Increase Combat Rank

[Javert]

Hello all - what is the best way these days to increase combat rank, other than Thargoid Scouts?

I saw some videos that says to take Pirate massacre missions, and all the ships in the USS will be high enough rank for you to get ranking up points.

However this doesn't seem to be the case - I tried a few and the ships in the USS were mostly harmless.

 

[HappyMoonMonkey]

Compromised nav beacons. Plenty of high level targets. I found it about equivalent to mowing down scouts on a time basis and good to mix it up.

 

[Boone Lockley]

Technically the fastest is through farming the on foot Safeguard missions (especially if you do them at a system where the spawn rate is doubled the usual), since on foot bounties count toward Combat rank, rather than Mercenary rank (Merc increased by on foot combat bonds, not bounties). To optimize this to the max you need to find a system like this, Naren works I think since one of these types of settlements is there, and it gets faster yet if you relog during the last wave for the 3 runs so you don't need to go back to the station. If you relog a 4th time you lose the mission. However, G3 gear is basically the absolute bare minimum just to do regular Safeguards, as the enemies come in fast and are tough. G5 is the recommended for the double spawn ones.

You can't tell which missions will double spawn, it's just something goofy with the small settlements that does it, Google might know.

However, since this requires Ody work, and Ody upgrading (which I really dislike) I would second the vote for CNBs because they're easy to find and provide a steady stream of materials as well.

 

[Javert]

Technically the fastest is through farming the on foot Safeguard missions (especially if you do them at a system where the spawn rate is doubled the usual), since on foot bounties count toward Combat rank, rather than Mercenary rank (Merc increased by on foot combat bonds, not bounties). To optimize this to the max you need to find a system like this, Naren works I think since one of these types of settlements is there, and it gets faster yet if you relog during the last wave for the 3 runs so you don't need to go back to the station. If you relog a 4th time you lose the mission. However, G3 gear is basically the absolute bare minimum just to do regular Safeguards, as the enemies come in fast and are tough. G5 is the recommended for the double spawn ones.

You can't tell which missions will double spawn, it's just something goofy with the small settlements that does it, Google might know.

However, since this requires Ody work, and Ody upgrading (which I really dislike) I would second the vote for CNBs because they're easy to find and provide a steady stream of materials as well.

Thanks yeah well as you say, that might be the case except for how long it will take to upgrade the on foot gear in the first place!

 

[Boone Lockley]

Thanks yeah well as you say, that might be the case except for how long it will take to upgrade the on foot gear in the first place!

The other thing is, if you only farm on foot materials at Anarchy settlements, you will get combat rank there too from the bounties, so your combat rank will go up while getting the G5 items you would use to increase your combat rank.

I say that just to clarify, but I personally don't do it. I have tried, but I really dislike the Ody on foot material gathering, it's unfun imo and the ships are where Elite shines. I've reset my save a few times and am only Dangerous on this reset, but if I did try to raise my combat rank for some reason, I would probably use a CNB mixed with BGS. The on foot gets a pass from me.

 

[Felix DiCestria]

Hello all - what is the best way these days to increase combat rank, other than Thargoid Scouts?

I saw some videos that says to take Pirate massacre missions, and all the ships in the USS will be high enough rank for you to get ranking up points.

However this doesn't seem to be the case - I tried a few and the ships in the USS were mostly harmless.

Have you tried shooting Revenants?

 

[Rat Catcher]

if you only farm on foot materials at Anarchy settlements

You will assist in the demise of that settlement... Which happened wholesale when Odyssey released as players don't want bounties or notoriety, even if a lawful settlement may be closer and provide the same, or better, materials.

 

[vanFace]

If you can get your hands on G3 gear, you are set to start a legal settlement raiding career. It gives you loads of ARX, combat rank and on-foot material to G5 everything and the kitchen sink. In addition, it is a perfect way to learn all the layouts and sneak maneuvers to disable the alarm. Just hop from port to port, always check the Pioneers' for good stuff, and check for bargains of good material rewards. In other words: play the game. The first gear I've G5ed was Mav with backpack cap, night vision, extra ammo and tool consumption mod, a Tormentor with indoor silencer, mag cap, hip accuracy and range, as well as Executioner with outdoor masking, scope, range and stowed reloading.

 

[Fixitman]

The fastest ship-based way I've seen is at Checkpoints in Anarchy systems that are in a state of Outbreak. Lots of Elite Eagles to swat in those. That combination of system state and government is extremely rare though.

The second best I've seen was CNBs (Compromised NAV Beacons). They don't seem to stick around for more than a few days though.

You can search for both CNBs on Inara.

Edit: The Inara search doesn't include System State, so that may not work. I'll be checking out the Bach system in solo mode tonight. The controlling faction is in Outbreak, and also at War (according to Inara).
Edit 2: It turns out there is no way to quickly search for an Anarchy system in a state of Outbreak.

 

[Mrc_NorthEast]

I am currently only dangerous combat rank.

I have not done any Ody on foot Anarchy settlements. I have done a few Ody on foot CZ's. There are those. Others replied with info on those in previous posts.

I did pirate massacre missions and assassination missions until Master. First get allied with the factions in one system. Pick a system(s) with multiple factions targeting one specific faction in the next system over. Take one mission per faction targeting the same faction in the next system over. I then went to the Resource Extraction sites/nav site in the next system over and waited for ships from the targeted faction to show up. Take them out, rinse and repeat. Decent $$$, varied ships, varied settings, and mats if you want to scoop and fight at the same time.

After getting to Master, I wanted to try something different. So I went and killed 800 or so scouts out by Asterope to get to Dangerous.

Good Luck on your combat rank.

 

[Boone Lockley]

You will assist in the demise of that settlement... Which happened wholesale when Odyssey released as players don't want bounties or notoriety, even if a lawful settlement may be closer and provide the same, or better, materials.

Better materials maybe, but then no combat rank since no bounties, so not worthwhile for this discussion.

 

[Boone Lockley]

I have done a few Ody on foot CZ's. There are those.

Ody on foot CZs only increase Mercenary rank, however.

 

[Rat Catcher]

Better materials maybe, but then no combat rank since no bounties, so not worthwhile for this discussion.

Hmmm...
There are a surprising number of NPCs in Anarchy that don't have a bounty, and not every lawful settlement is full of innocents.
Worthwhile in this discussion - although, if one has only operated in anarchy settlement, why would they know this?

 

[Boone Lockley]

Hmmm...
There are a surprising number of NPCs in Anarchy that don't have a bounty, and not every lawful settlement is full of innocents.
Worthwhile in this discussion - although, if one has only operated in anarchy settlement, why would they know this?

I haven't only been to Anarchy settlements, but I am accurately explaining how the game's mechanics work. If someone wants to raise combat rank through on foot combat, double spawn safeguards are the best option, regular safeguards / ship combat / Anarchy settlements are somewhere in the middle, but shooting up lawful settlements hoping to snag some on foot bounties is going to be in the lowest tier of results.

This isn't a discussion about every option, but the best options, per the OP.

 

[Fixitman]

The last time I received a combat rank-up with an on-foot "disabling", it had nothing to do with a bounty. It was a stealth "disabling" of a civilian NPC, and I didn't scan them beforehand. The scan after the deed revealed "no bounty detected".

 

[Rat Catcher]

This isn't a discussion about every option, but the best options, per the OP.

... and the OP didn't even mention Odyssey on-foot...
Never mind...

ETA: I recall on-foot high CZs also moved combat rank as well as mercenary a year or so ago, that may have just been a bug, I've been doing other things on foot for a while, so have no current observation.

 

[aRJay]

Hello all - what is the best way these days to increase combat rank, other than Thargoid Scouts?

I saw some videos that says to take Pirate massacre missions, and all the ships in the USS will be high enough rank for you to get ranking up points.

However this doesn't seem to be the case - I tried a few and the ships in the USS were mostly harmless.

Back in the day I was doing it by spending a lot of time blowing stuff up in Haz RES and Compromised Nav Beacons as well as any bounty hunting CGs and of course sacking or at least grounding my SLF pilot so they didn’t take half my progress.

Now that day has gone but apart from the CGs the rest should still work just remember to take a KWS with you.

When taking advice from vids etc remember to check how current they are as things change, Thargoid Scouts used to be Elite equivalent scoring but that has been reduced at least once.

I have been in a Haz RES a lot recently and I have been seeing a good number of Dangerous to Elite ranks as well as lower. With no interest in the nuances of BGS I just put it down to random and keep shooting.

 

[metatheurgist]

... and the OP didn't even mention Odyssey on-foot...
Never mind...

ETA: I recall on-foot high CZs also moved combat rank as well as mercenary a year or so ago, that may have just been a bug, I've been doing other things on foot for a while, so have no current observation.

Been doing nothing but ground CZs for a while, nearly at Merc 2 but combat rank has not changed. If it's moved I haven't noticed.

 

[Javert]

I am currently only dangerous combat rank.

I have not done any Ody on foot Anarchy settlements. I have done a few Ody on foot CZ's. There are those. Others replied with info on those in previous posts.

I did pirate massacre missions and assassination missions until Master. First get allied with the factions in one system. Pick a system(s) with multiple factions targeting one specific faction in the next system over. Take one mission per faction targeting the same faction in the next system over. I then went to the Resource Extraction sites/nav site in the next system over and waited for ships from the targeted faction to show up. Take them out, rinse and repeat. Decent $$$, varied ships, varied settings, and mats if you want to scoop and fight at the same time.

After getting to Master, I wanted to try something different. So I went and killed 800 or so scouts out by Asterope to get to Dangerous.

Good Luck on your combat rank.

I did try this approach but whenever I dropped into the mission specific USS, all the ships are mostly harmless so there must be some kindn of bug or issue?

Ref the on foot options, I could never really get the hang of on foot fighting in Odyssey - I keep getting killed and then I get frustrated by the time it takes to get back into another mission.

 

[vanFace]

Ref the on foot options, I could never really get the hang of on foot fighting in Odyssey - I keep getting killed and then I get frustrated by the time it takes to get back into another mission.

Too bad, because IMHO these days it beats everything ship-side in terms of combat rank progression.