Only combat related Naval ascension missions

[Koban]

Good afternoon folks,
since I am trying to raise my rank with the Empire to enable myself to buy the Clipper, I've noticed that I am only offered combat focused Naval ascension missions.
This is a problem for me because I am flying an unarmed Lakon 7. And even if it would be armed...well

Aren't there any other ascension missions for traders? I mean, it can't be the point to force me to go back to a combat ship, lose money in the process, do missions without monetary reward and then swap the combat ship for the Clipper.
Selling the combat ship makes me lose money again.

 

[Arkku]

There is a specific type of rank ascension mission for each rank. You will see peaceful missions (e.g., locating resources) for other ranks, but for this rank you will only see variations of the same template, i.e., combat.

 

[Barulf McBaren]

Im afraid the kind of mission is tied to the rank it will give you. So that for example the "knight" mission always sends you out to kill some pirates.

 

[Phier]

If you are flying a type 7 it should be very easy to buy and equip a viper for the combat mission and then just sell it when you are done. You will lose 14k credits total.

 

[Arkku]

Yeah, if you have the Type-7 you can easily make millions an hour in the luxuries trade at the moment, so it's one hour to pay for a decent combat ship for this mission…

 

[Wicz]

I had never looked at rank progression until 4 days ago, when I decided I wanted an Imperial Clipper.

It took 4 - 5 hours over 2.5 days to get to "Baron" rank, and only 2 of the missions were combat related. One to destroy a single high value target ( A clipper ) and the other to kill 4 pirates, all the other missions involved running errands.

 

[Conestoga]

I seem to recall the missions sending you to kill an NPC clipper. NPC clippers... could use a buff. Putting it nicely. I bet a dumbfire eagle would be amusing to use.

 

[Wicz]

I seem to recall the missions sending you to kill an NPC clipper. NPC clippers... could use a buff. Putting it nicely. I bet a dumbfire eagle would be amusing to use.

You are correct

 

[Phier]

I had never looked at rank progression until 4 days ago, when I decided I wanted an Imperial Clipper.

It took 4 - 5 hours over 2.5 days to get to "Baron" rank, and only 2 of the missions were combat related. One to destroy a single high value target ( A clipper ) and the other to kill 4 pirates, all the other missions involved running errands.

It was rather anti-climatic that I got Baron for delivering 2 food cartridges 7lys to an outpost.

 

[Layin_Scunion]

Naval Ascension missions are a joke.

If you're running a trade ship, do a few routes, buy a Viper, do the missions and then sell it.

Being that it is a militaristic type of endeavor, do you think militaries would give out rank for running some scrap to the scrap yard? The answer should be no but apparently that's how space navies work....