Salvaging

Area Salvaging represents scouring a large area for valuable salvage. This is typically a point on the Region Map within Campaign Mode. It includes areas such as factories, cargo hangers, bunkers, and abandoned settlements. The area must be free and safe from hostiles before Area Salvaging can be performed. Area Salvaging assumes the area being salvaged is demolished as salvagers tear it apart for scrap.

Not all places can be area salvaged, and it is up to the Mediator to decide if an area can or cannot be salvaged in this way. For example, an abandoned highway with only burned out Mechs may have no usable salvage to find. An area that can be Area Salvaged has two values.

This is the Tech Level of salvage in the area. This value is set by the Mediator as appropriate to the area.

This is the number of times an area can be area salvaged by a Mech or Pilot. By default this number is 5. Each time a Pilot rolls to Area Salvage, reduce the Supply by 1. When the value is 0, the area cannot be Area Salvaged anymore. The Mediator can change this number as appropriate, with some areas having more or less supply. For example, a sheet metal factory may have a high supply of 8, but a low Tech Level of 1, whereas an abandoned research laboratory may have a low supply of 2, but a high Tech Level of 4.

The Area Salvage Ability on p. 248 allows a Pilot to Area Salvage.

The Mech Salvage Ability (see p. 248) is intended to emulate the salvager picking through the carcass of a Mech in the wasteland to find the best salvageable parts. It is more a test of luck to see what is available rather than reflective of the salvager's skill. The intent of the roll is that through play salvagers will encounter dozens of Mechs and being able to easily salvage every part would become overwhelming quickly, so instead the roll typically narrows choice so salvagers can pick one part they want. Everything else is considered destroyed.

There are some foes you may encounter in the game, such as Drones, Vehicles, and the likes of Bio-Titans.

These can be scrapped for the Salvage Value in Scrap of their Tech Level. Follow the same rules as the Scrap Ability.

Some of these may have a limited number of Systems or Modules mounted on them, which you can salvage as an individual System or Module. They are typically in Damaged Condition. The Systems and Modules you can salvage from a non-Mech are up to the Mediator to decide.

A Mech's Cargo Capacity is split into Slots. By default Mechs have 6 Cargo Slots. This represents an abstracted mixture of internal and external storage, the latter being a case of the Scrap or salvage being strapped to the Mech.

Mechs can increase their Cargo Capacity beyond this by installing Systems such as Cargo Bays, and via unique Chassis Abilities.

Each individual piece of Scrap takes up one Cargo Slot.

A Mech Chassis, System, or Module takes up a number of Slots equal to its Salvage Value. For example, a Red Laser System has a Salvage Value of 3 so takes up 3 Cargo Slots.

A Mech that has Systems and Modules mounted on it takes up a number of Slots equal to the combined value of its Systems, Modules, and Chassis Salvage Values. For example, a Tech 2 Mirrorball Mech has a Salvage Value of 10. A Mech with 10 Cargo Slots could carry the Mirrorball, and it would take up all of its Slots. A Mech with only 6 Slots could not carry the Mirrorball.

If a Mech does not have enough Cargo Capacity for this, it cannot carry the entire Mech Chassis, System, or Module.

A Chassis, System, or Module can be scrapped as per the Scrap action to split it into individual pieces of scrap which can then be split up and carried amongst different Mechs and Pilots.