SnowRunner Derry Savior: How to Unlock and Recover It

Quick Answer

To unlock the Derry Savior, reach Eiswandspitze in Switzerland and complete Scouting the Region to unlock Forgotten Ally. Find the stranded truck on the mountain slope, bring it to the marked Cable Car delivery area, then complete the required repair and refueling.

You can find the Derry Savior long before finishing Switzerland’s main construction projects, but reaching the truck and actually claiming it are different problems. The vehicle sits among the rocks on Eiswandspitze, and the contract that awards it remains locked until Scouting the Region is completed.

The recovery is considerably more demanding than retrieving the Wortek 250T in Grüntal Hollow. Here, the dangerous part is moving a heavy truck along exposed mountain tracks without rolling it into a ravine or getting its wheels trapped between rocks. A powerful recovery vehicle helps, but bringing adequate fuel, repair supplies, and a workable escape route matters just as much.

Once recovered, the Derry becomes one of the most useful heavy trucks to acquire early in Season 19. Its short turning radius for an 8×8 vehicle, strong off-road performance, and unusually flexible equipment combinations make the difficult rescue worthwhile.

Why Forgotten Ally Is Locked

The Derry Savior is awarded by the Forgotten Ally contract on Eiswandspitze. Simply locating the abandoned truck does not make it available for recovery.

The required preceding contract is Scouting the Region.

Open your Contracts menu and find Scouting the Region under Nordwand Expeditionen. This is an exploration contract involving locations around Eiswandspitze. It is separate from the region’s large construction and observatory projects.

You can therefore work toward the Derry before committing to a lengthy chain of bridge repairs or infrastructure deliveries.

The practical order is:

1. Reach Eiswandspitze and activate Scouting the Region.
2. Visit its marked exploration objectives until the contract is completed.
3. Return to Contracts and activate Forgotten Ally.
4. Recover the Derry Savior and finish the restoration requirements at the marked destination.

The distinction is important. You may already see the stranded Derry on the map, yet still be unable to claim it because Forgotten Ally has not been unlocked.

Do not spend your recovery supplies on unrelated vehicles while travelling between the scouting objectives. Forgotten Ally will require both a difficult towing operation and vehicle restoration.

Reaching Eiswandspitze Early

You begin the Switzerland region in Grüntal Hollow. Eiswandspitze is another map within the same region, accessible through its gateway connections.

The gateway near Old Reliable provides a useful landmark while travelling from the first map. From there, continue your exploration toward the mountainous part of Eiswandspitze and follow the locations indicated by Scouting the Region.

A capable scout can handle the exploration objectives, although the vehicle used to recover the Derry should be considerably stronger. The highest mountain tracks contain steep inclines, broken ice, narrow ledges, and sections where the road surface provides much less traction than it appears to.

Use a scout to complete Scouting the Region, then return with a heavy recovery truck for Forgotten Ally. The exploration markers and the actual Derry recovery do not require the same vehicle setup.

Where to Find the Derry Savior in Eiswandspitze

The stranded Derry is on a rocky mountain slope in Eiswandspitze, away from the more convenient roads and service areas.

Follow the Forgotten Ally objective toward the mountains rather than searching around the Garage or expecting the truck to be parked beside a warehouse. As you approach the location, look uphill among the rocks. The truck blends into the snow-covered terrain, so it is easy to overlook from the lower track.

A heavy recovery truck needs the traction to climb long snowy inclines, but an excessively long vehicle can be difficult to turn around on the exposed sections. The Azov Atom can manage these climbs with careful winching. A capable Chimera is another workable option, with enough power to handle the journey and later assist the disabled truck.

A much longer recovery vehicle, such as the Kenworth 963, may be able to reach the area, but manoeuvring a vehicle of that size around the sharp turns introduces additional risk.

Use the Fixed Mountain Winch Anchors

Some of the narrow mountain roads have fixed winch anchors positioned along the rock faces.

These are particularly valuable where the track slopes toward a steep drop. A small sideways slide can push a heavy truck far enough off the road that normal wheel traction will not bring it back.

Before crossing an exposed section, inspect the available winch points. Attach to a suitable fixed anchor when the truck is at risk of sliding toward the edge, and use the winch to keep it controlled through the turn.

The most dangerous section is not necessarily a steep climb. An off-camber stretch can appear passable until one wheel rises over a rock and the truck begins leaning outward.

Keep the vehicle close enough to the mountain to preserve room for correction. Driving with a completely slack winch line removes much of the benefit of having an anchor available.

Prepare the Recovery Truck Before Moving the Derry

Forgotten Ally requires you to deliver the Derry to the Cable Car location and repair and refuel it.

The Derry Savior weighs approximately 18 tonnes before additional equipment, making it a demanding recovery target on steep slopes. Its size also creates problems on narrow roads when the disabled truck swings behind the towing vehicle.

Bring a strong recovery truck with:

• A winch capable of handling another heavy vehicle.
• Good traction on snow, muddy inclines, and exposed rocky tracks.
• Enough fuel for the outward journey, recovery, and return.
• Repair supplies and transferable fuel for the Derry.
• A route that leaves room to turn or reposition the towing vehicle.

The Derry’s standard fuel tank holds 280 L, but your total fuel requirement is greater than that. The support truck also consumes fuel during the recovery, and repeated failed winching attempts can drain its tank surprisingly quickly.

Check how much fuel and repair capacity you have left before starting Forgotten Ally. A partially depleted maintenance trailer that served an earlier recovery may not carry enough repair points for this one.

The first recovery attempt can consume a considerable amount of fuel even when the truck is still a short distance from the delivery area.

Where to Replenish Repair Supplies

There is a mountain service area along the approach to the Derry with facilities for replenishing equipment.

This is a useful place to check your maintenance trailer and repair supplies before beginning the difficult towing section. Do not assume that a nearby gas station is already operational, though: some of the region’s fueling facilities must be restored through their own tasks.

Bring enough fuel to travel between reliable supply points rather than counting on every station shown on the map being ready to use.

A support truck with a service add-on works well for the initial attempt. For a player with limited heavy recovery equipment, carrying additional fuel is more useful than bringing a lightly equipped truck and hoping to complete the climb without stopping.

How to Complete Forgotten Ally and Deliver the Derry Savior

Once Scouting the Region is completed and Forgotten Ally is active, travel to the stranded Derry and inspect the recovery objective.

The delivery destination is the Cable Car area in Eiswandspitze. The truck must be moved there; merely reaching or repairing it at its original location is not enough to complete the contract.

Before connecting the winch, look at the route back toward the cable car and identify where you can safely reposition the recovery vehicle.

The climb to the Derry is difficult, but the outward journey with the disabled truck attached creates a different problem. The towing combination needs more room around rocks, and the Derry can swing toward the edge even when your recovery truck remains on the road.

Start by pulling the stranded vehicle clear of the rocks. Once the Derry is moving, follow the wider portions of the mountain track rather than trying to cut across steep slopes.

Some alternative tracks look attractive on the map because they reduce the distance to the delivery marker. They are not necessarily easier with a second heavy truck attached.

Avoid the Off-Camber Shortcut Near the Delivery Area

One particularly risky option crosses a heavily sloped section close to the cable car destination.

It can look like a convenient shortcut, but the road leans toward a drop, and the towing combination may lose stability while turning. A heavy trailer or additional equipment behind the recovery truck makes the situation worse.

During the recovery, the Derry can roll onto its side while the towing vehicle remains upright. The disabled truck then becomes harder to pull because its wheels and frame catch against the terrain.

The safer decision is to prioritize vehicle control over distance. Keep both trucks aligned where possible, avoid abrupt turns on the hillside, and use winch points to correct the Derry’s position before it slides too far off the road.

A route that requires an extra bend or a longer climb is preferable to one that risks dropping the Derry below the road entirely.

Derry Savior Stuck Between Rocks: How to Recover It

One of the worst failures occurs when the Derry slides into a rocky depression and becomes trapped with its wheels or lower frame caught between the rocks.

You may still be able to pull the vehicle slightly, but it refuses to climb out of the depression. More engine power does not necessarily improve the situation because the obstacle is holding the truck’s frame or wheels in place.

Sometimes the Derry’s engine can be started while it is being recovered. If it becomes available, switching it on can give the towing combination some assistance. However, powered wheels cannot pull the vehicle free when its underside is physically jammed.

The first thing to try is changing the winch angle.

Move the recovery truck onto firmer, higher ground and pull from another attachment point. Lifting the Derry’s nose or rear end slightly can change which part of the vehicle is caught. You may need to alternate between moving the recovery truck and shortening the winch distance.

If the rear wheels are trapped in a crevice, a straight pull toward the road may accomplish almost nothing.

When a Heavy Crane Becomes Necessary

A heavy crane is the practical fallback when the Derry cannot be pulled out by ordinary winching.

Continuing to accelerate against the obstacle wastes fuel and can leave your recovery truck stranded alongside the Derry. Restarting Forgotten Ally is another possibility, but it means repeating the difficult mountain journey.

If the Derry is stuck close enough to a gateway with access to a Garage, return with a vehicle equipped with a heavy crane.

Position the crane truck on stable ground, extend the crane toward the trapped end of the Derry, and lift enough of its weight to clear the obstruction. Then pull the vehicle out in short movements rather than trying to drag its full weight across the rocks in one attempt.

This can recover the truck without resetting Forgotten Ally.

The important distinction is between insufficient traction and a physical obstruction. If the Derry is simply struggling to climb, better positioning and a powered winch may be enough. If its wheels are wedged into the rock geometry, lifting the trapped end is much more effective.

Finish Forgotten Ally at the Cable Car Railway

Bring the recovered Derry into the marked Cable Car Railway delivery area. Forgotten Ally also requires the truck to be repaired and refueled, so reaching the destination alone may leave the contract unfinished.

Check the remaining condition and fuel requirements in the objective panel. Use your maintenance equipment to restore the Derry and transfer enough fuel to satisfy the task. Starting its engine during recovery is not a substitute for completing these requirements.

Once the delivery and restoration objectives are complete, Forgotten Ally awards the Derry Savior, $11,350, and 870 XP.

You can then take the truck to a Garage and prepare it for hauling, including fitting larger tires, stronger engines, and additional fuel equipment.

Derry Savior Upgrades: What to Unlock First

The Derry Savior is an 8×8 heavy truck with three steering axles, allowing it to turn much more tightly than its size suggests.

Its standard configuration has a 280 L fuel tank. This is relatively restrictive for such a powerful vehicle when travelling long distances, particularly before installing additional fuel-carrying equipment.

The truck can be extremely capable in deep snow, mud, and demanding climbs, but its performance improves noticeably with the correct upgrades.

Raised Suspension and 57-Inch Tires

The Derry can be fitted with 57-inch tires when using the appropriate upgraded configuration.

These larger wheels and raised suspension are valuable on Switzerland’s uneven mountain roads because they improve the truck’s ability to cross deep ruts and obstacles without catching the chassis.

The standard wheels are smaller, so the raised setup is worth checking before judging the Derry’s final off-road performance.

Larger tires also help when towing or carrying cargo over sections where the truck repeatedly sinks into soft terrain.

Even with a powerful engine, a heavy vehicle can lose momentum if its frame catches on a ridge. Clearance improvements address that limitation more directly than adding engine power alone.

DDA-8V 720T and DDA-8V 900TTA Engines

There are two important discoverable engine upgrades for the Derry Savior.

The DDA-8V 720T is found in Schneetal. It offers a useful increase in power for players who have not yet reached the higher-end upgrade.

The DDA-8V 900TTA, the strongest engine option, is found in Eiswandspitze.

An upgrade location on Eiswandspitze lies in a particularly awkward area around a crevice and breakable ice. It is possible to reach it while exploring the mountain region, but the approach can be dangerous for a large truck. The nearby surface can give way, leaving the recovery vehicle struggling to escape after collecting the upgrade.

If your vehicle is carrying maintenance supplies needed for Forgotten Ally, consider whether it is worth risking those resources to collect the upgrade immediately. You can recover the Derry without first installing its highest-output engine.

The stronger engine is especially useful for heavy cargo and long climbs, but fuel planning becomes increasingly important once you start using the Derry for demanding hauling.

Is the Advanced Special Gearbox Worth It?

The Derry Savior’s Advanced Special gearbox provides eight forward gears and is found in Eiswandspitze.

Its wider range of gears is useful once the truck begins covering long routes with heavy cargo. It also offers a different balance of speed and control from the standard transmission.

The standard gearbox remains usable, although its High gear can feel slow when travelling across easier ground. The Advanced Special gives the Derry more flexibility once it is available.

Remember that changing the gearbox does not eliminate the truck’s overall fuel requirements. The added gearing options are useful, but the most important preparation for a long Switzerland route is still making sure the Derry can carry enough fuel to complete it.

Best Derry Savior Setup for Heavy Hauling

The Derry’s versatility becomes especially apparent after reaching the Garage.

It can be configured with a two-slot or three-slot sideboard, depending on what the cargo job requires. Season 19 also provides the SAVIOR Service Kit, which expands its ability to support other vehicles during long journeys.

For a truck that spends much of its time hauling cargo through Switzerland, combining the smaller cargo bed with suitable service and fuel equipment can be more useful than maximizing cargo capacity alone.

A configuration with the sideboard, a small loading crane, extra fuel equipment, and a spare tire can provide a particularly strong balance of transport and self-sufficiency.

With the standard 280 L tank, 140 L trunk storage, 260 L SAVIOR Service Kit, and 300 L sideboard fuel storage, this configuration can carry up to 980 L when every compartment is full. The loading crane and spare tire can remain fitted in this setup.

In difficult terrain, fuel consumption can climb well above 20 L per minute, particularly when the truck is working hard uphill or hauling another heavy load. The factory tank alone can become a serious limitation on long trips without reliable fuel stops.

The exact combination matters. A three-slot cargo bed provides more space for deliveries, while a smaller bed and support equipment can give the truck more independence on difficult routes.

Two-Slot or Three-Slot Sideboard?

For a simple three-slot delivery, the larger bed is the straightforward choice when your selected equipment combination supports it.

For mixed missions involving smaller deliveries, damaged trucks, and long distances between service points, the two-slot arrangement can offer more useful options.

The Derry is particularly effective when you use it as more than a single-purpose cargo truck. A small crane can reduce your reliance on loading facilities, while spare fuel and repair equipment make it easier to handle unexpected damage.

Before accepting a delivery, check the cargo’s actual slot requirement. Extra fuel capacity is valuable, but it will not help if the truck cannot carry the required freight.

Can the Derry Savior Tow Trailers?

Yes, but trailer compatibility depends on the installed frame add-ons.

The Derry can combine cargo equipment, additional fuel storage, and a loading crane in useful hauling configurations. However, not every maintenance frame supports attaching a trailer. Check the Garage compatibility options before preparing a long-distance delivery.

The Maintenance Frame Add-on and Large Maintenance Frame Add-on should not be treated as trailer-compatible configurations.

When towing a heavy trailer, allow more space on mountain turns. The Derry’s three steering axles help it manoeuvre, but the trailer can still cut across slopes or catch against rocks.

For difficult deliveries, prioritize a configuration that supports the required trailer and carries enough fuel for the entire route.

Is the Derry Savior Worth Recovering Early?

The Derry Savior is worth prioritizing if your current fleet struggles with Switzerland’s heavy cargo or steep terrain.

The recovery can be difficult, particularly around the exposed mountain passes and the rocky sections leading back toward the cable car. However, the truck you receive is capable of handling demanding work that would require more preparation with less powerful vehicles.

Its strengths are not limited to raw pulling power. The three steering axles make it unusually manoeuvrable, while its cargo, service, and fuel configurations allow it to take on several roles without repeatedly returning to the Garage.

The main drawback is the cost of operating it without additional fuel equipment. With only the standard 280 L tank, long heavy-hauling journeys can require frequent refueling. Adding fuel capacity makes the truck considerably more practical.

For players who already have an excellent heavy fleet, Forgotten Ally is less urgent. You can continue the region’s contracts with your current vehicles and recover the Derry when you have enough supplies for a comfortable rescue.

But if you are entering Switzerland with limited heavy hauling options, completing Scouting the Region and recovering the Derry early can give you a very capable vehicle for the construction and transport work ahead.

The strongest reason to unlock it is what happens after the rescue: once equipped with suitable tires, suspension, engine upgrades, and additional fuel, the Derry can handle long cargo journeys while carrying much of the equipment it needs to keep moving.