Needle in a Haystack is a Romulan-space rescue mission in Star Trek Fleet Command. You check out Jaylah’s report of scientists held at a Romulan facility in Rator. It starts at warp 1, needs warp 20 to complete, and the game lists a recommended level of 1. Between you and the payout are 30 hostile kills of level 28 or higher and a Facility Guard of about 133,290 strength. The reward is 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens and 150 Premium Recruit Tokens, which makes it worth the grind.
Needle in a Haystack objectives
There are five objectives and no choice split:
- Scout the facility where the scientists are being held. Location: Rator.
- Destroy 30 Hostiles of level 28 or higher.
- Rescue the scientists. Location: Rator.
- Defeat the Facility Guard. Location: Rator. Enemy strength is roughly 133,290.
- Return to your Station.
The scouting step is travel to Rator. The 30 kills have no fixed system, so any hostile of level 28 or above counts toward the total. After that you head back to Rator for the rescue and the one scripted fight, the Facility Guard. The mission ends when your ship returns to your station.
Where and what warp
The mission is available from warp 1 and needs warp 20 to complete. Rator is the only named system, and it hosts three of the five objectives.
The recommended level is listed as 1. The actual bar is warp 20, a ship that can farm level 28 hostiles, and enough strength to beat a Facility Guard at roughly 133,290.
Needle in a Haystack rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ultra Recruit Token | 800 |
| Premium Recruit Token | 150 |
Completing the mission also unlocks the next one in the storyline, Weaponized.
How it compares with An Island Without a Sea
The mission before this one is An Island Without a Sea, which ends at a choice. Current game data for both:
| Mission | Warp to complete | Main effort | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Island Without a Sea | 22 | A three-way choice; one path fights a Captain of about 154,890 | 35 3★ Uncommon Refined Gas, Ore or Crystal, depending on the path |
| Needle in a Haystack | 20 | 30 hostile kills and a Facility Guard of about 133,290 | 800 Ultra Recruit Token, 150 Premium Recruit Token |
Needle in a Haystack needs slightly less warp than the mission before it but more time, because of the 30 kills. It also pays much better, since recruit tokens are what you spend on officer recruitment.
Tips
Do the 30 kills where it suits you. The objective names a level floor of 28 and nothing else, so farm level 28 or 29 hostiles near your usual route rather than flying far for them.
Repair before the Facility Guard. The guard at roughly 133,290 is much stronger than the hostiles you will have been farming, and it comes right after the rescue in Rator. Go in with a full-health combat ship rather than the one that has just finished a long grind.
The Jaylah connection is story only; no officer shards are listed as rewards. If you are collecting Jaylah, look elsewhere for her shards.
Once done, move on to Weaponized. Other missions sorted by level are on the mission guide.
