Newcomer / Intro Questions re: rewards for Minor Faction Missions

Celthon

Celthon
Just started playing few days ago -- approx. 30-hrs according to Steam, but a lot of that was sitting in a station and exploring menus and options, etc.

Moved on from starter zone (Dromi/Dormi-spelling?)...and moved to an Alliance system, and started doing a few missions for a local NPC faction that is listed as "Expanding"...have done 3-4 missions labeled as "Expansion Data Couriering" -- the NPC indicates "...couriering this data will pave the way for us to expand into another system..." or words to that effect. The missions are to different neighboring systems...rarely do I find missions to the same system (there are other types of delivery missions to same system, but data couriering seems to jump around randomly). If I log out for a few hours, log back in later I 'sometimes' find a data couriering mission to a system I went to previously.

My questions:
1. Does my mission choice determine/influence 'which' system the faction is trying to expand into? If I make it a point to accept data couriering missions only to one specific system, would they expand into that system faster than if I just accept data couriering to whichever system(s) are available on the mission board at the station?

2. When I arrive at the destination to which I'm directed to deliver the data, it has always been to a station in which the controlling minor faction is for one of the other two Superpower factions -- usually Federation thus far. When I complete the mission I see a message indicating that the "...economic influence of the <minor faction I'm working for> has increased at the station where I took the mission..." BUT I also see a message that the Federation aligned minor faction I delivered to has increased it's influence, and I gain a small amount of reputation with the Federation and a small increase in the bar towards a rank with the Federation...is it normal to do missions for an Alliance aligned faction, and gain with "the other side"?

Thank you for your time and assistance.
 

Krieger

Krieger
Welcome to the Elite Galaxy commander!

About your first question: No, your data deliveries have no influence on which system will be chosen for expansion. Expansion is governed by a set of rules enforced by the background simulation (the BGS). Have a look in this subforum that is dedicated to the BGS. The guide below also has a lot of info on the BGS.

Remlok Industries – EN » The Background Simulation Guide – Elite: Dangerous

en.remlok-industries.fr en.remlok-industries.fr
About your second question: Yes, that's normal. Factions do business with factions aligned with other superpowers all the time. From their perspective receiving data is positive hence your reputation increases with them and their associated superpower.

Below you find a bunch of useful links.

In-game help is available in the form of menu links to the Pilot's Handbook and the Codex (right-hand cockpit panel 1st tab).
For a very good beginner's guide see: An in-depth beginner’s guide to Elite: Dangerous.
There is a wealth of useful information available in these forums spread out over hundreds of threads. Thanks to commander @Alec Turner you can access all of that information and more via a single thread: Alec's best of the forum (and elsewhere) [v2].
Also check out the inara.cz and eddb.io websites with (almost) realtime info on practically everything in the game.
The coriolis.io and edsy.org websites let you design your ships before buying them.
And last but not least, the Elite Dangerous Wiki contains extensive information on nearly all aspects of the game.

o7
 
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Sapyx

Sapyx
The mission description will always list which faction you are being asked to support at the other end. If it's a faction you don't want to support, then don't accept that mission. Or, weigh up whether supporting the recipient faction is "worth it". The recipient faction does not get as big an influence boost as the sending faction, so overall, you will still be benefiting your faction more than the enemy. If you are worried about undermining the ruling faction at the other end, then bring along some trade goods or sell some exploration data.
 

Dommarraa

Dommarraa
Celthon said:
Just started playing few days ago -- approx. 30-hrs according to Steam, but a lot of that was sitting in a station and exploring menus and options, etc.

Moved on from starter zone (Dromi/Dormi-spelling?)...and moved to an Alliance system, and started doing a few missions for a local NPC faction that is listed as "Expanding"...have done 3-4 missions labeled as "Expansion Data Couriering" -- the NPC indicates "...couriering this data will pave the way for us to expand into another system..." or words to that effect. The missions are to different neighboring systems...rarely do I find missions to the same system (there are other types of delivery missions to same system, but data couriering seems to jump around randomly). If I log out for a few hours, log back in later I 'sometimes' find a data couriering mission to a system I went to previously.

My questions:
1. Does my mission choice determine/influence 'which' system the faction is trying to expand into? If I make it a point to accept data couriering missions only to one specific system, would they expand into that system faster than if I just accept data couriering to whichever system(s) are available on the mission board at the station?

2. When I arrive at the destination to which I'm directed to deliver the data, it has always been to a station in which the controlling minor faction is for one of the other two Superpower factions -- usually Federation thus far. When I complete the mission I see a message indicating that the "...economic influence of the <minor faction I'm working for> has increased at the station where I took the mission..." BUT I also see a message that the Federation aligned minor faction I delivered to has increased it's influence, and I gain a small amount of reputation with the Federation and a small increase in the bar towards a rank with the Federation...is it normal to do missions for an Alliance aligned faction, and gain with "the other side"?

Thank you for your time and assistance.
Click to expand...
1. No. Expansions are determined by a long complicated procedure based on system and faction states at the time the expansion actually happens. Missions are very blunt tools that Increase or occassionaly decrease Influence, Eco Slider, Security Slider, or are involved in resolving a Conflict

2. Perfectly normal. Targets for missions tend to be based on things like Faction Government type and Eco slider. Superpower is not considered. There are really no "other side", they all compete for advantage in a positive way.
 

DaveC

DaveC
Celthon said:
Thank you all for replies and useful information
Click to expand...

And if you want to work with Alliance factions, there are groups dedicated to doing exactly that. You might even be working one of their factions without realising. Good luck, and enjoy the BGS buzz :)
 

Ragga Muffin

R
A note that some fed ships and imp ships are rank locked. Alli ships not, just a consideration where you may want to stick your eggs. Im new to ED too, 12 days now
 
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