Tuxedo Labs put Teardown into Early Access on 29 October 2020 and shipped version 1.0 on 21 April 2022. Every wall, pipe and vehicle across its 40 mission campaign is built from destructible voxels, and the heists are designed around that fact. You get unlimited time to carve a route through a site, then 60 seconds to grab the loot and reach the escape vehicle once the alarm trips.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Löckelle Teardown Services | Unlimited preparation, 60 second escape basics | Plank Bridge Router | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Lee Chemicals | Destruction that persists into the timer mastery | Plank Bridge Router | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | West Point Marina | Tool upgrades bought with heist money + gear | Tunnel Runner or Plank Bridge Router | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Villa Gordon | Build optimization | Tunnel Runner | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Quilez Security | Min-max | Tunnel Runner or Quiet Cutter | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Löckelle Teardown Services)
The campaign hub and your own company office. The computer here accepts contracts and sells tool upgrades using the money missions pay out, and the yard outside is a free place to test explosives.
Level/Difficulty: Available from the first contract onward Key Rewards: Tool upgrades, mission select, a consequence free testing yard
What to Do in Löckelle Teardown Services
- Learn Unlimited preparation, 60 second escape. Most campaign missions split into two phases. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Plank Bridge Router as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Trigger nothing until the route is finished. Preparation has no time limit whatsoever, and every hole you punch beforehand is still open when the 60 seconds begin.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Blowtorch or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Unlimited preparation, 60 second escape fundamentals
- Plank Bridge Router selected and functional
- Löckelle Teardown Services main content cleared
- Ready for Lee Chemicals
Phase 2: Early Game (Lee Chemicals)
The opening contract, handed over by Gordon Woo, on a small industrial site. It exists to teach the two phase structure before the maps get complicated.
Level/Difficulty: Campaign part 1, first mission Key Rewards: First cash payout, sledgehammer and spray can practice
What to Do in Lee Chemicals
- Work on Destruction that persists into the timer. Damage you cause during preparation stays on the map when the clock starts. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Blowtorch if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Spray can lines survive the alarm. Draw arrows on the floor at every corner of your route, because at full sprint you will misremember which warehouse door you opened.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to West Point Marina.
- Consider whether Tunnel Runner might suit your playstyle better than Plank Bridge Router.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Destruction that persists into the timer integrated into gameplay
- Blowtorch acquired
- Lee Chemicals fully cleared
- Ready for West Point Marina
Phase 3: Mid Game (West Point Marina)
A waterfront site spread across two missions, full of boats, jetties and metal hulls. Water blocks the direct line, which is exactly where the plank tool earns its upgrade cost back.
Level/Difficulty: Campaign part 1, early missions Key Rewards: Plank routing practice, boat extraction, blowtorch work on hulls
What to Do in West Point Marina
- Master Tool upgrades bought with heist money. Missions pay cash you spend at the computer in the Löckelle Teardown Services office. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Sledgehammer. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Spend your first upgrade money on plank count and shotgun ammunition. Both create routes that did not exist, while sledgehammer damage tiers only shorten swings you already had time for.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Vehicles as tools and as getaway for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Tool upgrades bought with heist money mastered
- Sledgehammer acquired or in progress
- West Point Marina fully cleared
- Ready for Villa Gordon
Phase 4: Late Game (Villa Gordon)
Gordon Woo's own property, split across two missions, with valuables spread over several floors of a large house. Vertical routing matters more here than raw demolition.
Level/Difficulty: Campaign part 1, mid campaign Key Rewards: High value targets on upper floors, the story turn against your employer
What to Do in Villa Gordon
- Finalize your build. You should be running Tunnel Runner or Plank Bridge Router with optimized gear.
- Sledgehammer should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Vehicles are demolition tools. Driving a forklift or truck through a fence line during preparation clears more material in five seconds than the sledgehammer manages in a minute.
- Level editor with Lua scripting optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Quilez Security.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Sledgehammer upgraded to max
- Villa Gordon fully cleared
- Ready for Quilez Security
Phase 5: Endgame (Quilez Security)
A security company compound and one of the tighter late part 1 contracts, with a compact layout and targets shut behind metal rather than an open industrial site.
Level/Difficulty: Campaign part 1, late missions Key Rewards: Late campaign payout, a real test of fully upgraded tools
What to Do in Quilez Security
- Quilez Security tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- The blowtorch answers metal and nothing else. If the sledgehammer bounces off a gate, chain or container, switch tools rather than swinging harder.
- The endgame loop: run Quilez Security, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Quiet Cutter for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Level editor with Lua scripting mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Quilez Security fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Treating doors and stairs as the intended path. Teardown maps have no correct route, and a hole through two walls is nearly always shorter than the corridor.
- Starting the alarm to find out where the targets are. Walk the whole site first, since the game gives you unlimited time to do exactly that.
- Spending upgrade money on damage boosts early. Plank count and shotgun ammunition change which routes exist, damage only speeds up routes you already had.
- Ignoring fire until it reaches the loot. One stray blowtorch spark in a wooden marina building can destroy a target before you collect it.
- Forgetting the escape vehicle needs a clear path too. A perfect route to the loot is worthless if the getaway is still boxed in by a fence.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Trigger nothing until the route is finished. Preparation has no time limit whatsoever, and every hole you punch beforehand is still open when the 60 seconds begin.
- Spray can lines survive the alarm. Draw arrows on the floor at every corner of your route, because at full sprint you will misremember which warehouse door you opened.
- Spend your first upgrade money on plank count and shotgun ammunition. Both create routes that did not exist, while sledgehammer damage tiers only shorten swings you already had time for.
- Vehicles are demolition tools. Driving a forklift or truck through a fence line during preparation clears more material in five seconds than the sledgehammer manages in a minute.
- The blowtorch answers metal and nothing else. If the sledgehammer bounces off a gate, chain or container, switch tools rather than swinging harder.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Teardown Guides
- Teardown Teardown Overview
- Teardown Best Builds
- Teardown Tier List
- Teardown Beginner's Guide
- Teardown Tips & Tricks
- Teardown Weapons Guide
- Teardown Combat Guide
- Teardown Boss Guide
- Teardown Maps & Locations
- Teardown Crafting Guide
- Teardown Classes & Characters
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