The RUST Abandoned Military Base Monument Guide

An in-depth overview and guide of the Abandoned Military Base Monument

Released in November 2021 as the highlighting feature of the MLRS & Desert Base Update, the Abandoned Military Base (AMB) is chiefly known and loved for its one great utility; the MLRS equipment found on site. For more information on the process for using this massively powerful weapon, check out our extensive RUST MLRS Guide.

This guide provides detailed information about the Abandoned Military Base Monument, enabling you to identify basic facts quickly and helping you to prepare, access, and successfully run the monument while providing insight into the different types of loot, NPCs, and environment variables you’ll encounter.

Monument Features Checklist

Monument Overview

The Abandoned Military Base is a biome-exclusive monument added to RUST, acting as the desert counterpart to the Arctic Research Base. The AMB is unique to most other monument types, mainly due to its presence of scientists but complete lack of radiation (reference our RUST radiation command).

Due to the procedurally generated nature of the AMB monument, a RUST server can render four different layout templates (A, B, C, and D) and variable base components on a given map seed.

The Abandoned Military Base has very hostile tenants that patrol its assorted grounds and structures. Depending on the base components of each layout, there can be up to eight standard blue scientists guarding the monument at all times (except when dead, of course), thrusting AMB into the boundaries of mid-tier difficulty concerning RUST monuments. Not to mention the desert wildlife that seems to wander in randomly.

The monument is considerably compact, with 2-3 primary entrances depending on the layout template, several breaks in the barbed wire, and raised dirt perimeter.

Preparing for the Abandoned Military Base Monument

The Abandoned Military Base may not be as heavily relied on by mid and high-tier players as the Arctic Research Base. However, it is still quite frequented due to its moderate amount of available component crates and fuel resources.

As stated, the AMB is completely void of radiation, so you could theoretically enter naked, making the real danger the scientists present. Depending on individual skill level, players should consider bringing the following;

• 4 Syringes
• 12 Bandages
• 3 Pumpkins
• 1 Weapon Flashlight
• 1 Melee Weapon (Barrel Breaking)
• 150+ Ammunition & Applicable Weapon
• Armor Kit for Projectile Damage
• MLRS Rockets & Aiming Module (For That Special Someone)

While the preparations are extensive to deal with the NPC scientist inhabitants, the Abandoned Military Base monument is excellent for quickly acquiring various components and much-needed low-grade fuel. 

Still, the monument is typically heavily frequented throughout a wipe cycle by teams that get MLRS rockets from farming the Bradley APC event.

Because this isn’t a safe zone monument, players should be aware that open-world PVP does take place, and they are just as likely to find a bullet to the back as they are a crate with resources. As with any non-safe venture, check out our 10 Best RUST Armor Combinations guide to maximize your chances of survival.

Accessing the Abandoned Military Base

Like all monuments, the time spent exploring a monument is an investment. With all investments, there’s an inherent risk. Understanding the best way to approach and egress safely from the monument can be a great payoff.

The Abandoned Military Base is isolated to the desert biome, so look for the desert area when opening your in-game map. Due to it being in the desert, this often leaves little in the way of objects to conceal any vehicles or horses used to access the base.

Vehicles are a dead ringer for drawing attention from other players if you’re on a populated server. Be sure to scout the area’s main entrances and listen for gunfire before you go in; it’s a smaller monument in most cases, so you’ll be able to tell if anyone is actively running it quickly. Pausing to scout out the monument can also help you out by allowing you time to see if anyone followed you.

For some AMBs, an underground train tunnel entrance may be available, which is entirely dependent on the procedurally generated nature of the map. You can check out more information about this from our January 8th update back in 2021.

Lastly, it can help to scout for nearby bases that will hear you engage with scientists or other players. Identify your egress paths in the event you need to evacuate. There’s no point in wasting your time and effort if you’re going to go in, do the hard work, and then get killed by other players as you’re leaving. Don’t get caught off guard needlessly. Remember, invest that extra time.

Running the Abandoned Military Base

Depending on the procedural layout template of the spawned Abandoned Military Base, there will be numerous base components or points of interest to investigate, such as concrete ruins, medical bays, hangars, motor pools, and more. 

Not all points of interest provide the same types of loot containers or any loot. Some will have scientist NPCs patrolling the areas, and they can aggro with others nearby. They will chase you around the base, so if you are trying to evacuate, you’ll need to leave the confines entirely.

Some points of interest offer greater cover and perched positions for combat angle advantages, especially some of the concrete ruins. Be sure to review the lists below for more details and see how you can take advantage of these to clear the area safely.

A few structures offer a good amount of concealment and protection from projectiles and are likely to be occupied by other players as ambush points. Be careful when venturing into the Abandoned Military Base, and exercise caution when you spot these buildings.

There are no puzzles or key-card-locked rooms, so your only goal is to clear the monument of scientists and loot, and if you’re feeling up to it, make plans for ambushing unsuspecting MLRS users who wander into the base.

Below, you will find a complete list of the base components or points of interest that can be part of the Abandoned Military Base layout templates.

Administrative Tents

The administrative tents can be quickly identified by the two vehicles out front on each side, a rusted blue car and an army-green truck. This is one of two tents that can spawn with a satellite array, don’t mistake it for the communications tent. Inside there are overturned desks, servers, and filing cabinets. A cargo container filled with tapes connects two of the tents.

A single scientist NPC patrols in and around the tents; additionally, loot can be found both inside and out.

• 4 Loot Containers (2 Crate-types, 2 Components Crates)
• 1 Scientist NPC

Barracks

The barracks are complete with upright and overturned bunk beds, as well as foot lockers and cabinets. Three large tents are interconnected via a long hallway, with a van unloading supplies into its entry. In each of the main tents, players have the potential to find different crate spawns.

• 4 Loot Containers (3 Crate-types, 1 Food Crate)
• 0 Scientist NPC

Bunker Entrance

The bunker entrance is similar to those found across the game world, except for no satellite array towering above. Attached to this point of interest are a group of static wooden crates, three potential loot containers, and a patrolling scientist.

• 3 Loot Containers (3 Crate-types)
• 1 Scientist NPC

Car Junk Pile

The car junk pile is a dead ringer regarding identification, but lurking inside it is a patrolling scientist. It’s easy to walk up on this point of interest and get shot unsuspectingly without seeing the scientist.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Chinook

The Chinook will appear covered in a camouflaged tarp, surrounded by a few static crates of various sizes. It can provide great cover when needing to take out scientists in the area.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 0 Scientist NPC

Communications Tent

The blue truck and rusted satellite tower protruding through the camouflaged tents can help players quickly identify the communications tent. This tent contains a computer station with randomly generated CCTV codes that allows access to several CCTV cameras around this monument. 

• COMPOUND######
• OUTDOOR######

The above are randomly generated CCTV Codes, which include an external camera if the server has spawned an underground train tunnel entrance nearby.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC
• 1 Computer Station

Concrete Ruin (1 of 3)

This concrete ruin is fashioned from numerous barricades, camouflaged tents, sandbags, scrap metal, and cement walls. A single scientist will roam in and out of the various rooms.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Concrete Ruin (2 of 3)

This concrete ruin provides no loot. You can identify this point of interest as it’s pretty unique compared to others in the Abandoned Military Base because it’s intended as a fortification point. A single scientist can be found patrolling the perimeter of this area.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Concrete Ruin (3 of 3)

This concrete ruin is the longest of the three, with one crate spawning under the metal staircase, which leads to a partial catwalk, with a single scientist patrolling nearby. Fortification barriers and sandbags surround the point.

• 1 Loot Container (1 Crate-type)
• 1 Scientist NPC

Construction Building

The construction building comprises multiple unfinished wooden walls, with sheet metal embrasures applied to some windows and static wooden crates scattered inside. A single scientist NPC patrols this unfinished building.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Drop Deck Trailers

The two drop deck trailers sit side by side with full loads. One contains three industrial air conditioning systems, and the other has a tank covered with a camouflaged tarp.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Empty Tent

The empty tent is easily recognizable by the large arched frame with tatters of what used to be a tent cover, with the rear side of the tent still intact. There’s no loot to be found with this point of interest, but a scientist does like to patrol throughout the tent.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Fuel Hangar

The fuel hangar is one of three hangars found in the Abandoned Military Base. An open garage door on the front side of the hangar will allow players to enter and see into the hangar, where a black forklift, concrete barriers, and numerous status diesel barrels are visible. A single scientist patrols throughout this building.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Gas Station

This gas station will have a rusted and broken-down truck in the front. There are two gas tanks and two pumps under a netted camouflage tent, with a single scientist patrolling the area.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Helipad

The helipad can spawn in two forms, one an empty cracked helipad and one version with a broken patrol helicopter spawned on top. It’s very barebones.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 0 Scientist NPCs

Kitchen & Mess Hall

Often containing several food crates, this area is commonly patrolled by at least one scientist when present on site. Overturned picnic tables indicate the mess hall under a canvas tent. Stoves and an offside pantry indicate the kitchen. The two are connected by a storage container that you can pass through.

• 5 Loot Containers (2 Crate-types, 3 Food)
• 1 Scientist NPC
• 1 Radio

Large Cistern

An above-ground cistern, with the inscription of GNH-315. A ladder can be accessed from the ground, allowing you to climb to the top, where there is a circular catwalk. Interestingly, these can be found at the Launch Site monument.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 0 Scientist NPCs

Large Oil Refinery

The large oil refinery has a large inaccessible tower that will allow you to quickly identify it, along with two vertical storage tanks and surrounding piping. This point of interest will always have some form of low-grade fuel as a reward.

• 4 Loot Containers (1 Crate-type, 2 Oil Barrels, 1 Fuel Crate )
• 1 Scientist NPC

Medical Bay

The medical bay can be quickly identified by the white van outside and the large arch tent entry, leading to a room of overturned chairs, desks, and computer equipment. One crate will spawn within and one outside in the van. On the other side of the tent, you will find a medical bay with beds and triage trays, some overturned and some seemingly functional. There are also food and medical loot trays on the shelf. Be careful here, as a scientist is usually patrolling the tents.

• 4 Loot Containers (2 Crate-types, 1 Food Crate, 1 Medical Crate)
• 1 Scientist NPC

MLRS Vehicle

The MLRS isn’t easily mistaken when coming into contact. This military vehicle has two doors through which you can mount the cabin space, with two available seats. The cabin provides some shelter, but players are quite vulnerable inside. MLRS Rockets can be loaded in the vehicle’s rear by pressing the E key on the rocket bay.

For more detailed information, visit our MLRS Guide.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 0 Scientist NPCs

Motor Pools

The motor pools typically consist of one to three small pitched roof tents with a static vehicle under maintenance. Outside they can sometimes have cement barricades and Hesco barriers protecting them. No loot spawns at this point of interest but a single scientist patrols the area.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Power Substation

The power substation resembles others across the map, without surrounding walls or cages. This particular point of interest has little to offer besides the defensive cover.

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1 Scientist NPC

Shooting Range

The shooting range is rectangular, with two open windows at one end and a door at the other. Targets may or may not be present. Crates can be found inside and out with a single patrolling scientist.

• 2 Loot Containers (2 Crate-types)
• 1 Scientist NPC

Small Oil Refinery

The small oil refinery is easily identified by the red Zenlabs fuel container in the front, accompanied by a sheet metal shack. Inside this point of interest, you can find two fuel barrels and a crate spawn protected by a single scientist.

• 3 Loot Containers (1 Crate-type, 2 Fuel Barrels)
• 1 Scientist NPC

Storage Hangars (Sealed)

These storage hangers appear in a row and are marked with radiation and no smoking signs. A single scientist patrols the hangars. These hangars are sealed and have no entry points. A single loot crate will spawn on the sides next to a few static boxes with a single patrolling scientist.

• 1 Loot Container (1 Crate-type)
• 1 Scientist NPC

Vehicle Hangar

The vehicle hangar is unique because it has a complete metal structure protecting it, whereas many other storage areas are scrappy tents and a conglomeration of barriers. Players will find vehicle components and fuel crates to loot from inside this hangar. Be careful, though; a scientist does patrol the area.

• 3 Loot Containers (1 Fuel Crate, 2 Vehicle Component Crates)
• 1 Scientist NPC

Summary

The Abandoned Military Base monument can be a wonderful place to farm, especially depending on the points of interest that were spawned into the layout template. In some instances, it can take just two minutes to get in and clear the monument within a few minutes and get back to the safety of your base.

It can also be a great monument to stake out, watching for raiders looking to use the MLRS vehicle in advance of their raids. Scoring a few extra MLRS rockets never hurts.

Reach out to us in Discord if there are any details you’re looking for or any unanswered questions; we’ll do our best to get the answers you need!