A Tempest Looms

A Tempest Looms is a mission in Red Dead Redemption. The mission is started at the MacFarlane's Ranch, located in Hennigan's Stead, New Austin.

Story
John gives Bonnie and the ranch-hands some help in herding cattle back from the fields in the middle of a thunderstorm.

Mission Objectives
To complete this mission, the player must:
 * Ride with Bonnie to the first cattle herd.
 * Drive the first herd to the old oak tree.
 * Stop the stampeding cattle.
 * Drive the full herd back to MacFarlane's Ranch.

Mission Details
Marston must herd cows back to the ranch while a massive thunderstorm approaches. Marston begins by herding a small group of cattle to the designated location, to speed up the process the player should tap up on the d-pad while herding. To prevent cows from straying the player should make Marston move in a weaving motion (left, right, left, right ...) behind the cows, also do not ride too fast or else the cows will likely scatter.

After the cutscene, immediatley ride in front of the herd, and slow down (press R1,RB). The player may have to do this a few times to prevent any of the herd from running over a cliff (saving all 21 cows is very doable). A very good method to save most of livestock is to charge to the edge. Your horse will neigh and stop at the edge. Take out your Cattleman and shoot the gun into the air. Most of the Cows will moo and stay away from the cliff, but you have to be fast. Horses that are recommended for this method are the Ardennais (not infested), the American Standardbred (if you can find one), or the Kentucky Saddler received from the last mission: Wild Horses, Tamed Passions.

Now the player should head to Bonnie and round up the stragglers into one herd. After the cattle are all rounded up the player should repeat the strategy from the first part of the mission, again do not ride too fast behind the herd as Marston could go into the herd and scatter it.

For completionists, to get 100% on stragglers returned (Mission Stats) Marston must be the only one that returns the strays, not Bonnie or any of the ranch hands, it's doable but a bit more work. Players would have to minimize the straying of cattle when herding, and rush to any strays immediately if it happens (so long as it turns from dark blue to light blue, it counts as a return for Marston). Also after saving the cattle from plunging over the cliff, the player should be prepared to rush around collecting strays right after meeting up with Bonnie again.

Mission Failure
The mission will fail if the player:
 * Assaults or kills Bonnie or her horse.
 * Assaults or kills the ranch-hands.
 * Kills any ranch-hand's horse.
 * Abandons Bonnie and the ranch-hands.
 * Kills any livestock/cattle.
 * Lets the entire herd run off the cliff.
 * Breaks the law.
 * Kills a dog.
 * Commits vandalism.
 * Assaults or kills townsfolk.
 * Dies

New Game Elements Introduced

 * Cattle stampede

Mission Complete Unlockables

 * "I Know You" Part 1 Stranger side-mission