In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know for how to target the engines of enemy ships while playing Starfield.
You can target engines to take down ships without making them explode. This allows you to board and pillage them for loot.
How to Target Engines in Starfield
You need to invest in a skill in the Tech tree called Targeting Control Systems. This allows you to unlock ship targeting functionality and various upgrades that will help you lock on faster.
Once unlocked, you can aim your reticle at ships and lock on by pressing E or A. Once the target locks, press R or X to zoom in and slow down time.
Select the enemy ship’s engine with the arrow keys or left stick. Then fire your lasers or ballistics while aiming right at the engines.
- Read more: Starfield – How to Board Ships
Once you see the enemy’s ship engine indicators turn red, you can approach the ship and pillage it, often finding high-value contraband items. Do not continue shooting the ship at this point, for if you do, it will explode. There’s still loot, but not nearly as much.
Starfield is an action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and initially released worldwide in 2023 for PC and Xbox Series X|S.