🔧 Basic Salvaging 101
Fleet 919 Logistics Division • Salvage Operations Fundamentals
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Salvaging Basics
Welcome to Fleet 919's Basic Salvaging certification course. Salvaging is a critical component of our logistics operations, recovering valuable materials from wrecks, derelicts, and debris fields to fuel fleet operations and generate revenue.
This guide will teach you the fundamentals of salvage operations—from ship selection and equipment usage to hull scraping techniques and material processing. You'll learn how to identify valuable salvage, safely extract materials, and turn wreckage into profit.
- Understand salvage ship capabilities and equipment
- Master salvage scanning and target identification
- Learn hull scraping and material extraction techniques
- Navigate salvage locations and legal considerations
- Process and sell salvaged materials efficiently
- Coordinate with fleet salvage operations
Salvage operations in hostile territories carry significant risk. Always maintain situational awareness, report suspicious activity, and never salvage alone in Pyro without escort. Wrecks attract pirates—stay alert.
Salvage Ships & Equipment
Approved Salvage Vessels
Fleet 919 recognizes the following vessels for basic salvage operations:
- Drake Vulture — Single-seat starter salvage ship. Equipped with dual integrated scraper beams using Drake's patented Tomium system, plus an integrated Lariat tractor rig. 12 SCU cargo capacity. Compact, affordable, and perfect for learning salvage basics. Ideal entry-level ship for new salvagers.
- Aegis Reclaimer — Capital-class heavy salvage platform. 420 SCU total cargo capacity (180 SCU main cargo deck + 240 SCU salvage processing deck), massive claw arm for manipulating large debris. Features surveyor-class drones and manned cutter (not yet implemented). Requires 4-5 crew for optimal operations. Fleet operations recommended for use.
- RSI Salvation — Small single-seat starter salvage vessel. Features a pair of retractable bespoke Size 2 salvage heads with Size 1 module slots, 6 SCU cargo capacity, and defensive armament. Compact design optimized for beginner salvagers transitioning from the entry-level market. Recommended for solo salvagers.
- MISC Fortune — Single-seat salvage and refining vessel. Features automated external cargo dispenser for 12x 1-SCU boxes plus 4 SCU internal cargo (16 SCU total), with onboard material processing to refine salvage on-site. Includes living quarters for extended operations. Advanced solo salvagers.
Salvage Equipment Types
Start with the Vulture and master hull scraping basics before upgrading to larger ships. The Vulture is forgiving, cheap to operate, and teaches you the fundamentals without overwhelming complexity.
Salvage Tools & Modules
- Salvage Beam (Scraping Mode) — Primary tool for removing hull material from wrecks. Generates heat—watch your temperature.
- Disintegration Mode — Breaks down ship hulls into raw construction material (RMC). Higher yield but slower.
- Tractor Beam — Move cargo, debris, and hull panels. Essential for organizing your haul.
- Multi-Tool with Salvage Attachment — Manual FPS salvaging. Strip components, weapons, and valuable items from wrecks.
Scraper Modules (Greycat Industrial)
Salvage ships can equip different scraper modules to optimize performance. Each module trades off between beam area, extraction speed, and total RMC yield. All scraper modules are Size 1 components manufactured by Greycat Industrial.
⚖️ Abrade (Balanced)
Ships: Vulture (stock)
Area of Effect: Medium
Extraction Rate: Medium
Best For: All-around performance. Reliable beam for scraping hulls quickly and efficiently. Most popular module in the verse.
🎯 Cinch (Precision)
Ships: Vulture, Salvation (stock), Fortune (stock)
Area of Effect: Small
Extraction Rate: High
Best For: Maximum RMC yield. Focused beam perfect for tight spaces and detailed work. Slower coverage but excellent extraction rate.
⚡ Trawler (Speed)
Ships: Reclaimer (stock)
Area of Effect: Large
Extraction Rate: Low
Best For: Fast scraping. Covers more hull in one pass but less efficient due to heat burn-off. Ideal when speed matters more than total yield.
- New to Salvaging? Stick with Abrade (Vulture stock). Balanced performance while you learn.
- Want Maximum Profit? Use Cinch. Takes longer but extracts more RMC per wreck.
- Need to Work Fast? Use Trawler. Covers large areas quickly, great for time-sensitive operations.
- Note: Scraper modules are swappable on Vulture. Other ships come with fixed modules optimized for their role.
Scanning & Target Identification
Finding Salvage Targets
Your ship's scanning system (default: TAB key) reveals wrecks and debris fields. Salvage opportunities appear as ship signatures, debris, or mission-specific targets.
- Scan for Wrecks — Press TAB to ping scan. Wrecks appear as ship signatures on your HUD. Look for derelict ships, combat aftermath, or designated salvage zones.
- Approach Target — Fly within 500m of a wreck. Look at it (making sure it's highlighted) for a few seconds. Information about the wreck will appear on your HUD.
- Assess Salvage Value — Check for intact hull panels, cargo containers, and ship components. Larger ships = more salvage material.
- Check Legal Status — Some wrecks are protected or privately owned. Salvaging illegal wrecks generates crime stats. Look for mission markers or legal salvage zones.
Valuable Salvage Materials
💎 Construction Material (RMC)
Value: ~8-12 aUEC/unit
Notes: Raw construction material from disintegration. Bulk commodity. Steady income.
🔩 Hull Panels
Value: Varies by material
Notes: Scraped hull sections. Can be sold or processed. Faster than disintegration.
⚙️ Ship Components
Value: High
Notes: Salvage weapons, shields, power plants. Manual FPS salvage required. Best profit margins.
📦 Cargo
Value: Varies
Notes: Recover cargo from wreck holds. Can be extremely valuable depending on contents.
Salvage material prices fluctuate based on server economy. Check current market prices on UEX Corp (uexcorp.space) or SC Trade Tools before planning routes. Component values shown in trading sites may not reflect in-game reality—always verify sell prices at actual terminals.
Unauthorized salvaging of protected wrecks generates crime stats. Only salvage legal targets: mission-designated wrecks, derelicts in lawless space, or wrecks explicitly marked for salvage. Fleet 919 does not condone illegal salvage operations.
Salvage Techniques
Hull Scraping (Basic Method)
Hull scraping is your primary salvage technique. Aim your salvage beam at ship hull panels, strip material, and collect the debris. It's fast, efficient, and the easiest method for beginners.
- Position Your Ship — Approach the wreck and position yourself close to intact hull sections. Maintain a stable hover—don't drift into the wreck.
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Enter Salvage Mode — Ship-specific controls:
Vulture: Press M or middle mouse button from pilot seat (all controls in one seat).
Salvation: Press M or middle mouse button from pilot seat (salvage arms extend automatically).
Fortune: Press M or middle mouse button from pilot seat (external dispenser ready).
Reclaimer: Navigate to dedicated scraper operator seats (separate from pilot seat and claw operator seat). Turn the operator seat on, then click the "Enter Remote Turret" button to activate salvage mode. - Aim at Hull Panels — Target intact hull sections (highlighted when aimed). Look for large, flat panels for maximum efficiency.
- Activate Salvage Beam — Click and hold Left Mouse Button to fire the scraping beam. The beam will begin stripping material from the hull.
- Monitor Heat — Salvage beams generate heat. Watch your ship's temperature gauge. If overheating, release the beam and let it cool before resuming.
- Collect Debris — As material is scraped, hull panels break off and become cargo boxes. Collection method varies by ship: Vulture/Reclaimer use ship tractor beam (default: U key), Salvation auto-packages to internal cargo, Fortune uses automated external dispenser.
- Fill Your Hold — Continue scraping and collecting until your cargo is full. Be selective—prioritize larger, intact panels.
Disintegration Mode (Advanced)
Disintegration mode breaks down hull material into Raw Construction Material (RMC). Higher yield than scraping but slower. Use for high-value wrecks when you have time.
- Switch to Disintegration Mode — In salvage mode, switch to disintegration (check keybinds).
- Target Hull Sections — Aim at large hull sections. Disintegration works best on big chunks of wreckage.
- Fire Disintegration Beam — Click and hold Left Mouse Button. The beam will slowly break down the hull into RMC. (Note: Salvation can only fracture ships up to Freelancer size, Vulture up to Mercury Star Runner size, Reclaimer can fracture any size ship)
- Collect RMC Cubes — Disintegrated material forms into RMC cargo cubes. Collection method depends on ship: Vulture requires manual tractor beam collection and packaging at filler station (13 SCU buffer), Salvation auto-packages to 6 SCU internal cargo, Fortune uses automated dispenser, Reclaimer has large filler stations for 2/8/16 SCU containers.
FPS Salvaging
Manual salvaging with a multi-tool yields the highest value items. EVA to wrecks and strip components, weapons, and cargo by hand. Dangerous but lucrative.
🎯 Component Extraction
Use multi-tool with TruHold tractor beam attachment to detach components, or salvage attachment (Cambio-Lite SRT) to strip materials. Target ship components (shields, coolers, power plants, quantum drives). Remove and store in ship cargo.
⚡ Weapon Recovery
Strip ship weapons from turrets and hardpoints. Some weapons are worth 50k+ aUEC. High-value targets.
🔄 Cargo Recovery
Access wreck cargo holds. Transfer cargo to your ship manually or with tractor beam. Check for high-value goods.
🛑 Safety Protocol
Always watch your oxygen and temperature. Hostile NPCs or players may ambush you during FPS salvage. Stay armed.
Start with hull scraping to learn the basics. Once comfortable, add FPS salvaging for high-value components. Disintegration mode is situational—use it for large wrecks when you have munitions and time.
Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
- Overheating Your Beam: Don't hold the salvage beam constantly. Pulse it in bursts to manage heat. Overheating shuts you down.
- Filling Cargo with Low-Value Material: Be selective. Leave small scraps. Focus on intact panels and high-value components.
- Ignoring Surroundings: Wrecks attract pirates and rival salvagers. Watch your scanner. Don't get tunnel vision.
- Salvaging Illegal Wrecks: Check legal status before scraping. Crime stats are expensive to clear. Stick to legal salvage zones.
Salvage Locations
Stanton System (Lawful Space)
🌙 Crusader Space
Security: High
Opportunities: Scattered derelicts, mission-based salvage contracts
Notes: Safest salvaging. Legal wrecks marked by missions. Good for beginners.
🪐 Hurston Moons
Security: Medium
Opportunities: Crash sites, combat aftermath, derelicts
Notes: Moderate traffic. Watch for claim jumpers near profitable wrecks.
🌑 Lagrange Points
Security: Medium-Low
Opportunities: Debris fields, combat zones
Notes: Higher risk but more wrecks. Pirates frequent these areas.
🌑 Salvage Missions
Security: Varies
Opportunities: Legal, mission-designated wrecks
Notes: Guaranteed legal salvage. Accept contracts from job terminals for marked wrecks.
Pyro System (Hostile Space)
Pyro is a lawless warzone. Fleet 919 recommends all Pyro salvage ops include:
- Minimum 2-ship formation (1 salvager + 1 combat escort)
- Active comms on Fleet 919 voice channel
- Pre-planned extraction route and QT escape coordinates
- Combat-ready wingman with missiles and ballistics
Solo salvaging in Pyro will most likely get you killed.
🔥 Pyro Station Wrecks
Security: None
Opportunities: High-value capital ship wrecks
Notes: Extremely dangerous. Pirate activity. Massive salvage potential. Fleet coordination required.
🔥 Combat Debris Fields
Security: None
Opportunities: Fresh combat wrecks
Notes: High risk, high reward. Combat may still be active. Get in, get out fast.
Processing & Selling
Selling Salvaged Materials
Salvaged materials can be sold at trading terminals throughout Stanton. Prices vary by location and material type.
- Dock/Land at a Trading Station — Major trading locations: Port Olisar (Crusader), Everus Harbor (Hurston), Port Tressler (microTech), Baijini Point (ArcCorp).
- Access Trading Terminal — Located in station lobbies. Interact with the terminal to see sell prices.
- Sell Your Haul — Select materials from your cargo hold and sell at current market rates. Prices fluctuate based on supply/demand.
Refining Raw Construction Materials (Added in Alpha 4.3.2)
Raw construction materials from disintegration mode can be refined for higher profits. Three material types exist based on salvage ship size: Powder (highest density, lowest yield, fastest refining), Scraps (medium density/yield/time), and Chunks (lowest density, highest yield, longest time).
- Dock/Land at a Refinery Station — Refinery locations include: ARC-L1 Wide Forest, HUR-L1 Green Glade, MIC-L1 Shallow Frontier, CRU-L1 Ambitious Dream, and other Lagrange stations.
- Access Refinery Terminal — Located in the refinery deck processing center. Create a work order for your raw construction materials.
- Choose Refining Method — Select from 9 refining methods with different speeds, costs, and yields. Examples: Dinyx Solvention (high yield, slow), Cormack Method (fast, low yield), Electrostarolysis (balanced).
- Wait for Completion — Refining completes in real-time whether you're logged in or not. Refined materials will be ready for pickup and sale.
Some components (specific weapons, shields) can be high-value on trading tools like UEX, but finding buyers in-game can be challenging. Ship-based salvaging (RMC and construction materials) is the primary game loop with consistent profits. Refining raw construction materials increases profit margins but adds time. Check current market prices on UEX Corp (uexcorp.space) or SC Trade Tools before committing to a long haul—component values shown on these sites may not reflect in-game reality, so verify at actual terminals.
Best Selling Locations (Stanton)
- Area18 (ArcCorp) — Best prices for ship components and raw materials.
- New Babbage (microTech) — Good component prices, excellent amenities.
- Lorville (Hurston) — Decent prices for bulk RMC.
- Port Olisar (Crusader) — Quick access, moderate prices.
Safety & Threat Response
Salvage Pirates
Wrecks are magnets for pirates. They know salvagers are slow, loaded with cargo, and distracted. Don't be an easy target.
🚨 Threat Detection
Watch your scanner constantly. Unknown contacts approaching = immediate threat. Pirates often wait until you're full before attacking.
📡 Call for Backup
Report hostile contacts in fleet comms immediately. Ping coordinates. Aesir division responds to salvager distress calls as priority alpha.
🏃 Escape Protocol
Don't fight in a Vulture. You're not a gunship. Spool QT drive and escape to nearest armistice zone or station. Cargo isn't worth your ship.
Environmental Hazards
- Debris Collisions: Floating debris can damage your hull. Maintain safe distance and salvage in open areas away from dense debris fields.
- Ship Drift: Wrecks and debris can drift in zero-G. Watch for movement and adjust position to avoid collisions with your ship.
- Hostile Players: Salvage sites can attract pirates and opportunists. Be alert in lawless zones and consider escorts for high-value operations.
- Armistice Zone Violations: Salvaging non-destroyed ships inside armistice zones results in fines and CrimeStat. Tow vehicles outside armistice before salvaging.
If ambushed and unable to escape, broadcast "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY" with your coordinates on Fleet 919 channels. Jettison cargo if necessary to increase speed. Fleet 919 will do its best to respond if anyone is on.
Certification Requirements
To earn your Fleet 919 Basic Salvaging certification, you must demonstrate proficiency in the following:
- Ship Checkout: Demonstrate ability to enter salvage mode, activate tractor beam, and identify salvage targets.
- Hull Scraping: Successfully strip hull material from a wreck without overheating or collision.
- Material Collection: Use tractor beam to collect scraped material efficiently.
- Cargo Management: Demonstrate proper cargo loading and organization.
Upon completion, you will receive the Fleet 919 Basic Salvaging certification in your personnel file. This allows us to see who has what knowledge in each division.
After Basic Salvaging certification, consider advanced courses (Not yet available):
- Advanced Salvaging: Multi-crew Reclaimer operations, disintegration mastery, advanced FPS salvaging
- Component Specialist: High-value component identification and extraction
- Hostile Territory Salvage: Pyro salvage with combat escort coordination
Questions? Contact the Logistics Division Commander or HQ.
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