The Tracer Alliance in Starfield: What It Is and How to Use It
You want to join the L'alliance des Traqueurs, also known as the Tracers Network, in Starfield. This is one of those optional faction groups scattered through the Settled Systems that operates mostly out of the shadows. You track targets, collect bounties, and trade information for credits and favors. It is not a major storyline faction, so the game will not force you toward it. You have to find it yourself. I found this faction by accident. I was docking at a space station near the Epsilon Eridani system and noticed a guy standing near a vending machine who would not leave. He had a different outfit than everyone else. I talked to him and eventually got flagged for a bounty hunt. That was my first contact with the Tracers. They operate quietly because open bounty hunting draws attention from UC and Freestar security. If you want to join them properly, here is how it works. The Tracers do not have a single headquarters. They are decentralized. The main way to find them is through bounty boards on stations and settlements that have elevated crime levels. Look for terminals labeled "Informant" or "Special Jobs" rather than standard bounty terminals. These are the ones controlled by Tracer contacts.
I spent about forty minutes circling neon in New Atlantis before I found my first real contact. The key is that the NPC you need to talk to rarely announces themselves. They usually blend into the background. Check outlying bars, back rooms of shops, and any area where NPCs seem to be loitering without a clear purpose. When you approach the right person, they will give you a short dialogue tree. One of the lines will offer to put you to work. That is the point of no return for joining. Before you accept, check your current reputation with the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective. The Tracers do not care about your alignment, but local constabulary forces do. If you already have a wanted level anywhere, approaching a Tracer contact on a UC-controlled station can get you tackled before the conversation starts. I ran into this exact problem on Akila Station. Had a 2-star warrant from a previous job gone wrong. Tried to talk to the contact anyway. Constable interrupted. Had to fast travel off-world and wait a few in-game days before returning. A simple workaround: wipe your warrants first at a UC or Freestar security desk, pay the fine, then come back. Takes about fifteen minutes of real time and saves an hour of frustration.
What the Faction Actually Does
The Tracers Network is essentially a bounty hunter guild mixed with an information brokerage. You take contracts that range from tracking down escaped convicts to retrieving stolen property. Some contracts are straightforward combat encounters. Others require stealth, scanning for clues, or decrypting data pads. The faction does not have a traditional questline with a final boss. It is a recurring contract system that scales with your level. The reward structure is reasonable but not generous. Early contracts pay between five hundred and two thousand credits. Mid-tier contracts range from two thousand to seven thousand. Rare contracts can go higher if the target is a named criminal with a large bounty attached. You also receive reputation points within the network, which unlock better contracts and occasional gear drops. One thing most guides miss: the Tracers offer a unique skill boost called Field Tracking. It is not a perk you pick up in the standard skill tree. You earn it through completing a minimum of ten contracts, after which a contact offers to teach you the technique. This skill highlights hostile signatures through walls and surfaces at close range. It is genuinely useful. I used it constantly during the mid-game when I was pushing into high-danger zones without armor upgrades yet. The skill decays if you stop completing contracts for an extended period, so keep your active quest count moving.
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Contracts and How to Handle Them
When you accept a contract, you get a target location and a brief description. The description is sometimes accurate and sometimes deliberately misleading. I learned this the hard way on a contract to retrieve a stolen shipment near Polyphemus. The terminal said the target was a lone smuggler. Turns out there were three armed guards and a turrets. I walked in expecting a simple pickpocket job and got caught in crossfire. Took me two reloads to figure out the right approach. Here is what actually works for these contracts: Always scan the area from a distance before engaging. The Tracers equipment includes a basic scanner that highlights life forms. Use it. Do not rush in. Most targets are in fortified positions, not wandering around unprotected. If the contract involves retrieval rather than elimination, bring a ship with cargo space and plan for an escape route. Several contracts have the target guarded by patrols that will pursue you off-world if you draw fire.
Another thing people overlook: some Tracer contracts are bait. The faction occasionally places low-level hunters on targets that are actually high-value criminals working for rival groups. If you fail one of these, you do not just lose the reward. You get marked by another faction, which can lock you out of certain settlements for a while. I triggered this on a contract in the Cheyenne system. Target was supposedly an unarmed informant. Was actually a Crimson Fleet liaison with two armed escorts. Went sideways fast. Had to sell off some gear just to pay the resulting fines.
The Equipment and Progression
The Tracers do not hand out weapons directly. They provide information and access to black-market dealers who sell Tracer-branded gear. This includes light armor, concealed sidearms, and the Field Tracking skill I mentioned. The armor is marginal at best. It offers slightly better stealth modifiers than standard light armor but does not compare to heavy faction sets. Do not expect it to protect you in a firefight. The real value of the Tracers is information. Completing contracts unlocks contacts on other stations. These contacts sell intel on upcoming bounties before they appear on public boards. This gives you a three to five day head start on high-value targets. In practice, this means you can pre-position yourself near a target location and intercept them before other hunters arrive. I used this tactic to grab a six-thousand credit bounty on a named smuggler named Voss. Another hunter was already en route, but the early intel let me lay in wait and take the shot first.
Limitations and When to Walk Away
The Tracers Network has real limits. The contract pool is finite. After completing roughly forty to fifty contracts, new ones become rare. The faction does not refresh its board regularly. You will hit a point where there is nothing left to do except wait for the game to generate new world events, which happens unpredictably. If you are looking for a long-term faction to invest in, this is not it. It is a mid-game side activity at best. Another issue: the Tracers will not protect you. If you die during a contract, you lose the reward and any items you were carrying that were flagged as part of the job. There is no respawn safety net. They also will not negotiate with you if you have a wanted level in the same system. Their contacts will refuse service if security forces are active nearby. This is by design. The faction stays quiet by staying clean. If you want a more structured faction experience, the UC Security or the Crimson Fleet offer deeper progression paths. The Tracers are worth a look if you enjoy self-directed bounty hunting and do not mind a shallow quest tree. Just do not expect them to become your main focus.
Quick Reference for Getting Started
Find a station with elevated crime. Look for NPCs loitering near vending machines or in back rooms. Talk to them until one offers to put you to work. Complete five to ten contracts to unlock Field Tracking. Use that skill to gain an edge on tougher targets. Avoid contracting in systems where you already have warrants. Save before every mission. The Tracers do not offer much beyond mid-game utility, but the contracts are honest work if you approach them carefully.
