Planning The Big Score

Key takeaways

Prepare before the opening marker and treat each objective update as a checkpoint.

• Primary goal Michael, Lester, Trevor, and Franklin finalize the Union Depository robbery and select the subtle or obvious approach.
• Protect mission-critical assets Avoid unnecessary vehicle damage, friendly fire, or abandoning a required target outside the objective radius.
• Use protagonist abilities Use Franklin for precision driving, Michael for controlled gunfights, and Trevor for high-damage combat whenever the mission makes them available.
• Do not rush the final marker Clear pursuit conditions and keep required characters or vehicles together before entering extraction.

Overview

Michael, Lester, Trevor, and Franklin finalize the Union Depository robbery and select the subtle or obvious approach.

Michael, Lester, Trevor, and Franklin finalize the Union Depository robbery and select the subtle or obvious approach.

This Story Mode mission advances the protagonists’ connected storyline. Some neighboring missions can become available simultaneously, so the exact play order may vary.

The walkthrough below separates travel, setup, combat, pursuit, and extraction checkpoints so a failed section can be diagnosed without repeating the same mistake.

Characters in this mission

• Michael De Santa
• Lester Crest
• Trevor Philips
• Franklin Clinton

Where this sits

Requirements and recommended loadout

Enter with mission-appropriate ammunition, armor, and a vehicle that can survive the opening travel phase.

• RequiredComplete the preceding story unlocks
• RecommendedFull body armor and stocked ammunitionParticularly valuable for missions marked moderate or hard.
• RecommendedAccurate mid-range weaponA rifle or stable automatic weapon handles most outdoor gunfights.
• OptionalClose-range backupUseful inside buildings, alleys, and vehicles.
• RecommendedSave the relevant protagonist abilityUse it for the most difficult chase, driving, or combat checkpoint.

Objectives

1. Meet at the Vanilla Unicorn planning room
2. Review the Union Depository security information
3. Choose the subtle or obvious approach
4. Select crew members for each assigned role
5. Confirm the required preparation missions
6. Leave the planning board and begin gathering equipment

Detailed walkthrough

1. 01

   Meet at the Vanilla Unicorn planning room

   Meet at the Vanilla Unicorn planning room

   Meet at the Vanilla Unicorn planning room. Review the consequences before confirming: approach and crew choices can change preparation missions, difficulty, casualties, and payout. Once the checkpoint registers, immediately orient toward the next marked objective.

   TipBefore triggering the opening marker, restock armor and ammunition if the mission is expected to involve combat.

   Checkpoint
2. 02

   Review the Union Depository security information

   Review the Union Depository security information

   Review the Union Depository security information. Follow the marked route and wait for the objective prompt to update before leaving the area. Once the checkpoint registers, immediately orient toward the next marked objective.

   Checkpoint
3. 03

   Choose the subtle or obvious approach

   Choose the subtle or obvious approach

   Choose the subtle or obvious approach. Review the consequences before confirming: approach and crew choices can change preparation missions, difficulty, casualties, and payout. Once the checkpoint registers, immediately orient toward the next marked objective.

4. 04

   Select crew members for each assigned role

   Select crew members for each assigned role

   Select crew members for each assigned role. Review the consequences before confirming: approach and crew choices can change preparation missions, difficulty, casualties, and payout. Once the checkpoint registers, immediately orient toward the next marked objective.

   Checkpoint
5. 05

   Confirm the required preparation missions

   Confirm the required preparation missions

   Confirm the required preparation missions. Follow the marked route and wait for the objective prompt to update before leaving the area. Once the checkpoint registers, immediately orient toward the next marked objective.

6. 06

   Leave the planning board and begin gathering equipment

   Leave the planning board and begin gathering equipment

   Leave the planning board and begin gathering equipment. Review the consequences before confirming: approach and crew choices can change preparation missions, difficulty, casualties, and payout. Remain in the final marker until the mission-complete transition begins.

   Checkpoint

Difficult sections and useful strategies

Completion checklist

• Meet at the Vanilla Unicorn planning roomCheckpoint 1
• Review the Union Depository security informationCheckpoint 2
• Choose the subtle or obvious approachCheckpoint 3
• Select crew members for each assigned roleCheckpoint 4
• Confirm the required preparation missionsCheckpoint 5
• Leave the planning board and begin gathering equipmentFinal completion condition

Failure conditions and checkpoints

• A required protagonist, ally, or protected target dies.Restart from the most recent mission checkpoint.
• A mission-critical vehicle is destroyed, abandoned, or leaves the playable route.Use the restart option rather than continuing in an unmarked replacement.
• The target escapes or a timed objective expires.Prioritize route discipline and the primary objective over optional combat.
• The player is wasted or all shared team lives are exhausted.Story Mode reloads the latest checkpoint.

Rewards and aftermath

• Mission completion and progression
  Unlocks the next related story activity, contact, property, or preparation where applicable.

Sources and verification

• GTA Base — GTA V missions list and walkthrough index — verified 2026-08-04 — GTA Base
• GTA V Wiki — Story Missions — verified 2026-08-04 — GTA V Wiki
• Codex model knowledge — detailed step expansion pending editorial gameplay review — Internal editorial