What if Fighting in Conflict Zones Was The Most Efficient Way to Earn Naval Rank?

[Twinn]

Does the current naval ranking system make sense to anyone at all? Currently the most efficient way to earn Navy rank is either hauling legal/illegal goods, relaying data, friendly fire assassination missions, and of course the real kicker.... flat out buying it through charity??!! You can literally have a Combat Rank of Harmless and the Navy will give you it's premiere Battlecruiser? That makes no sense at all! Is this some kind of weird satire about our current political climate? All the commanders out there dumping their money into buying rank are basically this dude...

Spoiler

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Here's some food for thought... What if fighting for a faction earned you rank the quickest... Mission ranking would stay exactly the same but operating in conflict zones would be the most rewarding. At least then we could actually play the game instead of just sitting docked at a station in the middle of nowhere refreshing the bulletin board...

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Below is a proposed model for rank evolution based on earning Combat Bonds in Conflict Zones. Try not to get too caught up in the numbers as they are just examples that I came up with based on my own experience. They can obviously be tweaked. Also remember that missions would stay the same to supplement fighting when players inevitably want to take a break. I feel that this system would make naval ranking feel far less tedious, and actually give us a dependable and productive way of earning rank.

RANK	FEDERATION	UNLOCK	EMPIRE	UNLOCK	COMBAT BONDS	TOTAL BONDS
1	Recruit		Outsider	Eagle	2,500,000	2,500,000
2	Cadet		Serf		5,000,000	7,500,000
3	Midshipman	Dropship	Master	Courier	7,500,000	15,000,000
4	Petty Officer		Squire		10,000,000	25,000,000
5	Chief Petty Officer	Assault Ship	Knight		12,500,000	37,500,000
6	Warrant Officer		Lord		15,000,000	52,500,000
7	Ensign	Gunship	Baron	Clipper	17,500,000	70,000,000
8	Lieutenant		Viscount		20,000,000	90,000,000
9	Lieutenant Commander		Count		22,500,000	112,500,000
10	Post Commander		Earl		25,000,000	137,500,000
11	Post Captain		Marquis		27,500,000	165,000,000
12	Rear Admiral	Corvette	Duke	Cutter	30,000,000	195,000,000
13	Vice Admiral		Prince		32,500,000	227,500,000
14	Admiral		King		35,000,000	262,500,000

 

[Caldric]

I scratched my head when only way to rank military ranks was to move xton of nothing to some station. I know there are a few combat missions.

 

[DarkZeno]

Well, considering the ships you are unlocking are empire ships except the assault ship... no, combat ranking is not the way to go. I'm assuming you want it to take years to get the best ships in the game? If not, then what? 6-months to a year for combat only?

Oh I see it now... sorry dude. I've been staring at the same screen all day ranking up in federal rank.

 

[Lobstris]

The previous two titles had you delivering endless data cards and spools of wire between outposts and bases until military rank/points score was good enough. *Then* you got trusted with secret deliveries, photo recon, and ultimately assassination and base destruction missions. Made more sense (IMHO) than the current system.
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However I do believe it has been said that the current approach will get an overhaul at some point.

 

[cluelessforumuser65578]

ive seen fd state that combat missions are the best way to rank up regardless of the type of combat mission you take, upto the point im at ive been averaging around 25% increases per 2-3 hours doing mostly assassination missions

 

[Bacalao]

Well, considering the ships you are unlocking are empire ships except the assault ship... no, combat ranking is not the way to go. I'm assuming you want it to take years to get the best ships in the game? If not, then what? 6-months to a year for combat only?

Oh I see it now... sorry dude. I've been staring at the same screen all day ranking up in federal rank.

I am 55% Post Captain, I have not spammed charity missions or done anything like that. I have primarily ranked through combat, but won't pass on lucrative smuggling missions and occasionally stretch my legs as a courier.
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I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I was a warrant officer a month or so ago. I should be in a corvette next weekend.
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In the process of doing this, I've earned a couple hundred million credits, expanded a minor fed faction to another system, currently taking control of another in system asset with another fed minor faction and have the federation factions topping the influence in the three systems I spend most of my time in.
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I've been playing the game, working for the federation, it's been fun, I've been involved, immersed, and enjoying it thoroughly.
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You're problem seems to be that you want it and you want it now, dammit.
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The system could be better, but it isn't broken, you're just not satisfied with the way you're gaming it.

 

[SGT TickleFight]

It used to be that way as local rep gained you rank and the best way to earn local rep was killing wanted NPCs of different local factions.

I wish it was the same as it was in 1.2 - although I don't care anymore since I already own every faction ship in the game, minus the dropship.

 

[Troa Barton]

I'd like to see naval missions show up for my rank as well as for a promotion, not just exclusively for it.
Have them give real contributions to our rank bar instead of 1% at a whack.
have them be CFZ missions sending us to war and boom everyone's happy.

 

[Calaban]

Community Goals such as the on in Hel recently should have definitely [helped to have] raised ranks for those choosing to help the federation side of that official state sanctioned mini war.

 

[MadDogMurdock]

To be honest combat is nonsense as well for the higher ranks as well.

To be a King or Admiral, you should be a top 5% rank contributor to flipping at least one system.
You know, if the BGS measured contributions to factions like a CG and worked a little faster like PP.

Hmm, there's some ideas - hey FD!

 

[kofeyh]

This is a game where to gain rank in power-play, you either have to shoot a lot of things, or carry a lot of bits of paper.

Why, then, is it illogical that you gain navy rank by doing jobs for them, some of which involves shooting, or carrying lots of dodgy cargo, or courier jobs?

It doesn't matter whether you donate to help the cause, run smuggling missions (because you can do something folks in uniform can't do), or take a lot of courier jobs to ferry data about the place, or simply go and shoot lots of people. Sure, you could help flip systems or do crap to 'game' the BGS, but ultimately CMDRs gain rank by doing dodgy work for either Navy. We're not conscripts. We're not enlisted. We're mercenaries. Or the now prefered "private contractor" (because it sounds more professional than a hired merc).

We gain rank precisely because we are 'free' to do all the things officers and gentlepersons would otherwise be court-martialed for. Why do we always have to turn every mechanic in this game, into "we need to be enlisted and to shoot dudes" to progress.

This is so incredibly boring and one-dimensional.

 

[primedragoon]

I agree whole heartedly with this. The progression system as of this time is incredibly poor. I actually had to wait for a celebration of some kind to actually buy my Clipper. Now I'm trapped inside of a station that I can't leave, because of a 400cr bounty, and if I leave my clipper will be gone. And so will 32 million credits. I, er, actually don't really want to play anymore due to the issues I've encountered with the gameplay. Gone back to X3 Terran Conflict. And searching the net has actually netted me a surprising number of interesting alternatives I didn't know about before.

So, thanks for Expanding my Horizons, Elite. Now please fix your game, otherwise I'ma bill you for the dental work yo.

 

[Troa Barton]

I agree whole heartedly with this. The progression system as of this time is incredibly poor. I actually had to wait for a celebration of some kind to actually buy my Clipper. Now I'm trapped inside of a station that I can't leave, because of a 400cr bounty, and if I leave my clipper will be gone. And so will 32 million credits. I, er, actually don't really want to play anymore due to the issues I've encountered with the gameplay. Gone back to X3 Terran Conflict. And searching the net has actually netted me a surprising number of interesting alternatives I didn't know about before.

So, thanks for Expanding my Horizons, Elite. Now please fix your game, otherwise I'ma bill you for the dental work yo.

Your clipper is faster than the guards, just make a run for it. If you're really that paranoid about your ship getting blown up just undock and reload the game you'll be well outside the station when you log in.

 

[Bacalao]

I agree whole heartedly with this. The progression system as of this time is incredibly poor. I actually had to wait for a celebration of some kind to actually buy my Clipper. Now I'm trapped inside of a station that I can't leave, because of a 400cr bounty, and if I leave my clipper will be gone. And so will 32 million credits. I, er, actually don't really want to play anymore due to the issues I've encountered with the gameplay. Gone back to X3 Terran Conflict. And searching the net has actually netted me a surprising number of interesting alternatives I didn't know about before.

So, thanks for Expanding my Horizons, Elite. Now please fix your game, otherwise I'ma bill you for the dental work yo.

1st, 400 credit bounties last 10 minutes or less.
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2nd, that's silly, of course you can leave, you're in one of the fastest ships in the game....I go in and out of starports wanted all the time. The station and police won't fire on you until they complete a scan, that means you'll be over 5km out before they could even complete one, which puts you in supercruise before the first bullets of the station could even reach you.
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3rd, if your clipper gets destroyed, you'll be able to rebuy it regardless of rank.

 

[Soliluna]

Not unlike real life. Military ranks are about more than just combat.

 

[Twinn]

This is a game where to gain rank in power-play, you either have to shoot a lot of things, or carry a lot of bits of paper.

Why, then, is it illogical that you gain navy rank by doing jobs for them, some of which involves shooting, or carrying lots of dodgy cargo, or courier jobs?

It doesn't matter whether you donate to help the cause, run smuggling missions (because you can do something folks in uniform can't do), or take a lot of courier jobs to ferry data about the place, or simply go and shoot lots of people. Sure, you could help flip systems or do crap to 'game' the BGS, but ultimately CMDRs gain rank by doing dodgy work for either Navy. We're not conscripts. We're not enlisted. We're mercenaries. Or the now prefered "private contractor" (because it sounds more professional than a hired merc).

We gain rank precisely because we are 'free' to do all the things officers and gentlepersons would otherwise be court-martialed for. Why do we always have to turn every mechanic in this game, into "we need to be enlisted and to shoot dudes" to progress.

This is so incredibly boring and one-dimensional.

The only thing one dimensional is this post. You obviously missed, or just plain didn't bother reading the part in my OP stating that the missions would stay exactly the same... essentially being small ranking filler for normal operations in the bubble. The current rate at which players gain naval rank through missions is incredibly slow. Wayyy too slow. Hence why most tend to sit and click charity missions all day instead of actually playing the game. Allowing players to gain substantial rank through handing in combat bonds is the point here. Where do you think private contractors operate??? Why do you think they are armed? Why would someone gain reputation / military clearance for hauling biowaste in peaceful territory and nothing from helping defend their assets with their lives?

I still don't understand how anyone could be against this as all the lazy CMDRS could still continue to stare at their bulletin board and rank up while players who actually want to play the game will have a dependable and meaningful way of doing so.

 

[Deleted member 102790]

+1 for the OP

 

[CTCParadox]

Always bothered me that the top Empire rank is King.
Seems like there could have been some better naming choices there.

The whole naval rank thing is just a content gate with ships locked behind it anyway. There's no sense that you are part of an organisation.
It would be nice if the naval professions were a more structured system a bit like a real military.

CMDR CTCParadox

 

[Legacy_LuckyLuke]

I thought combat was the most effective way to rank up. Shows how much I know.

On a side note - I read somewhere that the faction rank progress bar is bugged. Is this still the case? Mine's been sitting on 80% since 1.5 was released.

 

[Rick Carson]

ive seen fd state that combat is the best way to rank up regardless of the type of combat mission you take, upto the point im at ive been averaging around 25% increases per 2-3 hours doing mostly assassination missions

Combat does nothing - it is combat missions that count towards naval rank.

E.g. I can join a war/civil-war on the side of an Imperial minor faction and hand in literally millions of combat bonds ... and it does nothing for my Imperial naval rank.

And that's what people are scratching their heads over - that an ostensibly military organisation blithely ignores your military service towards the polity that organisation ostensibly is the military arm for.

It doesn't help that missions to fight in a combat zone are exceedingly rare. I've seen minor factions in a bitter war/civil-war hand out missions to go fight (read as: kill civilians) in other systems like candy, but almost never generate a mission for the conflict zone on their front doorstep.

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I thought combat was the most effective way to rank up. Shows how much I know.

Combat does nothing - it is combat missions that count towards naval rank.

On a side note - I read somewhere that the faction rank progress bar is bugged. Is this still the case? Mine's been sitting on 80% since 1.5 was released.

There's a thread where the FDev rep says it's just a display glitch, the progress is happening (and eventually you'll get rank up missions) but the bar won't move in the UI.