Scrapjacks Notes – 2

Four astronauts in space suits, armed and ready, standing inside a futuristic spacecraft interior with industrial elements and yellow lighting.

Scrapjacks – a game about deep space salvagers and trying not to die in the vast, cold, silent black.

HIRING CREW

There are four roles in a Scrapjack crew: Torch, Rigger, Patch, and Yard Dog.

TORCH – Cutters, breachers, burners. The Torch brings the fire — plasma saws, laser torches, shaped micro-charges — whatever it takes to crack open the prize. First in, last out, and usually the reason the deck’s on fire. Not subtle, but effective.

RIGGER – Mechanic, splicer, contortionist. The Rigger keeps the machinery moving and the network online. Crawls into tight spots, bypasses locks, bridges power circuits, brute forces networks. Part engineer, part hacker, all thief. If it’s broken, a Rigger’s either fixing it or making it worse in a useful way.

PATCH – Med-tech, maintenance, lifeline. Keeps the crew stitched, the suits sealed, and the oxygen flowing. Works miracles with tape, staples, and bad coffee. A good Patch can pull you back from the brink. A bad one just calls it “recycling.” 

YARD DOG – Muscle, gun hand, bodyguard. Keeps the rest of the crew alive when the lights go red. Takes point, holds doors, lays down fire, and doesn’t ask too many questions. The Dog’s motto: “If it moves and isn’t on our manifest, drop it.”  

A detailed illustration of a dimly lit, abandoned spaceship corridor, featuring scattered debris, exposed cables, and two doors at the far end.

Each role has a specific skill-set and a starting crew has only four spots, so it’s highly advised players take one of each type. The derelict ships and abandoned stations you’ll be scavenging potentially hold a fortune worth of tech, materials, and equipment, but it’s all buried under cracked hull plates, severed cables, and scorched panels – one wrong move can prove fatal. (let’s not mention claim jumpers, malfunctioning security droids, rogue AIs, and unclassified xeno-threats)

Crew size can be increased and abilities improved over the course of extended operations, but each job demands sharp skills, a hefty dose of luck, and unstinting cooperation if they expect to survive, let alone turn a profit.

MINIATURE-AGNOSTIC

That said, for people who want to kit-bash their scruffy, Scrapjack crews, there are plenty of new plastic kits and sellers who offer individual sprues, so it should be no trouble to work up 4 or 5 cool minis.

An illustrated depiction of a vintage space suit with a headpiece, featuring various patches and technical equipment attached. The suit appears worn and utilized, embodying a salvager aesthetic.

I’m going to hold here for now. Photos of painted Scrapjacks and playtest battle reports are inbound.

Thanks for stopping by. Good hunting.

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7 responses to “Scrapjacks Notes – 2”

  1. Will there be a lot of gear to choose from and plenty of loot to find? Really looking forward to this game

    1. There will be gear and loot, yes. But ‘lots’?

      Only as much as each piece or reward has distinct practical – applied – benefits in the game. That caveat tends to cut down on redundant items. Plus, I think it’s better to increase skills than dispense ‘super’ items.

      So EVA suit mods – Weapon accessories – New Skill options – Increased crew size – all of which are linked to Ship Upgrades. That will be the main path to advancement.

      Scrapjacks is a bit different from my other games in that it deliberately encourages (demands?) a more methodical approach. Every resource is precious: air, power, actions. Everything is dangerous: the deep space environment, the precarious ruins and derelicts, the enemies.

      After all, play stupid games – win stupid prizes.

      But plan and think? Well, then you can find rare and unusual items – human and xenos – out in the black. Things that will change your life – forever.

  2. Very cool, is this available now?

    1. In development. Slated release is Q1 2026.

  3. I like the vibe of the setting and I know you craft solid game mechanics. Looking forward to seeing how this pans out.

  4. I can’t wait for this one! Great vibe and setting and I love and own almost all the game systems that you publish.

    1. Thank you.
      Interior illustrations have been commissioned and I’m hammering away at it, fast as I can.

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