The Casus Belli event in Escape from Tarkov puts you in the middle of a dispute between Ref and Skier, with a brand-new faction called the Pillagers causing chaos across multiple maps. One of the tasks you'll need to complete is Taking What's Mine, a Ref assignment that trips up a lot of players at the stash step. Here's everything you need to know to finish it cleanly.
What is the Taking What's Mine task?
Taking What's Mine is a limited-time task introduced as part of the Casus Belli event. Ref sends you out to deal with the Pillagers and recover gear, specifically a set of painted CQCM masks, which you then need to hide inside a specific building on Shoreline. The task has two main objectives, and one optional choice that locks you out of a competing quest.
Ref's Taking What's Mine task
How to complete Taking What's Mine
Step 1: Eliminate 10 Pillagers
Before you touch a single mask, you need to take down 10 Pillagers. These enemies spawn across five different maps, so you have options depending on where you feel comfortable running. Pillager spawns are spread out like this:
Shoreline is worth prioritizing here. The Island spawn in particular puts you close to where you'll need to go for the second objective anyway, so you can knock out kills and positioning in the same raid.
Pillager spawn on Shoreline island
Step 2: Collect four CQCM masks
You need four Pillagers' painted CQCM masks in total. These drop from Pillagers, so farming the locations listed above should get you the required count. Make sure you have enough inventory space before heading into a raid specifically for this step.
Step 3: Stash the masks on Scav Island, Shoreline
This is the step that confuses most players. You need to cross to Scav Island on Shoreline using the old barge, then find the old house still standing on the island. The stash location is inside that building. The drop point sits on the island itself, and if you've run Shoreline before, the barge crossing to Scav Island is the same route used in other tasks, so the path should feel familiar.
What happens with the Ref vs. Skier choice?
Here's where the event gets interesting. If you previously completed Short on Hands for Skier, you'll have access to his task Run Aground at this same location. Taking What's Mine includes an optional action: do not help Skier with his task.
The path forks here. Completing Ref's task means you cannot complete Skier's mission. This is a deliberate design choice in the Casus Belli event, and it's worth thinking through before you commit. There's no way to do both.
Task rewards and why they matter
Ref describes the reward as generous, including "rare pieces" from his stash. The exact reward items aren't spelled out beyond Ref's in-mission dialogue, but the Casus Belli event is designed as a multi-stage progression, meaning Taking What's Mine feeds into the broader reward chain.
Completing it on Ref's side locks you into his faction path for the remainder of the event.
For more Escape from Tarkov task walkthroughs and event coverage, browse more guides on GAMES.GG.