---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing
lang: en
title: Outpost clearing
summary: >-
  The player defeats an enemy location’s defenders. Completing the encounter
  changes its state and may open safe access to the area.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing/
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing.md
aliases:
  - Clear an outpost
tags:
  - Game design techniques
  - Combat
  - Progression
sourceIds:
  - source-bb5b58b090638376
  - source-ff72d9a21800c24e
sources:
  - id: source-bb5b58b090638376
    title: 'Game Mechanics: Outpost clearing'
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-ff72d9a21800c24e
    title: Far Cry 4 (2014)
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing/game/far-cry-4'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: game-mechanics
    id: gm-outpost-clearing
    title: Game design techniques
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-outpost-clearing'
    categoryIds:
      - gm-category-progression
      - gm-category-combat
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Clear an outpost
    description: >-
      The player defeats an enemy location’s defenders. Completing the encounter
      changes its state and may open safe access to the area.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/combat-outpost-clearing.webp
      width: 460
      height: 254
      game: Far Cry 4 (2014)
      sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing'
      originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/far_cry_4_outpost_liberation2.webm'
      sourceFrameSeconds: 8.98
      credit: Ubisoft Montréal; frame from clip via GameMechanics.org
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host:
        GameMechanics.org. All rights reserved; excluded from the portal’s MIT
        and CC BY 4.0 licenses.
      caption: Entering a guarded outpost
      alt: >-
        In Far Cry 4, the player approaches a guard from behind among an
        outpost’s fortifications and buildings.
      markers:
        - x: 51
          'y': 48
          label: An outpost defender
        - x: 29
          'y': 38
          label: Fortifications shape approach routes
    tips:
      - Allow multiple routes and ways to neutralize defenders.
      - Clearly communicate the location’s change of control after clearing it.
    examples:
      - title: Far Cry 4 (2014)
        url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages
  checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
  gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference
  URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film
  analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are
  upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics
---
# Outpost clearing

id: game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-outpost-clearing/

The player defeats an enemy location’s defenders. Completing the encounter changes its state and may open safe access to the area.

## At a glance

![In Far Cry 4, the player approaches a guard from behind among an outpost’s fortifications and buildings.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/combat-outpost-clearing.webp)

[Far Cry 4 (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host: GameMechanics.org. All rights reserved; excluded from the portal’s MIT and CC BY 4.0 licenses.

[Source recording](https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/far_cry_4_outpost_liberation2.webm), 8.98 s

1. An outpost defender
2. Fortifications shape approach routes

- Allow multiple routes and ways to neutralize defenders.
- Clearly communicate the location’s change of control after clearing it.

- [Far Cry 4 (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing)

## How it works

Defeating defenders changes an enemy location's state.

## Variants

### How the technique works

<a id="gm-outpost-clearing-rule"></a>

- Defeating defenders changes an enemy location's state. <a id="gm-outpost-clearing-definition"></a>

## Context and limits

All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.

- [Game Mechanics: Outpost clearing](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing) (id: source-bb5b58b090638376)
- [Far Cry 4 (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/outpost-clearing/game/far-cry-4) (id: source-ff72d9a21800c24e)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors