Zircon Void Crusade Mastery, one +12, two +10 difficulty Missions

This is a guide for completing a full Zircon Void Crusade, with all missions.

The path through the missions is optimized so that there is the lowest possible difficulty increase

Links

Vrakos' guides with maps for every single mission
My Ecru full path +7
My Viridian full path and Info Fragments+5, plus Relic Farming
My Amber paths: Full path, Info Fragments and Tarot Farming +5
My Azure full path +9
My Ebony full path +4
My Violet full path +6
My Ivory full path +8
My Crimson full path +8

Versioning

The game developers have stated that void crusades won't be changed or added, so I'm not expecting any major issues with the paths getting outdated.

The last round of updates to my void crusade guides was done with the game at patch version 2.3.4, during the Season of Warp Surge.

This guide was last updated in April 2021. I added a bit more general Void Crusade information, and added the Relic farming part.

What changed:

• I changed my steam name, to bring it in line with reddit, the game and discord.
  
• The season objective with all Info Fragments got changed to 75 minutes (was 60 in the Season of Inferno)
  
• A Versioning/Update history section was added
  
• An Info section was added
  
• All guides got (roughly) the same format
  
• Amber got an Info Fragment path, and a discussion of its merits
  
• Viridian got a Relic farming route

General Void Crusade information

• Bonus, Secret and Covert missions add a higher bonus to loot than regular missions
  
• Starting with the Season of Warp Surge, item levels will go up to 100. You need to do missions of at least +7 difficulty to get level 100 items, if you are 100. I have yet to find out - all other things being equal - whether an extra Tarot card, or extra difficulty would lead to more level 100 items
  
• I'm pretty certain the Servoskull can not spawn right next to the starting node on the VC map, but it can spawn one node away. Apart from that, it seems random. And you can get unlucky, and it will shop in a high difficulty mission, in a room full of Elites
  
• In almost all cases, the Servoskull is exactly in the direction you were facing/moving when you got the notification

Info Fragments

• You will NOT get the info Fragment if you pick it up, and then concede the mission
  
• The mission timer starts when the missions starts (not when you launch it)
  
• The mission timer stops when you fulfill the mission objective (not when you leave the mission)
  What that means for you: Do mission objectives first, until you get the 'Quit' popup. Then go hunt for cogitators and Info Fragments

Hardcore

• If you die AFTER the mission objective has been fulfilled, the crusade continues
  
• Abandoning a mission ends the hardcore crusade
  
• Failing a mission (that includes hot pursuit and vip/guard rescue) ends the hardcore crusade Rescue missions get very dicey around +6, depending a little on Tarot Cards and enemy type

Keys

• Two keys are granted for finishing the Supreme Mission
  
• A key is granted after completing five missions of any kind
  
• A key is granted after completing at least two Bonus missions
  
• A key is granted after completing all Covert and Hidden missions
  
• A key is granted after defeating the Wandering Servoskull

Misc

• Dataslate Decryption Terminals don't have a map icon. Use Vrakos' guides if you get stuck
  
• Cogitators for secret missions don't have a map icon. However, they are always in a 'secret' room you have to teleport to
  
• 'Survivors' are in a group of guards, and one of them has a label of 'Survivor' when you hover over him
  
• Hot Pursuit: Keep your mouse over the fugitive, and hold down the magic new button you have (usually '5')

Difficulty Increase

• I always make my paths with the difficulties peaking in the middle, and then working down from there. It has been pointed out to me that that's not fully optimal, because some missions give bonuses for subsequent missions after completion, like '10% extra damage vs. Rebels'.
  My take on that is: If you are really, really struggling to finish the missions, the bonuses might actually help you a bit.
  At the same time, if you are really, really struggling with some normal missions on Void Crusades, my advice would be to hop onto Discord and to ask for help.
  And, my focus when doing Void Crusades is gaining loot from the Supreme Mission. The quantity of Relics goes up with difficulty, and we will also get more level 90+ items. So I'm bumping up the difficulty there, and by the time we are at the Supreme Mission, we will have also collected all the bonuses.
  
• As of this patch, the highest possible difficulty you can run a mission at is +29, and it's on the Crimson Void Crusade
  
• For regular (and Supreme) missions, the difficulty gets set when the mission is made accessible
  
• For Secret and Covert missions, the difficulty gets set, then the difficulty modifier is added for subsequent unlocks

Mastery Path

Mission number. Difficulty level of the mission. Difficulty increase (if any).

• 1: 0
  
• 2: 0
  
• 3: 0
  
• 4: 0 +1
  
• 5: 0 +1 loads of exploding barrels
  
• 6:+2 Info Fragment
  
• 7:+2 +1 This unlocks the secret mission to unlock the final mission
  
• 8:+2 Final mission unlocked at +3
  
• 9: 0 +1 Stormwatcher mission for cogitator to unlock the secret mission
  
• 10:+4
  
• 11:+4 Info Fragment
  
• 12:+3 +2
  
• 13:+6 +1 Data slate drops
  
• 14:+7 +1 Data slate decryption terminal
  
• 15:+7 +1 Info Fragment
  
• 16:+9 Info Fragment
  
• 17:+8 +1 Info Fragment
  
• 18:+10 Aeldari. Bleh.
  
• 19:+4 (+2, not applied right away, but increases the difficulty for 21)
  
• 20:+7 (+2, not applied)
  everything is unlocked, I'll do highest to lowest difficulty like always
  
• 21:+12 not too bad for a +12 mission I guess. Watch out for the heavy guns guarding the 3rd battery
  
• 22:+10
  
• 23:+9
  
• 24:+3
  
• 25:+3 Take your pick

[Schalimah]

@WulfHeart I updated the list.

[WulfHeart]

Hi, I've followed your guides for the Void Crusades and I usually go by the list on what to do but it seems that for this crusade you lack information on how to unlock missions 15 and 16 on your list. Someone has also pointed out this exact same problem almost a year ago but it still hasn't been updated on your guide.

[Warondar]

@Hyirt There's nothing to update since the guide is correct. Mission #7 unlocks Secret Mission #8, the pink line is not a path to #8. Mission #4 is needed to actually have a patch to Secret Mission #8.

[Schalimah]

Well, you obviously need 4...
How else would you get there?
Without 4 there no valid path to the mission.
Just like you need 2 to unlock 4

[Hyirt]

To unlock Secret mission 8 you must complete both 4 and 7 in either order. Other wise it will not open up and give you the ability to clear it easier. (Please update this in your guide).

[Warondar]

The decryption terminal is located at 14 as per the map. The guide Misc. section also states "Dataslate Decryption Terminals don't have a map icon. Use Vrakos' guides if you get stuck"

His guides have maps for each mission.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2144342345

Hope that helps.

[Mitrell]

I followed step by step but mission 15 didnt unlock, and think its because you havent told where to upload the slate, I guess its what makes mission 15 not unlock. So I abandoned the crusade here. Some of your guides work as you tell but this is the second crusade where a mission you tell to go to is not unlocked. Maybe its missed information you forgot to add. I have done all as told and this happens.

[Warondar]

Mission #3 has a Psyker/Warpgate event near the start point before reaching the first Nurgle target.