What is SAND: Raiders of Sophie?

SAND: Raiders of Sophie is a PvPvE extraction shooter set on the desert planet Sophie. You pilot giant walking machines (Tramplers), scavenge the ruins of an Austro-Hungarian empire for loot, and try to extract before the dust storm, the supernatural Upiors or other players get you.

What does extraction shooter mean?

You drop into a zone, gather loot and resources, and must extract ALIVE to keep what you picked up. Die before you extract and you lose the loot. That is the core of every extraction shooter, including SAND.

What is the best mode for a beginner in SAND?

Voyage — there is no time pressure and no dust storm, so you can calmly learn the landmarks, Trampler handling and extraction. Stick to Voyage for your first few expeditions.

SAND for beginners — how to play

What SAND: Raiders of Sophie is

IN SHORT

SAND: Raiders of Sophie is a PvPvE extraction shooter set in the wastes of the planet Sophie — a world once covered by sea, now dunes and the ruins of an Austro-Hungarian empire (hence the German place names). You're a raider who pilots a Trampler — a giant walking machine — and digs through the remains for loot.

"Extraction" means: drop into a zone → gather loot and resources → you must get out alive to keep it. You're not alone out there — there are supernatural Upiors (hostile creatures), other players hunting the same loot, and, in one mode, a dust storm that squeezes the map. Die before the exit and you lose what you were carrying. That's the whole thrill — risk versus reward.

✔ PvPvE extraction Walking machines (Tramplers) Desert planet Sophie Supernatural Upiors Procedural maps

The core loop — one expedition

DROP IN → GATHER → EXTRACT

Every match is the same cycle. Learn these four steps and you know how to play SAND — everything else is built on top.

STEP01

Drop in

You descend from an insertion ship into the zone, usually together with your Trampler. From here the world is open — you choose where to go.

STEP02

Gather (Loot)

Search the landmarks — towns and forts. Open safes and boxes, grab materials and loot. Put filled boxes on the rack in your Trampler — only racked loot counts.

STEP03

Craft (optional)

On the Trampler or at landmark machines you make ammo, upgrades and parts. Not required on your first raid — you can do it later, from safety.

STEP04

Extract

Find an extraction zone (two radio towers), activate the radio and pull your Trampler out with the loot — then evacuate yourself. Only now is the loot yours.

🛈 How extraction actually works: the zone has two radio towers (one broken, one intact with a ladder). Park your Trampler between them, climb up and activate the radio — a green flare on the machine means it's included in the extraction. The ship first hoists your Trampler with the racked loot, then drops a rope for you. You and the machine extract separately — loot left loose on the floor (not on a rack) doesn't come with you.

Two ways to play

YOU PICK THIS FIRST

Before every match you choose a mode. To start — Voyage, no exceptions.

START HERE

VOYAGE

No time pressure and no storm — you explore at your own pace. Upiors are present but less aggressive. This is where you learn the maps, Trampler handling and extraction. Stick to this for your first few expeditions.

LATER, ONCE YOU'RE READY

STORM DIVE

On the clock — a dust storm gradually consumes regions and squeezes the map. Higher-tier loot and the only mode where the Dreadnaught appears. More thrilling, but riskier — save it for when you've got the basics down.

First steps — your first raid

GOAL: EXTRACT WITH ANYTHING

RUN 1 GOALExtract with anything. Don't chase fights, don't dig deep into ruins, don't seek out other players. Just run the full cycle: drop → a little loot → extraction. Your first successful exit is worth more than a full pack you lose.

BRINGOn your person keep armor, two guns with the right ammo, a can of food (healing/hunger) and a fuel rod (fuel for the reactor). Don't head out empty-handed.

CHEAP TRAMPLERWhile learning, run a cheap, light machine you won't mind losing. Save expensive builds for when you can keep them alive. (How to build one → How to build a Trampler.)

ENGINE OFFA running engine burns fuel even while parked, and the black smoke is visible from far away. When you stop to loot — switch the engine off, hide and save fuel.

RACK ITLoot only counts if it's on the racks inside your Trampler. Fill a box, rack it, extract it. Anything left loose on the floor disappears at the exit.

PROTECT THE REACTORThe reactor is the machine's heart and weak spot — if it goes down, the whole Trampler goes with it. Don't expose it needlessly in a fight.

Key terms

A SMALL GLOSSARY

TRAMPLERA giant walking machine — your mobile base, storage, transport and fortress in one.

UPIORSSupernatural hostile creatures that roam the landmarks. A PvE threat alongside other players.

LANDMARKA notable location — a town (full of Upiors, doors opened with barrels) or a fort (few enemies, but ringed by minefields). This is where loot and crafting are.

EXTRACTIONGetting out of the zone via a radio tower. No successful extraction, no keeping your loot.

RACK / CARGOThe shelves in your Trampler where you stack filled boxes. Only racked loot extracts.

FUEL RODA fuel rod that powers the Trampler's reactor (and landmark machines for crafting).

RARITYAn item's rarity tier: Common → Uncommon → Rare → Noteworthy → Remarkable → Experimental. Experimental is the top and comes only from the Dreadnaught.

DREADNAUGHTA secret ship with the best loot in the game — appears only in Storm Dive, rarely. Opened with a chain of colored keys.

Where to go next in the manual

ONCE YOU'VE GOT THE BASICS

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🤝 You don't have to go alone — experienced raiders hang out on Discord for tips and shared runs, and we play SAND live on stream — ask anything you're not sure about. We play together.