Their goal is to contain and destroy the Zone, fearing that it will spread to the outside world. They have a strict military code (such as no smoking, maintaining one's weapons, etc.) and operate in a military fashion, using ranks like Sergeant, Major, Captain, and General. They are one of the largest Stalker clans in the Zone.
In S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, the Bandits are once again neutral, to an extent, and the player can earn their favour however, some groups will still try to extort the player, even if the player is in full favor with the faction in general.ĭuty was founded by former military expedition survivors and Stalkers concerned about the looming horrors of the Zone. They hold a base in the warehouse in Garbage and hold most of the Garbage. In S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, the Bandits are neutral (excluding the Renegades) and are a joinable faction however, they will attempt to extort the player whenever possible. Should the player join Freedom, Bandits and Mercenaries may become neutral, while, conversely, Duty and Scientists become hostile. In S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, Bandits are generally hostile. Their unit size is mediocre, and their equipment is cheap and shoddy because of this they've adapted to a guerilla style of warfare, ambushing small groups with large numbers by camping in locations just off the normal paths. Most Bandits are unorganized and leaderless there are only a few known Bandit leaders and camps, and even then their groups are still fairly disorganized, with underlings always trying to take control by overthrowing the previous leader. Apart from Freedom, which treats them with marginal contempt, everyone hates the Bandits due to their nefarious acts of robbing and exploiting honest Stalkers. The Bandits are raiders and marauders of the Zone, ranging from petty thugs and gangsters to organized crime syndicates. In S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, the player is a Military Agent therefore, other Military faction members range from neutral to friendly to the player.
In S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, the faction is not joinable, and almost all are hostile. In S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, the Military has strong control over most of the Zone, and nearly all are hostile. Overtly, the Military are hostile to all Stalkers, to keep up appearances but they also make shady dealings with them at the same time. In an ironic twist, because of major corruption within their ranks, they themselves are the reason why Stalkers can continue to operate, and why radioactive materials from the Zone keep flowing to the outside world. They allegedly enforce this rule with a "Shoot-on-sight" declaration. The Ukrainian military supposedly has the Zone contained in order to prevent the looting of dangerous, radioactive materials and to prevent the unauthorized entering of any individuals.