Powerplay When is the optimal day & time to join a Powerplay faction, if all I want are cool new weapons?

[Branithar]

It's a little unclear as to when exactly I should join a Power and start earning merits for the weapons.

Can I join the Powerplay faction on Thursday evening, and earn the 750 merits on the third week?
Or do I have to join the Powerplay faction on Wednesday night, before the 07:00 UTC Thursday Powerplay cycle 'tick'?

 

[Ian Doncaster]

It doesn't really matter.

You get access to the weapons at rank 3 after being with the power exactly 28 full days (to the second)

By the Powerplay reset on Thursday morning before that happens, you need to have got 750 merits at some time in the previous week.

 

[Justinian Octavius]

If you are after a mining lance please haul prisoners from Amphisatsu to Synteini. It is only one jump (usually) so is the best way of obtaining them without affecting Powerplay negatively.

CMDR Justinian Octavius

 

[Branithar]

It doesn't really matter.

You get access to the weapons at rank 3 after being with the power exactly 28 full days (to the second)

By the Powerplay reset on Thursday morning before that happens, you need to have got 750 merits at some time in the previous week.

So I can join the Power on Feb 1 (Saturday), earn my merits on Thursday (26 days later), and Saturday (exactly 28 days later), I'll have access to the Powerplay weapon?

 

[Krash]

So I can join the Power on Feb 1 (Saturday), earn my merits on Thursday (26 days later), and Saturday (exactly 28 days later), I'll have access to the Powerplay weapon?

That sounds right. I have almost all the PP combat gizmos and I'm still fuzzy on how it works. I go for overkill and maintain rank 4 each week instead shooting for the bare minimum effort required. It helps that I enjoy the merit farming process as a break from the normal grind.