Grinding ranks

I suspect your vast knowledge of "grinding" helped you enjoy the game?
Because, I assume, you like, play and enjoy the game?

OP can do what he wants. But he should be cautioned > people who "grind" eventually complain. People, who don't grind tend to enjoy the game.
Grinding does get boring, but when I feel like doing something else, I usually take out my PVE ship and blast pirates.
 
I recently ranked-up to Rear Admiral at Ceos/Sothis. But not doing data deliveries, I soon realised that would take too long. There are good cargo delivery missions, I used a 600t capacity Cutter and did a circuit: the 4 Large-pad stations in Ceos (including the planetary one) and the two in Sothis (ignoring the distant planetary), taking only cargo and data missions offered by "Federation Unite".

Data deliveries do work for Imperial rank, on the Ngalinn route, where you can often stack the maximum of 20 in one direction (Imperial factions only).

I did something similar but in a python. The trick is to just do delivery of cargo and data, whichever is available for most REP+++++
 
I’m also working on that Corvette plan, just got the Gunship rank this week (whatever it may be). I vary my rank progression between cargo missions, and killing “x” ships from “y” faction in war and civil war systems. I find it easier that killing “x” ships from “y” pirate faction. Fly to a combat zone, pick the CORRECT side and start blasting. Also good for materials collection. I’m a filthy casual, if it takes me another 4 months to get a Corvette, meh. Like the other guys said, always give preference to missions with Rep+++++ as a reward option
 
Hello Cmdrs,

Please can someone just name drop some good fed systems please... Ceos /sothis are awful. I dont mind the grind, so don't need that lecture, just some hard advice and facts please.... It's like there's this unspoken code to not give away good fed rank grind systems advice and talk people out of it.... Why!!? So much waffle and so little actual useful advice!

Btw Ngalin to Mainanii is best empire grind spot for sure.
 
OP can do what he wants. But he should be cautioned > people who "grind" eventually complain. People, who don't grind tend to enjoy the game.

Just to add to this players that follow prescriptive advice or instructions from others also tend to burn out. Part of the Elite gameplay is figuring out your own solutions, that's not to say you have to I'm just pointing out the downsides to following someone else's solution i.e. it gets dull very quickly.

In answer to the OP though and in the spirit of being helpful.... Basically buy your way to reputation and rank up missions is the fastest, so look for those oppourtunities. As an experienced player later on you'll be able to recover the monies very quickly.
 
Just to add to this players that follow prescriptive advice or instructions from others also tend to burn out. Part of the Elite gameplay is figuring out your own solutions, that's not to say you have to I'm just pointing out the downsides to following someone else's solution i.e. it gets dull very quickly.

In answer to the OP though and in the spirit of being helpful.... Basically buy your way to reputation and rank up missions is the fastest, so look for those oppourtunities. As an experienced player later on you'll be able to recover the monies very quickly.
I agree that following prescribed instruction can lead to burnout yes. Ive been playing long enough to know that, however I think there is more than enough to do to keep anyone entertained, I was simply seeing how others were ranking, there's always more to learn and glean from others experience.

I have my methods but was keen to hear of perhaps more efficient ways to obtain rear admiral. Yes you are right, the journey is to be enjoyed indeed.... I just really want my corvette😋
 
I found a system with a lot of Fed factions and a lot of Assassination missions and just plunked through those. Sometimes the targets would drop in one after the other, it was a great way to make rep and high-grade engineering materials.

I did that on and off for a couple months and I have my Corvette in dock waiting for me to finish unlocking engineers.
 
Hello Cmdrs,

Please can someone just name drop some good fed systems please... Ceos /sothis are awful. I dont mind the grind, so don't need that lecture, just some hard advice and facts please.... It's like there's this unspoken code to not give away good fed rank grind systems advice and talk people out of it.... Why!!? So much waffle and so little actual useful advice!

Btw Ngalin to Mainanii is best empire grind spot for sure.
Kremainn
 
OP, good luck, I won't tell you what to do, or even where to do it. Simply I can't, you don't play the same way I do, I don't play the same way you do (and before anything cuts off the circulation to their brain by twisting their knickers too tight - EVERYONE PLAYS THIS GAME SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY TO EVERYONE ELSE)

What I will do is tell you how I managed to get the required rank when I was after the same thing you are. I was at Post Commander so I knew I needed a bit of work. Jumped on EDDB and did a quick search for Federation systems near me. Then spent all of 5 minutes checking out each system on EDDB to see which ones had the most factions aligned to the Feds. There were also a few personal factors that came into it as well like how far the station was from the primary, what type of station, what facilities that station had, what economies were on offer etc.

So having made my decision, I jumped there in my trusty Python and proceeded to take every suitable mission from any of the 5 Fed factions on offer. Now these missions were either courier or courier type, or fetch/delivery missions, I don't do assassinations or anything illegal. When handing in the missions I always took the option giving the most Rep, first to booster my standing with the factions then to concentrate on climbing the rank ladder. Oh one thing to remember, make sure that the Controlling Faction for the station is Fed aligned, that way any exploration data you sell is helping your rise up the ranks.

I was surprised at just how quickly it went, it was only a few hours of playing and I had my first promotion to Post Captain then a few more hours to Rear Admiral. It really was a lot quicker than I thought it would be and because I wasn't doing something as boring as a repetitious A - B - A - B loop all the time it was kind of enjoyable. Furthermore I had fun, exploring a new mini bubble, learning what system/station sold what, mapping anything that took my fancy (shipping my DBX in just for doing this type of stuff lol).

Anyway, that is how I did it without getting burnt out or complaining about grind (for me there wasn't any grind, I rarely did the same activity twice in a row). Good luck with whatever mechanism you choose to get your rank.

P.S. Still haven't purchased a Corvette, event though a have way enough credits and now the rank. But hey, now if I decide I want one I can buy it, just can't think of a reason to own one now lol
 
I apologize for another thread about this, but I just want more specific answers. I want to grind fed rank for a corvette(duh). I tried the Sothis/Ceos route, but didn't make much doing data deliveries..
Seems like a lot of people make the mistake of thinking they can grind rank quickly at Ceos/Sothis AND make a lot of profit. If you are accepting payment in credits, how can you build REP? To build RANK you need to build FED REP.

First, if you are not yet ALLIED with all the local FEDERATION factions at the stations in Ceos and Sothis you are doing business with, then you have not even begun. You need to stack as many data delivery missions as you can for the FED factions and you must accept payment in REP, not credits. Eyes on the prize CMDR, you are not here to get rich, you are here to build RANK and to build RANK you must first build REP with the local FED factions. Once you are ALLIED with all of the local FED factions they will offer more missions and more lucrative missions.

The DBX is a good ship for this. A cargo rack or two will give you added flexibility in the missions you can accept. If you are unable to stack your 20 in data missions you can accept a cargo mission or two (from FED factions) to fill in the corners. I ran my missions between New Dawn in Ceos system and both Sothis Mining outpost and Newholm station in Sothis system but, I understand that new stations have been added. I started at New Dawn, accepting all data missions from FED factions going to either Newholm or Sothis Mining that paid in REP.

I then flew to Sothis Mining (fewer interdictions working outward to inward) and delivered all missions destined there, then accepted FED data missions going to Newholm or New Dawn. Flew to New Dawn and did the same, remembering to accept FED missions paying in REP, then flew back to New Dawn. Rinse and repeat, if I could not get my stack of 20 data missions I would accept a cargo mission or, accept data missions from Imperial (IMP) factions. May as well get a start on building IMP RANK, too.

This way I reached rear-admiral in a couple days of casual play. Once rear-admiral I started accepting missions paying in high-level materials and credits until I got bored, loaded up on Sothis Crystalline Gold at Newholm station, flew back to the bubble and sold that for a hefty profit, chased by pirates the whole way. o7
 
Last edited:
I am working on it in conjunction with getting certain weapons from a Power. Right now, I am pledged to Aisling Duval as I would like to get prismatics. Since it takes so long to do that, I just started running Rep++++ missions for Empire aligned factions. Boom time deliveries, courier missions, wing assassination missions, wetwork contracts, etc. Ignore anything that is less than Rep+++. I think I am up to Baron now and really does not feel like a grind, as I am not really trying to get it done asap, just let it progress.
 
Back
Top Bottom