The Hive: the Gunman's Base
Getting there
The game opens in a rainy subway entrance with a ringing phone. Answering it gets you a smartphone, which the handler uses to open doors: she transfers an access code to it, and an elevator takes you down into the Hive. According to her, it is an old base decommissioned in the '90s that the order has cleaned up and fitted with new tech.
Every station
| Station | What it does | Needed for the terminal? | Seen in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon loadout terminal (gun wall) | Buy guns and attachments with credits and pick your contract loadout from the touchscreens underneath. The handler transfers starting credits and walks you through your first purchase. | Yes | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio |
| Large-weapons wall | Assault rifles and shotguns, bought the same way once you can afford them. | No | GameOnScorpio, Beardo Benjo |
| Knife rack | Holds blades you bring back from contracts. One recorded tour also shows a pen on the rack for stealth kills. | No | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio |
| Target practice station | Static targets with a stats monitor you can compare against other agents. | Yes | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio |
| Target practice course | A timed run through a shoot house that ends with a rank and accuracy stats. | Yes | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio |
| Movable target station | Set the distance on the touchscreen, send the target out and read the hit display. | Optional (the handler says so) | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio, Paradise Decay |
| Bullet penetration station | Fire through glass, wood, metal and stone to see how far each gun punches through. | Optional (the handler says so) | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio, Paradise Decay |
| Reflex station | Hit a fast-moving target twice, once on its way right and once on its way left, using slow motion. | Yes | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio, Paradise Decay |
| The circle (pop-up targets) | Stand in the centre, press the button and shoot pop-up targets around you while staying upright. | Yes | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio, Steam discussions |
| Weapon modification table | Place a gun on the table to apply spray kits and swap its firing sounds, silenced and unsilenced. | Shown during the tour | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio |
| Holographic sims | Holograms that do not fight back, for testing knife takedowns, grabs and hit reactions. | Yes | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio |
| Full combat training | Set the number of sims, their loadout, body armour and difficulty (easy, normal or hard). These sims shoot back. | Yes, the tour ends here | A Wolf in VR, GameOnScorpio, Paradise Decay |
| Contract terminal | Contract briefings and launch. Locked until you have run every course at least once. | Unlocks after the tour | A Wolf in VR, Downloadable Content, Steam discussions |
Stations checked:
Stuck at the contract terminal?
This is the most common first-hour question on the Steam forum. The terminal checks that you have run every course, not just the two in the main hall. The one people miss is the circle of pop-up targets: position yourself in the centre, press the button and take down the targets around you. The movable target and bullet penetration stations are the only ones the handler calls optional.
Scores and leaderboards
The practice stations track accuracy and time, give a letter rank, and feed Steam leaderboards that are split between VR and Non-VR players. You can come back to any of them after the tutorial.
Your phone
The phone on your wrist is a music player and camera as well as the tool you use in contracts. It plays the game's own soundtrack and any MP3s you add; see the custom music guide for the folder.
Upstairs and the garage
The upper floor is an abandoned makeshift hospital that the handler waves you away from, though it has at least one spray kit lying around. The garage holds a car on a lift platform that should lead to street level; the handler says the lift is broken and will be fixed "in the near future", which may hint at future updates.
The Hive FAQ
Where is the pop-up target course in The Hive?
It is the circle: stand in the centre, press the button and shoot the pop-up targets around you. Players who skip it cannot open the contract terminal.
Why is the contract terminal locked?
The handler will not unlock it until you have run every course in The Hive at least once. The movable target and bullet penetration stations are optional; the tour ends with the full combat training, after which the terminal opens.
Can you change gun sounds in Gunman Contracts?
Yes. Place the gun on the weapon modification table and pick new firing sounds for silenced and unsilenced shots.
What is upstairs in The Hive?
An old makeshift hospital the handler says you do not need to visit. It is worth a look: a spray kit was found lying there in one recorded run.