Friends in High Places

Friends in High Places is a gameplay achievement for Red Dead Redemption.

The official description of the achievement is: "Use the Pardon Letter with more than $5,000 Bounty in Single Player."

This achievement has a value of 10 gamerscore for Xbox 360, and a bronze trophy for PS3.

Tips and Tricks
A simple way to rack up the a Bounty without risking death is to climb on top of the Saloon in Armadillo via the small jump outside of the Player's room. From here the Player can easily take people out and get towards that $5000 Bounty. Although, by the time you have cleared the town and the Lawmen have stopped bringing justice, the player will only have amounted roughly $1000 to thier bounty. The Player should then travel to MacFarlane's Ranch and use the same technique above atop the Sheriff's department by using the stairs located inside. The player should then travel back to Armadillo after saving (On a separate save is recommended if the Player doesn't want to stay with the results) and repeat the technique. After 2-3 visits to Armadillo, the player should have amounted $5000+ which should then be cleared using a Pardon Letter at any Telegraph Office.

It is recommended that the Player uses a dud save as the aftermath will leave the Player with the lowest possible Honor and a wasted Pardon Letter. (Unless the player uses a bandanna which you can buy at a tailor. Also pardon letters will be randomly found by looting bodies and finishing story missions. Seth will give you one to clear a 20 dollar bounty. Tip: Instead, pay cash and keep the letter.)

Aside from this, it might be something to take into consideration that 100% fame will result in receiving only half of the amount of the bounty that you would with less fame. Spend the $25 on the bandana and let loose before you get to full fame!

A separate (more risky) strategy:

Prerequisites:
 * Fast Mount - Having a Hungarian Half-Breed gives you the chance to also get the Heading South on a White Bronco achievement
 * Bandanna - same as above.
 * Sniper Rifle - Not necessary, but fun and useful.
 * A good stock of Medicine and Snake Oil/Moonshine

This probably works for any city but this was done at Armadillo.

First off, if you have it, do not wear the Bureau Uniform as it prevents the law from coming after you. There may also be a problem if you are using the US Army Outfit.

Start off by using the bandanna to keep your identity hidden. Then take one of the roads out of town just far enough to get a head start. If you have the sniper rifle use this to pick off someone in the town and get yourself wanted. This should start attracting the law to you. Pay attention to your radar and start down the road, normally most of the law will come from behind or off to the side, but there will be 3 - 4 that lawmen that come in from the front. To make it easier take the ones in front of you out first so you can focus on everyone behind you. They don't respawn so whatever number comes out is all you have to kill. Just keep going in to Dead Eye and try not to let them surround you. Pay attention to your health and use items as needed.

Once you have killed all the law, you can unequip the bandanna and go in to town to stock up on medicine, ammo, and other items. Make sure you don't kill any of the shopkeepers because they will then not be available for 5 in game days. Once you have stocked back up rince and repeat the above tactics until your bounty is $5000+.

This is riskier than the first strategy, but leaves the lawmen no cover. You just have to make sure to not get surrounded and be a good shot. Using a repeater with plenty of available rounds (such as the Evans) means you have to reload less, but may not be effective at a larger distance.

Another strategy is to stock up on either rifle or repeater ammo (whichever you prefer, though I like the Bolt Action Rifle) and head to the bank in Blackwater. Open both doors and duck behind the bench-wall-thing directly inside the doors. Kill the bank tellers so the cops will come after you. Then proceed to pick them off as they fall into your line of sight through the doors. The cops will be either on the other end of the area outside the bank or right outside the door. Also beware of the windows to the right of where you camp, cops can shoot into those. Camp until you have $5000+ bounty, then escape through the doors and call your horse. It is useful to have medicine for this as you will be shot a lot. Also, the bandana is useful since it prevents your honor from going down.

A third way is to go into the Saloon in Armadillo. Go into your room, and save the game. After you save put on your bandana, and step outside, and shot the first person you see. Once the law is called duck back into your room, and crouch in the corner by the bed. This will give you a good view of both doors so you can pick off the lawmmen as the come after you. This will need to be repeated several times to gain the $5000 bounty. Optionally you can take the stagecoach to McFarlane Ranch as stated above, and once again use your room for cover. Just be sure you cover both doors, and watch out for the windows.

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