Cargo Ships

General information

If "Random Encounters" is enabled in the advanced options of a world, the game will from time to time spawn random hostile ships from a predefined list (that can be extended with mods). These ships will fly near random players after they spawn in, and will despawn after a time if left alone. They will travel at their predefined speed, but in a random direction. Those ships are usually equipped with a Beacon or Antenna that shows where they are if they spawn. These ships are worth capturing because they hold loot like ores, ingots, and components including the blocks the ship is made of, which can be grinded for more parts. But, they are well-defended with turrets of all kinds.

Ships

The following cargo ships may be randomly spawned (as of Update_01.023.000)

Cargo Ship	Category	Mass (Kg)	Speed (M/s)	Booby Trapped	Exterior Defences	Interior Defences	Game Version
Private Sail	Private	72 447	25	No	2x	-	01.045.000
Business Shipment		184 972	17	No	2x	-	01.045.000
Commercial Freighter		463 395	10	No	3x	1x	01.045.000
Mining Carriage	Mining	266 084	25	No	1x	-	01.030.000
Mining Transport		401 953	17	No	2x	1x	01.031.000
Mining Hauler		1 540 908	10	No	4x 2x	2x	01.030.000
Military Escort	Military	350 048	25	No	2x 2x	-	01.030.000
Military Minelayer		1 637 990	17	Yes	5x 2x	-	01.030.000
Military Transporter		5 578 454	10	Yes	5x 3x	5x	01.030.000

While its behavior differs slightly from that of cargo ships, the recently-added Argentavis pirate carrier is another possible encounter. It is rather heavily armed and spawns drones but carries a substantial reward for any players who successfully defeat it.

Traps

The Military Minelayer and Military Transporter have explosives on them, and will explode if not careful slowing them down (don't use inertia dampeners) and attacking them.

Capturing

Capturing ships is useful if you need goods or a new ship, they can contain components, ores, ingots, ammo, and tools, but the real value is in grinding them.

How to Capture a Ship

What you will need

• a working small ship fighter with a Landing Gear, Gatling Gun (optional), and Rocket Launcher and good thrust in all directions
• a grinder (tool) and welder (tool)

What to do

First, destroy all turrets on the ship. After that is done, attach your fighter to the ship and turn on inertia dampeners, this will stop the ship. Continue to go inside the ship, find the control center and take control so you can fly it back to your base (remember to turn off the turrets of your base so they don't destroy the ship). Now you have a captured ship!