Marathon‘s map and environment are more than just a battlefield for you and other players to duke it out. They are reactive, hostile, and filled with various activities that could help you get better loot, raise your awareness, give you vital information, or speed up your experience gain.
One such interactive point of interest is the Target Acquisition Device, better known as TAD, a beacon that can provide invaluable info about your surroundings.
They are also tied to several contracts across the different Marathon factions, so here is how you can find and use them.
TAD locations in Marathon
TADs are antenna-like beacons that spawn randomly on top of several buildings across Marathon‘s maps. There are at least three of them on Perimeter, the first map you’ll have unlocked in the game.
Perimeter is our go-to map for finding these beacons, as the map itself is much less hostile than Dire Marsh, and the TAD spawns are much more consistent.
So far, we have been able to discover them at the following locations:
- Second floor of the Hauler sublocation.
- On top of one of the smaller buildings next to the main structure in North Relay.
- Atop a smaller structure in the lower parts of the South Relay.
There could be more on Perimeter, and naturally more on Dire Marsh. However, it would appear that TAD spawns are random and not guaranteed, meaning they could appear at various locations, making exact pinpoints tremendously more challenging to pull off. As we come across more of these antennas, we’ll update the list above.
Target Acquisition Devices (TADs) can be interacted with by approaching them and holding the relevant “Use” button on your device. Once the animation completes, the TAD will start pulsating, revealing enemies in your vicinity, including both AI and actual players. This can be of immense value, especially if a TAD is used in a particularly hostile area, such as the South Relay, where robots tend to spawn and call in reinforcements.
Players also tend to frequent that area due to its loot, so the TAD can come in clutch and help you spot enemies before they are even aware of your presence.
TADs are also necessary for several contracts in the game, and the Traxus faction offers an upgrade to make TADs spot enemies from farther away.
