Does anyone know what the criteria for salvage missions (black box, art, commercial samples etc.) to be given is specifically?

[SpillySockSpawc]

I really like these missions, I have worked out an extremely efficient method in which to do multiple elite salvage missions as my cargo will hold and they're just a lot of fun to me.

The hardest part about these missions is finding them in the first place. I have visited so many systems now and all the stations within them trying to find salvage missions but I have had no luck. I have heard that war, civil unrest, boom, election, and civil war states have a chance to give you these missions but every time I go to any of these states they never offer salvage missions.

Does anyone know what to look/search for when trying to find these missions? I swear they are the only missions that don't have a specified state or states that they are given in. Combat missions can be found in war states, mining missions can be found in refinery states, smuggling missions can be found in anarchy states, and trading missions can be found in boom states but there is no specified state or criteria that I have heard of or been able to find for salvage missions. Any suggestions or information is appreciated.

 

[Jmanis]

I really like these missions, I have worked out an extremely efficient method in which to do multiple elite salvage missions as my cargo will hold and they're just a lot of fun to me.

The hardest part about these missions is finding them in the first place. I have visited so many systems now and all the stations within them trying to find salvage missions but I have had no luck. I have heard that war, civil unrest, boom, election, and civil war states have a chance to give you these missions but every time I go to any of these states they never offer salvage missions.

Does anyone know what to look/search for when trying to find these missions? I swear they are the only missions that don't have a specified state or states that they are given in. Combat missions can be found in war states, mining missions can be found in refinery states, smuggling missions can be found in anarchy states, and trading missions can be found in boom states but there is no specified state or criteria that I have heard of or been able to find for salvage missions. Any suggestions or information is appreciated.

Are you specifically after the variants of salvage missions? Or will any salvage mission do?

Short version; they're available in any state/government variation, under various flavours. While I don't have any documented proof of how these are spawned, I can offer up observations. Firstly, there's two sorts; legal and illegal. Functionally, they're alost identical, except that in the legal cases, the cargo isn't flagged as stolen. Illegal cases, it is.

IIRC, Legal salvage missions usually target populated systems within 10-20Ly, Illegal salvage missions usually target populated systems within 0-10Ly.

Your best bet, generally, is to look for factions in a None/Civil Liberty state only. Whoever suggested those states you listed is, well, kinda wrong.

• War/Civil War states will drown out mission boards with wartime massacre missions. You'll rarely get maybe one or two.
• Boom/Investment will likewise drown boards out with source/delivery/mining missions, though less severely than the war/civil war states.
• Election, you're more likely to get courier/hijack missions, though you're less likely to get drown-out. I've had luck getting lots in very specific edge-case systems, but it's a 50/50 split between that and hijack missions.

None-state and Civil Liberty (and any of the "newer" states) don't have impact on what missions get generated, and that's usually the best way to get salvage. I usually find that if i find a good spot, after I pump it up to boom or similar by doing lots they kinda dry up.

As for that specific edge-case, I find they occur best in the same sort of system that's usually good for stacking massacres; remote systems without many neighbours within 20 Ly. It can't be "no neighbours", since the mission has to target a populated system[1]

Lastly, if you're actually looking for specific variants, then:

• Commercial Samples etc usually spawn for Corporate factions (it's a specific flavour for them, I think)
• Personal Goods/Items are usually for Famine/Outbreak states.
• Wartime states (war/civil war) will get you military intelligence and similar salvage
• Boom/Investment will get you salvage for antiquities and other usually more expensive goods

- HOWEVER, "Black Box" is a valid option for all these states as well, and is vastly more common

Think that covers off everything. Unfortunately, there's not much that makes these spawn which doesn't make a bunch of other mission types spawn, so there's no "Robigo for Salvage" if that's what you're after.

[1] I really wish missions would target unpopulated systems as well.

 

[SpillySockSpawc]

I didn't even know about the civil liberty state, I will have to try that and none out.

 

[SpillySockSpawc]

Are you specifically after the variants of salvage missions? Or will any salvage mission do?

Short version; they're available in any state/government variation, under various flavours. While I don't have any documented proof of how these are spawned, I can offer up observations. Firstly, there's two sorts; legal and illegal. Functionally, they're alost identical, except that in the legal cases, the cargo isn't flagged as stolen. Illegal cases, it is.

IIRC, Legal salvage missions usually target populated systems within 10-20Ly, Illegal salvage missions usually target populated systems within 0-10Ly.

Your best bet, generally, is to look for factions in a None/Civil Liberty state only. Whoever suggested those states you listed is, well, kinda wrong.

• War/Civil War states will drown out mission boards with wartime massacre missions. You'll rarely get maybe one or two.
• Boom/Investment will likewise drown boards out with source/delivery/mining missions, though less severely than the war/civil war states.
• Election, you're more likely to get courier/hijack missions, though you're less likely to get drown-out. I've had luck getting lots in very specific edge-case systems, but it's a 50/50 split between that and hijack missions.

None-state and Civil Liberty (and any of the "newer" states) don't have impact on what missions get generated, and that's usually the best way to get salvage. I usually find that if i find a good spot, after I pump it up to boom or similar by doing lots they kinda dry up.

As for that specific edge-case, I find they occur best in the same sort of system that's usually good for stacking massacres; remote systems without many neighbours within 20 Ly. It can't be "no neighbours", since the mission has to target a populated system[1]

Lastly, if you're actually looking for specific variants, then:

• Commercial Samples etc usually spawn for Corporate factions (it's a specific flavour for them, I think)
• Personal Goods/Items are usually for Famine/Outbreak states.
• Wartime states (war/civil war) will get you military intelligence and similar salvage
• Boom/Investment will get you salvage for antiquities and other usually more expensive goods

- HOWEVER, "Black Box" is a valid option for all these states as well, and is vastly more common

Think that covers off everything. Unfortunately, there's not much that makes these spawn which doesn't make a bunch of other mission types spawn, so there's no "Robigo for Salvage" if that's what you're after.

[1] I really wish missions would target unpopulated systems as well.

Wow, it looks like none really is the way to go. I was able to find salvage missions in the first system I went to with that filter set. Thanks a lot!

 

[Northpin]

• Election, you're more likely to get courier/hijack missions, though you're less likely to get drown-out. I've had luck getting lots in very specific edge-case systems, but it's a 50/50 split between that and hijack missions.

Hmm... IIRC Election produces a variant of the salvage missions, but with a quite steep increase in difficulty: liberate political prisoners / hostages / documents / whatever
The type that requires hatch breakers, targeted limpets and not at last a ship with strong shields (never went for dropping the shields then disable the engines with those missions)

 

[Jmanis]

Hmm... IIRC Election produces a variant of the salvage missions, but with a quite steep increase in difficulty: liberate political prisoners / hostages / documents / whatever
The type that requires hatch breakers, targeted limpets and not at last a ship with strong shields (never went for dropping the shields then disable the engines with those missions)

Yeah, that's what I refer to as Hijack missions, ones like "Liberate 8 units of Diplomatic Bag" as opposed to salvage. They're generally pretty easy, though there are some edge cases.

That's why I asked if they were specifcially after salvage missions, or those specific cargos, coz hijack missions are great for getting those sorts of "salvage" items.

 

[SpillySockSpawc]

Hmm... IIRC Election produces a variant of the salvage missions, but with a quite steep increase in difficulty: liberate political prisoners / hostages / documents / whatever
The type that requires hatch breakers, targeted limpets and not at last a ship with strong shields (never went for dropping the shields then disable the engines with those missions)

So this is what people meant when they said these missions could be found in elections. Yeah those aren't what I'm looking for. Specifically I am looking for salvage missions where you scan for degraded emissions and collect black boxes, rare artwork, commercial samples, etc. basically the missions that have you salvage inert cargo from wreck sites instead of hijacking cargo in a mission that requires you to use force (I haven't done those missions so I'm not sure if they force you into combat or not but the missions I am looking for don't require it, it's all about how fast you can collect your black boxes and get out of there)

 

[Jmanis]

So this is what people meant when they said these missions could be found in elections. Yeah those aren't what I'm looking for. Specifically I am looking for salvage missions where you scan for degraded emissions and collect black boxes, rare artwork, commercial samples, etc. basically the missions that have you salvage inert cargo from wreck sites instead of hijacking cargo in a mission that requires you to use force (I haven't done those missions so I'm not sure if they force you into combat or not but the missions I am looking for don't require it, it's all about how fast you can collect your black boxes and get out of there)

Yeah, there's a subtle distinction that can get lost between "salvage missions", and "missions which feature salvage cargo".

There is another type usually available on surface ports, which has you go to surface POI... but frankly they're much more effort.

 

[Northpin]

hijacking cargo in a mission that requires you to use force (I haven't done those missions so I'm not sure if they force you into combat or not but the missions I am looking for don't require it, it's all about how fast you can collect your black boxes and get out of there)

Those missions can be done without firing a single shot (killing your target means failing the mission). If you dont fire at your target, it will not fire back.
So they go simply by firing hatch breakers, using targeted collectors and maneuvering to protect the returning limpets while preventing the target ship to pick its cargo back or to kill your limpets.
Rarely the target will have escorts (which can be destroyed or you can take the fire if the shields are thick), but it's better to turn crimes off - you dont want police to come and kill your targets.

Granted, they are harder than the plain pick salvage missions and they require a better equipped ship and, not at last, not all missions are for all commanders (i usually avoid horizons planetary and megaship missions)

 

[Jmanis]

Rarely the target will have escorts (which can be destroyed or you can take the fire if the shields are thick)

Just want to labour a point here... escorts drastically change the behaviour of the target and situation.

If it's a lone target, they'll barely react to your hatchbreakers, and just try to rescoop any dumped cargo. If you open fire, they start combat manouvers and shooting at you.

But if the target has escorts, firing a hatchbeaker triggers the hauler and escorts just like if you opened fire.

It's easy enough to tank still... the main drawback is the combat manouvers... instead of poddling along on a single direction at a steady pace, making all the cargo dump out in a similar location, the cargo sprays out in all sorts of directions, which can make recovery a pain, especially if the target has point defences.

Sorry... kinda derailed things... these are actually quite fun and achievable missions, definitely worth checking them out. I usually take a mix of hijack, salvage and assasination missions, can knock them all out with my krait mk2... the reduction in ship defences to equip for hijacks makes assassination passively more challenging and fitting collectors makes salvage easier. (I also do installation scan and powerplant destruction, where they target the same system).

 

[antoca]

I also love those missions. Illegal salvage missions are way down now compared to pre-Odyssey, while legal ones seem to appear slightly more frequently. They are also pretty much bugged now as you don't see who you are hurting (same with passenger missions). Active expansion state brings more legal salvage missions usually for my faction. Systems without any state also have salvage missions often. That's my observation.