Infiltrate the enemy hold, and cripple their operation by striking at vulnerable points. The minimap will lead you to the target. Once it has been destroyed, get to extraction as fast as possible.
When enemy operations threaten the stability of the System, it is sometimes insufficient to eliminate the perpetrators. Sometimes, the very infrastructure they utilise must be destroyed or disabled to prevent further threat. Whether the target is mining equipment, research laboratories, or ship reactors, the Tenno will infiltrate, destroy, and exit with aplomb.
There are many variants of Sabotage depending on the tileset, most linked to previous events. All variants of Sabotage (except Core, Asteroid, and Archwing) also contain hidden resource caches.
Core Sabotage
The simplest version of Sabotage, this takes place on the Corpus Outpost, Grineer Settlement, Grineer Shipyards, and Corpus Ice Planet tilesets. The Tenno must upload a datamass to a computer terminal (a simple interaction prompt that does not involve a timed defence) and then travel to a nearby reactor, expose the reactor core, then destroy it. On the Corpus tilesets, the datamass is not included, meaning that there is only one objective: find, expose, and destroy the reactor core. On all tilesets, core destruction can sometimes compromise the entire facility, triggering a 5-minute countdown in which the Tenno must reach extraction or fail the mission.
(mission start, variant) "Okay, you're looking for the mainframe. It's critical that you deliver the payload to that location."
(mission start, variant) "Your target is the system mainframe. Deliver the payload."
(upon arriving at objective) "Your target is this location's computer system. Find and access the terminals."
(after uploading datamass, variant) "Your target is the reactor."
(after uploading datamass, variant) "We need to destroy the reactor."
(during mission, variant) "The reactor will have tight security. Watch out for enemy patrols."
(during mission, variant) "Keep moving. The power source is deep within the outpost."1
(upon arriving at reactor, variant) "That's the reactor. Expose its core and destroy it."
(upon arriving at reactor, variant) "Target found. Destroy it."
(upon destroying reactor, variant) "Target destroyed. Proceed to the extraction point."
(upon destroying reactor, variant) "That's it, now get out of here."
Grineer Asteroid
This version of Sabotage appears on the Grineer Asteroid tileset. The Tenno must destroy 1 – 4 drilling machines located around the map. On the standard Starchart, this mission type appears only at Enceladus, Saturn.
(mission start) "The Grineer have been harvesting a nearby planetoid for weapons-grade material. Locate and destroy their mining equipment."
(during mission, variant) "The mining equipment is nearby. It must be destroyed to prevent the Grineer from developing energy weapons."
(during mission, variant) "Mission success hinges on the destruction of the mining equipment. Expect heavy resistance."
(during mission, variant) "This research could have unimaginable repercussions. Be on your guard."
(upon finding machine) "Target found. Destroy it."
(when all machines have been destroyed) "Excellent work. You have managed to thwart potentially dangerous discoveries from being fully realised… for now."
Reactor Sabotage
This is the most common variant of Sabotage, found on board Corpus Ship and Grineer Galleon tilesets. The Tenno must destroy the ship's reactor with a multi-stage process. First, the Tenno must travel to the reactor. Two of the adjacent rooms (or, in the Corpus Ship tileset, one) will be coolant stations, containing a coolant cell and multiple security measures. The Tenno must remove these cells from their slots without tripping the alarm, or, failing that, destroy them.
(mission start) "I need you to sabotage this ship's reactor."
(during mission) "The reactor is a complex system. Start by removing the coolant cells."
(upon removing a coolant cell, variant) "A coolant cell has been extracted."
(upon removing a coolant cell, variant) "Coolant cell extracted."
(if the Tenno trips the alarm at the coolant station, variant) "Security has locked down the coolant cells. We have no choice but to destroy them."
(if the Tenno trips the alarm at the coolant station, variant) "Security measures have locked the coolant cells in place. Destroy them."
(after destroying a coolant cell) "Coolant cell destroyed."
(after both coolant cells are either destroyed or removed) "The reactor is going into stasis. Now is your chance to complete this sabotage. Use whatever you can to make sure it never works again."
Once both coolant cells are removed or destroyed, the reactor will shut down and the fuel cell will be ejected from the reactor itself. From here, the Tenno has three options on how to proceed.
Reactor meltdown
The fuel cell can be reinserted into the reactor (from where it was ejected). The Tenno will be prompted to restart the reactor by hacking the reactor control console. The fuel injectors on the reactor will be exposed, and must be destroyed. Without coolant, the reactor will melt down, causing fires to break out all across the ship. The path to extraction is blocked by a blast door, and the Tenno will be diverted to a console somewhere else on the ship which must be hacked in order to clear the path. Once done, the Tenno can extract. On the Corpus Ship tileset, reactor meltdown will cause magnetic anomalies to appear instead of fires, and there will be no blast door, though the map will go into lockdown, necessitating a security hack anyway.
(if the fuel cell is inserted into the reactor) "Fuel cell reinserted. When the reactor is restarted, this will trigger a meltdown."
(after the reactor is restarted) "Destroy the fuel injectors."
(after the fuel injectors are destroyed, Grineer Galleon) "A blast door has blocked your evacuation route. Find a way to open it."
(Grineer Galleon) "Careful. Fire is spreading rapidly."2
(after hacking blast door) "Your sabotage is complete. Get to extraction."3
(after the fuel injectors are destroyed, Corpus Ship) "The reactor has gone critical. Get to extraction immediately."
(Corpus Ship) "Beware, Tenno; the ship is experiencing reduced gravity and magnetic anomalies."
Coolant flood
A coolant cell can be inserted into the reactor (this can only be done if the Tenno avoided tripping the alarms in at least one of the coolant stations). The Tenno will be prompted to restart the reactor by hacking the reactor control console. Four coolant pipes in the reactor room will begin pumping coolant into the fuel system, and the enemy will try to destroy the pipes. If all four are destroyed before the reactor is fully flooded, the mission will fail (making this the only variant of Reactor Sabotage that can be failed). After the reactor has been flooded, the sabotage is complete, and large ice patches will occur throughout the map (though without the shield loss usually accompanied by this hazard). On the Grineer Galleon tileset, there will also be an electrical blackout, with most lights turned off, reducing visibility. The Tenno can proceed to extraction.
(if a coolant cell is inserted into the reactor) "A coolant cell has been placed in the fuel port."
(variant) "The reactor must be restarted to trigger your sabotage."
(variant) "Hack the console to restart the reactor."
(after the reactor is restarted) "Defend the system until the coolant has flooded the fuel system."
(if a coolant pipe is destroyed) "The enemy has destroyed a reactor pipe. You must protect them."
(if a second or third coolant pipe is destroyed) "Another pipe destroyed."
(if all four coolant pipes are destroyed) "All the pipes have been destroyed. The enemy has prevented the reactor from destroying itself. This mission is a failure." [mission fails]
(once the coolant flood is complete) "Watch your step, Tenno. There are severe coolant leaks throughout the ship."
Reactor decay
The fuel cell can be inserted into one of the coolant stations (this can only be done if the Tenno avoided tripping the alarms in at least one of the coolant stations, since the destroyed coolant cells will block the coolant system). The Tenno will be prompted to restart the reactor by hacking the reactor control console. There will be a timer while the fuel is pumped into the coolant system. The enemy will try to stop the process using the panic button in the reactor control room. If they use it to trigger a lockdown, the process will stall. Hacking any security panel (even in another room) will release the lockdown and resume the pumping process. Once the process is complete, the Tenno may head to extraction. On the Grineer Galleon tileset, magnetic anomalies will appear throughout the map, and gravity will be reduced. On the Corpus Ship tileset, there will be an electrical blackout, with most lights turned off, reducing visibility.
(if the fuel cell is inserted into a coolant station) "A fuel cell has been placed in the coolant system. Restarting the reactor will produce hazardous magnetic activity."
(after the reactor is restarted) "Guard the console and prevent lockdowns while the fuel erodes the coolant system."
(if an enemy hits the panic button) "A security lockdown has stalled your progress. Clear it."
(once the reactor decay is complete, Grineer Galleon) "Beware, Tenno; the ship is experiencing reduced gravity and magnetic anomalies."
Grineer Forest
This Sabotage variant was introduced with the Cicero Crisis and takes place on the Grineer Forest tileset. In it, the Tenno must first find the toxin mixer and eject an item known as the biocatalyst. Once the biocatalyst is ejected from the toxin mixer, the Tenno must then destroy it (which will trigger an explosion). If the Tenno is carrying antitoxins, they may insert them into the toxin mixer before destroying the biocatalyst. After destroying the biocatalyst, the Tenno must then travel to the toxin injector and activate it, which will either cause it to inject the antitoxins into the ground or, if no antitoxins were used, go into overdrive and destroy itself. In both cases, the Tenno must defend the toxin injector for 75 seconds while it does this. Afterwards, the Tenno can head to extraction.
Although the original event also featured taunt dialogue by Vay Hek, these no longer play in Grineer Forest Sabotage. On the standard Starchart, this mission type appears only at Cervantes, Earth.
(mission start, variant) "The Grineer want to poison the mighty forests of Earth to make more room for themselves. You are here to stop them. Find the toxin mixer."
(mission start, variant) "The Grineer are attempting to clear this forest by poisoning the soil. You are here to sabotage their efforts. Start with the toxin mixer."
(if the Tenno has a weak or moderate antitoxin) "Good, you brought an antitoxin capable of neutralising any poison already released into the environment."
(if the Tenno has a strong antitoxin) "The antitoxin you have crafted is strong enough to reverse much of the damage caused by the Grineer poison."
(upon finding the toxin mixer if the Tenno has no antitoxin, variant) "The mixer activates the toxin by combining it with a biocatalyst. Remove the biocatalyst to render the toxin harmless."
(upon finding the toxin mixer if the Tenno has no antitoxin, variant) "Remove the biocatalyst from the mixer to halt the Grineer poison's creation."
(upon finding the toxin mixer if the Tenno has an antitoxin, variant) "Remove the biocatalyst cartridge and insert your antitoxin."
(upon finding the toxin mixer if the Tenno has an antitoxin, variant) "Insert the antitoxin into the mixer."
(upon ejecting the biocatalyst) "Take care when destroying the biocatalyst cartridge. It is highly explosive."
(upon destroying the biocatalyst, variant) "Head to the poison injector now."
(upon destroying the biocatalyst, variant) "Good work. Now get to the injector."
(upon finding the toxin injector if no antitoxin was used) "Set the injector into overdrive to incinerate the toxin."
(upon finding the toxin injector if an antitoxin was used) "Start the injector."
(upon activating the toxin injector if no antitoxin was used, variant) "We are going to destroy the injector by operating it at a dangerously high velocity. Keep the Grineer at bay until it melts down."
(upon activating the toxin injector if no antitoxin was used, variant) "The injector is now in an unstable overdrive. Keep the Grineer away while it melts down."
(upon activating the toxin injector if an antitoxin was used) "Defend the injector until it has finished pumping the antitoxin into the soil."
(when the filtration process is complete if no antitoxin was used) "You just destroyed a massive batch of Grineer toxin. Good work, get to extraction."
(when the filtration process is complete if a weak or moderate antitoxin was used) "Your antitoxin has been delivered deep into the forest floor and is already undoing the damage done by the Grineer. Get to extraction."
(when the filtration process is complete if a strong antitoxin was used) "That was a powerful antitoxin. This forest will not only heal, but will also be resistant to future Grineer attacks. Extraction is ready."
(if the Grineer destroy the injector) "The Grineer destroyed the injector and saved their toxin. This mission is over." [mission fails]
Hive Sabotage
This variant of Sabotage was introduced with Operation: Breeding Grounds and takes place on the Infested Ship tileset. In it, the Tenno must find and destroy three Infested hives. Each hive is protected by five tumour nodes that must be destroyed before the hive can be harmed. Once a hive is destroyed, it will inflict a hazard on the rest of the map, such as poison gas clouds or magnetic anomalies.
Although the original event also featured taunt dialogue by Mutalist Alad V, these no longer play in Hive Sabotage. On the standard Starchart, this mission type appears only at Naeglar, Eris.
(mission start, variant) "We must not let this infestation get any more out of control. Destroy the spawning hives in the area."
(mission start, variant) "This infestation must be contained. Destroy the hives to sterilise the area."
(upon approaching a hive, variant) "You are approaching a hive. Every hive is protected by a series of tumour nodes. Destroy those and you can destroy the hive."
(upon approaching a hive, variant) "A hive is nearby. Be on alert. There's no way to know how the Infestation will react to this hive's destruction."
(upon approaching a hive, variant) "There is a hive in the area. You must destroy all the tumour nodes before you can damage the hive."
(upon approaching a hive, variant) "You are near a hive. Destroy the tumour nodes to make the hive vulnerable."
(upon destroying all tumours, variant) "All nodes destroyed; the hive is vulnerable."
(upon destroying all tumours, variant) "Now quick, destroy the hive!"
(upon destroying all tumours, variant) "That's it; now take out the hive."
(upon destroying all hives) "All hives destroyed. Head to extraction."
Orokin Sabotage
This variant of Sabotage was introduced with Operation: Gate Crash and takes place on the Orokin Void and Orokin Derelict tilesets. In it, the Tenno must reach a Void portal, reverse its polarity, traverse it, then defeat the field boss on the other side. After the enemy's death, the Tenno must take their Void key, use it to overload the Torsion Beam generator powering the portal, then escape back through the portal before the generator melts down. Afterwards, the portal will be deactivated and the Tenno can head to extraction. The Tenno will have to fight both the native Corrupted or Infested as well as the invading Grineer or Corpus. Depending on the invading faction, the field boss will either be Ven'kra Tal & Sprag or the Lynx. They will also have dialogue when confronted.
(mission start, variant) "Intruders are forcing open this location's Void portal. You are here to stop them."
(mission start, variant) "The enemy have breached the Void portal in this Orokin structure. You are here to cut off their access and stop them from coming back."
(during mission) "The enemy are using a Void key and a portable Torsion Beam device to force open the portal. Destroy the key and the device."
(upon arriving at the Void portal, variant) "The portal only allows travel in one direction. Start up the portal generators to reverse the polarity."
(upon traversing the Void portal) "There's the Torsion Beam device, but they've taken the Void key. Find it."
(upon killing the field boss) "Quick, pick up the key."
(upon picking up the key) "You got the key, now get back to the portal."
(upon inserting the key into the Torsion Beam device, variant) "Tenno, you do not want to be on this side of the portal when that key melts down."
(upon inserting the key into the Torsion Beam device, variant) "Go through the portal now; it's about to collapse."
(when the Void portal shuts down) "Objective complete; the Void key and Torsion Beam device are out of commission. The enemy will not be returning any time soon."
Grineer Sealab
This variant of Sabotage was introduced with Operation: Tubemen of Regor and takes place on the Grineer Sealab tileset. Although the original event also featured taunt dialogue by Tyl Regor, as well as supporting dialogue from either Alad V or Nef Anyo, these no longer play in Grineer Sealab Sabotage. On the standard Starchart, this mission type appears only at Desdemona, Uranus.
In Sealab Sabotage, the Tenno must reach the pump station and destroy three maintenance hatches in the pipes. Once the pipes are sabotaged, the Tenno must hack a computer terminal to begin the flooding process and defend the terminal for 60 seconds.
(mission start, variant) "You're here to sabotage Tyl Regor's cloning labs."
(mission start, variant) "This lab is the birthplace of some of the most dangerous Grineer to date. Knock it out of commission."
(after hacking door to pump station) "You've reached the pump station. Look for weak points in the pipes and break them open."
(after destroying all the hatches) "Good, now start the pumps and flood this place."
(after hacking pump station terminal) "The pumps have started. Guard the controls; the Grineer must not stop the flooding."
(once the pumping process finishes) "Flooding complete. Proceed to the caves below."
After the pump station is flooded, the Tenno must take a long elevator to the deeper levels of the laboratory. There are two variants of the lab that can appear, each with their own set of objectives.
Research Drones
This laboratory variant features a large room with two research cores containing cloning tubes. The cores can be hacked at their base, causing the cloning tubes to extend, whereupon they can be shot and destroyed. Alternatively, each core also has a console located on a high platform nearby. Upon hacking the console, the research core will be subjected to a massive electrical discharge, shattering the tubes.
There is also a smaller inner room with three research drones clustered around a vat of genetic slurry, supervised by a larger overhead security drone The Tenno must destroy each research drone's mechanical manipulators. If the security drone sees the Tenno, it will sound the alarms. Alternatively, there is a console hidden in a secret room underneath the lab. If it is hacked, the security drone will go haywire and eventually explode, taking out the research drones. This cannot be done if the security drone has been alerted.
(upon hacking door to lab, variant) "Make sure this lab never clones again."
(upon hacking door to lab, variant) "Find a way to sabotage this lab."
(upon approaching the research drones) "Tyl Regor's research drones are crucial to this operation. Neutralise them."
(upon completing sabotage, variant) "This lab is out of commission."
(upon completing sabotage, variant) "Good work. The lab is useless now."
Manic Bombard
This laboratory variant features a Manic Bombard in an incubation chamber on the upper level of the lab, directly in front of the entrance to the lab. As the Tenno enter the lab, the tubeman is released from his incubator and carried down a column to be affixed in a restraint system on the lower level of the lab.
On the lower level is a lone Sensor Regulator. If it spots the Tenno, or if the Tenno attacks the Manic Bombard directly, the Manic Bombard will be released to fight against the Tenno, and the Tenno must kill it in battle. Alternatively, two Grineer Toxin canisters found on the floor of the upper level can be inserted into the computer systems to the right and the left of the Manic Bombard, and each computer hacked. Upon doing so, the system will inject the toxin into the Manic Bombard, killing it in its restraints at no risk to the Tenno. Either way, once the Manic Bombard is dead, the objective is complete.
(upon hacking door to lab, variant) "You are nearing one of Tyl Regor's newest creations. Make sure it never sees the surface."
(upon killing the Manic Bombard in battle) "Good work. That beast won't be able to threaten any Tenno in the field."
(upon killing the Manic Bombard with poison) "The beast is dead. Your work is done."
Archwing
Archwing Sabotage missions take place on the Corpus Trench Run tileset. The Tenno enters the ship and makes their way to engineering, where they must destroy eight auxiliary power cores before the two primary power cores are exposed, and then they must destroy those as well. On the standard Starchart, this mission type appears only at Galilea, Jupiter.
(mission start, variant) "This is a sabotage mission. Reach engineering and destroy the reactor."
(mission start, variant) "Our target is the reactor. Breach engineering and destroy it. Be careful."
(during mission) "The reactor will have tight security. Watch out for enemy patrols."
(upon arriving at reactor, variant) "That's the reactor. Expose its core and destroy it."
(upon arriving at reactor, variant) "Target found. Destroy it."
(upon destroying reactor) "The power core has been destroyed."
Sabotage missions on the Corpus Gas City tileset take place after the events of Apostasy Prologue and are therefore narrated by Ordis. The Assault mission type on the Kuva Fortress is similar to Sabotage, but with multiple mission objectives. The recurring Fomorian attack missions after Operation: Eyes of Blight are called "Fomorian Sabotage" and also resemble Sabotage missions.
Game mode history
Core Sabotage and Grineer Asteroid Sabotage missions were present in the game from launch. Additionally, Sabotage missions on ships were also Core Sabotage, having dedicated reactor tiles but not unique gameplay or dialogue. The datamass upload objective in Core Sabotage was not originally present, but added to the Grineer Settlement and Grineer Shipyards tilesets in an undocumented change around December 2016. The objective and its dialogue were taken from the soon-to-be-defunct Deception game mode.
The Cicero Crisis introduced Grineer Forest Sabotage in Update 11.5, and it was added permanently to the Starchart in Update 12. Grineer Forest Sabotage was updated somewhat in Update 17.
Operation: Breeding Grounds introduced Hive Sabotage in Update 13.8, and it was added permanently to the Starchart in Update 14.
Operation: Gate Crash introduced Orokin Sabotage (for Grineer enemies only) in Update 14.7, and it was added permanently to the Starchart in Update 15, including the Corpus variant. Orokin Sabotage was also the first to feature hidden resource caches, and they were shortly added to Grineer Forest (in Hotfix 15.0.5) and Hive Sabotage (in Update 17.5) as well.
Archwing Sabotage was added along with other Archwing missions in Update 15. Its dialogue pulls from Core Sabotage, including old dialogue about ship reactors.
Operation: Tubemen of Regor introduced Grineer Sealab Sabotage in Update 16.5, and it was added permanently to the Starchart (with hidden resource caches) in Update 17.
Core Sabotage missions on the Grineer Galleon and Corpus Ship tilesets were changed to the new Reactor Sabotage game mode in Update 18.5. Reactor Sabotage also included hidden resource caches. When the new Corpus Ship tileset was introduced in Update 28, Reactor Sabotage was altered in the new tileset (previously, it functioned identically to Grineer Galleon Reactor Sabotage).
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