Ranking up with Imperial Navy and Mining

[CrazyH0rse]

Hi folks,

So, I've been void opal mining in my imperial clipper and I'm looking to rank up further with the Imperial Navy so I can eventually get a Cutter.

I have been researching the most efficient way to rank up (currently Baron). I'm not 100% sure about the mechanics of it and the connection between local faction rep, super power rep and missions. Is the only point of running the empire aligned local faction missions to gain rep with the Empire and once it is sufficiently high, you are offered promotion missions? I noticed when void opal mining that just a couple of loads at the same station will have you allied with the respective faction... can this help in any way? If I try to find an Empire aligned station with a decent void opal price and do few runs - can that help?

 

[CrazyH0rse]

So is there no merit to this idea? If the point of doing local faction missions is to increase reputation and unlock rank missions - why couldn't you do this by mining? I.e. selling the goods to then and increasing rep that way? What am I missing?

 

[Factabulous]

Go for it. Should work ok.

 

[Nihila Vex]

For the sake of politeness I'll reply - but I'm afraid my reply will have to be "I don't know". I've not used mining for reputation before, not deliberately anyway, and I don't know what effect it would have. Sorry.

 

[CrazyH0rse]

I suppose there's only one way to find out, lol

Edit: I just wanted to make sure I understand the mechanic properly in case I'm wasting my time

 

[SciTrekker]

Selling for profit at a market (Station Commodities) will raise your Reputation with the station's controlling minor faction. It will not increase Reputation/Rank with major powers (Empire, Federation, and Alliance). However, you may get better paying missions. I don't think it helps in what type of missions you get. For that, pray to RNGesus.

Same for Universal Cartographics transactions.

Bounty claims are either for a minor faction (Rep for them) or a major power. If for a major power, Rep is gained with the minor faction that supports the major power. I'm not positive which one, but likely the one with the highest Influence? However, you won't gain Rep/Rank with the major power.

The only way to gain Rep/Rank with a major power is by completing missions.

Once you get to 100% in Rep/Rank with a major power, RNGesus might offer you a mission for one or more of the minor factions supporting the major power for which you have the 100% Rep/Rank. Once you complete it, you gain the next rank. You can shop around or wait/refresh the Mission Board for the type of mission you prefer.

Hope that helps. Fly safe, Cmdr. o7

EDIT: It may help (not conclusive iirc) to be Allied with the minor faction backing the major power to get that Rank Up mission. Also the mission will have the word "Navy" in it (I think that's still the case) and will tell you the new rank as the reward. Read those mission descriptions, especially the details in the bottom part.

 

[Hank]

If you're just aiming to grind your Empire rank, try the Ngallin run. See link. I went through the last rank to get my Cutter doing this. If I had a lot of ranks to go, this method could get real boring ... which is one reason I try not to grind anything. GL HF

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...nks-using-the-ngalinn-run-video-guide.514994/

 

[Requiem Mortis]

As far as I'm aware to I increase super power rank you need to complete missions for 'reputation' with aligned minor factions. The higher number of '+' signs the better, choose the reward that gives the most.

Rescuing people from damaged stations is probably the quickest. Find a burning station with multiple minor factions aligned to the super power you wish to rank with and then stack the appropriate bulk passenger rescue missions and take them to the nearby rescue mega ship. As this method gives a fast turnaround many missions can be completed very quickly.

To get the naval promotion mission you need to visit a station and be at least friendly with the controlling minor faction aligned with the super power.

 

[CrazyH0rse]

OK, so having done the Ngalinn run and ranking up to Duke since my original post - I can confirm that this is by far the most efficient way to do it. Unless of course you wanted to rank up while mining, you could try and find an empire aligned station to do it in and maybe this would help.

After all that though, I'm wondering if a really want a Cutter! I bought a Python to do the missions and I'm quite liking it.

 

[dxm55]

I believe you can improve your Rep with the controlling faction by trading VOs or Cartographics. Just make sure the controlling faction is Empire aligned.
But that only raises your rep / percentage within that rank. You still need to take the Navy mission to advance in rank though.

But why make it so difficult when you can just stack and run courier missions between Ngalinn and Mainani for Imp rank?
I completed it in 2 days (prob I dunno.... 5 hours maybe?) of gameplay.

When I started on my Fed ranking after that, I made a 4 rank jump immediately (received 4 navy missions one after another) simply because I had been operating in Fed space for the longest time selling VOs to Fed aligned factions. Your Rep accumulates and continues to the next rank even if you've hit 100% for that tier. So it was No rank to Petty Officer for me suddently, which was a pleasant surprise.

 

[d8veh]

To get your Cutter, the only thing that helps is doing missions for Empire factions.
Using mining to get allied with the factions might give some advantage because they'll offer you more missions, but in the time you're mining, you could be doing the available missions to increase your Empire rank, so you'll be playing catchup. I would say that you should forget the mining and just do the missions.

 

[CrazyH0rse]

When I started on my Fed ranking after that, I made a 4 rank jump immediately (received 4 navy missions one after another) simply because I had been operating in Fed space for the longest time selling VOs to Fed aligned factions. Your Rep accumulates and continues to the next rank even if you've hit 100% for that tier. So it was No rank to Petty Officer for me suddently, which was a pleasant surprise.

So I guess this is pretty much the point of my last post... if you intend on ranking up at some point and you are mining anyway - it could pay off to deliberately choose a station belonging to the particular super power you are interested in. For sure, it doesn't make sense mining just to increase rank.

 

[yelboc]

HIP8444 still works well as far as I know - just run courier and platinum missions - you'll be elite in trade and king in no more than a few sessions. Take a Python as you need to land at outposts.

 

[dxm55]

So I guess this is pretty much the point of my last post... if you intend on ranking up at some point and you are mining anyway - it could pay off to deliberately choose a station belonging to the particular super power you are interested in. For sure, it doesn't make sense mining just to increase rank.

I think you should just use mining for the "first contact" phase of your ranking.
I brought in my Cutter with 500 tons of VO and sold it. Of course I made advances in Rep.

But after that, Rep+++++ missions, especially when stacked will give you faster progress.
Don't forget donations too. those really do wonders. Just throw money at them and buy alleigiances.
It's like bribing someone.

 

[PopePhil]

the Ngallin run is probably the quickest way to increase Imperial Rep

kinda dull, but you can also turn a tidy profit on the Rep++ rewards, with all the time/delivery bonuses that get thrown at you every leg

 

[Hank]

OH, one thing I learned during my use of the Ngallin runs, was that you can get some good credit payoffs after you get allied up with both ends of the route. If you turn down the big fee, the fee you get by picking Rep instead of money really pays off (way more). I know lots and lots of ppl know that but I alway picked the money for a mission payoff, so I didn't. again ...

GL HF Commander

 

[dxm55]

Depends on which is more important to you. Money or getting the Cutter.
I went in with 2b. I came out only 100m poorer after throwing donation after donations at any Empire aligned faction I could whenever they popped up.

It was worth it. Throwing money for Rep++ is way better than actually running missions, any time.

Besides, once I got Duke, I was out of there and back to Shinrarta for the Cutter. Outfitted it for mining, and on the first pass picked up and sold 600+tons of VOs.
It's a solid ship for almost anything.... except landing at Outposts.