Guide to Salvage Star Citizen: Mastering the Art of Spacecraft Recovery

Star Citizen Salvage: Equipment, Methods, and Tricks

Salvaging in Star Citizen offers players a rewarding way to earn credits while exploring the galaxy. This activity involves extracting valuable materials from abandoned ships and structures.

To begin salvaging, players need specific tools and ships designed for the task.

The main types of salvaging include:

1. Ship-based salvaging
2. Hand salvaging

For ship-based salvaging, the Drake Vulture is a popular choice. This specialized vessel comes equipped with salvage lasers for stripping materials from wrecks.

Larger ships like the Aegis Reclaimer can handle more extensive salvage operations.

Hand salvaging requires a multi-tool with a salvage attachment. This method allows players to extract materials from smaller objects or in tight spaces where ships can’t reach.

Key tips for successful salvaging:

• Scout locations for valuable wrecks
• Upgrade your equipment regularly
• Be aware of potential dangers in salvage areas
• Learn to identify the most profitable materials

Getting Into Salvage Work

Salvage work in Star Citizen offers two main paths: handheld and ship-based operations. Each requires specific gear and vessels to get the job done.

Equipment and Vessels

For handheld salvage, key items include:

• Multi-tool with Cambol Light SRT attachment
• RMC storage canisters

Ship-based salvage needs:

1. Drake Vulture (solo operations)
   • Cost: 1.2 million Alpha UEC
2. Aegis Reclaimer (multi-crew, can be used solo)
   • Cost: 15 million Alpha UEC

Note: Prices may change in future updates.

A multi-tool with tractor beam attachment is useful for both methods. It can be crafted on salvage ships if forgotten, but bringing one saves money.

To start salvaging, players can:

• Find derelict ships or salvage panels
• Create salvage by destroying ships
• Take on salvage contracts

These options provide ample opportunities for new and experienced salvagers alike. With the right tools and a bit of know-how, anyone can dive into this lucrative career path.

Salvage Job Options

Contracts offer a quick and reliable way to find salvage targets. The general tab lists three main types: small, medium, and large jobs. New players may need to start with smaller jobs to build their reputation before tackling bigger wrecks.

Personal tab contracts can be riskier but still worthwhile. These jobs often come with time limits before law enforcement arrives to investigate.

Here’s a breakdown of contract types:

Contract Type	Location	Risk Level	Time Pressure
Small	General	Low	Low
Medium	General	Medium	Low
Large	General	High	Low
Personal	Personal	Varies	High

Players should pick jobs that match their skill level and equipment. As they gain experience, they can move up to more challenging and profitable contracts.

Removing Ship Parts

Ship salvage involves taking valuable components from wrecked vessels. This process can be highly profitable, especially when focusing on high-value items and cargo. A multi-tool with a tractor beam attachment is essential for this task.

To remove parts:

1. Aim the tractor beam at the desired item
2. Left-click to grab it
3. Follow any on-screen prompts to detach components
4. Move items to your ship for storage

Tips for efficient removal:

• Use the mouse wheel to adjust tractor beam distance
• Hold ‘R’ to rotate items for better placement
• Look for orange arrows indicating detachment directions

Keeping and Trading Salvaged Items

Proper storage is key when salvaging ship parts. Cargo often snaps to designated grids, marked by purple highlights. Weapons and components need manual placement.

Where to sell:

• Weapons: Weapon shops on planets
• Components: Component retailers
• Cargo: Legal goods to regular shops, illegal items to fences

The profitability of component removal varies. While not always the most lucrative aspect of salvage, it can provide decent income, especially for teams. Salvagers must decide between thorough stripping or focusing on the most valuable parts based on their goals and time constraints.

Factors to consider:

• Time investment
• Storage space
• Market prices
• Team size

Salvagers should weigh these factors to determine the best approach for each wreck they encounter.

Stripping Ship Hulls

Salvage Beam Efficiency

The main tool for stripping ship hulls is a specialized beam. This equipment fires at wrecks, removing materials from their outer layers. The process yields Recycled Material Composite (RMC), which can be sold at many trade centers.

Both the Vulture and Reclaimer use similar interfaces for this task. The beam works by “painting” the target area. After a few seconds, it peels away the hull, leaving behind a visibly stripped wreck.

The beam’s performance can be tracked through several indicators:

1. Percentage display: Shows how much material remains in the targeted area
2. Color-coded highlight:
   • Blue/green: High salvage amount
   • Yellow: Medium salvage amount
   • Red: Low salvage amount (1/3 or less)
3. SCU indicator: Displays material currently being collected
4. Range indicator: Ensures the beam is within effective distance
5. Internal storage gauge: Shows capacity (13 SCU for Vulture, 240 SCU for Reclaimer)

The Vulture has two salvage heads, while the Reclaimer has one. Each head’s performance is shown separately on the display. When internal storage reaches capacity, action must be taken to empty it.

Scraper Module Performance

Salvage Beam Characteristics

Scraper modules have three key features: coverage area, processing rate, and material recovery. The coverage area shows how much of the hull the salvage beam can affect at once. A larger area means more hull can be processed in one pass. The processing rate indicates how quickly the beam works on the hull. The material recovery rate represents the amount of resources extracted from the hull.

These features are similar to choosing painting tools. A small brush offers precision but takes longer, while a roller covers more area quickly but may miss spots. In practice, the Arid module works well for the Vulture, while the Trawler and Abrade modules are suitable for the Reclaimer.

Module Feature	Description
Coverage Area	Hull area affected by beam
Processing Rate	Speed of hull breakdown
Recovery Rate	Amount of resources extracted

Scraping Efficiency

The depth of hull scraping depends on personal preference, balancing resource extraction with time investment. Some enjoy the process and scrape thoroughly before moving on. Others prioritize speed and profits, focusing on structural salvage instead.

Factors to consider when scraping:

• Desired resource amount
• Time available
• Enjoyment of the process

The choice affects both efficiency and experience. While thorough scraping yields more resources, it takes longer. Quick structural salvage may be more profitable in the short term, especially in the current game version.

Breaking and Dissolving Ship Structures

The process of breaking down ship hulls into usable materials involves two main steps. First, the hull is split into smaller pieces. Then, these pieces are broken down into raw materials for construction.

To start this process in a Vulture ship, press Alt and W. In a Reclaimer, sit in the claw seat and press M. This activates the fracturing mode. If you end up in the wrong mode, right-click to switch back to fracturing.

Once in fracturing mode:

1. Left-click to turn on the fracture field
2. Move close to the target ship

Next, face the target directly and watch for the UI to show “fracturing” and the amount of materials available.

After fracturing finishes, the target breaks into smaller parts. Now switch to disintegration mode by right-clicking. In this mode:

1. Left-click to start disintegration
2. Watch the progress bar and estimated yield

Also, check the efficiency percentage and move to improve efficiency if needed.

For better results:

• Stay at the best distance from the target
• Keep facing the target directly
• Use tractor beams to position parts if available

The raw materials from this process can be sold at various locations. These often include admin centers, like the one at Microtech, instead of the usual trade spots.

This method turns old ships into valuable resources. It allows pilots to make money from wrecks and helps recycle materials in the space economy. As ships improve, the tools and techniques for breaking them down may also change.

Ship Salvage Systems

Drake Vulture Operations

The Drake Vulture offers a streamlined salvage experience ideal for solo pilots. Its compact design integrates all key functions into the cockpit, with the exception of the hopper management system.

The Vulture features dual salvage head sets mounted on either side of its frontal forks. Pilots can switch between these using the right mouse button while in salvage mode. The default configuration includes:

• Set 1: Cinch scraper modules
• Set 2: Tractor beam and Abrade module

For enhanced precision, many operators prefer using gimbal mode to align both heads on a single target point. The salvage heads are versatile, capable of handling most tasks. However, they may struggle with fracturing or disintegrating the largest ship hulls.

Key controls:

• Alt + W: Toggle between fracturing/disintegration and salvage modes
• Right-click: Switch functions within a mode
• Alt + A/D: Enable/disable individual mining heads

The internal hopper empties onto the cargo deck, producing 1 SCU boxes. While the official cargo capacity is 12 SCU, creative pilots often utilize additional space in the gangway for extra storage.

Aegis Reclaimer Systems

The Aegis Reclaimer is designed for multi-crew operations, with specialized stations for different salvage functions. This layout allows for coordinated teamwork but can also be operated solo with reduced efficiency.

Key stations include:

1. Pilot seat
2. Two salvage turrets
3. Claw operator station

The salvage turrets, located behind the pilot’s chair, come equipped with:

• Tractor module
• Trawler scraper module

Tractor beam controls:

• Alt + mouse wheel: Adjust target distance
• R key: Rotate target

The claw operator station, to the right of the pilot, manages fracturing and disintegration:

• M key: Activate fracturing mode
• Right-click: Switch to disintegration mode

The Reclaimer’s exit hopper system is more complex than the Vulture’s:

• Location: Rear of the ship on the salvage deck
• Two salvage hoppers on opposite sides
• Capable of ejecting both RMC and CM crates
• Crate sizes range up to 16 SCU

Storage options aboard the Reclaimer are plentiful:

• Cargo grid in the salvage room
• Cargo hold
• Various nooks for loose box storage (for daring crews)

This extensive storage capacity allows for prolonged salvage operations before returning to sell materials.

Both ships share a similar hopper management interface:

1. Navigate to the hopper location
2. Select RMC or CM for ejection
3. Initiate ejection process
4. An auto-eject checkbox is available for continuous operations

Handheld Salvage Operations

Salvaging by hand is a smaller-scale but versatile option for resource recovery. It uses a multi-tool with specialized attachments. While not as efficient as ship-based methods, it offers flexibility for smaller jobs and repairs.

Key equipment:

• Multi-tool
• Cambol Light SRT attachment
• Cambol Light canisters

Steps for hand salvage:

1. Locate salvage target
2. Equip multi-tool
3. Move within range (UI turns green)
4. Left-click to start salvaging
5. Watch indicator for material collection
6. Press R to reload when canister is full

The process mimics ship-based hull scraping on a smaller scale. The laser stops automatically when the canister reaches capacity. Players need to manage their inventory, swapping full canisters for empty ones as needed.

Hand salvage yields Resource Management Credits (RMC). This material has a unique benefit – it can be used for hull repairs in certain situations.

Tips:

• Keep extra empty canisters in your suit inventory
• Monitor the green wheel indicator for efficiency
• Use B key to switch to repair mode if needed

While less common than other methods, hand salvage provides a valuable skill for resourceful players. It’s particularly useful for small-scale operations or when larger equipment isn’t available. The ability to both salvage and repair adds versatility to this technique.

Common Questions About Salvaging in Star Citizen

How to Use a Multi-tool for Salvage

To salvage with a multi-tool in Star Citizen:

1. Equip the multi-tool
2. Attach the Cambio-Lite SRT attachment
3. Approach a salvageable object
4. Activate the tool and aim at the surface
5. Hold down the trigger to begin extracting materials

The multi-tool allows for precise salvage of small components and is useful for on-foot operations.

Selling Salvaged Materials

Salvaged materials can be sold at various locations:

• Scrap yards on major planets
• Recycling centers at space stations
• Some trading outposts that deal in raw materials

Prices vary by location, so check multiple buyers for the best rates. Storing materials in your ship’s cargo hold allows selling larger quantities at once.

Top Ships for Salvage

Two ships excel at salvage operations:

1. Drake Vulture: Ideal for solo or small crew salvage
2. Aegis Reclaimer: Best for large-scale operations with multiple crew

The Vulture is more maneuverable, while the Reclaimer has greater capacity. Both have specialized equipment for efficient salvaging.

Completing Salvage Missions

Salvage missions are available from mission givers and job boards. To complete them:

1. Accept the mission
2. Travel to the designated location
3. Locate the salvage target (often a wreck)
4. Extract the required materials or components
5. Deliver the salvaged goods to the specified drop-off point

Missions vary in difficulty and reward. Some may involve combat or exploration elements.

Required Equipment for Salvaging

Essential salvage equipment includes:

• Multi-tool with salvage attachment
• Salvage-capable ship (e.g. Vulture, Reclaimer)
• Tractor beam (for moving larger pieces)
• Cargo space to store salvaged materials
• Repair tools (optional, for fixing salvageable components)

Proper safety gear is also important when working with potentially hazardous materials.

Salvaging Process with the Vulture

The Vulture salvage process involves:

1. Activate salvage mode by pressing M
2. Approach the salvage target
3. Use left mouse button to start the extraction beam
4. Guide the beam over the surface to remove materials
5. Monitor your cargo hold capacity
6. Process extracted materials onboard or sell raw

The Vulture’s specialized arms and equipment make it highly efficient for its size class.