Fleeting Joy is the 64th main story mission in Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2). This walkthrough will guide you through all objectives of Fleeting Joy Main Quest including all Gold Medals for 100% completion.
Fleeting Joy starts automatically after completing Dear Uncle Tacitus.
Quest Giver: N/A
Chapter: 5
Region: Lemoyne
Gold Medal Requirements:
- Kill 2 Pinkertons during the Dead Eye ambush
- Get 5 headshots with the Gatling Gun
- Get at least 70% accuracy with the Gatling Gun
- Complete the mission without taking any health items
Starting Location: Lakay, Lemoyne
Survive
Just as you catch up with the rest of the gang at Lakay, Bill seems to have brought the Pinkertons down on you and they are definitely there to finish the job.
- GOLD MEDAL: Complete the mission without taking any health items
With their gatling gun, the Pinkertons lay down a withering barrage of fire. Follow Sadie out the back door and around the corner so you can try to flank them and strike back.
Follow Sadie down to the shoreline, where you can get access to the other house.
Climb up through the open trap door.
Get into cover by the door opposite Sadie, and be prepared to go automatically into Dead Eye.
- GOLD MEDAL: Kill 2 Pinkertons during the Dead Eye ambush
Once you kick down the door, you’ll snap into Dead Eye and there will be a lot of Pinkertons to choose from. Make sure that you kill the one manning the gatling gun, and at least one other while Dead Eye is active.
If you don’t get them all on the initial pass, feel free to manually activate Dead Eye afterwards to finish them off. Once you’ve gotten at least two headshots during the initial Dead Eye, don’t be afraid to tag enemies center mass for the sake of conserving your Dead Eye and/or preventing the Pinkertons from taxing your health too severely.
Take cover and slowly push forward towards the north, where additional reinforcements are constantly arriving. Bill will move out to join the fight as The Pinkertons start arriving from the East. Follow Sadie and Bill, killing any targets of opportunity along the way.
Be more concerned with conserving health than your accuracy at this point. There are so many targets, that sometimes spray and pray with a revolver is a very effective strategy. When those waves are dealt with, Dutch will call you back to deal with Pinkertons coming down the main path. Run back to camp and man the gatling gun.
- GOLD MEDAL: Get 5 headshots with the Gatling Gun
- GOLD MEDAL: Get at least 70% accuracy with the Gatling Gun
Now, counter-intuitively you can’t just walk fire across the map randomly and hope you hit your target. The gold medal requirements turn the use of the gatling gun on its head, forcing you to not only go for accuracy, but also to score some headshots while you’re doing it. You’re going to have to be very patient and measured with your attacks
Sadie and Bill will announce when reinforcements are arriving from one side or another, letting you know when you have to swing around to deal with them.
Eventually the Pinkertons will retreat, forcing Dutch and the gang to start packing up to move immediately in the end of mission cinematic.
This finishes Fleeting Joy main mission in Red Dead Redemption 2. Now the next quest A Fork in the Road starts.
Next Up: A Fork in the Road
For more Walkthroughs with all gold medals, check out the complete Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Walkthrough.
If you hold down the dead eye button and keep it pressed, you can shoot in dead eye with the gatling. You have to keep it mashed down, though, which makes accuracy still difficult. Best way to do this is to do like the article says while keeping dead eye pressed down. Keep bursts short and aim for the head, as you can’t pinpoint shots with the gatling even in dead eye.