Introduction
Space Rogue is a classic 1989 space trading and adventure game set in the Far Arm of the galaxy. This guide covers trading, combat, all the key NPCs, items, and the main quest line to finish the game.
Making Money
Trading
You start the game with 1,500 credits. The best approach is to trade in high-value goods rather than cheap ones whenever possible. For example, buying a Supercomputer at Hiathra for 90 credits and selling it at Micon I for 115 is better than small margins on grain.
The best trade route in the game:
- Buy a full cargo of Brandy at DenebPrime Starbase
- Travel to Bassruti through the Malir gate
- Sell the Brandy at Free Guild Outpost (pays nearly 200 credits per unit)
- Buy the most expensive contraband available
- Travel back to Deneb through the Malir gate
- Sell the contraband at DenebPrime Starbase
Keep repeating this to fully upgrade your ship and have plenty of credits for missiles and repairs.
To trade in contraband, find Robo-Crook in the bars across the Far Arm. Pay 100 credits to reach into his sack. Most items are useless, but eventually you'll get Forged Cargo Papers, which fool cargo checkers at bases into thinking your goods are legal. They don't always work — save before docking.
Trading Notes
- Anagathics – Unknown use, but they can spoil during normal space flight. Save right after purchase.
- Malir Gates – Some goods spoil when passing through. Antibiotics and Radioactives are known to spoil.
Piracy
Piracy is one of the fastest ways to earn money. Be careful not to build up a bounty that makes hunters target you. When attacking a merchant ship, don't destroy it — just reduce its armour to about 30–40. If it hasn't surrendered by then, it likely has no cargo. Let it go.
If you remain a pirate throughout the game, other pirate ships won't attack you — a significant advantage.
Bounty Hunting
The hardest route to income — you'll need a well-upgraded ship and combat practice. The best system to hunt in is Bassruti (home of the Scarlet Brotherhood). Sigure also has many pirates and Manchi ships. Zed is popular with both, but its asteroid field makes docking tricky.
Key NPCs
Duchess Avenstar
Located on DenebPrime Starbase, to the right of the entrance. She gives you a test on first meeting — answer honestly, even about the Green Cube (it's fake, not poisonous). She sends you on your mission to find out what happened to Targon. After this quest is complete, she moves to the Imperial home planet. Her alien bodyguard Vengor stays behind and delivers her messages.
Vengor
North of Avenstar's room. Don't insult him or he'll beat you up. He remains after Avenstar leaves and conveys her messages.
Orellian
On Hiathra base, north of the upgrades shop. Provides a CRC-07 (needed for a Koth tour) and a Pilot's License. Test answers:
- 3.26
- Type O
- F = ma
- Imperium
He also needs a statuette from Sir Eld — tell him it's not a bribe.
Sir Eld
Master trader at Micon I outpost. Gives you the statuette to deliver to Orellian. Rewards you with a Stealth Box and trading tips after it's done.
Veda
A randomly appearing trading alien who sells rare items. You only need to buy the Contact Lenses from him (250 credits) — used on the Koth.
Geul Barret
On Micon I outpost. Talks about music and can be bribed. Buy him a drink (10 credits) and ask him about important people like Koth and Avenstar.
Kale
A randomly appearing Bounty Hunter. Select Bounty Hunter or Merchant when asked — each gives different advice. You can choose both in separate conversations.
Somar Tan
A randomly appearing NPC with information on NSBs (Neuro Stabilising Boosters) and the Bassruti incident.
Flitch
A randomly appearing rogue who sells information about ships, pirates, and job offers (25 credits each). Note: once pirates dislike or hate you, he won't talk to you.
HAL9-K
A droid on Hiathra. Has general information about Titan ships (and himself).
Dr. Felsane
Alien student in the Hiathra bar. Offers you the job of saying "RAKBIT" to Shizaz (Borf) on Ross in Nar'See. Reward: a Malir Artifact.
Borf
A Shizaz alien on the Ross Station bar. Buy him a drink, then say "RAKBIT". If you say anything else while he's drinking, he'll kill you. Warning: he's a member of the Black Hand and will attack you after you've spoken to Janus about Avenstar's mission.
Ichiki
A randomly appearing NPC who sells information. Offer him the Ruby Cube or the Dilithium gem (on Hiathra) as payment for information about the Manchi.
Robo-Crook
A randomly appearing NPC who lets you reach into his sack for 100 credits. Good finds include Forged Cargo Papers and the Ruby Cube.
Cebak
Lives on Hiathra, right of Orellian. Talks about HIVE and her sister Tiwa. There's a Key-Card in the pocket of one of the Vac-Suits in her room.
Tiwa
Lives on Legrange mining station — Cebak's sister. Gives you a letter to take to Cebak.
Gut
Leader of The Scarlet Brotherhood on Free Guild Outpost in Bassruti. Becomes your ally after you destroy a Titan. Provides crucial help near the end of the game.
Omar
Gut's right-hand man. Allows you to see Gut once you've destroyed a Titan. Don't blow up a Titan before Omar asks you to — it won't count.
Sister Nycen
Meditates in the garden-lounge on Sigure outpost. Tells you about Priestess Vilanie.
Priestess Vilanie
Top-right of the bar on Sigure outpost. Plotting against the Empire with Koth. The Queen-Egg — the cause of the Manchi attack — is in the locked room to her right. She also probes your mind.
Dr. Elanius Ferah
On DenebPrime Starbase, top left of the bar. A blind facial surgeon who operated on Rayson. Ask her about Rayson.
LUX-23A
A droid on the Deneb Station looking for his girlfriend droid MAID.
MAID
Posing as a female rogue at Free Guild Outpost in Bassruti. Tell her you're a rogue or merchant (not a Bounty Hunter). Say "LUX-23A" using the Other... command and she'll join as a repair droid. Return her to LUX, then pick her up again from Free Guild — the second time you get to keep her permanently.
Janus
Tour guide on the Koth carrier in Arcturus. Give her the CRC-07 for a tour. When you're on Avenstar's mission and she asks if you're "the one she sent," say yes — but refuse the bribe.
Targon
The previous owner of the Jolly Roger, found in the bottom-left corner of Arcturus station. Give him a dose of NSB to make him sane temporarily. Tell him the name of his secret mission (Operation Ferret) and he'll share crucial information about the Black Hand's plans. Afterwards he goes insane and can't be helped again.
Prosk
A scientist on Micon IV station in Zed, working on a Warp Drive that needs a Transmutation Coil. Return the Coil and he'll offer you a Stealth Box or Null Damper — choose the Null Damper (you can get the Stealth Box from Sir Eld). At the endgame, use co-ordinates GC 3409 to get to Ja-Karn, the Manchi home system.
Key Items
- Pilot's License – From Orellian; certifies you as a legal Imperial pilot.
- CRC-07 – From Orellian; grants you a tour of the Koth when given to Janus.
- Statuette – From Sir Eld; deliver to Orellian (tell him it's not a bribe).
- Ruby Cube – From Robo-Crook; tradeable for information with Ichiki.
- Forged Cargo Papers – From Robo-Crook; fool cargo inspectors (unreliable — save first).
- Ameobic Contact Lenses – From Borf, 250 credits; needed to retrieve the Transmutation Coil safely on the Koth.
- Transmutation Coil – In the locked power unit room aboard the Koth; needed by Prosk for the Warp Drive.
- NSB (Neuro Stabilising Booster) – In a drawer in an office on Bassruti Station; needed to temporarily restore Targon's sanity.
- Key Card – From Robo-Crook or from one of the Vac-Suits in Cebak's room; opens some locked doors.
- Manchi Egg – In the locked room next to Priestess Vilanie; must be taken to Gut, then to Prosk, then delivered to the Manchi home world at Ja-Karn.
- Null Damper – From Prosk (choose over Stealth Box); prevents armour depletion in worm-holes.
- Stealth Box – From Sir Eld or Prosk; supposedly hides you from pirate long-range scanners.
- Repair Droid (MAID) – From Free Guild Outpost; functions as a ship repair droid.
Quests and Missions
Sir Eld's Statuette
Fly to Hiathra and give the statuette to Orellian. Tell him it's not a bribe. Return to Sir Eld for your reward.
Joining the Scarlet Brotherhood
Talk to Omar, who asks you to destroy a Titan. Best tactic: fly close behind the Titan, turn off your TAC (so you're targeting yourself), and fire a Nova missile straight into its rear. Then use slow, powerful beam shots while staying behind it. When ready, fire another missile with TAC off again — this creates a dumbfire missile unaffected by ECM. The Titan's ECM is strong and will divert homing missiles. Keep at it and you'll take it down.
Finding the Transmutation Coil
The Coil is on the Koth carrier in a locked room. Walk to the power unit carefully — the floor plate directly beneath it is an alarm. Inspect the unit. You must be wearing Ameobic Contact Lenses or your eyes will burn. Take the Coil to Prosk.
Bassruti Station
Inside the station are NSBs and a safe with credits. After landing, walk to the landing strip in the top left. Walk around the bottom-left corner for a few seconds, then quickly walk to the southern entrance (this moves the station monster to the top-left, away from your path). Go to the room left of the entrance, stand between the safe and the chest of drawers. Inspect the drawers for the NSBs. Pick the safe's lock for the credits. Leave quickly.
Finding MAID for LUX-23A
Fly to Free Guild Outpost in Bassruti. Tell MAID you're a rogue or merchant (not a Bounty Hunter), then use the Other... option and say "LUX-23A". She joins as a repair droid. Fly to LUX-23A on Ross Station to reunite them. Then return to Free Guild Outpost and pick her up the same way — the second time, you keep her for good.
Finding Targon for Avenstar
Targon is at the bottom-left of Arcturus station. Give him a dose of NSBs. Tell him the mission name is Operation Ferret and he'll reveal everything about the Black Hand's plot. He goes insane afterwards.
Retrieving the Manchi Egg
After speaking to Targon, go back to Gut. He'll send his pirates to attack the outpost as a distraction. The Queen-Egg is in the locked room to the right of where Vilanie is. Pick it up and leave, then return to Gut.
Taking the Egg to the Manchi Home World
Give the Transmutation Coil to Prosk, then return with the egg. He'll let you use the Warp Drive. Enter co-ordinates GC 3409 for Ja-Karn. Before leaving, fully repair your ship and stock up on missiles — you'll likely be attacked en route. When you arrive, navigate to the home world and land normally. The game ends automatically.
Docking Tips
- You can safely dock at a speed of up to 18 m/s — any faster and you'll ram the station.
- If a station is far away when you enter a sector, fly to an adjacent sector and return — you may respawn much closer to your target.
Walkthrough sourced from The Spoiler Centre.
