Borderlands 4 Siege and Destroy Walkthrough [Step-by-step Guide]

What to know

Siege and Destroy is the eighth main story mission, unlocking after Wrath of the Ripper Queen.
Destroy three Ripper catapults with Sophia’s help, using strategic grappling and area-clear tactics.
The boss encounter includes Captain Kuzma, requiring shield removal using the grappling hook.
Rewards include experience, cash, Eridium, an epic or rare assault rifle, and the ECHO-4 Paintjob.

BL 4 Missions Overview

Previous Mission	Current Mission	Immediately Unlocked Mission
Wrath of the Ripper Queen	Siege and Destroy	Unpaid Tab

Siege and Destroy Mission Overview

“Siege and Destroy” picks up right after Wrath of the Ripper Queen, tasking you to join Zane in reclaiming Carcadia from the Ripper invasion. You’ll reunite with Sophia, dismantle massive catapults pounding the city, and face off against a powerful Ripper leader before restoring peace to the district.

Phases at glance

Phase	Objective Summary	Key Actions
Phase A: Meet Zane and Head to the Pit	Begin the mission and head underground with Zane.	Talk to Zane → Enter the pit → Clear Ripper patrols.
Phase B: Rescue Sophia and Recover Her Toy	Free Sophia from her cage and collect her explosive device.	Use grappling lever → Free Sophia → Pick up Sophia’s toy.
Phase C: Destroy the Three Catapults	Use Sophia’s toy to destroy all Ripper siege weapons.	Clear enemies → Place toy → Detonate → Repeat for all 3 catapults.
Phase D: Clear Carcadia and Defeat Captain Kuzma	Eliminate Rippers and face the shielded boss Kuzma.	Enter Carcadia → Step inside his shield → Target back device → Use incendiary weapons.
Phase E: Leader’s Chamber and Rewards	Meet Levaine and claim mission completion rewards.	Enter chamber → Watch cutscene → Open reward chest.

Phase A: Meet Zane and head to the pit

Step 1

Travel to Moxxi’s Bar in Kairos and find Zane. Talk to him to trigger the start of Siege and Destroy.

Step 2

Zane will brief you on the Ripper siege taking place across Carcadia. Once the cutscene ends, follow his waypoint toward the pit — a large, debris-filled trench leading underground.

Step 3

Fight through several Ripper patrols while following the glowing markers until you reach the lower pit gate. Zane will open it remotely, letting you enter the combat zone.

Phase B: Rescue Sophia and recover her toy

Step 4

Inside the pit, locate Sophia, trapped inside a suspended cage. Use your grappling hook or climb the metal scaffolding to reach the control lever that toggles the cage.

Step 5

Free Sophia, then collect her mechanical toy from a nearby crate. This toy is essential — it’s a powerful explosive you’ll use to destroy the enemy catapults.

Phase C: How to destroy the three catapults

Catapult #1

Step 6

Follow your mission marker toward the first Ripper catapult site. Defeat the enemies surrounding it before climbing up the machine using ropes or nearby debris.

Step 7

Place Sophia’s toy at the highlighted spot near the catapult’s gear assembly. Move away as it detonates, completely destroying the siege weapon.

Step 8

Retrieve Sophia’s toy from the wreckage — you’ll need it for the next catapult.

Catapult #2

Step 9

The second catapult is positioned near a broken watchtower. Clear the Ripper troops patrolling the area, then use the zipline to access the top platform.

Step 10

Once again, place the toy in the indicated slot and retreat to safety. The catapult will explode, halting another wave of bombardment on Carcadia.

Catapult #3 (Shielded Site)

Step 11

The third catapult is surrounded by an active energy shield. Before you can destroy it, locate the nearby generator terminal inside the adjacent building.

Step 12

Enter the building, fight off Rippers, and interact with the console to disable the shield.

Step 13

Return to the catapult, climb up, and set Sophia’s toy in place. When it detonates, the final siege weapon will collapse, marking the end of the Ripper barrage.

Phase D: Clearing Carcadia and defeating Captain Kuzma

Step 14

After destroying the catapults, head into Carcadia City. Ripper reinforcements will pour in — use cover and let Sophia provide support fire.

Step 15

At the city square, you’ll encounter Captain Kuzma or the Voltaic Zerker, a heavily armored Ripper leader protected by a personal energy shield.

Step 16

Wait for him to project his shield field, then step inside it to avoid damage and aim at the glowing device on his back. Shooting the device will overload his shield system.

Step 17

Once his shield drops, use incendiary weapons to deal massive damage. Stay mobile and use barrels or cover to avoid his flame attacks until he falls.

Phase E: Leaders Chamber and rewards

Step 18

After Kuzma is defeated and the city is secure, follow the marker to the Leaders Chamber in central Carcadia. Zane will radio in and suggest you meet Levaine there.

Step 19

Inside, watch a short cutscene with Levaine and Sophia as they thank you for saving the city. Once it ends, open the chest near the exit to claim your rewards.

Siege and Destroy mission rewards

Reward	Description
XP Boost	10,500 XP (for level 12 completion)
Cash Reward	8,000 credits
Eridium Shards	15 units
Weapon Drop	Rare Assault Rifle – “Ripper Remnant”
Cosmetic	ECHO-4 Paintjob: Gnarly Gnashing Gear

Siege and Destroy mission tips

Situation	Tip
Catapult defense waves	Focus on Grenadiers first — their AoE damage can interrupt your placement animation.
Shielded Kuzma fight	Circle around him when his shield drops to avoid flame punch combos.
Ammo efficiency	Use Sophia’s toy as a free explosive between catapult waves to save ammo.
Loot farm tip	Reload checkpoint after Kuzma fight to reroll his weapon drop pool.

Completing the mission

With Sophia freed and Carcadia saved, you’ve successfully broken the Ripper siege and restored the district’s defenses. After collecting your rewards, the next main mission — Unpaid Tab — will automatically unlock. This marks a major turning point in Borderlands 4’s storyline, as you prepare to pursue the next Vault lead.