The Darkest Shore — World War II Zombies Easter Egg Guide

In this guide: full main-quest walkthrough, recommended loadout, side Easter eggs & songs, boss strategy · Hard, ~50–80 min.

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World War II · 2017

The Darkest Shore

A fog-drowned island fortress of U-boat pens and artillery bunkers, stalked by the relentless Meuchler. Build the Ripsaw saw-gun and run a long ritual chain to reclaim another shard of the Sword of Barbarossa.

Released 30 Jan 2018 Wonder Weapon: RipsawBoss: the MeuchlerFoggy U-boat island
HardEst. time50–80 minPlayers1–4 (solo-capable)Updated8 Sep 2026
Documented here12 walkthrough steps · 6 side Easter eggs · 3 weapon builds · 6 named areas · 3 sources cross-checkedCounted from this page, not estimated. We publish what is documented rather than a percentage of what might exist — nobody can honestly claim to know the full list.

Quick answers

How do you complete the The Darkest Shore Easter egg?

It is rated Hard and takes about 50–80 min. The run breaks down like this:
  1. Turn on power (two switches)
  2. Build the Ripsaw → upgrade to the Ranged Ripsaw
  3. Raise Pack-a-Punch (3 minecart Elektroschnalle)
  4. Unlock the freezer Corpse Gate (head + valve lockdown)
  5. Shoot down the Stukas with the AA guns
  6. Escort the friendly Bomber → charge the flak battery
  7. Open the Ancient Door; collect 3 Son-of-Nerthus statues
  8. Extract the anointed spines (Wüstling, Meuchler, Pest)
Each stage is written out in full — with the exact locations, the order things must be done in and what to do when a step refuses to trigger — in the walkthrough below.

What is the Wonder Weapon on The Darkest Shore?

Ripsaw. How you get hold of it — the parts, the crafting steps and the upgrade if it has one — is covered step by step in the walkthrough, along with whether it is required for the main quest or simply worth the detour.

Who is the boss on The Darkest Shore?

the Meuchler. The walkthrough covers the whole encounter: how the fight is structured, where the damage goes, what the arena throws at you between phases, and the loadout worth bringing before you commit to it.

How long does the The Darkest Shore Easter egg take?

About 50–80 min for a run that already knows the steps, and we rate it Hard. A first attempt takes considerably longer — almost all of the time goes on setup rather than the finale, so knowing the order in advance is what shortens a run.

Can you do the The Darkest Shore Easter egg solo?

Players: 1–4 (solo-capable). It is solo-capable. Co-op mainly helps with the timed steps, where a second player can hold a zombie or cover a second position, and it makes the ending far more forgiving.

What are the main areas on The Darkest Shore?

6 are documented: Beach (Strand), Bluffs / Overlook, U-Boat Pens, AA-gun bunkers, Artillery Bunker and Bunker 3. Knowing the names matters more than it sounds — most guides, including this one, describe locations by area name rather than by direction.

How many side Easter eggs are on The Darkest Shore?

6 are documented here — free weapon, mechanic and collectible. Each one has its own steps rather than a one-line mention, so they can be followed mid-game.

When was The Darkest Shore released?

30 Jan 2018.

Key areas

Beach (Strand)

The landing zone and starting area — where the final boss waves begin and end.

Bluffs / Overlook

Cliffside paths — the Mystery Box, the buildable radio table and several Enigma cylinders.

U-Boat Pens

The flooded submarine dock — the Ripsaw workbench, the freezer Corpse Gate and a power switch.

AA-gun bunkers

Bunkers housing the anti-air guns used to shoot down the Stukas.

Artillery Bunker

The big flak cannon — the second power switch, the Enigma cannon and the ship-sinking gun.

Bunker 3

Below Double Tap — the Übersprengen (Pack-a-Punch) lift and the sawblade pickup.

Steps at a glance

  1. Turn on power (two switches)
  2. Build the Ripsaw → upgrade to the Ranged Ripsaw
  3. Raise Pack-a-Punch (3 minecart Elektroschnalle)
  4. Unlock the freezer Corpse Gate (head + valve lockdown)
  5. Shoot down the Stukas with the AA guns
  6. Escort the friendly Bomber → charge the flak battery
  7. Open the Ancient Door; collect 3 Son-of-Nerthus statues
  8. Extract the anointed spines (Wüstling, Meuchler, Pest)
  9. Build the radio, sink the warships
  10. Ritual chamber: place 4 heads → Barbarossa's Pommel
  11. Trigger the boss (Pommel + radio)
  12. Beat the Meistermeuchler → the Sword
Keep a Ranged Ripsaw on you the whole quest — nearly every gate needs its ricocheting blades (downing corpse heads, hitting coloured panels, freeing statues). Learn the minecart routes early: they're both the Pack-a-Punch unlock and your fastest escape when the Meuchler's screams start in the fog.

Before you start

What to have in hand before step 1 — from the loadout notes, from the walkthrough itself, and from the map's own quest documentation where the gate is never stated in a step.

Items to bring / craft first
  • Flip both power switches (U-Boat Pens and Artillery Bunker) before anything else — they power the doors and the minecart Pack-a-Punch system. — step 1
  • Build the Ripsaw at the U-Boat Pens workbench (2,500 Jolts) — it starts melee-only until you charge and attach a spine. — step 2
Round and timing gates
  • Blow open all seven fuse boxes (3 U-Boat Pens, 1 above Bunker 3, 3 Overlook/Artillery) before delivering the Pest spine — the ricochet coils don't matter until every box is open. — step 9
  • In phases 1–3 a Meistermeuchler only flees when hit, it does not die — keep firing until hitmarkers stop; only phase 4 lets you kill them for good. — step 12
Point of no return / one-attempt steps
  • Buy armour and refill Ripsaw ammo before throwing the Pommel at the built radio — all players interacting to start is the point of no return into the boss fight. — step 12

Set aside 50–80 min · 1–4 (solo-capable)

Full walkthrough

0% complete

The quest in the order this guide runs it — tap any step to jump to it, and it fills in as you tick steps off.

1
U-Boat Pens · Artillery Bunker

Turn on power

+

Flip the two power switches (one in the U-Boat Pens, one in the Artillery Bunker) to power the doors and the minecart system.

2
Bunker 3 · Artillery Bunker · U-Boat Pens

Build the Ripsaw

+

Grab the sawblade (Bunker 3, right of the MP-40) and the handle (Artillery Bunker — one of the bunk beds by the minecart switch, right of the armor station, or the table right of Faustblitz), and assemble at the U-Boat Pens workbench (2,500 Jolts) — it starts melee-only.

3
Workbench

Ranged Ripsaw upgrade

+

Charge a zombie with the Ripsaw like a bayonet (hold ADS + fire) to rip out a charged spine (it glows at the tip), attach it at the workbench and kill ~20 zombies to finish — it now fires ricocheting saw blades.

4
Minecart tunnels · Bunker 3

Pack-a-Punch (Übersprengen)

+

Activate the Artillery-Bunker minecart switch, then ride the three route pairs — Bunker 1↔Beach, Beach↔U-Boat Pens, U-Boat Pens↔Bunker 1 — and on each ride look to the side at the midpoint and grab the green Elektroschnalle battery. Insert all three in the machine down the slope from Kugelblitz in Bunker 3 to raise the Übersprengen lift.

5
U-Boat Pens freezer

Open the Corpse Gate

+

Shoot down the hanging corpse's head with the Ranged Ripsaw and place it on the headless body chained to the freezer door; killing zombies there starts a lockdown — shut off the 3 gas valves while dodging fire.

6
AA guns

Shoot down the Stukas

+

Man the AA guns and down the Stuka dive-bombers to restore the objectives (also used to blast a cliff boulder that frees a statue).

7
Freezer console · Artillery Bunker

Charge the flak battery

+

Activate the green-lit console to spawn a friendly Bomber; escort it to the artillery bunker where it drops a battery, then charge the battery with nearby kills.

8
Beach · Ancient Room

Ancient Door & 3 statues

+

Minecart to the Beach and blow open the wall by the artillery shell to reach the circular door with three holes. Collect the three Son-of-Nerthus statues: the Cliff Son (shoot the marked cliff rock with the Overlook AA gun so the statue drops to the Beach), the Drowned Son (give a normal zombie's spine to the Monk Head and defend the friendly zombie to the water — it returns carrying the statue), and the Moss-rock Son (fire the ranged Ripsaw at the moss-covered rocks — 9 possible spots around the Beach, Bluffs and Bunker 3 — until one drops it). Insert all three in the Ancient Door.

9
Sacrificial room

Anointed spines

+

For each of three enemies, rip its charged spine, drop it in the freezer basket, do its escort task, then hook the glowing head in a lockdown:

  • Wüstling — escort the friendly Wüstling to deactivate perks in order: Kugelblitz → Faustblitz → Laufenblitz → Lebenblitz
  • Meuchler — weaken a Meuchler in the sacrificial room for its spine, then hit the friendly Meuchler 3× in the fog (follow its screams)
  • Pest — first blow open all 7 fuse boxes with grenades (3 in the U-Boat Pens, 1 above the Bunker 3 doorway, 3 around the Overlook / Artillery Bunker), then deliver the Pest spine and, at each of its 5 scripted stops, ricochet a Ripsaw blade off the called coil into it (blue by the M1927 → yellow by the minecart → blue above the Bluffs door → yellow above the M1941 → yellow by the power switch)
10
Overlook radio table

Radio & sink the warships

+

Collect the two radio parts — one in the upper Bunkers (by the corpse right of the Combat Shotgun), one in the Bluffs (shoot the dangling man's arm above the Bunker 3 doorway with the Ripsaw) — and assemble the radio on the Overlook table right of the Mystery Box. Two destroyer ships then attack one at a time: read angle and distance off the wall charts by the cannon, set elevation and angle, and fire to sink each.

11
Ritual room

Ritual chamber → the Pommel

+

Take the monk's head from the freezer, place all four anointed heads on the ceiling hooks and survive the lockdown — Barbarossa's Pommel spawns in the central statue's hand. It takes the lethal (grenade) slot, stuns nearby zombies for a few seconds when thrown and self-replenishes every ~15 seconds, so use it freely as a panic tool right up until you spend it on the radio throw that starts the boss.

12
Beach · Pens · Artillery

Beat the Meistermeuchler

+

Throw the Pommel at the built radio and all players interact to start (point of no return — buy armour and refill Ripsaw ammo first). Fight four Meistermeuchlers, each with a specialist ability — purple (buffs nearby zombies), green (blinding blast), red (stun) and yellow (ricocheting sawblade) — across four phases: (1) Beach in fog, one at a time; (2) U-Boat Pens, two at once; (3) Upper Bunkers / Artillery, three at once; (4) Beach, no fog, all four and now permanently killable. In phases 1-3 a boss only flees — keep firing until hitmarkers stop; only phase 4 lets you kill them for good.

Reward: Making History — the sword shard.

Side Easter Eggs & extras

Everything beyond the main quest. Tap any entry to open the full how-and-where breakdown.

Free weapon

Ripsaw → Ranged Ripsaw

+

The buildable saw Wonder Weapon — sawblade (Bunker 3) + handle (Artillery Bunker) at the U-Boat Pens workbench; upgrade with a charged spine to fire ricocheting blades.

  1. Turn on power first
  2. Grab the sawblade (by the Pack-a-Punch battery in Bunker 3, right of the toolbox) and the handle (one of three Artillery Bunker spots)
  3. Assemble at the U-Boat Pens workbench (~2,500 Jolts) — it starts melee-only
  4. Upgrade: charge a zombie with the Ripsaw like a bayonet (hold ADS + fire) to rip out a charged spine (it glows at the tip)
  5. Attach the spine at the workbench and kill ~20 zombies nearby — it now fires reloadable, ricocheting saw blades
Mechanic

Pack-a-Punch the Ripsaw (Enigma code)

+

Read the six Enigma cylinder numbers, input them as coordinates at the artillery cannon and fire, then collect the fuse under the barrel and install it in the Übersprengen.

  1. Read the six Enigma cylinders (best through a scope): the Bluffs cliff path, the Beach Passage bars, a U-Boat Pens barred door (prone), left of the Bunker 1 AA gun, the Artillery power-room locker, and by the Artillery gun wall-buy
  2. Note each cylinder's number
  3. At the artillery cannon, enter the numbers in the coordinate order shown on its display and fire
  4. Collect the fuse that drops under the barrel and install it in the Übersprengen to Pack-a-Punch the Ripsaw
Free weapon

“The Classic” PPSh-41 (Bomber path)

+

Drop 1,000 Jolts in the friendly Bomber's path to obtain the classic PPSh-41.

Mechanic

Blitz machines & armour

+

The perks — Kugelblitz, Schnellblitz, Laufenblitz, Lebenblitz, Faustblitz; the red armour stands give 3 armour per buy (there's no buildable shield on this map).

Mechanic

Minecart fast-travel

+

Route-switchable minecarts link the Trench, Beach and U-Boat Pens — and underpin the Pack-a-Punch unlock.

Collectible

“Red Riding Hood” recorders

+

Three hidden recorders (U-Boat Pens under the yellow stairs, the Beach Passage bench, and the Bunker 3 toolbox) unlock a set of story audio files.

When it isn't working

The stalls that actually cost people runs on this map, and what to do about each.

TroubleshootingEach of these is quoted from the step it belongs to, derived from a gate the guide already states, or researched from the map's own quest documentation — nothing here is guesswork about what might be going wrong.

The boss keeps fleeing and won't die

In phases 1–3 a Meistermeuchler only flees once damaged — keep firing until hitmarkers stop; only phase 4 (all four, no fog) lets you finish them (step 12).

The Ranged Ripsaw upgrade won't finish

You need a charged spine (it glows at the tip after a bayonet-charge kill), attached at the workbench, then about 20 more kills nearby — plain melee kills don't count (step 3).

Can't get the freezer Corpse Gate open

Shoot down the hanging corpse's head and place it on the headless body first, then survive the lockdown by shutting off all three gas valves (step 5).

Warship shells keep missing

Elevation and angle must be read fresh off the wall charts by the cannon for each ship, not reused from the first shot (step 10).

The Pest spine delivery doesn't seem to register hits

The ricochet must come off the correctly called coil (blue or yellow per stop), and all seven fuse boxes must already be open (step 9).

Common The Darkest Shore questions

Direct answers to the specific things players look up mid-game — part locations, puzzle steps and more.

What do I need to carry the whole quest?

A Ranged Ripsaw. Nearly every gate on this map needs its ricocheting blades — downing corpse heads, hitting coloured panels, freeing the statues — so upgrading the base Ripsaw is not optional.

How do I build the Ripsaw?

The sawblade is in Bunker 3 and the handle is in the Artillery Bunker; assemble at the U-Boat Pens workbench. Upgrade it with a charged spine and it starts firing ricocheting blades.

How do I open Pack-a-Punch on The Darkest Shore?

Read the six Enigma cylinder numbers, enter them as coordinates at the artillery cannon and fire, then collect the fuse from under the barrel and install it in the Übersprengen. The minecart tunnels are how you get around while doing it.

Where are the two power switches?

One in the U-Boat Pens and one in the Artillery Bunker. Both have to be on.

Why should I learn the minecart routes early?

Because they are both the Pack-a-Punch unlock and your fastest escape. When the Meuchler starts screaming in the fog, knowing which way a cart is switched is the difference between a reposition and a down.

How do I get The Classic PPSh-41 here?

Drop 1,000 Jolts in the friendly Bomber's path. Unlike other WWII maps it is handed to you directly rather than added to a pool.

Is there a buildable shield on this map?

No. The red armour stands are your protection instead — each purchase gives three armour. The Blitz machines here are Kugelblitz, Schnellblitz, Laufenblitz, Lebenblitz and Faustblitz.

Where are the Red Riding Hood recorders?

Three of them: under the yellow stairs in the U-Boat Pens, on the Beach Passage bench, and in the Bunker 3 toolbox. Together they unlock a set of story audio files.

Visual guides & sources

Screenshots and exact part locations live in these — open one on a second screen.

Map discussion

A shared community board for The Darkest Shore — posts are public, saved on the server and visible to everyone across devices. Handy for strategies, spawn variations you've noticed, or steps to double-check. Please keep it civil and on-topic.

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Part of the Zombies Easter Egg Codex — step-by-step Call of Duty Zombies Easter egg guides for every map. Open The Darkest Shore in the interactive codex for the solvers and map discussion.