Pilot Archive

As a Privateer pilot flying for the RSF, I find myself becoming involved with fights along side Imperial NPCs against NPC Rebels (I've flown missions for them, and got to the point where I was granted access to the Emperor's Retreat). I get some pilot NPC outside the retreat addressing me as "Sir", yet I have no faction points what-so-ever with the Imperials...
If on the ground I destroy a Rebel camp, I get +Imp faction & -Reb faction, which makes sense. But if I do the same thing in space (say, blast apart 20+ reb fighters), I get no faction points at all. Is this intentional or is this a bug?
I'd like to enlist with the Imperial faction & begin earning faction points, but it seems like Pilot is destined to be a "side" profession (more on that later). And the only way to get my 200 faction points before enlisting is by doing ground missions. For someone who has to blast apart a bunch of chubas before being able to take on faction NPCs, this seems like a very tedious and annoying task.
Which brings me to my two questions:
1) Is there any way to gain those initial faction points in space? Or do I _have_ to do ground missions.
2) After I've declared to a faction, is it possible to gain faction points from space combat against NPCs in standard space zones like Yavin, etc? Or is it only Deep Space & Kessel.

Now, are there plans to add more non-PvP aspects to the flight combat system? I've always enjoyed playing X-Wing: Alliance and TIE Fighter and X-Wing (old school!), and I am exciting about the prospective additions that JTL can bring to flight sims. The ability to really create a personalized ship is great (I've got all my ships named). Unfortunately, it seems like once a pilot reaches Flight Mastery, the only next place to go is Shipwright, or give up flying and go do a ground profession. For someone like me who's more at home in a ship than on ground, I'd like to see more content allowing me to remain more in space than on land; rather than warping down to a spaceport when you /comm a station, why not dock, and have a few items available on the station itself (bank terminal, bazaar, ship broker, trainer). Also, are there "mission" terminals, in the sense that you can just get random "go destroy this ship for me" missions? Like from the ground mission terminals? If not, maybe that's an idea.

My apologies if any of this has been mentioned before; I know the rule about reading the forum before posting, but this post kinda mutated into more than just a question about faction points. * puts on asbestos suit *

In space, you only gain FP while declared, and you can only declare (in a way that will get you FP, anyway) if you're factioned on the ground first. So you'll need to join the Imperial army here. Once you are signed up on the ground, though, you'll be able to go overt and gain FP as an RSF pilot everywhere BUT Deep Space. Currently, privateer pilots aren't able to travel to Deep Space in a way that lets them earn FP while there; we haven't yet learned whether this is a bug or working as intended.

If you were attempting to join the Imperial Navy then all you would need is to have Imperial faction not be negative. Once you joined then you would start receiving FP for completing missions. Since you are trying to join the Imperial Army though, yes, it requires 200 Imperial faction. Rather than running delivery missions (the way I would recommend for non-combat personnel), you might consider attempting to purchase those faction points. Space can be a very profitable venture, and the 20,000 (or a bit more) credits charged by most Smugglers may be quite worth bypassing the drudgery of earning 200 FP on the ground. You might consider contacting known Imperial Army members or guilds to inquire about making the purchase.

Since the objective is to earn FP in space, you will probably want to spend your time on the ground 'On Leave.' This will let you travel through Rebel controlled territory unmolested, though there will be the risk of being scanned and turned into a Combatant (PvE... the Rebel troopers become hostiles).

Earning FP in space requires going to a factional space station and declaring 'overt' there. This is generally done above Corellia and Dantooine for Alliance pilots, Naboo and Endor for Imperials, though there may be other places. Declaring for your chosen side in space opens you up to PvP combat in space. Pilots declared for the other side will appear as hostiles and NPC ship kills will grant FP.

Travel to most systems remains the same for overt Freelancers, with a couple notes. The Deep Space Station in Dathomir will not talk to an overt pilot, period. To get to Kessel you must use your faction's entry point - Endor (Durillium) for Imps, Dantooine (Wrath) for Alliance. To get to Deep Space you must land and re-launch to get rid of your overt status and then use the Dathomir Station as normal. As mentioned, Freelancers can not get into Deep Space while overt.

Shona

That was a great answer, thanks. The distinction between the Imperial Navy & the Imperial Army makes sense, and I had overlooked that. I'll probably buy the 200 faction since I find ground combat infinitely boring.