Raw Gas

If you’ve hit a wall in Star Trek Fleet Command, there’s a good chance Raw Gas is part of the problem.

At first, it feels easy to collect. Then suddenly every upgrade—ships, research, buildings—starts demanding more gas than you can produce. You mine more, refine more, and still feel behind.

That’s because Raw Gas isn’t just a resource.

It’s a system—and most players are running it inefficiently.

This guide shows you how to fix that by optimizing the full pipeline:

• mining
• protecting
• refining
• and scaling your output over time

Quick Answer: How to Get Raw Gas Fast in STFC

• Mine Raw Gas nodes using a survey ship
• Focus on safe, repeatable systems
• Use crews for mining speed or protected cargo
• Mine the correct grade (G2, G3, G4)
• Run your refinery consistently

Raw Gas is primarily obtained through mining but can also come from missions, events, and daily rewards.

What Is Raw Gas in Star Trek Fleet Command?

Raw Gas is a mineable material that must be refined into usable resources.

Raw Gas vs Refined Gas

• Raw Gas → mined in space
• Refined Gas → used for upgrades

The refinery converts raw materials into Common, Uncommon, Rare, and higher tiers used for progression.

Why Raw Gas becomes a bottleneck

Players run out of gas because of:

• inefficient mining setups
• cargo losses from PvP
• inconsistent refinery usage
• mining the wrong grade
• upgrade demand scaling faster than supply

Raw Gas Grades in STFC (G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7 Explained)

Raw Gas exists in multiple grades, each tied to progression.

G2 Raw Gas (2★)

• Early-game material
• Refines into:
  • Common Gas
  • Uncommon Gas

G3 Raw Gas (3★)

• Midgame material
• Unlocks at Ops 20
• Refines into:
  • Common
  • Uncommon
  • Rare Gas

G4 Raw Gas (4★)

• Late-game material
• Requires Refinery level 39
• Found in higher-warp or deep space systems

G5, G6, and G7 Raw Gas (Endgame)

• Found in deep space and high-warp systems
• Used for advanced ship upgrades, research, and late-game progression
• Requires:
  • high Operations level
  • advanced refinery unlocks
  • significant warp range

These tiers follow the same core loop (mine → refine → upgrade), but are tied to endgame systems and specialized progression paths.

For most players, optimizing G2–G4 gas has the biggest impact on progression.

Key Insight

Gas exists across multiple grades and regions (neutral and faction space), and choosing the wrong grade is a major source of inefficiency.

Mine the grade that matches your current upgrade needs.

Where to Find Raw Gas

G2 Raw Gas Systems

G3 Raw Gas Systems

G4 Raw Gas Systems

G5 Raw Gas Systems

G6 Raw Gas Systems

G7 Raw Gas Systems

How to choose the right system

The best system is the one you can consistently farm safely.

Evaluate:

• travel time
• competition
• survival rate
• return success

Consistency beats theoretical yield.

Best Ships for Mining Raw Gas

Use survey ships

Survey ships are designed specifically for mining and hauling.

Specialized ships provide large mining bonuses (e.g., Antares +70% gas mining rate).

Core stats that matter

Decision framework

Advanced progression note

Later-game mining evolves through:

• specialized ships
• mining bonuses
• research trees
• event-driven systems

Modern STFC adds layers that significantly impact efficiency, so mining strategy should evolve with progression.

Best Officer Crews for Gas Mining

Balanced crew

• T’Pring / K’Bisch / Domitia

Fast mining crew

• Two of Eleven / Ten of Eleven / Stonn

Best for:

• active gameplay
• fast node cycling

Protected cargo crew

• Two of Ten / One of Eleven / T’Pring

Best for:

• AFK mining
• high-risk systems

Core principle

Optimize for resources returned to station per hour

Not:

• raw mining speed
• node size
• session length

How to Refine Raw Gas Efficiently

Key refinery milestones

• Ops 20 → unlock 3★ refining
• Refinery 39 → unlock 4★ refining

How the refinery actually works

Refinery outputs are randomized within ranges, not guaranteed.

This is why large inputs don’t always produce proportional uncommon or rare materials—a common player frustration echoed in community discussions.

Best refinement strategy

• refine on a consistent schedule (daily cycles)
• mine specifically to support refinery pulls
• focus on long-term averages, not individual results
• align output with upgrade needs

Most players refine multiple times daily to maintain steady progression.

Key mindset shift

Stop thinking:

“Was this refine good?”

Start thinking:

“Am I increasing my daily output over time?”

Beginner, Midgame, and Advanced Gas Strategy

Beginner (G2 focus)

• prioritize safety
• build consistent habits
• short mining cycles

Midgame (G3 focus)

• optimize routes
• reduce losses
• refine consistently

This is the most common bottleneck phase.

Advanced (G4+)

• target high-grade materials
• account for warp limitations
• optimize full pipeline

Higher-grade mining often requires deep space access and high warp ranges.

Best Strategy for Farming Raw Gas Faster

1. Mine during low-traffic windows

Less competition = higher success rate

2. Focus on retention

Losing cargo destroys efficiency.

Keeping 100% of a smaller load is better than losing half of a large one

3. Optimize your loop

Your real KPI is:

Gas returned per hour

4. Build a repeatable system

Common Raw Gas Mistakes to Avoid

Mining the wrong grade

Misaligned farming slows progression.

Ignoring protected cargo

This is one of the biggest hidden losses.

Overvaluing mining speed

Speed without retention is wasted effort.

Refining inconsistently

No system = no progress.

FAQ

How do you get Raw Gas in STFC?

Mine gas nodes and refine them at your station.

What is the best ship for mining gas?

Early Game (Ops 10–25): Horizon

Best Choice: Horizon

Why it’s strong:

• Massive cargo capacity for its level
• Good protected cargo (reduces losses if attacked)
• Decent warp range for reaching gas systems
• Works for all materials (gas, ore, crystal)

👉 This is your first true mining workhorse and will carry you for a long time.

Mid Game (Ops 26–39): Faction Miners

Best Choices (Gas Focus):

• Antares (Federation) ⭐ Best for Gas
• K’Vort (Klingon)
• Valkis (Romulan)

Why Antares wins for gas:

• Higher gas mining rate bonus
• Strong cargo + protected cargo balance
• Efficient for G3 gas nodes

👉 If gas is your bottleneck, Antares is the clear priority build.

Late Game (Ops 40+): G4 / Advanced Miners

Best Choices:

• G4 faction miners (varies by faction progression)
• Specialty/event miners (when available)

Why:

• Designed for higher-tier gas (G4+)
• Significantly better mining rates and warp range
• Required for deep space efficiency

When should I mine G2 vs G3 vs G4?

• G2 → early game
• G3 → Ops 20+
• G4 → late game

Why am I always short on gas?

Because of inefficiencies in:

• mining
• cargo protection
• refining
• grade selection

Why does refining feel inconsistent?

Because refinery outputs are RNG-based within ranges, not fixed returns.

Conclusion

Raw Gas is not just something you collect.

It’s a pipeline you manage.

The players who never struggle with gas:

• mine the right grade
• use the right crews
• protect their cargo
• refine consistently
• optimize their loop

Do that, and Raw Gas stops being a bottleneck.

It becomes predictable.

And that’s when progression starts to feel smooth.