naval progression in federation to petty officer

xtophadler · Dec 22, 2014

here's what happened:

i geared up a viper, took the naval prog. mission, found and killed gen. x. i then got a bounty of 6200 Cr on my head in federation. the mission wanted me to go to m. gorbachev - where i took the mission. i arrived there, requested docking permission. i entered the station and was shot down immediately.

is this mission supposed to work like that? not very pursuable - i get busted for completing the mission by the guys who gave it to me...

Moritasgus · Dec 22, 2014

Its the same for the equivalent Imperial mission, my only advice is get better at sneaking in past security or... after completing the kill go to an outpost where you are less likely to get scanned than a station and clear your bounty before heading back to hand it in.

Look at the mission as special ops, if you kill and innocent man you become wanted by the police no matter who ordered it.

Commanderhumpster · Dec 22, 2014

I did same mission never got the bounty, my reward was a permit for Beta Hydri.

Commander Debic · Dec 22, 2014

Since the Maelstrom bug was fixed I was asked and killed two Gen (various names), then was required to carry out two mercenary contracts killing pirates. This took me to Chief Petty Officer and gave me a pass to a previously unobtainable system, PCL 695, I think was the name. That was the same day patch 1.03 came out. Since then I have had the request to go to PCL 695 many times in the mission available, unobtainable section, as it states I already have the pass, which of course I do.
I have been to the system and as with the other passes no recruitment officer gets in touch so I did some trading there in the hope the appropriate NPC's memory would be jogged. Nothing happened so I returned to Sol in the hopes it would change there, Logged out and in a few times but it makes no difference. The unobtainable quest keeps reappearing. Unfortunately I think it is a bug that has put another stop on the Federation Naval progression mission arc as no further Naval advancement missions are forthcoming. I have ticketed it but just wondering if any other Commanders are experiencing the same problem.

-zalamander- · Dec 22, 2014

Commander Debic said:
Since the Maelstrom bug was fixed I was asked and killed two Gen (various names), then was required to carry out two mercenary contracts killing pirates. This took me to Chief Petty Officer and gave me a pass to a previously unobtainable system, PCL 695, I think was the name. That was the same day patch 1.03 came out. Since then I have had the request to go to PCL 695 many times in the mission available, unobtainable section, as it states I already have the pass, which of course I do.
I have been to the system and as with the other passes no recruitment officer gets in touch so I did some trading there in the hope the appropriate NPC's memory would be jogged. Nothing happened so I returned to Sol in the hopes it would change there, Logged out and in a few times but it makes no difference. The unobtainable quest keeps reappearing. Unfortunately I think it is a bug that has put another stop on the Federation Naval progression mission arc as no further Naval advancement missions are forthcoming. I have ticketed it but just wondering if any other Commanders are experiencing the same problem.

I killed the Gen and got invitation to Beta Hydri. After I arrived there there is constantly the same invitation to Beta Hydri (in unobtainable missions) that I already have. I said that local officer would get in touch with me but nothing so far. Went to every station in the system and checked the bulletin boards. No other Naval advancement missions seen after doing missions for federation.

FX2K · Dec 22, 2014

Commanderhumpster said:
I did same mission never got the bounty, my reward was a permit for Beta Hydri.

Same...

So far, I have found these missions to lack any depth. They are just another random BB mission offering an over-simplified path up the ranks for very little effort.. Currently at midshipman level.. I hope the next few improve.

I also didn't need to visit Beta Hydri... well, I went there and nothing happened or was different, not sure what I was expecting to be fair. I can't remember the in-game text but I'm sure it said I had to in order to be promoted.. except I was promoted anyway, before visiting.

Dragonic · Dec 22, 2014

For this mission when you found Gen.X you need to wait until it shot you. Because it's a Clean ship at beginning, and after the shot it will become Wanted.

ba-chan · Dec 22, 2014

Yup, I waited for them to shoot first too. Interesting that I've seen a lot of people on these forums saying they got a pass to PCL 695 next, whereas the next pass I got was for Ross 128.

Antoni · Dec 22, 2014

Commanderhumpster said:
I did same mission never got the bounty, my reward was a permit for Beta Hydri.

Me too.
Regards
Michael

Yaxim · Dec 22, 2014

Where did you find the combat stabilizers for the mission from PXL 695? I spent hours looking for them last night and gave up.

AngerManagement · Dec 22, 2014

Commander Debic said:
Since the Maelstrom bug was fixed I was asked and killed two Gen (various names), then was required to carry out two mercenary contracts killing pirates. This took me to Chief Petty Officer and gave me a pass to a previously unobtainable system, PCL 695, I think was the name. That was the same day patch 1.03 came out. Since then I have had the request to go to PCL 695 many times in the mission available, unobtainable section, as it states I already have the pass, which of course I do.
I have been to the system and as with the other passes no recruitment officer gets in touch so I did some trading there in the hope the appropriate NPC's memory would be jogged. Nothing happened so I returned to Sol in the hopes it would change there, Logged out and in a few times but it makes no difference. The unobtainable quest keeps reappearing. Unfortunately I think it is a bug that has put another stop on the Federation Naval progression mission arc as no further Naval advancement missions are forthcoming. I have ticketed it but just wondering if any other Commanders are experiencing the same problem.

I did that mission too and found most federation stations offering me a system permit I had already received. I then found another rank promotion mission and got promoted to warrant officer and got a new sysyem permit for Ross something or other. Now federation stations offer me that permit instead of the old one. Although it does recognise that I have the permit if I click on it.

Morbad · Dec 22, 2014

xtophadler said:
here's what happened:

i geared up a viper, took the naval prog. mission, found and killed gen. x. i then got a bounty of 6200 Cr on my head in federation. the mission wanted me to go to m. gorbachev - where i took the mission. i arrived there, requested docking permission. i entered the station and was shot down immediately.

is this mission supposed to work like that? not very pursuable - i get busted for completing the mission by the guys who gave it to me...

You either need to get the General to shoot you first, or you need to clear the bounty before your go to turn in the mission, or you need to sneak into the station upon return.

The mission is working as it should. It's a black op assassination against a superior officer in your own organization, and clearly stated as such. It's extremely illegal...which is why they are going to give you a rank for it if you can pull it off without getting caught, and why they would want you dead (preferably before seeing trial and exposing them) if you did get caught.

Antenociti · Dec 22, 2014

xtophadler said:
here's what happened:

i geared up a viper, took the naval prog. mission, found and killed gen. x. i then got a bounty of 6200 Cr on my head in federation. the mission wanted me to go to m. gorbachev - where i took the mission. i arrived there, requested docking permission. i entered the station and was shot down immediately.

is this mission supposed to work like that? not very pursuable - i get busted for completing the mission by the guys who gave it to me...

you should have waited for the general to attack you - then you wouldnt have done anything illegal.

that said: its just p-poor quest design that the target starts off as "clean" in the system you find it in.

Erik Marcaigh · Dec 22, 2014

I'm currently Chief Petty Officer, waiting around PXL 695 for the next offer.

I can understand the first few missions to be a bit easier as the Federation is "testing" you. But all I did for CPO was pick up 4 canisters of Combat Stabilizers and bring them back without getting scanned. (I don't do the stealth way in.... I boost in.)

Here's my gripe: I got passage to Beta Hydri and really expected more from that system, being as it's closed to only those with military clearance. I was interdicted by a pirate(!) in Beta Hydri space.
The missions were all the same. Would expect more military type missions, like:
1) We need you to go to a warzone and put in your time.
2) Interact with the recruitment officer through the HUD.
3) Have one of our weapons switched out with a prototype and test it, then report back to get our original weapon back and clearance to the next mission. (at a later rank, we could have have access to the weapon for credits or something)

Also, a bug.... The Federal Dropship is available at "Ensign rank or higher", but I now have access to it even though none of my ranks stated "Ensign". I think it happened at Midshipman or Petty Officer. I'm not sure as I progressed to PO before I could locate another Dropship to see if I had access at Midshipman rank.

Ranks (assuming I wrote them down after the fact correctly)
Fed: Recruit -> Cadet -> Midshipman -> Petty Officer -> Chief Petty Officer -> ?

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Yaxim said:
Where did you find the combat stabilizers for the mission from PXL 695? I spent hours looking for them last night and gave up.

I searched the forums, then found that CD-51 102 has a ton of them for sale. It's a hike, but in the hour & a half mission time I had, I had it finished within an hour.

Morbad · Dec 22, 2014

Antenociti said:
that said: its just p-poor quest design that the target starts off as "clean" in the system you find it in.

No it's not.

If you had been paying any attention to the game lore or the tone of the missions you were being given, you'd realize this was a black op. The mission description even states this.

Erik Marcaigh said:
Also, a bug.... The Federal Dropship is available at "Ensign rank or higher", but I now have access to it even though none of my ranks stated "Ensign". I think it happened at Midshipman or Petty Officer. I'm not sure as I progressed to PO before I could locate another Dropship to see if I had access at Midshipman rank.

Ranks (assuming I wrote them down after the fact correctly)
Fed: Recruit -> Cadet -> Midshipman -> Petty Officer -> Chief Petty Officer -> ?

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

The ranks closely mirror real ranks in Navies descended from the British Royal Navy, with a few simplifications.

Ensign is your next rank, then Lieutenant, then Lt. Commander (my current rank), then Post Commander, then I would presume either Captain or Commodore, the either Fleet Captain or Rear Admiral, etc.

And yes, the Fed drop ship is available before Ensign. Not that it matters for me as I surpassed that rank with a ~3 million credit net worth.

Antenociti · Dec 22, 2014

No it's not.

If you had been paying any attention to the game lore or the tone of the missions you were being given, you'd realize this was a black op. The mission description even states this.

*sigh* "Oh yes it is"

You shouldn't have to read between the lines, especially not in a military structure... you get in to trouble for that... for example - see the OP.

There is a big difference between obtuse and difficult - the difficult part of the game should be killing the General, not interpreting your "orders".... that is simply obtuse, and bad design.

Kayweg · Dec 22, 2014

Commanderhumpster said:
I did same mission never got the bounty, my reward was a permit for Beta Hydri.

Just to confirm, same for me.

EAGLE 5 · Dec 22, 2014

Just remember the words of Commander Stinger from Top Gun "Do NOT Fire, unless fired upon"

That's an Order.

vjek · Dec 22, 2014

Antenociti said:
you should have waited for the general to attack you - then you wouldnt have done anything illegal.

that said: its just p-poor quest design that the target starts off as "clean" in the system you find it in.

Yeah, the current mechanic of "you have to complete scanning them, before you attack them, even though they've just lased away all your shields and are wanted in 10 systems" is just terrible.
If they're wanted, you shouldn't have to scan them, period. If, by attacking you, they become wanted, you shouldn't have to scan them or wait, either.
It's like the whole "if you target a subsystem, turrets stop firing" bug. How long do these horrific, horrible, obvious BUGS have to remain in the game before FDEV fixes them?!

The current mechanics for initiating combat without becoming wanted yourself are illogical, internally inconsistent, thematically jarring, and extremely unfriendly to new players. Not to mention no society, however fictional, would ever function in this fashion so you can add "immersion breaking" to that list, too.

Morbad · Dec 22, 2014

Antenociti said:
.... that is simply obtuse, and bad design.

I completely disagree.

It's not the game's fault you are obtuse and didn't realize you signed up with a pack of corrupt deathmongers until after you committed murder and started to wonder why it was illegal.

vjek said:
Yeah, the current mechanic of "you have to complete scanning them, before you attack them, even though they've just lased away all your shields and are wanted in 10 systems" is just terrible.
If they're wanted, you shouldn't have to scan them, period. If, by attacking you, they become wanted, you shouldn't have to scan them or wait, either.
It's like the whole "if you target a subsystem, turrets stop firing" bug. How long do these horrific, horrible, obvious BUGS have to remain in the game before FDEV fixes them?!

The current mechanics for initiating combat without becoming wanted yourself are illogical, internally inconsistent, thematically jarring, and extremely unfriendly to new players. Not to mention no society, however fictional, would ever function in this fashion so you can add "immersion breaking" to that list, too.

Not remotely the situation in this mission.

The mission in question is an advancement shortcut that involves bumping off a superior officer's competition within the Federation Navy. It's explicitly listed as a black op and you'd have to be naive beyond belief to take the stated reason of "Imperial sympathizer" at face value.

This string of missions is great. It's political satire that adds considerable thematic depth to the game world, and is internally consistent, as well as perfectly logical.