Wasteland 2 - Highpool alternative route, Vulture's Cry, valves, Sean Bergin
If you choose to tackle the Highpool area before saving the AG Center, use our guide to ensure you finish up every story and side mission.
An earlier section in our walkthrough involved tackling the AG Center radio tower before heading to Highpool. If you choose to deal with Highpool first, things are a bit different. We've put together a guide to completing this alternative path through the game, although you should make sure you approach Highpool from the south, so you avoid the worst of the radiation.
Highpool Exterior
When you enter the region, go north and then get into cover behind the wrecked car you come to. When you're ready for battle, get someone with a powerful weapon to start the fight by shooting at one of the Wrecker enemies.
Once you've killed everyone, carry on towards the front of the building and finish the enemies lurking in the alley. Now enter the big house with the half-opened doors and talk to the woman inside. She'll explain that there are Wreckers trying to access her safe.
Explore the building and look for a bandit called Pry Bar. During the conversation you can choose to let him get what he wants or fight him. We took the latter approach. Once you've finished in this room, you can pinch the goodies from the safe, or hand the quest in to the woman who asked you to deal with the threat.
Once you're back outside, go north-west until you see another pack of Wreckers manning a mortar weapon. Kill them, then use Demolition on the mortar to alter its aim. Fire the weapon in order to damage the Wreckers, then head towards the nearby gate. Check for traps, then unlock it and go into the next area where you can loot some boxes - again, check for traps before rummaging around. Now head back to the central path between the burning vehicles.
Travel up through this path, then head through the gap in the rocks to your left. Take the side quest from the man standing near the van, although note that you'll need the Animal Whisperer skill to complete it. Now go back to the main path.
Keep heading around the tower and finish the next fight, protecting the civilians if you can. Proceed further along the path and kill the next group of enemies, before interacting with the nearby control panel to access Highpool itself.
Highpool Interior
When you reach town, talk to Sean Bergin and discuss the irrigation system, dealing with the Wrecker menace, and the radio. He'll tell you to speak with Kate Preston in the tunnels underneath the reservoir.
Save The Burning House
As you enter town, another civilian will ask for help. Take the valve that's on the floor to your right and fix it to the controls in the middle of town. Use the Mechanical Repair skill to fix everything up, then activate the controls to save the house.
Deliver the Note to Alexey's Soulmate
If you've got the Animal Whisperer skill you'll be able to finish this up. When you get near the middle of town, you'll see a woman in a cage. Speak with the dog that's wandering around to continue the quest. Deliver the note, then take the rock to Alexey.
Get Rid of the Juvies
If you speak with the caged woman, she'll explain how she can help you but requires your assistance first. If you don't have any cigarettes on you, go to the merchant in the Town Hall, then go back outside and give them to the juvies.
Before speaking to the woman again, go and see Sean Bergin and pick the Prisoner conversation option. If you want to free Vulture's Cry legally, you'll need Kiss Ass at Level 2, and Hard Ass at Level 4. After speaking with Sean he'll give you the key - head back and free her, then let her join the party if you've got a free slot.
Help Kate Preston
Now that you've got your full party, head west from the cage and enter the tunnels so you can repair the irrigation system. Speak with Kate Preston, then get ready to activate four valves - this process is a little fiddly, so we'll break it down into simple components.
First valve
- Leave one person at the controls.
- Turn the second switch and then go down the central tunnel.
- Turn right at the junction, then go around the corner until you come to Door 5.
- Activate the switch to enter the first valve room.
- Kill the enemies and activate the valve.
Second valve
- Get your switch organiser to close switch 2 and open 9.
- Send your team along the western tunnel into Sector 9.
- Kill the enemies, then activate the valve.
- Close switch 5 and open up Sector 8.
- Send your group into Sector 8 via the eastern corridor.
- Once in Sector 8, head north into Sector 10. Kill the enemies you encounter.
- Switch off Sector 9's power, then activate it in Sector 10.
- Change the power around until your team can enter Sector 2 and get a new valve wheel.
- Take the wheel from the storage room, then tweak the power until you can use it on the valve itself.
Third valve
- Enter Sector 6 and kill the enemies.
- Trip the breaker for the generator and press the switch.
- Leave Sector 6 and go into Sector 3
- Take the eastern corridor into Sector 4 and use the last valve.
- Go back to the control room to use the final valve.
Now that's done, simply go outside, make your way towards the radio tower and whack a repeater unit on it. Make your way to the AG Center
AG Center
After entering the Center, carry on until you reach Kathy Lawson trapped in the vines. As you head towards the Central Complex, make sure you kill any pod plant people before they reach you, otherwise you'll become infected and have to use the serum on yourself.
You'll soon find Dr Larsen. After speaking with him, head into the western corridor and into the greenhouse. Kill all of the enemies in this area, then examine the tower control panel. You'll then get a mission update from General Vargas.
Before leaving, go back to where you met Kathy, then head down the path to your west so you can get the serum. Kill all of the creatures you encounter, and take all of the items nearby before heading to the World Map.
You can find the rest of our Wasteland 2 guide from the first page of this article.