Ranks of the Imperial Navy Auxiliary 
| ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Rank | Unlocks |
| 0 | None | None |
| 1 | Outsider | Hera Tani invitation |
| 2 | Serf | None |
| 3 | Master | Imperial Courier |
| 4 | Squire | Achenar |
| 5 | Knight | None |
| 6 | Lord | None |
| 7 | Baron | Imperial Clipper, Summerland |
| 8 | Viscount | None |
| 9 | Count | None |
| 10 | Earl | Facece |
| 11 | Marquis | None |
| 12 | Duke | Imperial Cutter |
| 13 | Prince | None |
| 14 | King | None |
There are 14 ranks in the Imperial Navy Auxiliary, which can be joined by any independent pilot. As pilots rise through the ranks, they are rewarded with access to exclusive Imperial ships, missions, and restricted system permits.
Progression[]
For players to be promoted through the Empire's ranks, they must complete missions or other favourable activities with minor factions aligned with Empire. Progress toward the next rank is tracked in the right HUD panel, in the Reputation section of the Status tab.
Missions[]
There are several types of missions that reward reputation, which improves rank. Common tactics for fast rank progress are:
- Cargo delivery missions - Offers high reputation gain and moderate pay, but carries the risk of frequent pirate interdictions.
- Charity missions - Requires large credit donations, but very little effort.
- Data courier missions - Low-paying, but low-risk.
- Trade of Imperial Slaves - Only earns credits unless done as part of a mission.
- Passenger missions for Empire-aligned factions at damaged stations - Missions are plentiful, fast, low-risk, and earn decent rank progress, but Thargoid attacks on stations occur inconsistently.
- Source-and-return missions for Empire-aligned factions at repairing stations - While slower than passenger missions at damaged stations, the commodities requested by these missions are common, and the risk is still fairly low.
Finding a system that best offers these opportunities can be difficult due to faction states changing constantly and a need for the minor factions to be aligned to the relevant superpower.
Promotion[]
Once a pilot reaches 100% rank progress, Empire-aligned minor factions with whom the pilot has a "cordial" or higher standing will begin to offer promotion missions for the Imperial Navy. Completing a promotion mission will increase rank by one level. Note that rank progress continues to increase and count toward higher ranks even if the 100% mark for rank has been reached; no reputation gains are lost while waiting for a promotion mission to appear. Imperial Navy promotion missions usually include the phrases "Imperial Navy" in the mission title, for example "Imperial Navy Strike Contract" or "Rebel Transmissions Imperial Navy Salvage Mission".