Exodus in America[edit]
This is the first mission in the game. John Marston is escorted through Blackwater, flanked by two federal agents, to the train station. He boards the train to Armadillo and overhears various conversations along the journey. His wife and child kidnapped, he has been ordered to kill Bill Williamson, an outlaw who used to be a member of his gang years ago. He has been instructed to meet a contact at the Armadillo Saloon.
As you get off the train, walk across the road to the Saloon to trigger another cutscene, where your contact Jake introduces himself. After the cutscene, follow him to the hitching post, mount your horse and ride alongside him as he shows you the way to Fort Mercer. When you arrive, he tells you that some gang has taken over the place, and then heads off. Approach the entrance with your horse to trigger a cutscene where John calls to his old friend Bill, who doesn't take so kindly to his visit. After things take a turn for the worse, you are saved by two ranchers, who haul you into the back of a wagon.
New Friends, Old Problems[edit]
- Prerequisite: Complete Exodus in America
John Marston wakes up in a small room in MacFarlane's Ranch. The woman who saved him - Bonnie MacFarlane - introduces herself, and explains that she paid the fifteen-dollar bill to the doctor. In return, she asks if he could help her out patrolling the perimeter.
Leave the safehouse and walk to the house - marked as a blue blip on the radar - where Bonnie waits outside for you. Follow her to the hitching post and mount your horse, and ride with her as she gives you a tour of the ranch. You eventually arrive back at the house, and enter the yellow marker to trigger a cutscene where Marston agrees to help out patrolling the ranch in the evening. You are given a Repeater Carbine rifle.
After the cutscene, mount your horse again and ride with Bonnie around the perimeter of the ranch. When you reach the vegetable garden, Bonnie asks if you could shoot the rabbits and coyotes which are running amongst the plants. Using auto-aim, lock onto the animals and shoot to kill them. Mount your horse again and follow Bonnie to the corral. Here, shoot the two coyotes before you are given a brief tutorial on Dead-Eye as you head to the chicken coop. Using Dead-Eye, kill them before they ravage the chickens.
After you've killed the last coyote, head back to the hitching post where Bonnie gives you her thanks, and you are given a quick tutorial on safehouses.
- Unlocks: Nightwatch jobs
Obstacles in Our Path[edit]
- Prerequisite: Complete New Friends, Old Problems
When he arrives at the house, Bonnie has some frank questions for John Marsden. She then challenges him to a horse race around the ranch. Mount your horse and head to the yellow marker to start the race.
Follow the smoke signals placed as waypoints around the track. The route is pretty straightforward, but be careful not to let your horse run out of stamina. An on-screen prompt reminds you that horses travel faster when they are on a track than off-road. They also re-gain stamina quicker when on a track.
Be mindful of the narrow bridges along the race route, it is quite easy to accidentally drive your horse a cliff if you are slightly either side of the bridge, killing you and your horse. Eventually, the route winds up back at the ranch. You do not have to win the race to complete the mission. Afterwards, Bonnie suggests that you visit the Marshal in Armadillo, as he may be able to help you attack Bill Williamson.
- Unlocks: Marshal Johnson missions
This is Armadillo, USA[edit]
- Prerequisite: Complete Obstacles in Our Path
Head back to the house at MacFarlane's Ranch where John offers to accompany Bonnie on her wagon into Armadillo. After the cutscene, walk around to the drivers' side of the wagon and jump on. Riding the wagon is very similar to riding a horse - stamina is still important, and it is far easier to ride along the roads than to ride off-road. Additionally, you can reverse a wagon by holding down the control button used to slow horses down, which is useful if you accidentally drive the wagon into bushes.
When you arrive at Armadillo, Bonnie tells John to get some medicine from the Doctor's Office. It's free this time. Head over to the marker indicated on the map, then go inside and speak to the Doctor. Then, go and meet Bonnie outside the General Store. She suggests that you take some time to explore Armadillo and then take a stagecoach back to the ranch. This ends the mission, and the shops, properties and activities of Armadillo are now available for you to use.
- Unlocks: Stores, Properties, Stagecoaches, Five Finger Fillet, Poker
Women and Cattle[edit]
- Prerequisite: Complete This is Armadillo, USA
Wild Horses, Tamed Passions[edit]
- Prerequisite: Complete Women and Cattle
- Unlocks: Horse-Breaking jobs
A Tempest Looms[edit]
- Prerequisite: Complete Wild Horses, Tamed Passions
The Burning[edit]
- Prerequisite: Complete A Tempest Looms and Spoil the Rod, Spare the Bandit