rat tunnel.

[Gdudism]

I had torches everytime I needed to go through there, but perhaps I wont have that many this playthrough now that its on normal.

[EN]

You do get the infinite fuel tank after going through the tunnel rats so even using 3 molotovs isn't too bad. Also can just torch through pretty quick. No other way in there unfortunately.