Bomb Da Base: Act II – clear the ramp, then sweep the deck

Unlocking the mission and preparing

Act II follows Salvatore’s “Bomb Da Base: Act I”. That introduction requires both “Cutting the Grass” and Toni’s “Blow Fish”; completing Curly Bob’s mission alone does not satisfy the entire chain. Visit 8-Ball’s workshop in Harwood to learn about the $100,000 cost. Earn any missing money before committing to the attack and create a separate save before entering his marker again. After payment, 8-Ball supplies the sniper rifle, so buying your own is unnecessary. His injured hands mean he cannot defend himself against the Cartel guards. Your shooting order therefore protects another character, rather than merely clearing enemies for Claude.

The correct roof and the important trigger

After the journey to the docks, the scene introduces the freighter and its access ramp. 8-Ball waits for your first shot. This signal is not a harmless weapon test: firing begins his dangerous advance. At the warehouse immediately beside the ship, keep away from the ramp and find the exterior stairs around the southeastern or rear side of the building. Your elevated position must reveal both the foot of the ramp and the deck. “Left” and “right” below describe the view towards the ship from this position. Check aim movement and magnification without firing; excessive zoom makes the wider situation harder to follow.

Steps from the workshop to the explosion

Identify where your next targets will be before opening the attack.

1. Complete Act I and return to 8-Ball’s Harwood marker with at least $100,000. Let the rifle handover finish, then check that the weapon is available in your inventory.
2. Find a usable car, let 8-Ball enter and drive him to the dockside marker beside the freighter. Avoid unnecessary fights and bringing a police pursuit along with you.
3. Watch the harbour scene through to the end. Move away from the ship’s entrance and around the adjacent warehouse to its outside staircase, without attacking the ramp guards at close range.
4. Climb onto the warehouse roof and use the corner facing the vessel. Locate both guards at the bottom of the ramp beside the parked Cartel Cruisers before firing the rifle.
5. Open on the left-hand ground guard. Eliminate the right-hand guard immediately afterwards; opening on a distant enemy aboard the ship leaves 8-Ball’s entrance exposed.
6. Raise your aim to the ship’s ramp and remove the nearest deck guards. Continue towards the right, following the deck towards the forward section of the vessel.
7. Clear the route 8-Ball is about to use. If a nearby enemy remains standing, correct that shot before swinging across to a more distant target.
8. Use the red explosive barrels only while 8-Ball is safely outside their blast area. Prefer shooting a guard directly whenever you cannot judge your companion’s distance from an explosion.
9. After the last visible enemy falls, check the deck and ramp again. Hold your position until 8-Ball prepares the explosives and the closing sequence confirms mission success.

Why target order matters more than headshots

The first two guards stand directly at 8-Ball’s entrance. Once they are gone, the danger moves along with his route over the vessel. Swinging towards an appealing but distant group wastes the interval in which a closer guard can shoot him. The documented rooftop method therefore follows a continuous direction instead of jumping unpredictably between targets. You do not need deliberate headshots against these guards: a clean body hit with the rifle is sufficient. If an enemy remains visibly active, treat the shot as a miss. Briefly confirm each result and move on, rather than repeatedly firing without checking where the reticle has settled.

Diagnosing a failed covering attempt

After a failure, note the point at which 8-Ball was hit. That identifies a more useful correction than simply deciding to shoot faster.

Retrying, money and optional assistance

An early PS2 walkthrough documents getting the $100,000 back after failure. StrategyWiki also lists that behaviour for Xbox, while explicitly distinguishing the original PC release. This does not establish a promise covering every later port. Check your balance after failing and retain the save made before payment; loading it is the dependable financial fallback. The warehouse area also has a documented adrenaline pickup that slows the action. Treat it as optional assistance with aiming, rather than a substitute for reaching the firing position and clearing both entrance guards. Learn which shot failed before adding another variable to the next attempt.

Original releases, Mobile and Definitive Edition

The covering-fire sequence and warehouse position also appear in the Definitive Edition guide used here. Scope controls nevertheless depend on the edition, input device and chosen bindings. Old PS2 button labels should not be transferred directly to PC, touch controls or modern controller layouts. Check aiming, magnification and firing as separate actions. Use a restart option if your release offers one, while also keeping a save outside the mission instead of assuming a particular checkpoint. Reports about trapping 8-Ball under vehicles are not needed for this approach: clear sightlines and the correct target priorities are its essential tools.

Frequently asked questions

Does Claude need to board the ship? Not for this method: the elevated position supports the intended covering fire while 8-Ball handles the bomb. Must every red barrel explode? No. Removing the guards matters; barrels are only an optional shortcut. Can I fire a practice shot elsewhere? After the harbour scene, the first shot starts 8-Ball moving. Check the controls without firing or practise before reaching this section. When can I leave the roof? Wait for confirmed completion rather than abandoning the remaining cover to collect weapons or take a vehicle. A quiet moment alone is not the success message.