5 Different Endings of the "Back to the Slag Heap" Quest/Scanner Quest - Guide to get them - Achievement for one
Not many know this, but during the quest "Back to the Slag Heap" (where you meet WARD at the Slag Heap and get the first choice regarding the PDA) there are FIVE different endings you can get based upon previous choices. Sadly only one of them gives the Combatant rifle. But here is a guide on how to get these endings.
Overall the ending selection is based upon two choices. First, who you gave the scanners to in the first part of the game with Squint. Second, how you "handle" the faction specific location raid following that quest. I tried to organize them in how I see the WARD viewing you. Keep in mind that from my testing, your player reputation with the WARD faction does not impact this. So you can go the "Idolized" route, and be at war with WARD at the same time.
Videos are linked in each section title name
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Idolized Ending
To get this ending, you first have to side with Zotov/Ward in Zalissya with the scanners. After this ending, you will be sent to Col. Korshunov overlooking the Depot. Here you will talk to him and he will give you two choices. You either say you will join the main assault force to attack the Depot. Or you can try talking to Chornozem. To get the idolized ending, you MUST choose you want to talk first. Agree to Korshunov's terms. He will give you an optional objective to learn of a hidden way into the Depot. However, you do NOT have to do this if you already know the route. You can just go straight to it. You MUST sneak your way into the depot WITHOUT raising the alarm. Talk to Chornozem, ask him to step out onto the balcony. Once that is done, progress the quest as normal and you will get the Idolized ending.
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Liked Ending
To get this ending, its the same as above. Side with the Ward in Zalissya. However this time when he asks if you want to join the assault or talk to Chonrozem. Choose you want to join the assault. From there go with the Assault group and attack. Complete the quest line as normal and you will get this ending.
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Neutral Ending
To get this ending, you must side with Loners/Richter in Zalissya. From there go meet up with Spark at the detention center. They will give you a quest to go to the nearby factory and go underground. They also give you a series of optional objectives while doing this quest. These optional objectives, during my testing, did NOT impact the ending of this quest. However, what does impact it is if you go with the recommended stealth approach. To get the neutral ending, you MUST go the stealth approach. You can NOT raise the alarm while doing the quest. If you successfully infiltrate the location without raising the alarm, you will get this ending.
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Disliked Ending
To get this ending, you must side with Loners/Richter in Zalissya. Just like the neutral ending, however with this one you must fail the stealth aspect. Raise the alarm, kill Ward, etc. This ending is the only one that rewards you with the "Combatant" rifle. However to get the rifle you must side with Ward by giving them the PDA.
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Hated Ending
This ending is the complicated one and allows you to larp as a bandit for a few minutes. So first, you must side with Zotov/Ward in Zalissya. Go to Korshunov as usual and you say you want to speak to Chornozem. He will give you an optional objective to talk to a captive Bandit for a sneaky way in. Go talk to the bandit and the bandit will offer to help, only if you do a certain favor for him. Do the favor. After you turn it in, go outside and kill the Ward guarding his cell. Korshunov will blow you up over comms. Chornozem will thank you, but tell you to never go near the Depot again. And the captive bandit will thank you and run off. Again the Depot goes hostile against you too, so sadly you don't get to stay as a bandit. You get an achievement for going this route.
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And those are the endings. Enjoy!