Marathon: How to Complete Cutthroat Competition on Dire Marsh

Most failed Cutthroat Competition runs die for one of two reasons: you queued the wrong map, or you finally had the salvage and got wiped on the way out. This is a Traxus contract on Dire Marsh, and the objective is exact — the in-game text reads: “Loot Enhanced or rarer rod salvage in Maintenance, and then exfil successfully.” Finish it cleanly and you collect 150 Traxus rep plus whatever you carry out.

The short version

• Map: Dire Marsh — not Perimeter. The contract is tied to this region.
• Where: the Maintenance POI in the southwest of Dire Marsh.
• What counts: rod salvage of Enhanced or higher rarity — Deimosite Rods, Cetinite Rods, and Ballistic Turbines.
• The catch: you have to extract alive in the same run. Picking the salvage up does not finish the contract; exfiltrating with it does.
• Reward: 150 rep with Traxus, plus the loot you successfully extract.

What actually counts for Cutthroat Competition

The objective is rod salvage at Enhanced rarity or better, looted inside Maintenance, then carried out on a successful exfil. The qualifying salvage items are Deimosite Rods, Cetinite Rods, and Ballistic Turbines. Anything below Enhanced rarity does not progress the contract, so do not waste a slot on common salvage — if the rod is Enhanced or rarer, grab it.

• Qualifying salvage: Deimosite Rods, Cetinite Rods, Ballistic Turbines
• Required rarity: Enhanced or higher
• Hard rule: the salvage only counts once you exfil with it — a death before extraction voids the run

One detail trips people up: loot credit. The salvage has to be picked up by you during the run for it to register. If another Runner dropped it or it reached you indirectly, do not assume the contract ticks over. Physically looting the item yourself is the safe play.

The route on Dire Marsh

Head straight for Maintenance, the named POI in the southwest of Dire Marsh. That is the single most reliable place to find the rods the contract wants. The smart sub-route is to work the basement and lower floors first. The central multi-level building is the loot core, and the lower sections let you move room to room with fewer angles to cover than the upper walkways, where UESC pressure and rival Runners tend to stack up.

Before you commit to the main building, sweep the small exterior structures around Maintenance. They are a low-risk opener: you can grab an early hit on salvage without announcing your position to every squad pushing the center of the POI at the same time.

Step-by-step run

Step 1: Rotate to Maintenance, but don’t hard-commit from the front

Assume other Traxus players are chasing the same contract. The obvious entrances and upper walkways are the worst places to begin. Use the outskirts first. If the area already sounds active, that is more reason to start on the edges — you want a fast first pickup without exposing yourself to the heaviest interior traffic.

Step 2: Check the exterior buildings before the main sweep

The outside structures are your safe opener. Search them quickly, but don’t turn it into a full loot run — you are here for qualifying rod salvage, not maximum value. A pickup outside cuts the time you have to spend inside Maintenance itself.

Step 3: Sweep the basement and lower floors of Maintenance

Once you’re inside, start low. The basement and lower-floor sweep gives the best balance of loot density and survivability — upper floors pull more robot aggro and more player attention, while lower sections let you move with fewer angles to cover. If your build isn’t tuned to fight multiple UESC threats and a third-party squad at once, this route saves a lot of failed runs.

The rods don’t have a single guaranteed container. Deimosite Rods in particular spawn loose in open areas rather than reliably inside loot containers, and only rarely show up in armory crates — there is no 100% spawn spot. Sweep open surfaces — tables, shelves, benches, corners — then hit boxes, lockers, and Arms Lockers in the same room. If a room reads empty after a fast scan, move on.

Step 4: The moment you have it, stop looting and exfil

This is where most runs are lost. Cutthroat Competition does not finish when you pick up the salvage — it finishes when you extract successfully with it in the same match. Staying for “one more room” turns a finished objective into a coin flip. Leave immediately, even if the rest of the building is untouched.

Getting out alive

After you secure the salvage, your priorities flip. Avoid re-engaging AI unless they fully block your exit. Avoid long stair pushes toward the upper floors. Don’t chase gunfire. The basement-first route helps here because it usually offers cleaner disengage options than the upper levels.

If Maintenance sounds overloaded when you land, there is no shame in slowing down and letting another squad make noise first. This contract rewards discipline over aggression. You need qualifying salvage and a clean extract — nothing more.

Common mistakes

• Queuing the wrong map: the contract is on Dire Marsh, not Perimeter.
• Looting below Enhanced rarity: only Enhanced-or-rarer rod salvage counts.
• Assuming indirect loot counts: pick up the salvage yourself for loot credit.
• Starting on the upper floors: that stacks robot pressure and PvP exposure.
• Overlooting after you have it: the contract only completes on extraction.
• Dying before exfil: this voids the run even with the correct salvage in your bag.

Practical takeaway

Queue Dire Marsh, rotate to Maintenance in the southwest, sweep the exterior buildings and then the basement for Enhanced-or-rarer rod salvage — Deimosite Rods, Cetinite Rods, or Ballistic Turbines — pick it up yourself, and exfil the second you have it. Do that and Cutthroat Competition pays out 150 Traxus rep. While you’re grinding Traxus, line up the best faction upgrades and how to unlock them, and if the raids themselves are killing you, run through these survival tips to stay alive longer.