If you get cornered by cultists, you can quit and reload your game. This resets their patrol cycle, so they won't be after you unless you're standing in a spot they'll spot you in.

If safe, grab every last bit of scrap possible.

DO NOT fight Charles with ANY weapon other than the flamethrower, nothing else slows him down enough to keep him at bay. Fire the flamethrower in short bursts. Do a longer burst if he gets too close. Do not let the flamethrower overheat. You will either die or waste a lot of scrap you'll need later.

Do not do an upgrade if you'll be under 10 scrap after it. Wait until you get some more.

Do not travel in reverse when avoidable. It puts you at risk of getting destroyed by Charles if he shows up unexpectedly.

Once you burst out of the train shed with your train, stop your train once you hear Charles. Once Charles kills Eugene, start your train and then run off of it, opening your map right as you're about to fall off. The game stops checking if you're on the train when you open the map, so the train will keep going so it can be in the right position later.

Go straight to the canyon where Theodore's blue box is. Don't worry about the guard there. Since the game thinks you're in the train, he'll ignore you and run towards your train. You can then get to Theodore and give him his box, as well as grab the white paint can. I roughly drew a red line on where to run during this part.


If you can't hear Charles nearby, then head towards the boulder field where you do the pages quest, do it as fast as you can. I roughly wrote with a blue line the route I take. It's the fastest I know. Be ready to juke the ghost on the 4th to 5th page, it should show up right next to you. Once you get all the pages, rush to Sandra's house as fast as possible and complete her quest. Quit and reload the game so your train will stop. It should be somewhat close to Theodore's if you did this fast enough.

Go to Santiago's and grab his journal if it's safe. Then run back to Theodore's when you get a good opening. You won't have the lockpicks yet, so ignore the pink paint can for now.

If you've gotten back to Theodore's after completing all of this, you've gotten past the first major section.

Once it's safe, run to your train and get moving. Put all the scrap you can into speed upgrades. You need at least 7 speed to fight Charles. Use any leftovers to heal the train. (If you've skipped to here because you're running glitchless you'll do these upgrades later.)

Loop back around to the start of the game. You'll be at the start if you're running glitchless. Once you're at the first rail switch, turn it to the right. Complete Candice's quest, get the lockpicks, the first mine key, and the flamethrower. Make sure to grab the orange paint can as well since this is a 100% run. You are now ready to fight Charles. (If you get up to 7 speed)

Run back to your train and head to the mine. If it's safe, go in. Grab the green paint can along the way.

Do not just rush through the mine like you normally can. The shotguns HURT in nightmare mode and you'll likely die. Play stealthily.

Once you've got the egg and the paint can, rush back to the mine entrance without being spotted. If you don't hear Charles, get to your train and continue forward.

Turn the next rail switch to the right and get Santiago's journal to him. Grab the paint can as well. (You'll do this later if you're running glitchless as you do not have Santiago's journal yet.

Get back to your train and turn the next rail switch to the right. Get to the top right corner of the map to grab the second mine key and the rocket launcher. Wait for a bit to see if Charles is nearby, before going to the lighthouse to complete Sandra's quest.

Once you're done with that quest and have gotten back to your train, you should have enough scrap to make a few upgrades. Make those as you go forward. If you haven't maxed speed yet, focus scraps on that until you have it. Then make upgrades to damage and armor as you go through the game. Damage and armor don't really help on nightmare mode, but you need all the upgrades for 100%.

Change the next rail switch to also be to the right. Do not go for the teal paint can yet. That's the final boss.

Complete Paul's quest, start the Bob quest, and grab the last mine key. Loop around to the start of the game again and change the rail switch ahead to go left.

Get the barn quest done and the swamp if it's safe. Then head to the pickle lady. If safe, complete her quest and grab the purple paint can. Get back to the train as soon as safely possible.

If you're running glitchless, get your train to Theodore and complete his quest. Then go for the pages.
Follow the blue line for the rough route I usually take on that quest.

Grab Santiago's journal and get the pink paint can once it's safe.

If you've been doing the glitched route, get your train as close to Sandra as possible before getting to her house. If you've got the opening, grab the pink paint can and get back to your train.

Get back to the top left corner of the map and go into the mine closer to Paul. Remember to play stealthily, and remember to grab the paint can.

Get back to your train and head towards the Bob quest. Drive through it with your train and kill the Cultists instead of just running through the camp on foot. You will die if the cultists are there to shoot you.

Once you have Bob, get to the last mine. Leave your train as close to the exit as you can. Get the egg and the paint can. If you're spotted before reaching the lift down about halfway through the mine, just book it and do your best to not get shot.

Get back to your train and bring it to around this part on the map marked with a green dot. Make sure the rail switch ahead is going right.


Stop it there and wait until you hear Charles. Once you hear him close by, put your train forward and use the whistle to attract him. Fight him until he retreats, remember to only use the flamethrower. If you did this right, you should be close to where you'll have to stop your train to get the teal paint can. Book it, get the paint can and run back to your train as fast as you can. This is the hardest part of the run. If you've done this, you're just about home free.

If you haven't gotten all the paint cans and all the upgrades yet, go ahead and get those done. You can stay on the bridge where Charles is killed and search your map for random houses or scrap boxes to get the upgrades. If you need a pain can location, there's plenty of sources online.

Once you've gotten everything else done, gather some extra scrap for healing. I personally go into the fight with 50-60 and use about half of that if I fight well. Go for more if you aren't confident in winning with that amount.

During the fight, only use the flamethrower and just keep him at bay. It'll take a little while, but it's your only option with how fast Hell Charles is on Nightmare Mode. Only stop keeping him at bay with the flamethrower if you need to heal. Your train slows down as it takes damage, so try to keep it at high health.

If you defeat Hell Charles, congratulations, you've gotten 100% on Nightmare Mode.