A-class vehicles are small, lightweight scouts. They are unable to carry logs, but are very good at reaching watchpoints and examining the route ahead of larger trucks. There are three vehicles in this class: the A-968M, A-469, and A-3151.

A small two-door coupe, the A-968M can spawn as either the blue or orange variant, both of which are otherwise identical. It is not selectable, and can only be found on three maps.


The A-968M is based on an early-model Zaporozhets ZAZ-968M, an Eastern Bloc subcompact manufactured from 1979 to 1994. The A-968M is a very accurate depiction of this vehicle, with no visible differences from its real-world inspiration. It is the only non-truck scout vehicle, and the only "car" in MudRunner.


The A-968M is the least-capable vehicle in the game, period. It has no AWD, no differential lock, low ground clearance, and a total inability to navigate mud or water. Even when on paved roads, performance is rather unimpressive, and the car can only mount a single addon (a fridge, worth only one garage point).






I don't get much use out of the A-968M. It only spawns on three maps (and the "Visit Grandma" challenge), and is pretty much guaranteed to be the least useful vehicle when it does show up. That being said, it is a unique style of vehicle within MudRunner, and doesn't look bad from an aesthetic standpoint. It's just kind of useless for pretty much any task that doesn't involve exclusively paved roads and a single garage point, and unlike the B-130, this isn't something that you can rely on when all your other trucks are stuck or out of gas. It's more of a meme than anything else.

The A-469 is a lightweight Jeep-style 4x4 with quite good offroad capabilities.


The A-469 is based on a 1972 UAZ-469, a lightweight off-road military vehicle manufactured for Eastern Bloc armed forces from 1971 through the mid-1980s. It differs from this vehicle by featuring a new, vertically-barred front grille and slightly different headlight arrangement.


Though small, the A-469 is a great off-road vehicle, with all-wheel drive and differential locking capabilities. It has a good power-to-weight ratio, and is pretty fast for its size, while being quite fuel-efficient even in AWD. The A-469 is also very maneuverable, able to pick its way through thickly forested areas without much trouble. However, it can struggle in deep mud or water, especially with the Trunk addon installed (with which it becomes rather top-heavy).






The A-469 is a very capable vehicle, though I tend to overlook it in favor of the American Wilds scouts as a matter of personal preference. However, it by no means should be forgotten, as it is actually better than its successor (the A-3151) in many respects, and is a very rugged and dependable scout vehicle. It doesn't spawn on any maps, but is the pre-selected scout vehicle for every map except for Deluge, The Valley, and the two American Wilds maps, so most players end up getting some good mileage out of this capable scout.

The A-3151 is a somewhat modified version of its predecessor, the A-469.


The A-3151 is based on an early-model UAZ-3151, a successor to the popular UAZ-469 manufactured from 1985 to 2011. It differs from this vehicle by featuring a new, vertically-barred front grille and slightly different headlight arrangement. It also features a hard top, as opposed to the canvas cover of the A-469, and is painted blue instead of Soviet military green. Additionally, it has an aftermarket bumper and larger tires.


The A-3151 is essentially a somewhat upgraded A-469 in terms of performance. It has a more powerful engine and is noticeably faster on pavement, though its trail capabilities are nearly identical to the A-469. The A-3151 has higher ground clearance than its predecessor, but is also heavier, and struggles in mud despite its larger tires.






I don't use this vehicle much. Its only advantages over the A-469 are increased speed and hill-climbing ability. It's actually somewhat worse in mud than its predecessor and costs four progression points to unlock, which seems a little excessive. The A-3151 is basically a rock crawler variant of the A-469, more of a "sidegrade" than a direct upgrade.

B-class vehicles are ideal for supporting, repairing, and refueling larger trucks, but are less powerful and less capable of transporting logs than C-class vehicles. There are three vehicles in this class: the B-66, B-130, and B-131.

A light 4x4 military truck, the B-66 is well-suited to scouting and utility, as well as supporting and rescuing both scouts and other B-class trucks.


The B-66 is based on the 1964 GAZ-66, a Soviet 4x4 military utility truck. However, the MudRunner version of this truck features a low, horizontally-barred grille closer to that of the Kamaz 4310 than the GAZ-66 (and vice versa: the C-4310 has a vertically-barred grille similar to that of the GAZ, rather than its Kamaz inspiration).


The B-66 is a dependable utility truck, capable of tackling most terrain at a reasonable rate of speed. It is quite nimble for its size, allowing it to travel through areas where larger trucks may get stuck. It can carry enough fuel and repair points to serve as a mobile repair and resupply station for scout vehicles, though it is more than capable of serving as a scout in its own right. However, it is totally incapable of carrying logs, relegating it to a support role.






I like the B-66. It's a rugged, dependable heavy scout that will get you where you need to go. It's not great at rescuing larger vehicles, and it can be top-heavy with the utility attachment installed, but it's difficult to get it stuck anywhere (and even then, a little help will get it unstuck pretty quickly), and it makes a great resupply truck for convoys due to its high fuel and repair capabilities and good maneuverability.

Potentially the most-disliked truck in MudRunner, the B-130 is... lacking in performance, at best.


The B-130 is primarily based on a 1962 ZIL-130 Soviet cargo truck, though with a modified vertical grille. It is a very recognizable vehicle, and looks quite accurate (except for the grille). Personally, I find the stock horizontal ZIL grille to be a little weird, so I prefer the modified version.


Here is where the interesting part of the B-130 lies. With no addons, it is absolutely abysmal in mud, so much so that it has picked up a variety of rather demeaning nicknames for its lack of ability. Driving it in this state is usually an exercise in winching along from tree to tree, as the vehicle is often otherwise totally incapable of movement.

However, when enough weight is placed on the back wheels, it gains quite a bit of traction and a fair amount of mobility in mud (even just an empty Log Carriage works wonders). It is still not great in mud, but is at least capable of self-propulsion and requires much less winching to get from point A to point B.






Rather like the A-3151, I don't get much use out of the B-130, but it has saved my neck on a few occasions. It's unlocked by default at the start of the game, but there are so many trucks that are just... well, better, that I don't even consider it when selecting trucks at the beginning of a map. It has a surprisingly decent power-to-weight ratio (better than the B-66, in fact), but the B-130 weighs so little that this doesn't really mean anything in terms of actual practical performance. It just can't get traction very well, and thus has a hard time negotiating soft ground.

When I have to use it, I have to begrudgingly admire its capabilities because it will get the job done (unless the job is rescuing another stuck truck, in which case good luck), but I typically only use it as long as I have to before switching to something far more capable.

The B-131 is lightweight and reliable, if somewhat slow, and makes an excellent support truck.


Based on a 1966 ZIL-131 (the upgraded successor to the ZIL-130), the B-131 is a lightweight 6x6 military truck. Similar to the B-130, the B-131 differs from its source material by featuring a large vertically-barred grille, rather than the split grille of the original vehicle. It also has rather thin wheels.


The B-131 is rather slow, but that's about all that's wrong with it. It's a very good log hauler (though it can't mount a crane attachment), and makes a good rescue/resupply vehicle as well, as its light weight allows it to navigate terrain where heavier trucks may get bogged down. It is quite fuel efficient in most situations. Additionally, with the differential lock and AWD enabled, the B-131 will hardly be slowed further by mud in its path, and will go practically anywhere it is driven to.






The B-131 is a good, solid truck. It's perfect for carrying Short Logs, as well as for scouting into terrain that's impossible for lighter vehicles. Its center of gravity is deceptively low, though it will still roll easily if allowed to tilt too far. It's a dependable resupply truck as well, and overall a very solid choice as a general support vehicle.

C-class trucks are the true workhorses of MudRunner, and can be categorized into three distinct (though unofficial) groups:

• The "high-hood," KrAZ-inspired trucks (C-255, C-256, and C-260) - Large and powerful, but slower, less maneuverable, and less capable of overcoming difficult terrain. Capable of carrying all sizes of logs.
  
• The "low-hood," Ural-inspired trucks (C-375, C-4320, and C-432010) - Smaller, lighter, extremely versatile, and still quite powerful, with the ability to go nearly anywhere. Not capable of carrying Long Logs.
  
• The "no-hood," KAMAZ-inspired trucks (C-4310, C-65111, and C-65115) - Quite maneuverable, but light enough that they can have problems maintaining firm traction. Not capable of carrying Long Logs.

If you're looking for a good word to sum up the C-255, "tough" about does the trick.


Though the obvious guess would be that the C-255 is based on the Soviet KrAZ 255, it actually is a closer match to that truck's predecessor, the 1967 KrAZ 214. This difference is most clearly seen in the way the headlight mounts are designed, with the KrAZ 214 (and the C-255) not having the substantial supporting structure present on the KrAZ 255.


The C-255 is a very good truck. It has large off-road tires and a powerful engine, allowing it to traverse areas of deep mud or water. It is also quite stable in most situations, despite its rather high center of gravity when compared to some of the other C-class trucks. The main weakness of the C-255 is its high fuel consumption, which can pose a large problem in Hardcore mode where proper fuel management is a key component of success. Despite this, the C-255 remains a valuable and very capable truck, and is very good at hauling logs through even the worst conditions.






The C-255 is a very powerful truck, though I find its high rate of fuel consumption to be quite problematic at times. However, I will gladly make use of this truck if it spawns on a map, despite my personal preference for a few other C-class haulers. It's a tough truck, but that toughness comes at the cost of fuel.

The C-256 is the C-255's less capable, but arguably more important little brother.


Similar to the C-255, the C-256 is primarily based on the 1966 KrAZ 219 rather than the KrAZ 256 as might be expected. However, it lacks the big mud tires of the C-255, being equipped with thinner road tires instead. It is also painted a faded and dingy tan rather than the C-255's military green, a change from MudRunner's standard lineup of mostly green military trucks.


When compared to the C-255, the C-256 really isn't all that impressive. It has thinner tires and lacks all-wheel drive, meaning it simply can't go where some other trucks can. It's also quite heavy, which means that it easily can sink deep into the mud and get stuck.

The redeeming factor for the C-256, however, is the fact that it costs only a single balance point to deploy. This means that it is an incredibly valuable asset to players who are attempting to complete maps with only a single balance point. This characteristic has brought the C-256 much praise, and it is hailed as a near-indispensable tool for this reason. Additionally, the truck is surprisingly capable without AWD, provided that the player makes effective use of throttle control and differential lock.






The C-256 is a very useful tool for attempting to complete maps with only a single balance point, but I honestly don't find much use for it beyond that. It's good and quite helpful when you need it, but given the option I'd pick a lighter truck with all-wheel drive.

The hood and grille shaping of the C-260 makes it look like it has an absolutely huge engine. Which it does.


The C-260 is based on the 1979 KrAZ-260, a 6x6 heavy cargo truck designed for extreme operations. In-game, the C-260's grille has similar modifications to that of the B-130 and B-131, with vertical openings rather than narrow horizontal slits. Additionally, the truck's bumper is based on older-model KrAZ-260s with four lights, instead of the more recent two-light bumpers.


The C-260 is a mighty, powerful truck. It is very heavy, but is more than capable of powering through deep mud even with a heavy load, due to its large and powerful engine. It has a huge amount of pulling power and is also quite stable when crossing rivers, as its weight keeps it firmly planted to the riverbed, rather than allowing the water to catch and flip it or shove it downriver. It can also travel through deeper water than many other trucks, again due to its large engine and tires. However, the C-260's incredible performance comes at the cost of fuel efficiency, and though it does not necessarily require a dedicated fuel truck, frequent stops for gas are essential if the truck is to be used to its fullest potential.






The C-260 is a truck that makes you feel unstoppable. Mud? Easy. Water? No problem. Swamp? Bring it on. Plus, it can mount a crane with both short and medium logs, which further increases its versatility. It's a very useful truck, and more than capable of fulfilling any role it is placed in, from heavy logging to salvage and rescue.

The C-375 might be smaller than other C-class trucks, but it is not to be underestimated.


Very closely based on the 1961 Ural 375D, the C-375 is smaller than some of the other C-class trucks, which gives it somewhat different proportions. It has a lower hood and cab than the C-255 and C-256, which gives it a much more compact appearance. It has little to no visible difference from its real-world equivalent.


Though it is one of the smallest C-class trucks, the C-375 has certain advantages due to its more compact size. It is able to navigate denser forests than most other C-class trucks, and is very lightweight, which makes it much less likely to sink deep in the mud. It performs well in most conditions and configurations, though it can struggle when heavily loaded. It is unable to carry Long Logs, and has a notable decrease in performance when hauling Medium Logs, as it doesn't quite have the power necessary to fully overcome their weight. However, Short Logs or any non-log attachment pose absolutely no problem for this lightweight C-class truck. Due to its small size, the C-375 has a very good power-to-weight ratio, and is also very stable even when loaded.






The C-375 is a tough little rig, and it's one of my favorites. I like how it looks, and with its wide range of addons it works very well as a true multipurpose truck. It's also very stable; the only time I've ever had it roll was on my first time playing Grizzly Creek, when I attempted to climb across the face of a steep incline (aka, 100% driver error). Other than that, though, I've never had to worry about the C-375 tipping, even when loaded. It isn't necessarily the ideal vehicle for logging as it can struggle when fully loaded, but it's a jack-of-all-trades. Driving to watchpoints, hauling logs, or supporting larger log-haulers, the C-375 can do it all.

Almost identical to the C-375, the C-4320 is similarly a very capable jack-of-all-trades truck, though it only sees limited use as it is not selectable and only spawns on a few maps.


The C-4320 is based on the 1977 Ural 4320, the real-world replacement for the Ural 375D (itself featured in MudRunner as the C-375). The main difference between the C-4320 and its real-world counterpart is the grille, which appears to be based on that of the ZIL-131 (also depicted in MudRunner as the B-131, with yet another grille variation).


The C-4320 shares its performance parameters and statistics with the C-375, and as such matches the C-375's quite good performance almost exactly. It is capable of doing everything, though it is not the best at doing any one thing specifically. Also like the C-375, the C-4320 is unable to carry Long Logs, and can only equip a crane if outfitted to carry Medium Logs.






Based on my experience with the C-4320 (when I get to use it, as it is only available on a few maps), it's pretty much identical to the C-375. It's a decent performer, and it should definitely not be overlooked when it is available to use, but as it is only available on a few maps, the C-375 (or the superior C-432010) provides an equivalent option if you specifically want to use a truck like this one on other maps.

Though burdened with a rather unwieldy name, the C-432010 is the bigger, more powerful brother of both the C-375 and C-4320, and is an excellent all-purpose truck.


Like the C-4320, the C-432010 is based on the Ural 4320. However, while the C-4320 is based on the military version of the Ural, the C-432010 is based on the post-1990s civilian variant (the 1993 model, to be specific). The most noticeable difference between the two is that the headlights of the latter have been relocated to an enlarged bumper, rather than the more conventional higher-mounted headlights of the former.

The C-432010 faithfully replicates this difference, though it differs from its source material with the same grille as used on the C-4320 (a grille based more on the ZIL 131 than the Urals). The truck is also a (quite nice) blue color, making it really stand out in the C-class lineup.


As with its predecessors (C-375 and C-4320), the C-432010 is unable to carry Long Logs. However, it is superior to both trucks in practically every other aspect. It has a more powerful engine, which gives it the best power-to-weight ratio of any C-class truck in the game. It is slowed somewhat by water, but is almost always able to power through and emerge safely. However, the C-432010 does have a few disadvantages. First, its exceptional power-to-weight ratio can result in excessive wheelspin in some conditions, meaning that if it gets bogged down in extremely thick mud, it can become well and truly stuck if not driven carefully. Second, the truck's large bumper hangs a good deal forward of the front wheels, impacting its ability to negotiate large obstacles or thick forest. Additionally, the C-432010's high suspension features an exceptional range of travel, allowing it to easily overcome obstacles, but can also lead to the truck tipping more easily than the C-4320 or C-375. However, aside from these disadvantages (all of which can be overcome with some careful driving), the C-432010 is one of - if not the - best C-class truck available.






The C-432010 is an absolute blast to drive. It's powerful and fast, and can carry heavy loads without much performance impact. It also has a very nice color that contrasts well with the surrounding environment, and looks, sounds (that turbo whistle!), and feels strong. It's not quite as nimble as its little brothers, but it makes up for this with its increased power. I would probably pick the C-375 over the C-432010 for maps that involve more climbing (and hence steep slopes and lighter loads) or are almost entirely mud like The Bog, but the C-432010 is a superior choice in practically every other way, and I consider it to be the best C-class truck overall.

A fairly lightweight cabover, the C-4310 is a good, well-balanced truck.


The C-4310 is based, predictably, on the KamAZ 4310, a Russian cabover 6x6. It differs from the real-world inspiration with (again rather predictably) a custom grille, featuring vertical openings instead of the horizontal slits of the KamAZ (which in fact are quite similar to the modified grille of the B-66).


As a fairly lightweight truck, the C-4310 has a good power-to-weight ratio, and is capable of tackling quite rugged terrain. Like several other C-class trucks, it lacks the ability to carry Long Logs, but is quite capable of hauling both Short and Medium logs with ease. It is very fuel efficient when compared to other C-class trucks (particularly the gas-guzzling C-260), though this is offset by a smaller fuel tank. It has superior performance in water when compared to other C-class trucks, but it can get bogged down in mud. However, it is quite good at maneuvering through thickly forested areas, as its cabover design means that the steering axles are very close to the front of the truck, allowing it to turn tighter.






I find the C-4310 to fall in between the C-4320/C-375 and C-432010 in terms of performance. It's slightly better offroad than the former and has a comparable power-to-weight ratio to the latter, but is both somewhat lighter and somewhat less powerful. All four trucks have essentially the same selection of addons, though one advantage of the C-4310 is that due to its shorter cab, it can carry a spare wheel (with its 100 repair points) regardless of any other addons that might be equipped. I'd probably still pick a C-375 or C-432010 if given the option (I just like them better aesthetically), but the C-4310 is a very capable truck and is a good selection for practically any purpose.

A fairly lightweight cabover, the C-4310 is a good, well-balanced truck.


The C-65111 is based on the 2003 KamAZ-65111, a Russian 6x6 cargo truck. Like several other trucks in MudRunner, the C-65111 differs from its source material with a grille with vertical openings, rather than the horizontal slits of the real-world version.


Unlike the C-4310, the C-65111 is both rather heavy and a bit underpowered. It takes quite some time to accelerate, and when in automatic mode in mud or water, it has a rather unfortunate tendency to try and shift from first to second gear, only to come to a stop and shift back down to first, losing all momentum. However, it is excellent at maintaining grip in even deep water or mud, and can equip a crane with both Short and Medium logs. It also has a large fuel tank for a C-class truck, allowing it to drive much further without requiring refueling. It is also quite good on paved roads, with quick-centering steering that allows it to remain very stable and under control.






It's a good truck, but honestly the C-65111 isn't for me. Whenever I drive it, I always feel like it needs a bit more power, and just sort of lumbers along (pun intended). It drives pretty well on pavement, and is pretty good in mud (and does very well in water too), and is quite a capable truck (especially considering its ability to self-load both short and medium logs, allowing it to self-load a whole six load points) and is definitely a very good truck to use, but personally it's not a truck I tend to pick.

The on-road variant of the C-65111, this yellow truck is also the fastest vehicle in the game - on pavement, anyway.


The C-65115 is based on the 1995 KamAZ-65115, a Russian 6x4 road hauler. Similar to the C-65111, the C-65115's grille is modeled with vertical openings instead of the horizontal ones present on the real-world truck. The C-65115 also has the distinction of being one of two yellow vehicles in the game, the other being the K-700.


When compared to the visually similar C-65111, the C-65115 is both better and worse. It does not have all-wheel drive or diff lock, making it far inferior when off-road. However, it excels on pavement, with a whopping nine gears propelling it to the highest speeds in the game (without mods). It is an ideal road hauler, but off-road performance is only slightly better than nil. Unfortunately, the C-65115 is not selectable, though it always spawns on both Crossing and The Ridge (DLC map). It does not have the ability to mount a crane and is therefore incapable of self-loading, though it can carry all three sizes of logs (an ability that the C-65111 lacks).






As the only dedicated road hauler in the base game, the C-65115 is excellent at doing what it was designed to do. The truck's off-road performance is lacking at best (though still superior to the B-130), but it is capable of reaching great speeds while still being fully controllable when on the road. It is an excellent truck and would do great on both American Wilds maps if it was selectable. The lack of a crane does hinder its usefulness, but if properly supported (or playing in Casual mode where logs can be automatically loaded), this is far less of an issue than might be expected.

There are only two D-class trucks in the base game; the D-535 and D-537. Both are heavy-duty 8x8 tractors well-suited to rescuing other trucks from whatever predicament they might end up in.

A heavy-duty artillery tractor, the D-535 can rescue other trucks from almost anywhere, but is limited to randomly spawning on Russian maps.


Based on the 1958 MAZ-535 artillery tractor, the D-535 is a large, boxy 8x8. and is visually very similar to the D-537. However, its side venting is more extensive than the vents on the D-537, and it features roof-mounted spotlights in place of the standard headlights. Additionally, the D-535 has a slightly shorter wheelbase than the D-537.


The D-535 is a very powerful machine, able to shove its way through mud, small trees, or nearly anything else in its path. It has a high rate of fuel consumption, though this is lessened somewhat when not in all-wheel drive. The D-535 makes an ideal rescue vehicle, as it has enough mass and torque to drag, flip, or otherwise salvage a wrecked truck. However, without a trailer attached it is only capable of carrying 100 repair points, so another truck with a utility attachment would ideally also be present during rescue operations, as equipping the D-535 with a trailer is often more of an inconvenience than the trailer may be worth.






The D-535 is a very powerful tractor and is perfect for rescue and salvage operations, but it is unfortunately only available when it spawns at random on Russian maps. However, the nearly identical D-537 is similarly capable, and can also be selected at the start of a map (though at the cost of four balance points), providing a more-or-less equivalent experience.

The D-537 is very similar identical to the D-535, though it can equip a few additional addons and is not limited to random spawns.


Like the D-535, the D-537 is based on the 1963 MAZ-537 heavy tractor. It is a boxy 8x8 well suited for rescuing stuck or flipped trucks. Unlike the D-535's spotlights, the D-537 has more prototypical front-mounted headlights, and has smaller side venting. It is also slightly longer.


The D-537's performance is practically identical to the D-535. It is very powerful, but consumes a lot of fuel when in all-wheel drive. The D-537 makes a fantastic rescue vehicle, as its high mass and torque give it the ability to rescue practically any other truck from whatever situation it has found itself in. Like the D-535, the D-537 can only carry 100 repair points without a trailer, though unlike the D-535 it can equip a few other addons simultaneously with the spare wheel addon, increasing its potential usefulness.






The D-537 and D-535 are nearly identical, with the only main difference being that the D-537 has the ability to carry a spare tire (and its 100 repair points) along with some other addons, instead of being limited to the repair points included with the trailer hitch. This additional repair capability is offset by the vehicle's slightly greater length compared to the D-535, making the latter handle somewhat better at the cost of the Spare Wheel addon.

There is only one E-class vehicle in the base game; the E-7310.

The biggest and most powerful truck, the E-7310 is the undisputed king of MudRunner.


Based on the 1976 MAZ-7310 heavy artillery truck, the E-7310 is a gigantic 8x8 monster that can only be described as a specialized rescue vehicle. It has little to no visual difference with its real-world counterpart, and features a unique tandem cab arrangement (though only the left cab is usable in-game). When in motion, the E-7310 becomes responsible for a good portion of global carbon emissions, as it pours thick black smoke from exhausts on either side.


As perhaps it should, the E-7310 fits into a rather unique performance category. Its massive weight and pulling power allow it to salvage practically any truck from anywhere, and it can navigate even the deepest mud or water with comparatively little difficulty. It has a large 800 liter fuel tank, but can completely empty this in about 15 minutes if working at its hardest. Its all-consuming thirst for fuel makes it rather unsuitable as a logging truck, as it requires considerable support to operate for any extended amount of time. Indeed, perhaps the most practical addon is the enormous 2200 liter fuel cistern, as this allows the E-7310 to refuel both other trucks and itself several times.






This thing is a beast. It's absolutely massive compared to other vehicles, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. It can pull basically anything anywhere, but has difficulty navigating areas that are not clear of trees. As for going through forests, forget it. You'll be far better off going around. The one other problem with the E-7310 is that it's really only effectively usable on Deluge, where it is guaranteed to spawn anyway. By the time you unlock it, you've completed all six maps in the base game already, so there's not a whole lot to do with it once you have it. When you do use it, though, it's epic. Just make sure to have plenty of fuel available.

Another single-vehicle class (without DLCs, anyway), the K-class is based around the K-700, a specialized forestry tractor.

A big, bad yellow tractor, the K-700 is one of the best rescue vehicles available.


The K-700 is based on the Kirovets K-700A, a heavy duty articulated tractor produced between 1975 and 2002. It differs from the real-world K-700A with the replacement of the mesh grilles with a heavily reinforced forestry grille. With the loader addon installed, the K-700 takes on a bit of a "backwards" appearance to those used to front-mounted loaders, as the K-700's claw is attached to the rear of the vehicle since its massive engine occupies the tractor's front half.


Despite only having four wheels, the K-700 is nearly unstoppable. It barely slows down when encountering mud, and can navigate extremely deep water without suffering damage. Due to its articulated steering, the K-700 is also capable of making extremely tight turns, ideal for picking its way through thickly forested areas. It is also pretty quick for its size (and for only having three gears), outperforming the D-535/D-537 by a substantial amount. Fuel efficiency is actually quite good when all-wheel drive is disabled, though the tractor operates far better with AWD enabled. The tractor's weight, power, and size combine to make the K-700 ideal for rescuing other trucks, as it can easily reach even the most difficult of locations and has enough power to right even the heaviest C-class trucks with ease.

The K-700's performance is significantly reduced when equipped with a trailer, but despite only having one non-trailer addon, trailers are rarely ever attached. Instead, the loader is most often equipped, which allows the tractor to easily load other trucks with logs, as well as lift small vehicles such as the A-968M or A-469 (though the latter usually is done more for entertainment than any practical purpose).






All right, this might be my single favorite vehicle in the entire game. It's unstoppable. Seriously, I have never once had to get another truck to help the K-700 out of anything. Water? Mud? Swamp? Forest? All easy, because this thing can go anywhere. It looks great, sounds great (lots of turbo whistle too), and can haul almost any truck out of anywhere. As far as the trailers go, I've quite literally never used any of them with the K-700. The loader is really the only practical option.
The articulated steering does take some getting used to, and it can be hard to keep straight on roads until you get a feel for it, but the K-700 is truly unstoppable.

The Valley is a free DLC that adds a large map and three new vehicles:

• The A-969, an ultra-lightweight 4x4 scout
  
• The C-6317, a big and heavy logging truck
  
• The E-7429, a massive 8x8 to rival the E-7310

An extremely compact 4x4 utility vehicle, the open-top A-969 is the smallest and lightest vehicle in the game.


Based on the LuAZ-969, the A-969 is a tiny, lightweight 4x4 scout vehicle. It is the only vehicle in MudRunner to feature an open top, and has wheels that are just tiny when compared to any other vehicle in the game.


Despite its size, the A-969 is actually surprisingly capable. It offers a different style of play from the scout vehicles of the base game, as it is small enough to fit basically anywhere. It has a decent power-to-weight ratio, though its exceptionally low weight means that its engine is still rather weak. In fact, the A-969's weight is its largest advantage, as it is far less likely to sink into mud or water than other scout vehicles, and in fact performs very well when in water. However, other than the spare wheel, its attachments are not very useful for scouting, as they make the A-969 quite rear-heavy and much more likely to get stuck. Additionally, the vehicle's low ground clearance often results in it getting caught or stuck on tree branches lying on the ground.






The A-969 is really only practical for one thing: unlocking watchpoints. The addons other than the spare wheel add so much extra weight that they become more of a burden than they are worth, and it lacks the power and weight to assist or rescue other scout vehicles. However, when it comes to unlocking watchpoints, the A-969 is excellent. It is small and light, allowing it to go pretty much anywhere in order to reach the watchpoint. However, caution should be taken as its low ground clearance means it often gets hung up on rocks, sticks, and branches. It's kind of fun to drive, but doesn't make a good multipurpose vehicle.

The biggest C-class truck, the C-6317 offers a different play style from others in its class.


The C-6317 is based on the MAZ-6317 heavy utility truck. It is a large 6x6 cabover, and like several other trucks in MudRunner, features a different grille than its real-world counterpart (again with large vertical openings instead of the prototypical horizontal grille). It is much bigger than other C-class trucks.


The two words to best describe the C-6317 are big and heavy. It is immensely powerful for a C-class truck, able to ford deep rivers with ease. It is also the only C-class truck to feature a permanently enabled differential lock. The C-6317 is one of only three vehicles (the other two being the Western Star 6900XD and the K-9000 Forwarder) capable of self-loading seven points of logs. However, it has a very high rate of fuel consumption - even with AWD disabled - and its large size makes navigation through confined spaces difficult. The truck's weight also can work against it, as it struggles to climb hills when loaded.






The C-6317 is an impressive truck, but it's not for me. I personally find it to be too big and bulky for the benefit of its extra power, and honestly I'm not a huge fan of how it looks either. It's an immensely powerful vehicle for a C-class truck and would certainly be quite useful if available. However, I'd rather just take two "regular" C-class trucks, to have better maneuverability and be able to single-trip lumber mills via the use of a convoy. The C-6317 is absolutely excellent in water, though, and could probably be used with some success on Deluge where every other C-class truck would have a bad time (at best).

An enormous 8x8 monster, the E-7429 is in the same weight class as the E-7310, but provides different options for its use.


Based on the Belarusian MZKT 7429, the E-7429 can best be described as the chassis of the E-7310 with an enlarged C-6317 cab. It is painted white (a unique vehicle color in MudRunner), and has a massive front bumper with low-mounted headlights. As with most other vehicles in MudRunner, the E-7429's large grille is custom-made, and is not representative of the real-world vehicle.


Though the E-7429 initially would seem to be more-or-less equivalent to the E-7310, this is not the case. The E-7429 is much lighter and has quite a bit more ground clearance than the E-7310, allowing it to navigate most terrain with relative ease. Its still-impressive weight and high ground clearance allow it to cross deep water with no issues, and it is quite maneuverable for its size. However, it has less traction and a lower power-to-weight ratio than the E-7310, and the front bumper has an unfortunate tendency to get caught on rocks that would otherwise simply pass under the vehicle. Due to its higher speed and better fuel efficiency than the E-7310, the E-7429 is actually a practical choice for logging, able to transport 8 load points at a reasonable speed across almost any terrain.






I definitely prefer the E-7429 over the E-7310. It has lower (though still really high) fuel consumption, it's lighter, it has higher ground clearance, and it's generally useful for more things than just a dedicated fuel tanker. It can carry its own repair kit (though it only holds 100 repair points) and though it has a lower damage capacity than the E-7310, I just find it to be more useful. It drives better since it's faster and lighter, and it feels big and powerful without being as painfully slow as the E-7310. The huge bumper looks kind of cool too, and really completes the E-7429's overall "look".

The Ridge is a free DLC that includes a large map and two unique vehicles:

• The B-6A, a small farm tractor
  
• The D-538, a heavy 4x4 offroad logging tractor

A rear-wheel-drive farm tractor, the B-6A works rather well as a lightweight rescue vehicle, though it can easily become overturned or stuck in mud itself.


The B-6A is based on the 1969 YuMZ-6A tractor, and is the only such vehicle in MudRunner. It has large rear wheels and a partially exposed engine, and features a center-mounted seating position. The tractor's cab is white, while the rest of the vehicle is painted a faded blue.


The performance characteristics of the B-6A are unique, to say the least. It lacks all-wheel drive but has diff lock permanently enabled, and can attach a few different trailers. The tractor also has quite a high damage capacity for its class and capabilities. It has a good power-to-weight ratio, and with a trailer attached makes for a surprisingly decent rescue vehicle. Considering its lack of AWD and low weight, the B-6A is capable of a bit more than it should be when it comes to rescues (but don't expect it to do the impossible). However, its thin tires mean that it can easily bury itself in mud, and that it can get stuck in ditches or gullies. Interestingly, though, the B-6A is the only B-class vehicle to be recallable, so it is difficult to get it into a situation where it is completely unrecoverable.






I find the B-6A to be pretty fun to use, though it isn't the most useful. It's one star cheaper to deploy than other lightweight rescue vehicles (B-66 and B-131), but lacks much of their abilities (though it can fit almost anywhere). However, it definitely provides an interesting and different style of driving, and honestly isn't bad once you get a feel for it. It has an unfortunate habit of burying its tires in mud, so should be manually shifted into very low gears (like Low-1 or Low-2) prior to attempting to traverse these areas. It can carry an impressive amount of repair points and fuel though, and makes a good "backup" to a more capable rescue truck. I wouldn't rely on it exclusively for a rescue vehicle, but in an emergency, it'll do.

A rather square-shaped heavy off-road tractor, the D-538 combines poor handling with a near-complete lack of suspension to create one of the most difficult-to-drive vehicles available.


The D-538 is based on the 1955 MAZ-538 heavy tractor/bulldozer. It is a 4-wheeled heavy offroad tractor characterized by its unusually angled hood and high-mounted cab. It is of solid-body design, meaning that unlike many other trucks in MudRunner, the entire body of the tractor functions as a single unit, and cannot flex or rotate to accommodate obstacles.


The D-538's performance is rather marginal. It can haul a maximum of four load points (via a Medium Log Trailer), but its lack of body flex and essentially zero suspension travel mean that it has horrible performance when it comes to uneven terrain. Additionally, it has a poor power-to-weight ratio and a very slow steering speed, which make even on-road handling very difficult. However, the D-538's large tires allow it to simply roll over smaller obstacles such as fallen trees, and its weight gives it fairly substantial traction. The tractor's crane is also quite useful, as its wide range and reach allows it to load trucks other than just the D-538 itself with ease. It is fairly useful for logging in this regard when compared to the other D-class vehicles (D-535 and D-537), as the latter trucks are both incapable of self-loading (though they can carry more total load points).






I don't really like the D-538. It's rather underpowered and a hassle to drive on any surface, with abysmal handling on-road and a total lack of suspension off-road. The tractor's ground clearance is also rather low, ensuring that it often gets stuck on whatever obstacles it can't just roll over. It is quite capable in mud, provided that the mud is relatively flat, but lacks the needed performance in practically every other aspect for me to consider it a highly useful vehicle. It's usable if you need to use it, and is somewhat more useful for logging than the D-535/537 (because it can mount a loader), but is not a good choice by any means for a rescue vehicle. It's fine for dragging B- and C-class trucks forward if they get stuck in mud, but is too big and unwieldy for much more than that.

The American Wilds Expansion adds two new maps and nine unique vehicles. Unlike the base game and its free DLCs, this paid expansion features on-road hauling as its primary focus, and three of the four conventional logging trucks are marked as "not suited for offroading", which is adequate for the American Wilds maps but limits their usefulness outside of these.

The main difference between the AW expansion and the base game can best be explained as follows: the Russian maps focus on getting the trucks to the logs, loading them, and then proceeding to the lumber mill; while the American Wilds maps focus on getting the logs to the trucks, then loading and delivering them. As such, the American log trucks are generally far less good at mudding than their Russian counterparts, but are superior when it comes to primarily road- and trail-based logging.

The American Wilds Expansion includes the following vehicles:

• The Chevrolet K5 Blazer, a fast scout 4x4 SUV
  
• The Ford F-150, a nimble pickup truck
  
• The Hummer H1, an offroad 4x4 scout
  
• The Chevrolet Bison, an on-road hauler
  
• The Ford LTL9000, another on-road hauler
  
• The Freightliner FLD120, a third on-road hauler
  
• The Western Star 6900XD, an off-road 6x6 logging truck
  
• The K-8400 Skidder, a logging tractor well-suited to the design of the American Wilds maps
  
• The K-9000 Forwarder, a huge articulated log-hauling tractor

A four-wheel drive American SUV, the Chevrolet K5 Blazer is a very fast and agile scout vehicle.


The Blazer featured in MudRunner is a 1975 model, and is painted in an attractive two-tone blue and white scheme. Without any attachments it looks rather boring, but when the front bumper, light bar, spare wheel, and roof trunk are added, it really does look like a capable off-road vehicle.


Due to its high speed and acceleration (the Blazer is the fastest scout vehicle and second-fastest vehicle in the game, beaten only by the C-65115), the Chevy K5 drives a lot more like a rally car than an off-road SUV. It has an excellent power-to-weight ratio and is geared quite long, allowing it to reach and maintain impressive speeds even on steep hills. Its short wheelbase allows it to turn practically on a dime, but its widely-spaced tires give it reasonable stability on trails even at speed.

However, the Blazer's power can also cause some difficulties. It has the highest amount of wheelspin of any vehicle in the game, and very careful throttle management is required to maintain grip in mud or water if momentum is lost. It also can be rather unstable when driven on pavement, and losing control is easy due to its high speed and rapid steering. As such, extreme caution must be taken when driving at high speeds on roads or other firm surfaces.






If you're looking for something that's genuinely exciting to drive, look no further than the Chevy K5. It's fast and agile, ideal for getting places quickly, and looks great from an aesthetic standpoint as well. The wheelspin is controllable with careful throttle input, though maintaining control on pavement at high speed is still rather difficult without either all-wheel drive or differential lock (which can't be used on pavement in Hardcore without damage anyway). On trails, however, the Blazer is a fantastic choice, and it can make its way pretty much anywhere if handled with care. I really love this small but mighty scout.

Quite possibly the most well-known truck in the world, the Ford F-150 is a very capable scout truck both on- and off-road.


A ninth-generation (1992) standard-cab short-bed model, MudRunner's Ford F-150 is quite a good-looking truck. It is painted in a very attractive two-tone red and white, and looks fantastic with or without addons installed.


The F-150 is somewhat slower than the Chevy K5 and Hummer H1, but has far less wheelspin than the former and better fuel consumption than the latter. It has a decent power-to-weight ratio and is comparable in role to the A-469 in many respects, as both trucks are good, well-balanced jack-of-all-trades vehicles. The F-150 can be somewhat difficult to control at top speed, but is much more stable than the Blazer in this respect. It is very good at off-roading, and has decent performance in mud and water with careful throttle application to prevent wheelspin (though again this is not as significant of an issue as with the Blazer). It can go basically anywhere if driven with appropriate care, and is ideal for unlocking watchpoints and traversing large areas of a map.






The F-150 is fantastic. It's quick enough to get to places easily, but controllable enough to get there safely. It can handle trails, mud, and rocks, and can go practically anywhere with the assistance of the winch. This is one of my favorite scout vehicles, and I would pick it over either of the base game scouts (A-469 and A-3151) every day of the week. It looks awesome, drives well, and is overall a very capable and easy-to-drive scout truck.

One tip I have for driving the F-150 is that it will often indicate it is about to roll over by lifting one of its rear wheels, which can give you time to correct the situation and keep it from actually rolling over.

A large four-wheel drive vehicle, the Hummer H1 is a powerful scouting truck.


Derived from the U.S. Army's HMMWV ("Humvee"), the Hummer H1 was produced from 1992 through 2006 by AM General. The H1 in MudRunner is painted a dark gray color, and has a large grille guard. It is a very tough looking vehicle, and its shape becomes much more recognizable when the bed cover addon is installed. Its roof trunk is very large, almost taking up the entire top portion of the vehicle.


The Hummer H1 is an exceptionally powerful truck for its size, and is the largest and heaviest scout vehicle in the game. It has a higher damage capacity than the other scouting vehicles, and features higher ground clearance and suspension range. The H1 has an excellent power-to-weight ratio and relatively low wheelspin, and can maintain very good handling and traction at all speeds. It is very good at climbing, as its low center of mass keeps all four wheels planted firmly on the ground. The Hummer also has little to no noticeable performance impact caused by the installation of addons (with the exception of the scout trailer), and makes an exceptional light support vehicle and rescue rig, as it is capable of pulling vehicles much larger than itself.

However, the Hummer H1 does have a few weaknesses. It has a high rate of fuel consumption for a scout vehicle, and sinks into mud more easily than its lighter counterparts. It also lacks side-mounted winch points, which can pose a serious issue if the vehicle is ever flipped or needs to be winched from an awkward spot, as the only possible winch points are at the front and rear of the vehicle.






The Hummer is a fantastic scouting vehicle. It performs very well on pretty much any type of terrain, from rocks to sand to mud to water. Additionally, its better-than-average torque and weight allow it to almost take the place of a dedicated B-class rescue truck (such as the B-66 or B-131). I love how it looks as well, and it really feels like a rugged, tough, bring-it-on sort of vehicle.

The one major problem I have with the Hummer is its lack of side-mounted winch points. I am often winching myself either into or out of tricky spots, and this frequently involves use of the side winch points, which the Hummer lacks. This can make for some tricky situations at times, especially if you need to cross the face of a steep slope (in which case all you have to rely on is the vehicle's low center of mass, rather than a safety line to prevent rollovers). Other than that, though, the Hummer is very, very good at basically everything (even drifting!).

The Chevrolet Bison is a 6x4 road hauler that is also quite capable on trails.


The less-popular twin of the GMC General heavy-duty truck, the Chevrolet Bison was only produced from 1977 to 1981 before being discontinued in favor of the General. The Bison in MudRunner (a 1978 model) is painted orange with quite accurate three-tone red/yellow/white striping, though the truck's paint has faded to the extent that the red stripe is rather difficult to distinguish from the orange base color. As an interesting side note, this vehicle is the first (and, to my knowledge, still the only) licensed Chevrolet Bison to ever appear in a videogame.


As an on-road hauler, the Chevy Bison performs very well on pavement, but also does fairly well on trails. It is reasonably fast for its size, and is fairly powerful as well. When loaded with logs (or addons), performance is relatively unaffected, and the Bison is more than capable of maintaining its speed even if climbing a hill with a full load. In fact, similar to the B-130, the Bison actually performs much better in mud and water when loaded, as the additional weight gives the tires extra grip and allows the truck to traverse areas it would simply be incapable of crossing when unloaded. However, the extra weight comes at a cost, as the Bison can very easily sink into mud or dirt and get stuck. If this occurs, the truck usually is incapable of getting itself out without assistance, as it lacks the necessary power and traction.






The Bison is a nice truck. It's a great choice for an on-road hauler and has decent trail capabilities too. It looks really good too, with a neat "retro" color palette and paint job. It's fast enough to get places, but not so fast that you lose control. The main downside of the Bison is that it can't mount a crane, and therefore needs a second vehicle with one in order to be used in hardcore (which is okay, because it might need some help getting to the location where the crane would be needed anyway). It's just a classic, nicely balanced logging rig. It also works well as a support truck, since the utility and fuel addons give it the necessary weight to maintain traction off-road (and the colors of the utility attachment actually match it quite nicely, too). However, it is very easy to get stuck in mud, and usually needs the assistance of a second truck to get unstuck, since it isn't very powerful.

A heavy 6x4 road hauler, the Ford LTL9000 is a good all-purpose truck.


A first-generation L-series truck, the Ford LTL9000 was designed to compete with the Kenworth W900, GMC General, and other similar long-haul trucks. The LTL in MudRunner (a mid-1970s model) is painted a rather nice green with two white stripes running along each side of the hood and cab. It has a very large and prominent grille, and looks quite big and powerful.


Similar to the Chevrolet Bison, the Ford LTL9000 performs very well on hard surfaces such as asphalt and dirt trails, but can struggle in mud. It is heavier than the Bison and needs less additional weight to maintain traction, but due to its increased mass, the LTL9000 performs very poorly in water. It also burns fuel rather quickly, but is quite well-suited to take the role of a heavy duty multipurpose truck.






The LTL9000 is a pretty good truck. When compared to the Bison, it has the advantage of being able to equip both a log carriage and medium log trailer (whereas if the Bison has a log carriage installed, it can't have any trailers) to haul up to 7 load points. However, I find the Bison to be far superior if water is involved. Driving the LTL9000 into practically any amount of water just brings it immediately to a stop, and it's almost impossible to get going again without assistance or a winch.

As a direct comparison to the Bison, the LTL9000 is superior at mild off-roading (trails and such), but inferior in mud or water, as it tends to just sink. Both vehicles are excellent choices for mostly-paved maps, but the LTL9000 has a much lower power-to-weight ratio.

The fastest road hauler in the American Wilds expansion, the Freightliner FLD120 is excellent on roads, but struggles on less forgiving terrain.


Based on the 1988 model truck, MudRunner's Freightliner FLD120 is a big highway hauler. It is painted blue, and has a large grille and low-hanging front bumper. It is a very good looking truck, and is a good example of a "standard" American highway semi-truck. The FLD is also the only American road hauler to feature an accurate backup beeper (though it unfortunately also has the "car" horn). However, the truck's shortcomings as an off-roader are immediately apparent at a glance, as it has minimal ground clearance and a very long wheelbase.


The Freightliner FLD120 is the fastest on-road truck in the American Wilds expansion, and the eleventh fastest vehicle overall (including scouts). It is exceptional at road hauling even with semi-trailers attached, as its high power allow it to tow heavy loads with little difficulty. However, the FLD120 struggles even on some trails, as its minimal ground clearance and low-hanging front bumper often drag on the ground. Additionally, it is very front-heavy, so weight is needed on the rear wheels in order to maintain any reasonable amount of traction. The Freightliner's exceptionally long wheelbase is a hazard as well, as the truck is remarkably easy to high-center.

One huge advantage the FLD120 has is that it can equip a loader with many other addons. This feature allows it to function as both a support and log loading truck (for trucks without cranes such as the Chevy Bison and Ford LTL). The availability of a standalone loader also gives the FLD120 the rare distinction of being one of only a few trucks in the game capable of self-loading Long Logs (and by extension, self-loading any size of logs due to the availability of the Log Carriage with Crane).






If you need a good truck that doesn't need to do much off-roading, there's really no other option. Since the Freightliner can self-load any size of logs, it is the only practical choice for highway logging without a separate crane vehicle. It is also excellent on dirt roads, but doesn't perform as well on rougher trails or on rocks (as its low-hanging bumper often gets caught on fallen trees or boulders). Even if you need somewhat better off-road capabilities, the FLD120 is still quite useful as a mobile refueling station and log loader, allowing you to get logs to their destination with great speed and efficiency. If off-roading or mudding is necessary, the Western Star 6900XD is a far better choice, but if the focus stays on highway logging, the Freightliner FLD120 is unchallenged. It's a very versatile truck, as long as it is used within the environment and terrain it is designed for.

The Western Star 6900XD is the only 6x6 truck in the American Wilds expansion, and is a reasonably capable off-roader.


The 6900XD is Western Star's highest capacity truck, and the in-game truck visually reflects this with its large off-road tires and reinforced bumper. The truck's cab is painted a faded red, though the bumper, fenders, and lower bodywork are painted black. High suspension and a large front grille further add to the appearance of this tough-looking truck.


The Western Star 6900XD is a pretty capable truck, though not quite to the extent that its appearance might suggest. It excels at trail logging and is quite fast for its size, and is one of only a few trucks in the game capable of self-loading 7 load points. It also is quite durable and resistant to damage, though it can still be wrecked quickly if drive carelessly. It is capable of performing any logging role on the American Wilds maps, from loading to road hauling to rescuing.

However, the 6900XD's tires are its main weak point. The truck has heavy-duty on/off-road tires, instead of the massive mud tires of many of the base game's C-class trucks. It is also rather front-heavy when lightly loaded, which can cause it to perform somewhat poorly in water. It also has rather low ground clearance, meaning that it can get stuck on some obstacles. The Western Star also has very high fuel consumption in all-wheel drive, though if enough weight is on the back wheels, AWD is not necessarily required as sufficient traction can be maintained from the rear wheels alone. The other major downside of the 6900XD is its complete lack of self-repair and self-refueling capabilities without dedicated trailers, as it cannot equip a Fuel Cistern or Utility Attachment.






The Western Star 6900XD is the most capable truck in the American Wilds DLC, but if directly compared to many of the base game C-class trucks, it may come up short. It's heavier and a bit less powerful, but it works very well as an on- and off-road hauler. Its lack of non-trailer repair and refueling addons make it rather impractical as a support truck and keep it primarily in the role of a dedicated logger, but it is capable of rescuing other trucks even when fully loaded, and is a very good truck overall.

Though visually somewhat similar to the K-700, the K-8400 Skidder performs a different role.


The K-8400 is based the 2012 Caterpillar 545C log skidder. Similar to other unlicensed MudRunner vehicles, the K-8400's grille and headlights are not identical to its real-world inspiration, and in this case are derived from the Romanian TAF 2012 forestry tractor (from which the K-8400 also gets its red paint scheme). Similar to the K-700, the K-8400 is a large four-wheeled articulated tractor. Its two most commonly used addons are the front blade (which significantly reduces forward collision damage) and the rear-mounted loader.


Due to the visual similarity, the K-8400 Skidder is often compared to the K-700, and found to be inferior. However, despite their similar design, the two vehicles are intended for different purposes. As a skidder, the K-8400 is designed to retrieve logs (usually from Scavenge Sites) and deliver them to road- and trail-based logging trucks. It is not intended to load these trucks with logs, and as such its loader is incapable of lifting high enough to clear the log carriages of most vehicles. However, the K-8400 performs exceptionally well even when carrying logs, with no noticeable performance difference. Additionally, it makes an exceptional rescue vehicle, as its low center of gravity and widely-spaced tires give it nearly unparalleled stability and allow it to maintain traction in all conditions (though if you manage to get it stuck on its side, the K-8400 is exceptionally difficult to un-flip due to its mass and wide tires).






If you use it as intended, the K-8400 is excellent. It can get logs, carry or drag them across an entire map, and deposit them next to a truck for loading. The Skidder also is fantastic as a rescue vehicle, as it can pull pretty much any truck (except for E-class behemoths) with little difficulty, even in deep mud. The main shortcoming of the K-8400 is its inability to load other trucks, though if you plan around this and equip one of your trucks with a crane, this is essentially a non-issue. Make sure not to try anything that will flip it though, because you will not have a good time getting it unstuck.

One tip I have for using the K-8400 is for using the blade addon. First, always take it (since there's really no reason not to). Don't try to use it to clear stumps, branches, or other debris from trails, because the debris typically just doesn't move (due to how the game works). However, when lowered enough to nearly raise the Skidder's front wheels off the ground, the blade addon makes an excellent land anchor, which can be very useful for rescue operations.

A massive, articulated 8-wheeled logging tractor, the K-9000 Forwarder is a dedicated logging vehicle.


Based on the Caterpillar 584HD, the K-9000 Forwarder is a large 8x8 with a front-mounted cab and permanently installed log carriage. It is articulated behind the cab, and is painted in Caterpillar's trademark yellow, rather than the K-8400 Skidder's red. It is the only 8x8 truck in the American Wilds Expansion.


The most noticeable thing about the K-9000, other than its size, is its speed. Or rather, its lack of speed. The Forwarder is the single slowest vehicle in the game, but is quite good at retrieving logs from places (like swamps) where other vehicles would simply get stuck. It has lower fuel consumption than other large 8x8s like the E-7310 and E-7429, and is more maneuverable due to its articulated steering. It also has a built-in log carriage and can self-load seven load points, though the permanently installed log carriage limits the Forwarder's available addons to a loader and trailers. It is quite good at hauling logs to faster trucks, but the K-9000's usefulness beyond that is severely limited. It also does not spawn on either American Wilds map, so it can only be used if the player selects it manually (or if it is included in a player-created map).






I can definitively say that as of the time of writing this guide, I have used the K-9000 Forwarder a grand total of twice (and once was the Crane Operator II challenge). It is exceptional at hauling logs out of swamps or other hard-to-traverse areas, but really not useful for anything else. It's so slow that using it for highway or trail logging is just impractical, and the Forwarder's permanently installed Short Log Carriage means that it can only carry other things via trailers. It's a pretty cool looking vehicle, but it's only useful in very specific circumstances, and you're usually better off taking a lighter truck that's more flexible.

Old-Timers is a free DLC that adds a unique map that relies on scout vehicles instead of larger loggers, as well as two new, licensed American vehicles:

• The Chevrolet NAPCO 3100, a classic pickup truck
  
• The GMC DW950, a 1950s-era road/trail hauler

A classic late-1950s pickup, the Chevrolet NAPCO 3100 is a force to be reckoned with.


This truck is based on a 1957 Chevrolet Task Force 3100 (known after 1958 as the Apache). Interestingly, this truck specifically replicates a 3100 with a NAPCO (Northwestern Auto Parts Company) "Power-Pak" 4-wheel drive factory-installed conversion kit. The 3100 is quite accurately depicted in-game, with even the modified NAPCO transfer case being included in the truck's undercarriage. Its grille can be a bit of an acquired taste for some, but this pickup is a classic by any definition and looks simply fantastic.


Oddly, when not in all-wheel drive, the Chevrolet NAPCO 3100 is driven by its front wheels. This is a rather unusual mistake (it should be RWD by default), and no explanation has been given for this discrepancy. Aside from this, however, the Chevy 3100 is an extraordinary scouting vehicle. It is quick, nimble, and quite durable as well. It performs excellently on trails and is quite capable of navigating mud as well, with less wheelspin than something like the K5 Blazer. It is also the only scout vehicle capable of carrying two garage points, though the Garage Parts attachment can make it rather top-heavy.

With regards to the 3100's weaknesses, the official vehicle presentation got it right: "Not many. Maybe dragons."






This truck is great. It's quite comparable to the F-150 in many ways, with an identical power-to-weight ratio. However, it is much lighter than the Ford, and is better at climbing hills (though this is balanced by the truck's higher center of mass when the Garage Parts addon is equipped). It's quick, powerful, and has no difficulty getting places so long as it isn't rolled (and if the Garage Parts aren't installed, rolling it is actually really difficult). The Chevrolet NAPCO 3100 is certainly a fantastic choice for scouting and exploration. It's fun to drive, capable of going just about anywhere, and has a nice classic style to top it all off.

Though labeled as unsuitable for off-road, the GMC DW950's performance is actually quite impressive.


Based on a 1952 model, the GMC DW950 is a classic American semi-truck. It features a smoother and more rounded design than other trucks, and is painted in a faded yellow and black simple two-tone scheme. Interestingly, this truck uses a combination of the standard Russian and American addons, instead of exclusively one or the other.


Despite being labeled (and specifically mentioned by the developers) as a poor off-roader, the GMC DW950 actually does quite well on trails and even in mud. When given weight on the wheels (in the form of addons or logs), it is in fact quite decent in mud, and can even be compared to the C-256. Both are 6x4 trucks costing a single balance point, and either can be used to "one-star" maps. The main disadvantage of the GMC is that it cannot equip a crane (or the American flatbed trailer), meaning that it cannot be used to singlehandedly complete maps in Hardcore mode. It also has relatively little ground clearance, making river crossings and off-roading somewhat more difficult.






The GMC DW950 exceeds expectations. It's actually pretty good off-road if driven with careful throttle application (similar to the C-256), and looks good to boot. The truck's addon selection is a little odd, as it uses primarily Russian equipment despite being an American truck, but it works regardless, and the GMC is not to be overlooked.