Four numbers that answer different questions
| Field | What it tells you | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Track level | Progress in Career or a named role track | Your available cash |
| Unlock level | Where a documented item moves in Season 1 | Its per-life purchase price |
| Progression cost | The amount listed under a track in the economy changes | A vendor charge on each life |
| XP band | A published comparison at a listed level | Every intermediate requirement |
The changelog calls its XP table “XP Bands.” It does not explicitly document a complete cumulative XP API or every level. Our calculator compares published bands rather than inventing missing steps.
Published Season 1 bands
| Level | Before | Season 1 XP band |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 8,750 | 9,250 |
| 10 | 25,000 | 35,000 |
| 15 | 54,750 | 110,000 |
| 20 | 111,500 | 250,000 |
| 25 | 192,000 | 325,000 |
| 30 | 293,750 | 400,000 |
| 35 | 416,500 | 500,000 |
| 40 | 551,250 | 650,000 |
| 45 | 689,500 | 800,000 |
| 50 | 838,000 | 1,000,000 |
Source: BULKHEAD Season 1 changelog · Season 1 · Reviewed through patch 0.11 · Last verified 2026-09-19. These are published changes, not a complete inventory.
Notable unlock moves
| Item | Track | Previous | Season 1 level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Parachute | Career | Career 36 | 35 |
| Large Backpack | Career | Career 56 | 55 |
| 762x54mm AP | Career | Career 83 | 82 |
| 556mm AP | Career | Career 85 | 83 |
| Deagle | Career | Career 90 | 85 |
| Artillery Tank | Career | Career 55 | 90 |
| PP-19 50-round drum magazine | Medic | Medic 33 | 29 |
| Large Hammer | Support | Support 7 | 8 |
| URAL | Driver | Driver 4 | 3 |
| Kodiak Assault | Driver | Driver 8 | 6 |
| Dune Buggy | Driver | Driver 10 | 8 |
| Kodiak Flatbed | Driver | Driver 2 | 10 |
| Large Supply Crate | Driver | Driver 20 | 16 |
| URAL Covered | Driver | Driver 30 | 18 |
| Music Tape H | Driver | Pilot 28 | 23 |
| URAL Attack | Driver | Driver 40 | 25 |
| Humvee with minigun | Driver | Driver 35 | 30 |
| Heavy Tank | Driver | Career 35 | 35 |
Source: BULKHEAD Season 1 changelog · Season 1 · Reviewed through patch 0.11 · Last verified 2026-09-19. These are published changes, not a complete inventory.
This table covers announced changes only. An item missing from it is not necessarily absent from the game. Use the unlock tracker to mark your own progress without claiming a connection to your Steam account.
How to use the progression calculator
The calculator shows arithmetic between published band values and comparisons with manually entered XP. It labels the result as a reference difference, not guaranteed XP remaining to the next level. Unpublished levels remain unavailable.
What changed
BULKHEAD moved away from weekend-beta pacing. Its 20–25 hour / around-level-20 remark is a design target for median players, not a promise about your playtime. Future seasons may have different curves and item order.
Update history
— Reviewed against current Steam requirements, developer FAQ and Season 1 announcements.
Frequently asked questions
01Is the full XP curve published here?
No. Only the official milestone bands are recorded; missing levels are not interpolated.
02Is Heavy Tank still on Career?
The Season 1 note moves it from Career 35 to Driver 35.
Official sources
These are the first-party sources used for the claims on this page. Early Access details can change; the page records its last source review above.
- 01Pre-Load Live & Season 1 Changelog — 9 September 2026 ↗BULKHEAD · Official site
- 02WARDOGS FAQ ↗BULKHEAD developer account · Developer FAQ