So I’m GM-ing a campaign in which my characters have decided to do a bit of Jakku scavenging but want to do it Firefly style and do it in space. They want to find the wreckage fresh in space. They’ve gathered some intel around an impending battle and want do do a credits dash for the salvaged goods.

I’m thinking a few things. Possibly there are salvage crews that often pillage these battle scenes and they may not be kind to minor leaguers showing up. So my crew they may need to hit the scene pretty early, possibly while action is still taking place. Also to complicate things, I’m thinking the Imperials would not be kind to see vultures picking over the bones so they will not welcome the presence and would cause trouble.

If this was your campaign, what all would you throw in or have as considerations?

They show this kind of thing frequently in The Clone Wars. They made it seem like it happened after every major battle. Which if you think about it, makes sense. There got to be some pretty valuable stuff just floating around out in space after a battle like that.

Just the value of the scrap metal alone might make it worth it. Then you factor in the still-functioning ship parts that can be reused. And intact cargo or other goods taken out of wreckage or just floating in space. And if you're really lucky, you'll find a disabled-but-fixable ship!

In The Clone Wars, it seems like the scavengers frequently find people not dead yet. Such as when Asajj Ventress was adrift in her ship. Those scavengers were in for a really bad day when they decided to take her as "plunder". Maybe that's something that could happen to the players, they find survivors who may or may not be friendly to them. Maybe the survivors are in a ship whose life support is about to die or just went out and they have to work frantically to save the person or persons aboard. Maybe they have to make the moral choice about whether to save the life of someone who would be an enemy to them. Maybe they find a mostly-intact ship that should have valuable cargo, they board it, and come under attack from the occupants inside?

You might also find a ship that has automatic defenses built into it that start attacking the crew as they try to take it. Or something with valuable but unstable munitions that could blow up as they try to take them.

Maybe the battle took place somewhere that's environmentally dangerous, like an asteroid field, or a electrically-active nebula, or close to the gravity well of a large planet that has been pulling wreckage down toward it. Then they have to deal with that danger.

Isn't this the basis of LEGO Starr Wars Freemaker Adventures?

Fake IDs

The Mining Guild (in compliance with Imperial regulations) issues salvage rights to reputable companies, and these companies are hostile to unlicensed scavengers. The PCs could also be mistaken for enemy combatants by mop-up patrols after the battle. In either case, things should go easier for them if they appear to be running a legitimate operation. A PC with Underworld knowledge might know of a shady Rodian who can get them a forged salvage company license that would pass cursory inspection. Stopping by to meet up with this NPC could be a fun detour. Of course, a more permanent solution would be to incorporate and apply for an actual license. Navigating the world of Star Wars bureaucracy ought to be good for an encounter or two.

Star Wars: Gold Rush

Another long-term idea might be that the PCs hear about a legendary space hulk called the Dawn Fire -- an ancient ship of enormous dimensions. Depending on who's telling the story, the ship was lost thousands of years ago and carried an atmosphere-burning megaweapon, an ancient mystical artifact of unimaginable power, a cyborg army in deep freeze, and that sort of thing. But the latest sighting appears to be more than just a rumor, as salvage crews from across the galaxy are converging on a particular uninhabited system. As it turns out, the Dawn Fire is in lots of pieces drifting within an asteroid field, so different crews are racing to find the pieces and stake their claims, always fighting the sensor interference from the asteroid field (and fighting other crews). Boomtowns (asteroid space stations) will pop up to support the salvage crews, and will have all sorts of interesting problems -- structural leaks in hastily-constructed compartments, bank heists, bar fights, delayed resupply ships, parasitic infestations. Both the Empire and the Alliance will be interested in the space hulk's secret cargo (but might have very different ideas about what it is), and both of them will plant some spies, which could be fun as NPCs.

There is an adventure in Scum and Villainy saga edition that covers this topic - I plan on running something similar. I haven't read Beyond the Rim, but it's also salvage themed, so could be a good one if that's your Crew's occupation.

Like the ideas coming out here! Very cool. Thx.

I had been thinking that other scavengers could be regulars but didn't realize about the idea of salvage rights, Dave. That's so cool. I'm sure they usually would come in the aftermath when a battle has cooled, so my adventures would need to come in while it's still hot. Dangerous but at least they wouldn't necessarily be targeted. Of course rescue crews wouldn't have gone out so any boarding would be against armed, but stranded personnel. Could be a big payday, could be major risk going into a war zone. Nice, idea Atama.

This could be epic.

If the battle site is profuse or scattered enough, there will be so much area that almost any looter worth tangling with won't be able to cover it all. That means grudging live-and-let-live claim boundaries, and maybe a little honor among thieves since everyone wants a take before sector authorities (or more of either belligerent) arrives — and they can't do that while squabbling.

So I might have a couple big players going for the most intricate and profitable wrecks, and up to a dozen small crews operating in debris fields where no one else appears to be. Smaller crews would keep wary eyes on those nearby but open to loose agreements if the situation warranted. Could the party witness an accident across the debris field, and make a decision over whether to help perfect strangers? Could one of the bigger groups be pushing smaller ones off with threats, introducing common cause? I'd want a few shades of gray and potential for cooperation amid the competition and danger.

Unexploded munitions.

Ship hulls with damage that hasn't gone critical but does if parted out haphazardly.

Surviving crews on board that fight back.

Engines on board hulks switching on at the most inopportune times.

Your mileage may vary, but I've a PC in a similar Edge of Empire game revolving around salvage. We've read and re-read "Special Modifications," and found this resource to be optimal for found, salvaged goods. A Demolitionist in our group also proves quite helpful, too, because he turns trash into fragments for make-shift grenades. I think there might be more rules for grenades in "Dangerous Covenants" book to source his use of grenades/explosives; since I don't have the book, can anyone help verify that Dangerous Covenants is THE book for explosives (beyond it being the book with career- Demolitionist?)?

I think an Armorer (from "Keeping the Peace") may be a good career for salvaged goods, too.

"Beyond the Rim" is an adventure involving salvage, but reports differ about its utility. The Wheel, as a central location, doesn't seem to provide a lot of crunch, but good fluff. The main point of the adventure is interesting, and introduces fun creature encounters on a far-away planet.

If I were GMing a similar game, I think booby-trap found-goods would make for some interesting encounters. Additionally, these traps would be geared for tests against the party's Resilience or weaker dump stats. For example, old diseased germs mature and create a strange sickness that erodes (setback dice) Presence until healed, or something that creates temporary memory issues (Intellect), etc. Making PCs sick for Wounds or Strain is an easy grab, but I like to remind players how they are more than pilots or shooters in space.

I hope you found this feedback and experience helpful. Please continue to post about your game!

I think there might be more rules for grenades in "Dangerous Covenants" book to source his use of grenades/explosives; since I don't have the book, can anyone help verify that Dangerous Covenants is THE book for explosives (beyond it being the book with career- Demolitionist?)?

It does have an entire section of the equipment chapter for explosives. It also has some wording on how to rig and set up explosives using Mechanics.

Age of Rebellion: Strongholds of Resistance has an explosives section too but it's devoted almost entirely to Mon Calamari torpedoes.