Hello CMDRS.
Relatively new player here (over 120 hours). Never delved into increasing my actual rank with the super powers but now I want to.
I heard that board flipping is gone, but since I never got to experience it, I don't feel like I'm missing much.
Please explain to me how I go about getting real admiral in federation? Or Duke for the imperial cutter. I do want both, but I can start with either ship.
TLDR: I don't know what I need to be looking for. I want the absolute fastest way to grind ranks. Really hope some of you elites can give me a detailed guide.
Thank you!
The most comments about HOW to progress in Federation and Empire rank you already got.
Best case - if you are going to
grind ranks - watch out for systems with many Federation OR Empire factions in their space and get allied with all of them asap.
By the same mechanic like suggested, prefer reputation as rewards vs influence and credits.
Watch out for missions who have Federation (or Empire) on both sides as mission giver and receiver.
Be prepared it's still a long journey but imho one worthwile.
Even better proposal -as stated - try to embed your activities into other ones.
Now to the ships.
My 2 cents.
Anaconda always was the best multi-purpose one from the big three. I loved mine(s) and still love it/them.
But I replaced it entirely when I got my Corvette.
Yes, it's true that by default
G5 engineered it jumps only about 20 ly. But there are players out there for whom that was/is enough using it for exploration. (No, exploration is not
necessarily doing the largest distance in the shortest time possible.)
However - Corvette is a beautiful mission runner with plenty of module and cargo/cabin/whatsoever space. With even a Guardian FSD booster it can jump about 30 ly which is more than enough, but even 20 are not bad.
Way better maneouvrability than a Cutter and also better than a Conda.
Cutter is the ultra luxury supertrader - yes, can be used for combat as well, but more tedious (yes, guys, I hear you, please comment and question...) - but it's size and speed predestine it for big hauling.
Big money making I should say. I love mine and it easily survives PvE combat but Corvette is way more fun to fly.
Conda is the non-rank locked super ship for everybody. It does almost nothing the best, but everything very good. For one exception. It's jump range - even by default - excels and hence it's the best long distance big ship. Undisputed. And hence often used in exploration builds for long travels out in the dark. And even if you properly shield and weaponize it, an Exploraconda can still jump up to 60 ly with a Guardian FSD booster.
Corvette finally. My personal love. I'm a big ship fan - though I still use and love my Python and AspX - and hence know them all.
Flying, missions, mining, fighting (even exploring) - the Corvette can do it all without compromise.
Two final comments.
Yes - it's initially expensive and it shines - like all ships in this game - really when engineered. Which is true for a Viper or a FAS as well however
mistakes aren't punished as hard as in one of the big 3 (4). Hence combine rank grind with engineer grind and some credit grind - though the latter one is the most easiest.
Can't comment whether and how a Corvette is useful in PvP. I heard/read that the PvP meta predominantly is FDLs plus some other medium ships. So most likely I would be grilled even in my superengineered combat setup Corvette.
However - apart from some few systems and special incidents such as CGs it's rare that you will get too often into hostile encounters with other players. Yes, I'm talking about open mode. PvE is statistically much more likely.
And even if so - provided you consider some basic instructions how to avoid combat with dedicated PvPers resp how to escape them - a Corvette is for sure one of the best life insurances you can get.
Yes, it's
not a god ship. Only demigod...
