"Forester" and "Blind Navigation" achievements, the easy way

An easy way to get "Forester" and "Blind Navigation" achievements on Deluge map. So easy, it can be done in the very first playthrough in Hardcore mode. This way, you can get 4 achievements in one session: "Forester", "Blind Navigation", "Deluge" and "Deluge Settler". Ideally, it can be done in less than an hour, after that you can continue to play and get "Explore Deluge", though this may take longer. Additionally, it can be done with only one truck, granting you "My Only Love" as well.

Why "Deluge"

In my opinion, Deluge is the perfect map for these achievements:

• Very simple navigation, only 4 main roads;
  
• Lots of open spaces, hard to get lost;
  
• Decent roads, hard to get stuck;
  
• Only one lumber mill, thus only one haul is enough;
  
• 7 balance points, enough to select necessary vehicles.

Despite half of the map being underwater, there's well enough land to drive, and the river can be crossed relatively easy in the most narrow and shallow spot.

Preparations and vehicle selection

First, go to Controls settings and unbind the Map key (F1 by default). Bind some other function to this key, or bind some key that you won't press by mistake. There's nothing worse than start from the very beginning because of accidental key press, especially if you were close to completion. If you use controller or wheel to play, you can't rebind the button and you're gonna control yourself.

The first truck has to be able to carry Log Crane Carriage and pull a fuel trailer, it's important. For example, C-255 or C-6317. The second truck must be able to carry 6 points of cargo, e.g. long logs on long cart, or short logs on carriage and trailer. I used C-260 because of its power, alternative choices include C-255, C-6317, D-537, etc. The qualities to keep in mind for easier completion is fording depth and ability to carry Garage Parts add-on.

If you want to explore the map after the completion, you can spend the last balance point on some scout car. It's not required for completion.

Strategy and general advice

The easy way to complete the map is by going the same route twice, forth and back. As you can't open map to switch trucks, you have to drive both trucks winched all the way, in a caravan. Because of that, the most important rule: Do not drive one truck away from another without dire necessity. You should always stay within the "Change Truck" action distance, or at least within winching radius. If one of your trucks is stuck, pull it with the second truck, and if it's not possible and you have to use its own winch, pull yourself towards the second truck. This is important, because if one of your trucks becomes terminally stuck, tips over or breaks too far away from the second truck, you won't be able to switch to the second truck without opening the map, failing the achievement.

Some general advices: if you only have one trailer, put the truck without the trailer in the front and drive that one, pulling the truck with the trailer on the winch. It's easier to control the second truck this way, compared to it being winched at the trailer. The leading truck should be mainly setting the direction rather than pulling the following truck, the following truck should accelerate on its own based on winch tension. Don't forget to give some throttle to the following truck manually in tough places. If the leading truck struggles, you can gently push it forward with the following truck. You can use your winch to pull the truck or trailer sideways, it helps with manoeuvring in tight spaces. Just don't overdo it and tip over. You can also use the winch to straighten the cart for loading the logs.

The route map:
The route in short: start in the south-east of the map (green triangle), go south, then west, cross the river, go north and a bit west, unlock the garage (maroon house), get necessary logging add-ons, refuel at the fuel station nearby (pink rectangle), go south to the log kiosk (brown circle), cross the river again and go west, then a bit north and west again, unload at the lumber mill (red star).

Walkthrough from the start to the river

First thing after loading the map, check that both trucks have Garage Parts add-ons on them. If they have other add-ons, either go to the menu and restart the map (you might have to do this several times), or you would have to pull Garage trailer(s), it's a viable option, but will make your journey to the garage harder.



Attach the garage trailer(s) if necessary. Winch the trucks together and go onto the paved road. Turn right and drive southbound.



After a couple of bends, there will be a dirt road to the right. Turn right from the paved road and drive westbound.



Soon, the road will diverge into two, you can pick any road. The road on right has steeper inclines and some mud, the road on the left has a lot of fallen branches and tree trunks.



After the roads join back again, continue straight westbound. Descend from the hill and drive to the river.



When crossing the river, use the small island (blue rectangle) as a reference. First take to the right, then go to the left, diagonally to the stream. Look for the shallow parts. Remember that you can't open the map to see the depth.



When the island will be on your right side, take right towards the land. Be careful, there are some tricky dangerous deep pits there on the bottom.



Overall, it's not very hard to ford the river. Generally, it's mainly shallow there, and the bottom is often visible in the water. There are some deep pits and "trenches" between shallow parts, and your trucks will likely take some water damage, but if you don't panic and go steadily, you'll cross them quickly and damage will be minimal.

Walkthrough from the river to the garage

After the river you can take left and go through a shallow "bay", or take right and go over land, but with many tree branches and shrubs. In any case, drive westbound to the road.



There will be a logging site on the left that you don't need to visit now. Turn right onto the road and drive northbound.



On the first fork in the road, the right road goes into the water. Take the left road.



On the second fork, the left road leads to the logging site. You don't need to visit it, take the right road.



In the woods, go straight ahead. Keep on driving northbound until you get to the paved road. Turn left.



Drive westbound on the paved road until you see the Garage on the right. Exit right.



Unload the garage parts and unlock the garage. If you're playing in Hardcore and haven't got it before, you'll get "Deluge Settler" achievement.

Garage and fuel station

Time to select add-ons. I recommend the following setup that I find optimal: on one truck, like C-255, select Log Crane Carriage and attach Fuel trailer. On the second one, add either Log Carrier with Long Log Cart, or, if not available, Log Carriage with Short Log trailer. If you selected long log cart, pack it, and use that truck as the leading one.



Winch the trucks together again. Cross the paved road and go straight ahead on the dirt road, past and behind the ruins of wooden building.



After the left turn, there will be a fuel station. Refuel both trucks. To refuel the second truck, you have to switch to it, winched trucks are not refuelled automatically. Load some fuel into the tanker. Ever a quarter should be enough, there's no reason to fill more than half.



Winch once again and follow the road to the left.

Walkthrough from the fuel station to the log kiosk

Drive to the paved road. Turn right and go eastbound. The way back will be the already travelled route.



When the trees on the right end, turn right onto the dirt road. Go southbound.



In the forest, go straight ahead. After the forest, follow the road to the left.



After that, keep right. Continue driving southbound until you reach the logging site.



I advice you to turn around before loading the trucks. It will be harder to do with the logs. Remember that you can use winch to help with trucks and trailers direction and position.

Walkthrough from the log kiosk to the river

Unfold the log cart. Position your trucks near the log kiosk.



Load the trucks with logs.



Right after exiting logging site, turn right. You can use your previous trails as a guide.



Before the river and the stream, refuel both trucks from the fuel trailer and leave it there. No point in hauling it across the river. Place the truck without the trailer at the front.



Fording at night can actually be easier than at daytime, because the headlights make it very easy to see the shallow parts of the riverbed. When driving on the shallows, take more to the right, i.e. upstream side, so the slope and water work against each other, otherwise the slope and water can tip you over. Use the same island as the reference. Take wide to the right at first, then when the island will be on your left, take more to the left.



Use the pale dead tree trunk as the reference. Get closer to it before taking right.



Exit the river onto the road. As you can see, it's possible to ford the river without taking any damage.

Walkthrough from the river to the lumber mill

Follow the road eastbound. After the climb, there will be a fork in the road. Again, you can take either path.



Now the fallen branches will be on the right, and the slopes on the left. After the roads joining once again, continue driving on the road to the east.



When you get to the paved road, enter it to the left and drive northbound.



Very soon, there will be a dirt road on the right. Turn right and go eastbound.



There will be a large puddle, then uphill, and after the left turn behind the trees, there will be your destination.



Go to the lumber mill and unload the cargo. Job is done!

Conclusion

The complete journey takes less than an hour. I did it in 41 minutes.



You can return to the game, if you wish so. Now you can open the map. You can drive around, discover the Watchpoints and vehicles.

You can also try to do this journey with one truck only, for example, OP truck like C-6317. Make sure to spawn with garage parts, take one garage trailer. In garage, get Log Crane Carriage, connect Utility trailer and get the Short Log Trailer on the winch. Leave the utility trailer in a convenient spot near the log kiosk. First, load the truck only, refuel from the utility trailer, ford the river, drive to the lumber mill and unload, drive back, ford the river. Refuel and repair from the utility trailer. Load the truck and the log trailer, ford the river, drive to the lumber mill, unload. Doing this will grant you "My Only Love" achievement as well.

This guide is also available in Russian.
Это руководство доступно также на русском языке.