As of the latest update, Dead Rails added Challenges, which give you some special objectives to do. One of the highest paying Challenges is the Dead Rails Pony Express challenge. This challenge sees you trading steam power for horsepower, and it fundamentally changes the game. So let’s talk about the changes, and how to win.
You can play Dead Rails over on Roblox. If you’d like to ready about all the objectives, check out our Dead Rails challenges guide.
Dead Rails Pony Express Challenge
First let’s outline the challenge, and the major changes Then we’ll give some tips on how to complete it, and what class you should use.
What Is The Pony Express Challenge?
Pony Express is both of one of the most unique challenges in Dead Rails, and also one of the harder ones. In Pony Express, you need to complete the game without ever touching the train. You don’t interact with the train, and you certainly don’t use it.
As the name might suggest, the best way to complete it is by using a horse. In theory you could do it on foot but… we don’t recommend it.
The challenge awards 30 Bonds and 9 Star Badges.
Major Differences In Pony Express
Completing the Pony Express challenge means a major change to your playstyle, so let’s go over some of the big changes you need to adapt to.
Fuel Is Useless
As you don’t need to keep a train running, then all pure fuel items are immediately worthless to you. Don’t waste time on it if you can’t sell it. Also disregard the tutorial urging you to buy coal, it’s not going to do you any good.
Turrets And Defences Are Useless
Similarly, there’s no point in getting barriers, barbed wire, or turrets. No train means no welding, so nowhere to put your defences. You’ll just have to make do without them.
Outlaws Are A Much Bigger Danger
Without the cover and comparative speeds the train provides, Outlaws can quickly tear through your health and can hit you from a great distance. Given they’re also riding horses, they go at around your speed, which is pretty tricky.
Pony Express Tips
So now you know all about the dangers, what about the strategy? Here are a few tips we’ve put together from our own experience with the challenge that should help you do better and might improve the overall ease of experience.
- The Cowboy class is a great option.
- Unless you get super lucky and you can find a horse very early on there’s really one natural choice for your class for this challenge. The Cowboy class costs 50 Bonds, and spawns with a saddled horse, so you can start moving immediately. This saves you the potentially lethal task of walking until you find a horse.
- Vampire speed may not save you.
- The Vampire’s speed could make it an attractive choice for Pony Express, but because the Vampire loses health in sunlight, this could make for a rather tedious exercise. You could hide during the day, and move at night if you had your heart set on a Vampire Express run.
- Bring a light source if you can.
- As you’re not literally attached to the tracks, it’s easy to get lost at night and wander off in the wrong direction. A lantern can make it a bit easier to find your way around.
- Armor is a priority.
- Since you can’t fortify your train, you should fortify yourself. Pick up armor where you can, it will definitely improve your changes of survival when bullets start flying, and is practically essential for the end event.
- Make use of your manoeuvrability.
- You can move faster than most enemies while on your horse, so make the most of it. Get comfortable with moving forwards while firing backwards at enemies, and it will be hard for most melee enemies to get to you.
- Avoid Outlaws
- Outlaws are one of your biggest threats, especially early on. Fortunately you can avoid triggering their aggro by staying a distance away from them. This is easy during the day, but does become trickier at night.
- The ending will be much tougher.
- With no train as cover, surviving the bridge counter is definitely trickier. Make the most of your faster movement and try to deal with enemies with firearms as a priority.