Night Marsh map in Marathon increases the presence of both UESC and the Anomaly. To explore it, factions may task you with securing and delivering an Anomaly Specimen.
Anomaly Specimen is tied to Traxus and MIDA contracts. Outside those contracts, it doesn’t have value and can’t be extracted. So if you’re completing Research and Development or Light/Shadow, here’s where to find the Anomaly Specimen and where to deliver it in Marathon.
How to get Anomaly Specimen in Marathon
Anomaly Specimen drops from the Hazardous Transport Drone on Dire Marsh (Night). It appears at a random POI around four minutes into the run and is marked on your map: a green icon on the HUD if you have a contract for it, grey on the map if not.
Once you get to the location, find a drone with an anomalous glow and shoot it down. After taking some damage, the drone teleports 50-60 meters away. Chase it down and finish it off. The drone drops three cargo boxes, each containing an Anomaly Specimen.
Carrying an Anomaly Specimen periodically restricts abilities and reduces energy regeneration. The more Anomaly Specimens you carry, the stronger the debuffs. When carrying all three, you can’t use Runner Shell abilities at all.
How to deliver Anomaly Specimen in Marathon
You can only deliver the Anomaly Specimen if you have a contract from Traxus or MIDA. Depending on the faction, you must deliver it to a DCON or an Incenirator.
Research and Development (Traxus contract)
To deliver Anomaly Specimen to Traxus, locate a DCON on the map (grey icon). Head to the DCON, open its inventory, and place the Specimen. It takes around 10 seconds for the contract step to complete, but you can leave the area immediately.
Light / Shadow (MIDA contract)
Similarly, to complete the MIDA contract, deliver the Anomaly Specimen to an Incinerator, marked on the map with a grey icon. There are far more Incinerators on the map than DCONs, and they’re located in the bunkers that activate exfils. Place the Specimen into the Incinerator and wait until the step is complete.
