How do you start playing SAND: Raiders of Sophie?

Start by learning the core loop: deploy with your Trampler, raid points of interest for loot, survive rival crews, and extract to keep what you collected. Early on, run cheap white-tier weapons, farm Scrap Metal, unlock the Workshop on your Trampler, and protect your reactor in fights.

What should you do first in SAND: Raiders of Sophie?

Focus on surviving and extracting small hauls rather than chasing big loot. Craft cheap white weapons (25 Scrap Metal), prioritize Scrap Metal, and unlock the Workshop bench via the Tech Tree so you can craft and repair on the move.

SAND: Raiders of Sophie Beginner Guide

Last reviewed: June 27, 2026 · Early Access

New player TL;DR: learn the loop — deploy, raid, survive, extract. Run cheap white weapons, farm Scrap Metal, unlock your Trampler's Workshop early, protect your reactor in fights, and extract small hauls instead of dying greedy. Do that and you'll progress fast.

1. Understand the core loop

SAND: Raiders of Sophie is a PvPvE extraction game. Every run follows the same rhythm:

Deploy into a zone with your Trampler (your walking mech fortress).
Raid points of interest for loot, resources and gear.
Survive rival crews and threats.
Extract at a valid exit to bank everything — die first and you lose it. Full details on the extraction page.

2. Trampler basics

Your Trampler is your mobile base and main weapon, but it can't move or fire without power from its reactor. Two rules to internalize early:

Protect your reactor — it's your single most important system.
Attack the enemy's reactor — it's the fastest way to disable or destroy their ship.

3. What to craft and farm first

Farm Scrap Metal. It's the backbone material for weapons, upgrades and ammo. See resources.
Run white weapons (25 Scrap each). Cheap and disposable — perfect while you're still learning.
Unlock the Workshop. This Tech Tree bench lets you craft and repair on your Trampler instead of relying on Forts. One of the best early upgrades. See crafting.
Keep some Fabric for the Pepper Mill Shotgun as a backup when Weapon Parts run low.

4. Survival tips for your first runs

Find your exit first. Know where you can extract before you commit to a fight.
Extract small, extract often. Banking a modest haul beats losing a full one. This is how you build up safely.
Don't over-invest early. Losing a 25-Scrap gun barely stings; losing a maxed loadout does. See the tier list for value picks.
Play with a crew. Coordinated teams control extraction zones far better than solos.
Use audio. You'll often hear rival crews and their machines before you see them.
Hitting connection issues? It's usually launch-window server load — see server status.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first?: Learn to extract small hauls safely, farm Scrap Metal, run cheap white weapons, and unlock the Workshop.
Why do I keep losing my gear?: Dying before you extract loses your run loot. Extract earlier and don't over-commit to fights.
Is it solo-friendly?: You can solo, but a crew makes holding extractions much easier.

Next: dive into the wiki, or decide if it's for you with our review.