One of the standout additions in GROUND BRANCH V1.0 (live since July 16, 2026) is Extraction — a new PvE game mode built around rescuing a hostage under pressure. It’s playable solo or in co-op, and it’s one of the best reasons to run a dedicated server with your squad. Here’s exactly how Extraction works, the maps it’s on, and how to host it.
What is Extraction in GROUND BRANCH?
Extraction is a PvE hostage-rescue mode for solo play or co-op. You and your team act as a rescue element, and enemy AI hold a single friendly hostage somewhere on the map. Your job: reach the hostage, free them, and lead them out alive — without getting them killed in the process.
How Extraction works
- The hostage is guarded by two captor AI whose sole purpose is to watch the prisoner.
- Those captors have a morale meter that only drains — it never refills. Every time they witness or hear combat, their morale drops.
- If captor morale hits zero, the hostage is executed and the mission fails. That single rule shapes everything: loud, sloppy pushes get the hostage killed, so speed and stealth both matter.
- Enemy count runs from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 30 per map, on top of the two captors — enough resistance to make the approach dangerous without overwhelming a small team.
Leading the hostage out
Once you reach the hostage, you control them through the Command Menu (default K):
- Follow Me — frees the hostage and has them follow you, mirroring your speed and stance (so if you crouch and move slow, so do they).
- Move To — sends the hostage running to a designated position.
- Take Cover — sends them to the nearest viable cover to crouch and hold.
In co-op, the hostage responds to the last player who interacted with them, so you can hand off control between teammates — one player peels off to clear a route while another moves the hostage up behind them.
Which maps is Extraction on?
At launch, Extraction is playable on five maps:
- Airbase (the V1.0 remake of 747, set in Libya)
- Compound
- Hospital (the V1.0 remake of RunDown)
- Small Town
- Tanker
BlackFoot Studios has said the maximum number of hostages per map will be increased in a future update, so expect Extraction to grow. For the full map roster, see our GROUND BRANCH maps guide.
Tips for running Extraction
- Silence the captors first if you can. Because their morale only ever drops, a slow, quiet approach that neutralizes the two captors before a firefight erupts gives you the best odds. The new integrally suppressed MK3 .22 LR pistol — the quietest weapon in the game — is purpose-built for this.
- Control the tempo in co-op. Assign one player as the hostage handler and keep them back in cover while the rest clear. Use “Take Cover” before pushing into a contested room.
- Mind the noise. Every gunfight the captors hear chips away at the timer you can’t see — plan your route to minimize contact near the hostage.
How to host GROUND BRANCH Extraction with your squad
Extraction shines in co-op, and the most reliable way to play together is a dedicated server that stays online 24/7 — no host needing to keep the game open, no P2P drop-outs mid-rescue. On a dedicated server you control the map rotation, AI count and difficulty, round timers and player slots.
The GROUND BRANCH dedicated server is officially Windows-only and involves SteamCMD and config files, so a managed host saves the hassle. XGamingServer’s GROUND BRANCH server hosting runs on AMD Ryzen 9 7950X hardware with instant setup, one-click updates, DDoS protection and a visual config panel — spin up a server in minutes and drop straight into a rescue. New to it? Start with our guides on game modes & missions and configuring your server.
Read more
- GROUND BRANCH 1.0: Everything New — the full V1.0 rundown
- Every GROUND BRANCH Map Explained
- GROUND BRANCH Roadmap 2026–2027
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