The RUST Nuclear Missile Silo Monument Guide (2024)

An in-depth guide and walkthrough of the RUST Nuclear Missile Silo Monument

The RUST Nuclear Missile Silo Monument (Silo), released in May of 2023 as the highlighting feature of the R.U.S.T. Update, is the latest addition to RUST. This monument will undoubtedly have several additional functions and features added over the coming months.

This guide provides detailed information about the Nuclear Missile Silo 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.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Monument Features Checklist
• Monument Overview
• Preparing for the Nuclear Missile Silo Monument
• Accessing the Nuclear Missile Silo Monument
• Running the Nuclear Missile Silo Monument
• Summary

Monument Features Checklist

Monument Overview

The Nuclear Missile Silo is a non-biome exclusive monument added to RUST, acting as an endgame event device and physically representing a server’s wipe cycle. The Silo is the first of its kind, offering players the possibility of future content relating to player choice and the fate of the island they’re playing on. While this functionality is not yet cemented, the visuals and features of the monument lend a lot to the imagination.

The Nuclear Missile Silo has very hostile tenants that patrol its assorted grounds, both above and below. Given its almost mandatory 25 Radiation protection requirement and the number of guards, the Silo falls into the high-tier difficulty concerning RUST monuments. In addition to guards, animals in the surrounding area have no issue wandering in and attacking players.

The above-ground portion of the monument is relatively compact and surrounded by barbed wire fencing, with several primary entrances and a one-way exit from the underground tunnel portions.

Preparing for the Nuclear Missile Silo Monument

The Nuclear Missile Silo monument is quite manageable on the surface for the mid-tier player, with only 4 blue scientists visible and radiation levels ranging from 10 to 25.

After swiping a Blue Keycard, players descend into the Silo, and the difficulty level increases exponentially. The amount of loot on site will simultaneously attract multiple groups to the monument. Be prepared for PVP, as it will again increase the difficulty rating.

Depending on individual skill level, players should consider bringing the following;

• 12 Medical Syringes
• 12 Bandages
• 10 Pumpkins
• 1 Extended Magazine
• 1 Weapon Flashlight
• 200+ Ammunition & Applicable Weapon
• Armor Kit for Projectile Damage
• Radiation Protection of 25 Minimum
• 1 Blue Keycard
• 10 Flashbangs – Efficient against NVGM Scientists

While the preparations are extensive to deal with the NPC scientist inhabitants, the Nuclear Missile Silo monument has a very high crate spawn rate compared to monuments of similar size, with only a single keycard element required. The large Diesel Fuel payout at the bottom will undoubtedly attract larger groups.

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 Nuclear Missile Silo Monument

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 Nuclear Missile Silo can spawn in various biomes, and each has its type of player taxation to consider. Be sure to check out our assorted biome survival guides before venturing in unprepared for the elements.

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; while certainly not the smallest monument in RUST, you should be able to tell if anyone is actively running it based on audible cues quite quickly. Pausing to scout out the monument can also help you out by allowing you time to see if anyone has noticed your presence.

For some Nuclear Missile Silo monuments, 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 Nuclear Missile Silo Monument

The Nuclear Missile Silo, at present, is a static monument that generates the same way on every map and only deviates slightly depending on the biome in which it spawns.

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 you must leave the confines entirely if you are trying to evacuate.

Some points of interest offer greater cover and perched positions for combat angle advantages, especially concerning the surface area and its various guard towers. Review the lists below for more details and see how to use 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 Nuclear Missile Silo, and exercise caution when you spot these buildings. A large factor to consider, especially below ground, is hit-or-miss lighting.

A single Blue Keycard puzzle is required to enter the below-ground area, so if you intend to clear the entire monument, be sure to bring the required item.

Below, you will find a complete list of the points of interest that make up the entirety of the Nuclear Missile Silo monument in relatively linear order.

Surface Level

• Blue Exit-Only Blast Door
• Nuclear Missile Hatch (Entrance to Underground)

With a default layout, it is a fair assertion that it’s best to consider the Nuclear Missile Silo’s above-ground area a 2-part square. The entire surface area is monitored by 4 standard blue scientists that patrol the whole area.

The inner portion is a giant blast-hatch entrance guarding the below-ground spoils. The area can be identified by the large black lid that stays shut until a Blue Keycard is swiped and the red button is pushed.

The outer ring, or ‘lootable’ zone, is as follows;

Propane Tank Trailer & Guard Tower

We will cover the first two buildings just in front of 3 decorative propane tanks. Only one of these buildings is accessible to players and possesses a single loot crate.

The second, larger building has no access points but will have 2 loot crates facing the inner-ring side of the building on top of stationary storage boxes. Players may use a nearby short guard tower for tactical purposes.

Total player-pertinent variables are as follows:

• 3 Loot Containers (Brown or Military)
• 1-4 Patrolling Scientist NPCs
• 1 Player-climbable short Guard Tower
• 3 rusting Propane Tanks
• Fenced-in area with gaps for quick escape or entrance
• 1 Player Accessible building

Red Truck Building & Guard Tower

A broken-down red truck and another lootable building are just to the right of the propane trailer. This larger structure contains another 2 lootable crates and the same threat of patrolling blue scientists.

Several storage containers and sandbags are directly outside its east-facing door for potential cover. Players may use a nearby short guard tower for tactical purposes.

Total player-pertinent variables are as follows:

• 2 Loot Containers (Brown or Military)
• 1-4 Patrolling Scientist NPCs
• 1 Player-climbable short Guard Tower
• Parked red truck, doors open
• Fenced-in area with gaps for quick escape or entrance
• 1 Player Accessible building

Truck Hanger Bay & Guard Tower

To the right of the red truck area are two large hangers. Only one of these structures is accessible to players, with the other being closed. Blue scientist NPCs also patrol the open hanger containing 4 lootable containers. The truck (also within) provides no function other than cover for players.

There is a nearby short guard tower that players may use for tactical purposes and several sandbag barricades.

Total player-pertinent variables are as follows:

• 4 Loot Containers (Brown or Military)
• 1-4 Patrolling Scientist NPCs
• 1 Player-climbable short Guard Tower
• Sandbags
• Fenced-in area with gaps for quick escape or entrance
• 1 Player Accessible Hanger with Truck

Blue Keycard Hatch & Large Communications Tower

To the right of the hanger bays is the most critical above-ground building for those wishing to do the entire monument. Here, players will find a building containing a single loot container, as well as a Blue Keycard swiper and a red button directly beside it.

To open the nuclear missile silo hatch and access the underground area, players must swipe their blue keycard here and press the red button afterward. A very loud opening noise will initiate, and the large blast hatch outside will creep open.

It closes a few seconds after fully opening, so don’t dawdle. Touching the bottom of the blast door with your player will result in instant death. Players may use a tall nearby communications tower for tactical purposes.

Total player-pertinent variables are as follows:

• 1 Loot Container (Brown or Military)
• 1-4 Patrolling Scientist NPCs
• 1 Player-climbable VERY Tall Guard Tower
• Fenced-in area with gaps for quick escape or entrance
• 1 Player Accessible building
• Blue Keycard Slider with Button to open Primary Center Hatch entrance
• A window displaying dead scientist

Green Truck & Redundant Propane Tanks

This area plays no significant function, but it could act as a valuable point of reference or place of cover from other players or scientist NPCs. There are 2 still packaged propane tanks and a green, closed-up rusting truck.

Total player-pertinent variables are as follows:

• 0 Loot Containers
• 1-4 Patrolling Scientist NPCs
• Parked green truck, doors closed
• Fenced-in area with gaps for quick escape or entrance
• 0 Player Accessible buildings
• 2 Large Shipping-ready Propane Tanks

Blue Exit-Only Blast Door

This area is built into the rockface and resides outside the main compound area of the Nuclear Missile Silo monument. This door is inaccessible, except when opened from the inside, and acts as a less hostile exit for players that complete the monument.

Nuclear Missile Hatch (Entrance to Underground)

Finally, as the summation of the surface portion of Silo, we reach the way into the underground. Once the blue keycard bit has been activated and the door begins opening, players may jump down to the first platform area (potentially hostile) and start with our Underground 0 guide portion.

This is a one-way entrance; you cannot leave this way once you enter. Again, DO NOT touch the bottom of the large blast hatch doorway.

Underground Level 0

• Inside the Nuclear Missile Silo
• Office 1

Inside the Nuclear Missile Silo

We begin after jumping down onto steel mesh stabilization platforms. The radiation requirement here is a minimum of 25, so plan accordingly. Also, note that making this jump down will likely result in guards below taking notice of you and shooting. It is important to not jump too far down, lest ye lose your way or take too much damage from falling.

The linear path we will take throughout the monument is led with subtle lighting cues indicated by our next move. Jump down one more level onto the lit platform, and we should be staring down our first Conical Passage, guarded by our first face-to-face NVGM Scientist. Dispatch this guard and continue through the dimly lit corridor to our first office area, indicated by a Level 0 wall sign.

Office 1

Office 1 of Level 0 is guarded by the single NVGM scientist mentioned earlier and should contain 1 crate. There are no other points of interest in this room, so we’re back out into the corridor, descending a flight of stairs to Level 1 and yet another NVGM guardian.

Underground Level 1

• Restroom 1
• Lobby 1
• Storage Room 1
• Restricted Area 1
• Elevator to Level 2

At the bottom platform of the stairs, you should find a loot crate, a hard right turn, and potentially another 1-2 NVGM scientists. After killing all immediately present guards, continue on to the restroom.

Restroom 1

While the game’s mechanics lack a bit in allowing bathrooms to be used as nature intended, they possess another feature specific to RUST—player comfort. In addition to a loot crate within the bathroom, take this opportunity to have a seat and heal to full (hunger allowing).

Lobby 1

After that relaxing pitstop, we are again on the way down to our first Elevator Lobby. There should be one static loot crate in your immediate path. There are several rooms off of this area, so we will take them in turn, starting from the right-hand side and working our way left.

Storage Room 1

A simple storage area with 2 crates. One is disguised by a steam jet. There are no other points of interest here.

Restricted Area 1

A decoratively high-tech area possessing a single loot crate. Nothing else to interact with here.

Elevator to Level 2

This is the sole way forward, so be sure to loot the other two rooms before moving on. Look down and left of the elevator to the glowing control panel, and press the E key on Call Elevator to open the doors. Enter and perform the same basic function to navigate down to floor 2. This elevator may be used to come and go between floors at any time.

Underground Level 2

• Lobby 2-A
• Conical Passage 1
• Center Missile Jumps
• Conical Passage 2
• Elevator Floor 2 to 5
• Passthrough Lobby
• Employees-Only Admin Office
• Lobby 2-B
• Restroom 2
• Elevator Floor 2 to 1 (Continued – Quick Exit)
• Employees-Only Pantry

Lobby 2-A

When reaching the bottom of the elevator, it is extremely important to note that you will probably begin taking immediate fire from a single NVGM scientist. Once dealt with, this lobby area contains 2 loot crates before turning left into the next conical passage leading on.

Conical Passage 1

Make your way through this passageway and note that scientists might begin to shoot at you from below again when you reach the mesh support platform. It is probably best to ignore them at this juncture.

Center Missile Jumps

There are 2 small jumps required to proceed, with a single loot box on the platform between them. Make short work of this and dispatch the NVGM scientist(s) (up to 3) on the pathway in front of you before moving on to the second conical passage of this level.

Conical Passage 2

Heading through this passage, we come to another small lobby.

Elevator Floor 2 to 5

As you come out of conical passage 2 and into the small Level 2 (labeled wall) lobby, you have the option of boarding an elevator in a small room to your right.

This elevator can be used as an ideal exit option later or circumvent several floors of loot to get straight to the end of the monument immediately. For the purposes of this walkthrough, we will avoid using it for now.

Passthrough Lobby

Hopefully, you’ve been keeping track of the number of scientists dispatched since the jumps, as there are 11 scientists on this level. The next 8-10 (depending on your count) will come at you very quickly, which is one of the more bottleneck-like portions of the monument.

As you move through the following two spaces, monitoring your health and falling back when necessary is essential. As you pass through this next lobby-like area, two lootable crates are directly on your right, just before you enter the Admin Office.

Employees-Only Admin Office

This rather large office is home to only NVGM Scientists – and many of them. Take your time clearing them and utilize whatever obstacles you can to safely make your way out of this gauntlet-like passageway and through to the second elevator lobby of floor 2.

Lobby 2-B

Quickly dispose of the remaining NVGM scientists and take a slight pause. Just as before, there are a few rooms and passages the branch outward from this lobby, and we will take them from left to right, starting with a bathroom break!

Restroom 2

While much smaller than the previous restroom, there is still a comfort commode to heal up on and a lootable crate.

Elevator Floor 2 to 1 (Continued – Quick Exit)

If you’ve run out of meds or ammo or decide this isn’t the spot for you, this elevator will take you to the aforementioned Blue Exit-Only Blast Door. For our purposes, we will avoid this for now.

Employees-Only Pantry

Simple single lootable box storage area. Nothing else of note here. Just across the hall, our journey continues.

Underground Level 3

• Living Quarters Lobby
• Living Quarters 1
• Living Quarters 2

Living Quarters Lobby

Similarly to the floor 0-1 transition, another crate spawn followed by a sharp turn brings us to the living quarters’ lobby. These rooms are guarded, at most, by 2 NVGM scientists that patrol between here and the 5th floor. These are notably more sparse, compact areas. Continuing from left to right.

Living Quarters 1

Room 1, AKA the Pookie Bear room, has a single crate and, unfortunately, no comfort to be had.

Living Quarters 2

Likewise, room 2 is void of comfort but boasts 2 lootable crates instead of just 1.

Underground Level 4

• Computer Room

Descending further into the monument, if you hadn’t seen the two scientists to this point, you should definitely be running into them any second.

Computer Room

The computer room lives up to its name and boasts a single lootable crate. There are no other points of interest in this area.

Underground Level 5

• Conical Passage 1
• Large Garage Bay with Truck
• Cavern (Hard Hat Area)
• Elevator Floor 5 to 2
• Conical Passage 2
• Base Missile Level
• Dark Deadend Sideroom

As we progress into level 5, players will be greeted by a flashing red light, indicating danger ahead. Take note; this isn’t false advertising. There should be roughly 3 scientists remaining on this level, depending on your current kill count.

Conical Passage 1

At least one of those 3 remaining scientists should greet you immediately as you approach the red light and this conical passage. Dispatch him and move on.

Large Garage Bay with Truck

At least one more scientist should now be aware of your presence and will engage you. He patrols between the truck area and the conical area. There are no points of interest in this immediate area, but monitor your position as you enter the cavern. Getting too close to the warhead deployed can result in radiation tick accumulation VERY fast.

Cavern (Hard Hat Area)

The ‘end-loot’ area, the cavern itself, aside from the wonderful guards you already met, is home to 3 diesel barrels and an elite crate in the back of a pickup. In addition to this, there is the mean radiation warhead you want to steer clear of, even with maximum protection, and a laptop with a black and red screen.

This monitor actively ticks down (depending on the designated server wipe cycle) to the end-event, AKA wipe. A Red Keycard is sitting beside the laptop for your convenience, looting up and moving on.

Elevator Floor 5 to 2

We come to the exit strategy that was discussed earlier but that we didn’t take because of progression. There are no loot crates in this elevator lobby, but in that same name of progress, we will continue onward just to see everything.

Conical Passage 2

A simple passageway to the base of the erected missile – finish off any pesky scientists still remaining, including the mean one shooting you from below all the way down.

Base Missile Level

No loot to speak of, but an impressive visual at the end of a long road. On your left, there is a small dark doorway.

Dark Deadend Sideroom

…That leads absolutely nowhere. Head back to the elevator, and let’s begin our way out.

Underground Level 1 (Continued)

• Lobby 1 Cont. (Fire)
• Control Room

Once back at the elevator, we will be on floor 2 at the first elevator we circumnavigated. This time, we will exit the elevator and again take a right.

The pathways should still be free from scientists, depending on how long it took you to reach the end. Continue until we reach Elevator Floor 2 to 1 (Continued – Quick Exit). From here on, we’re back into new content.

Lobby 1 Cont. (Fire)

Once the elevator door opens, you will immediately be welcomed by 3 NVGM Scientists and a roaring corner fire (no comfort, sorry). Deal with your attackers, and let’s get out of here! …right after we check out the control room.

Control Room

While boasting no loot, the control room is certainly a nerd haven, having pretty detailed computer terminals, visuals, and a sweet, cooling system.

Underground Level 0 (Continued)

• Security Checkpoint
• Quick Exit Blast Doors

Onward and upward, through the stairs and to the left, we come to…

Security Checkpoint

The way out, finally. Located within this security checkpoint room, players will find a computer terminal with pre-programmed CCTV camera codes input so that you can view different portions of the monument. The codes are as follows:

• SILOTOWER
• SILOEXIT1
• SILOEXIT2
• SILOSHIPPING
• SILOMISSILE

Just behind it on the wall, a red button can be pressed to open the…

Quick Exit Blast Doors

You made it. In, through from start to finish, and out. We hope that you enjoyed your time at the Nuclear Missile Silo monument, and be sure to check the security cams BEFORE you open the door.

You’ll be glad that you did. A handy public telephone is available just before the exit if you need an Uber to get your loot away safely.

Summary

It is important to remember that the Nuclear Missile Silo monument, while shiny, beautiful and new, is just that; new. Things in this guide are subject to change, and we will make every effort to keep the information within this guide updated and accurate.

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!