X4: Foundations is full of abandoned ships, ownerless derelicts just sitting there, from cheap scouts to full destroyers. Fly out, claim them in your spacesuit, and they're yours for free. Below: how claiming works, the best free ships ranked, every known location, and the nine Timelines reward ships (TL1 to TL9).
All six are free, but they aren't equal. Here are the abandoned & derelict ships ranked by what you get for the trip, from a full destroyer down to early-game scouts. Tap any name for exact coordinates.
Faulty Logic VII. A full L-class destroyer that spawns fully equipped, since 4.0 HF2 you claim it solo by spacewalking to the bridge. The single best free ship in the game.
Company Regard. A free medium frigate you claim straight from your spacesuit. The best low-effort upgrade on the list.
The Void. A free M-class miner, a handy free mining ship. Spacesuit claim.
Grand Exchange I. A fast early-game interceptor, quick spacesuit claim.
Silent Witness XII. A free S fighter on the ecliptic, an easy spacesuit claim.
Nopileos' Fortune II. A free small courier near the highway exit, a handy starter hull.
Planning the trip? See every wreck on the interactive X4 universe map and plot a gate-by-gate route from your start sector.
The nine Timelines reward ships (TL1 to TL9), unlocked by completing Timelines scenarios. Each appears in your save afterwards and is a free spacesuit claim. Tap any name for the full entry.
Antigone Memorial. A Xenon frigate in the upper-left of the sector. Spacesuit claim.
Heretic's End. A small fighter far south-west of the sector, outside the resource bubble. Spacesuit claim.
CEO's Doubt. A racing ship in the upper-right of the sector. Spacesuit claim.
Nopileos' Fortune II. A Xenon fighter in the lower-left cluster. Spacesuit claim.
Tharka's Cascade XV. A Xenon capital ship left of centre, with Xenon patrols nearby. Spacesuit claim.
Freedom's Reach. A fast racing ship left of centre. Watch for hidden Xenon asteroids. Spacesuit claim.
Getsu Fune. A gunboat high up in the sector, above the gates. Spacesuit claim.
Mists of Artemis. A destroyer in the lower half of the sector, near a Kha'ak hive. Spacesuit claim.
Moo-Kye's Revenge. A racing ship toward the eastern end of the sector. Spacesuit claim.
Timeline ships appear in-game only after the matching Timelines mission. See them on the interactive X4 universe map.
How the claim works: A derelict is ownerless, so you simply take it: fly out, EVA in your spacesuit, and repair the red pulsing light. After the repair it is yours. Same method for every ship size, from S to XL.
Reset note: Most of these are one-time per save: once you claim one it is gone from that spot. The locations are fixed, they do not move between patches.
Each entry: what's there, which sector, how to find it, and whether it's worth the detour. Screenshots show the exact spot to aim for.
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These nine are Timelines reward ships (TL1 to TL9): unlike the derelicts above, each only appears in your save once you complete the matching Timelines scenario. Several are Xenon hulls sitting in contested space.
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Heavily defended Xenon ship. Capture difficulty depends on nearby patrols.
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Sits near a Kha'ak hive, so clear the area or scout it remotely before you fly in.
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