Cyberpunk 2077 Life During Wartime walkthrough guide: How to complete the main job and more

Life During Wartime is one of the main story jobs in Cyberpunk 2077, and you can complete it regardless of which life path you select at the start of the game. Focused around the Badlands, it involves V assisting Panam Palmer to complete a very important mission.

Life During Wartime is a lengthy mission, though, and can be difficult for some Cyberpunk 2077 players. The mission will occur in Act 2 of the game and begin with Panam Palmer.

The following article will guide players on how to effectively complete this story mission in the game.

Life During Wartime in Cyberpunk 2077 - Objectives and more for the main story job

After completing Lightning Breaks, this Cyberpunk 2077 main story mission becomes available. Below are the details about the job itself, the requirements, the quest giver, and what foes the player will overcome through the mission

Details for Life During Wartime

Type: Main Job
Quest Giver: Panam Palmer
District: Badlands
Sub-District: Rocky Ridge
Location(s): Regional Airport, Fuel Station, Sunset Motel
Enemies: Kang Tao
Previous Quest: Lightning Breaks
Act: 2

This Cyberpunk 2077 mission begins immediately after Lightning Breaks, and there are some optional objectives to make the mission safer or easier to complete. It starts off immediately with action, where players will take out drones with Panam’s admittedly awesome roof turret.

Objectives for Life During Wartime

Chase the AV.
Take out the drones.
Reach the AV.
Wait for Panam to tend to her wound.
Check out the crash site.
Scan the crashed AV.
Scan the area for Mitch.
Scan the area for signs of the Aldecaldos. [Optional]
Scan the Kang Tao operatives. [Optional]
Scan the combat drones. [Optional]
Disconnect from the drone.
Check out the crash site.
Take out the turret.
Defeat the Kang Tao operatives.
Wait for Panam.
Get in the AV.
Talk to the pilot.
Talk to Mitch.
Talk to Panam.
Scan the tracks.
Get on the Motorcycle. [Optional]
Follow Kang Tao.
Follow the Kang Tao's tracks.
Defeat the Kang Tao Operatives on the Airstrip. [Optional]
Follow the next set of Kang Tao tracks.
Go to Gas Station with Panam.
Get inside the Gas Station.
Find Hellman at the gas station.
Get to the upper floor of the gas station to find Hellman.
Confront Hellman.
Knock Hellman out.
Call Takemura.
Pick Hellman up.
Take Anders outside.
Put Hellman down.
Talk to Panam.
Talk to Hellman.

However, during this first part of the Cyberpunk 2077 mission, the turret will break down, and Panam will have to fix it. It will take a few minutes, so hang tight until you can demolish the remaining drone combatants.

Reach the AV and use the Masked Drone to check out the crash site you were heading towards. You may want to look for your friends in Aldecados and the remaining Kang Tao agents who are holed up at the crash site.

You can also scan combat drones, Kang Tao operatives, and the Aldecados if you want. However, players must scan for Mitch. Scanning the AV comes last. Cyberpunk 2077 players can make some choices at this point while talking to Panam.

Ask Panam to lay down cover fire - she’ll snipe from a distance
Ask her to stay in the car, because she’s hurt

It is worth noting that the “stay in the car” choice does help towards the path of romancing Panam, so consider that as well. There are plenty of foes to defeat at this point. Bots, agents, and a combat drone are all on high alert. Overcome this to progress the Cyberpunk 2077 mission. It’s worth trying to hack or take out the turret first since it lays down cover fire for the enemy force.

By the end, Panam will show up to help you breach the AV’s hatch and then get in. You’ll want to talk to the pilot, who has Mitch held hostage. The best solution is to use the dialog choices in this Cyberpunk 2077 mission: “I just want Hellman” and “I’m losing my patience.”

Doing this will have the pilot tell you where Hellman is and lead to fewer encounters later on. But you can also just shoot him and move on with the story; the choice is yours. After talking to Mitch and Panam, it’s time to track down Hellman.

If you choose to kill the pilot, you must track down Hellman the annoying way by scanning the tracks and simulating a path he likely went down. You can also steal a motorcycle here, which is never a bad choice.

Whether you're told where to go or follow the tracks, you will head to an airstrip where Kang Tao stopped off. This is also optional - you don’t have to stop and kill these guys, but if you’re feeling bloodthirsty, waste the operatives and get back on the road.

The next stop is a gas station, where you’ll head with Panam. She will provide cover fire while you deal with agents, drones, and turrets on the perimeter. If you can, the smartest thing to do is hack the turrets and activate “Friendly Mode.”

This way, when you go in, guns blazing, while the enemy's force is now being attacked everywhere by the turrets. It’s also worth noting that there are snipers - one on the roof of the gas station and another at the base of the tower.

The front door is inaccessible, so head around the side, and thankfully, the gas station isn’t wildly populated. There are a few agents inside to take out and Hellman’s in the office area. Pistol whip Hellman and leave with him.

After calling Takemura in Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll pick up Hellman, take him outside, and find the Aldecaldos have also shown up. You’ll receive a new motorcycle and have another choice to make here.

Just have to ask him a few questions.
It wasn’t Panam’s fault (Timed Choice). This choice also works towards romancing Panam since it shows you are loyal to her. It’s the smartest choice, as she’s an excellent ally to have.

From here, time moves forward, and you’re interrogating Hellman about the biochip that is killing you. After a few moments, you will leave the room, with Takemura dealing with Hellman once and for all. That’s the end of this particular main story job. From there, Cyberpunk 2077 players will tackle Play it Safe.