What You’ll Learn

This guide explains how to score high in the ARC Raiders Husk Graveyard Hornet challenge by using reliable setup spots, efficient target priority, and smart extraction timing. If the goal is smoother trial progress, better consistency, and fewer wasted runs, the key is understanding where Hornets spawn, how to force extra reinforcements, and how to stretch your ammo for the full match.

Why This Trial Is Different

The Husk Graveyard event changes the normal flow of a raid. During this event, Hornets appear more often than usual, which makes it one of the best opportunities to complete damage-based Hornet objectives. Instead of wandering the map for scattered targets, the most efficient approach is to hold a central position, watch for smoke-cloud spawns, and repeatedly pull enemies into a controlled kill zone.

This strategy works because the challenge rewards volume and consistency. A strong run is less about looting and more about keeping the spawn cycle moving. That means fast target acquisition, disciplined ammo use, and enough mobility to rotate your angle without losing time.

It is also one of the better moments to convert a raid into progression value. High trial scores can support overall ARC Raiders progression resources, especially when event windows are limited and players want efficient runs rather than long, messy fights.

Recommended Loadout for Hornet Farming

Core Weapons

The most important weapon for this challenge is the Hullcracker. It gives the burst damage needed to remove Hornets before they crash and deny full score. A backup rifle such as the Anvil helps tag or pull enemies from awkward ranges, while an Osprey or similar secondary can cover nearby threats and keep pressure on snitches.

• Primary: Hullcracker
• Secondary: Anvil
• Utility backup: Osprey or equivalent close-range option

Ammo and Utility

Bring more ammo than a normal raid. Seven stacks can work, but eight to nine stacks for the Hullcracker is much safer if the run goes long and the spawns stay active. A few stacks for your backup weapons are enough, since they are mostly there for pulling aggro or cleaning up.

Useful utility includes:

• Adrenaline shots for recovery and repositioning
• A Raider Hatch key for the end-of-run extract
• Ziplines for rooftop movement and late extraction safety

If your account is still building out ARC Raiders Weapons and support gear, this trial becomes much easier once your damage options and handling improve. Better weapon tuning and access to stronger ARC Raiders Mods can noticeably reduce ammo waste against airborne targets.

How the Hornet Farming Loop Works

The farming loop has two parts. First, you kill naturally spawning Hornets created by the event. Second, you deliberately aggro snitches and let them call reinforcements, which adds another Hornet plus extra flying enemies. That second part is what pushes a run from average to leaderboard-worthy.

The basic cycle looks like this:

• Move to a central high-ground position quickly
• Watch for single smoke clouds in all directions
• Identify whether the spawn is a Hornet or a snitch
• Pull the enemy toward your position
• Kill the Hornet before it hits the ground
• Repeat fast enough to keep respawns rolling

Spawn pacing tends to feel slower early, then accelerates as the raid continues. Around the middle of the match, the trial usually becomes much more active, and the final minutes can flood your area with repeated opportunities. That means early patience and late discipline are both important.

Spaceport is the most reliable map for this challenge and often the highest-scoring option. The ideal setup point is the roof of the Departures building. Reaching it quickly matters because the sooner you establish the rotation, the sooner the event begins feeding you repeat targets.

Getting Into Position

From spawn, head straight for Departures. Eliminate any easy Hornets or snitches on the way if they do not slow you down, but do not get distracted by side fights or loot. This is a score run, not a scavenging route.

Once on the roof, reload everything and begin scanning constantly. The roof works because it gives enough visibility to monitor both interior and exterior spawn lanes while also letting you use ziplines to shift angles.

Where to Watch

On Spaceport, Hornets commonly appear inside the walls, while snitches often show up outside them. In practice, that means:

• Toward the launch tower: more direct Hornet spawns
• Behind Departures toward extraction routes: more snitch activity
• Any single smoke cloud: likely a Hornet or snitch during the event

Fireflies can appear, but they are not the priority. The event heavily favors Hornet opportunities, which is why this map setup is so effective.

How to Handle Rooftop Pressure

The danger on the Departures roof is not a single Hornet. It is over-pulling multiple enemies and losing the clean firing windows that make the route efficient. Pull one or two threats at a time when possible, then scale up only if the pace feels manageable.

Snitch reinforcements can behave awkwardly if they spawn below the roofline. Sometimes they rise immediately. Other times they hover below your vision for several seconds. If that happens, use your backup weapon to fire near their position and force them upward. Even if they do not respond instantly, nearby combat usually causes them to re-engage.

Take a look at: our dedicated Hornet farming guide for Husk Graveyard trials

Best Way to Kill Hornets Efficiently

Ammo management decides whether a run ends with a strong score or a dry magazine. The Hullcracker is powerful, but careless center-mass shots can burn through shells quickly.

Front-Facing Hornets

When a Hornet is facing you, shoot the front thrusters rather than the body. Breaking one or both front thrusters exposes a weak point and lowers the number of follow-up shots needed. A clean sequence is:

• First shot into the front thruster area
• Second shot into the exposed thruster
• Finish before the target falls and self-destructs

This is much more reliable than repeatedly firing into the center chassis.

If you catch a Hornet from the side, aim between the rear thruster and the central body. This is one of the most efficient kill angles and can remove the target almost instantly when executed correctly.

Timing Your Shots

Hornets and Wasps both become easier to hit when they commit to an attack animation. Hornets often pause when preparing to tase, while Wasps settle before opening fire. Waiting for that moment improves accuracy and preserves ammo, which is critical for long event runs and for players still limited on ARC Raiders crafting Materials needed to sustain repeated attempts.

How Scoring Works in the Trial

The challenge awards points for damaging Hornets, but full airborne kills are still the goal. If a Hornet crashes and explodes on its own, the game may still give partial or even near-full credit in some cases. However, if it spins on the ground before detonating, the score return is often worse.

That makes clean aerial finishes the safest approach. The Hullcracker is so valuable here because it helps secure those final hits before the target drops out of scoring range.

As a result, this is not just a mechanical challenge. It is also a resource-efficiency test. Better routing, cleaner shots, and stronger ARC Raiders Augments can all improve your score ceiling without changing the overall strategy.

Riven Tides Alternative Route

If Spaceport is unavailable, Riven Tides is a workable fallback. The best setup point is the Port Authority building. The principle stays the same: hold elevated ground, scan for smoke clouds, pull snitches, and cycle Hornets as quickly as possible.

The main difference is that Riven Tides tends to involve more Fireflies mixed into the event flow, so the route is a bit less clean. That can reduce efficiency and create more noise in your target priority. Even so, strong runs can still produce high scores if your positioning stays disciplined.

A Jupiter can work here alongside the Hullcracker if your available ARC Raiders Items support that loadout better, but the overall strategy should remain focused on quick Hornet removal rather than broad crowd clearing.

Dam Battlegrounds Alternative Route

Dam Battlegrounds is another solid map for this trial. The preferred position is near the Breach on the Control Tower side. From there, you can watch several useful angles at once and react to both direct Hornet spawns and snitch reinforcement calls.

Key Sightlines

• The Hydrodome
• The area directly below the Breach
• The Breach interior
• Power Generation extraction side
• Control Tower and Water Treatment approaches for snitches

This route rewards awareness more than comfort. You need to scan in all directions and avoid tunnel vision. If the Spaceport rooftop is the easiest version of the strategy, Dam Battlegrounds is the more manual version that asks for sharper map reading.

Take a look at: this weekly trials guide for better route and loadout planning

The easiest way to ruin a strong score is to stay too long. Late spawns are tempting because the event can become very active near the end, but that is also when players most often miss the Raider Hatch.

Always keep one zipline in reserve if possible. The extra movement can be the difference between a clean finish and a failed run. Once your score target is reached, disengage and rotate out instead of chasing one last Hornet.

This matters even more if the run is part of a broader farming plan tied to ARC Raiders loot runs or to gathering ARC Raiders upgrade Materials. A successful extract with moderate loot is usually worth more than a slightly higher trial score followed by a wipe.

Common Mistakes That Lower Your Score

• Overcommitting to loot: this challenge rewards uptime, not detours
• Body-shotting Hornets: weak-point shots save shells and time
• Ignoring snitches: their reinforcements are part of the score engine
• Pulling too many enemies at once: chaos lowers kill efficiency
• Leaving extraction too late: greed can erase a great run

Progression Value Beyond the Trial

Even if the immediate goal is leaderboard placement or challenge completion, this event also teaches useful raid fundamentals. It improves aerial target discipline, rooftop positioning, ammo planning, and threat prioritization under pressure. Those same habits carry over into general survival and better use of ARC Raiders Blueprints, weapons, and future gear upgrades.

For players trying to minimize grind between event windows, efficient challenge clears also help reduce the pressure to constantly farm basic supplies. That is why many players eventually look for ways to maintain a healthy stock of loot and resources between raids, especially when progression hinges on repeated crafting and preparation.

Final Tips for Consistent High Scores

• Prioritize reaching the setup point over early looting
• Use the Hullcracker for full airborne Hornet kills
• Target thrusters instead of center mass
• Watch every smoke cloud during Husk Graveyard
• Let snitches call reinforcements before killing them
• Save mobility tools for late extraction
• Leave with time to spare rather than gambling on one more spawn

If Spaceport is available, start there. If not, Riven Tides and Dam Battlegrounds can still produce strong results with the same core method. The map changes, but the formula stays consistent: central high ground, forced reinforcements, efficient weak-point damage, and disciplined extraction.

FAQ

What is the best map for the Husk Graveyard Hornet trial?

Spaceport is generally the most reliable because the Departures rooftop gives excellent sightlines and smooth spawn control.

It is not absolutely mandatory, but it is the most effective option for securing full airborne kills and preserving score.

Why should I aggro snitches instead of killing them immediately?

Snitches can call reinforcements, which adds more flying targets and increases your scoring opportunities during the event.

Is Riven Tides worth running if Spaceport is not scheduled?

Yes. It is less clean because of added Fireflies, but the Port Authority setup can still deliver strong Hornet damage totals.

How much ammo should I bring?

Plan for at least seven stacks for the Hullcracker, with eight to nine being safer for a full-length score-focused run.