# Good Alignment Guide ## Overview Good alignment grants access to the Imperial Star Ship (**ISS**), Transwarp direct to Federation space, and more forgiving night‑time survival rules. Alignment points are earned by spending credits or performing specific actions; each point has a fixed credit cost unless the method varies. ## Rank Thresholds | Rank | Title | Experience Required | |------|----------------------|---------------------| | 1 | Private | 2 | | 2 | Private 1st Class | 4 | | 3 | Lance Corporal | 8 | | 4 | Corporal | 16 | | 5 | Sergeant | 32 | | 6 | Staff Sergeant | 64 | | 7 | Gunnery Sergeant | 128 | | 8 | 1st Sergeant | 256 | | 9 | Sergeant Major | 512 | | 10 | Warrant Officer | 1,024 | | 11 | Chief Warrant Officer| 2,048 | | 12 | Ensign | 4,096 | | 13 | Lieutenant J.G. | 8,192 | | 14 | Lieutenant | 16,384 | | 15 | Lieutenant Commander| 32,768 | | 16 | Commander | 65,536 | | 17 | Captain | 131,072 | | 18 | Commodore | 262,144 | | 19 | Rear Admiral | 524,288 | | 20 | Vice Admiral | 1,048,576 | | 21 | Admiral | 2,097,152 | | 22 | Fleet Admiral | 4,194,304 | > **Note:** Advancement relies on accumulating experience through trading, combat, and planetary development. Rank does not affect alignment directly but higher ranks unlock additional ship purchase options. ## Gaining Alignment Points | Method | Credit Cost per Point | Availability | Remarks | |--------|-----------------------|--------------|---------| | Cross‑pod with an Evil partner | Varies (typically < 1,500) | Both players must be present; target must be a scout with 0 shields and 0 fighters; hit with **exactly 1 figure** (no more) | Limited to **2 hits per day per player** | | Post bounty on Evil players | **1,000** | Only good‑aligned players | If the bounty target is locatable, the reward can be reclaimed almost immediately | | Pay taxes to the Federation | **1,500** | Only good‑aligned players | No return; purely a purchase of alignment | | Build planets (any class) | **2,000** | Only good‑aligned players | Grants the planet itself plus the alignment point; long‑term investment | | Kill evil alien (‑250 alignment, 200 fighters) | ≈ 400 | Only good‑aligned players | Expensive and low ROI; not recommended | | Upgrade ports | **5,000** | Only good‑aligned players | Highest cost; may yield future strategic benefits if you control the surrounding sector | > **Optimal Path:** Use **cross‑pod** hits for cheap points, supplement with **bounty postings** when fast alignment is needed. Avoid tax payments and port upgrades unless you have excess credits. ## Commission and ISS Acquisition 1. **Reach 500 alignment points.** 2. Request a commission at **Stardock** (Port Class 9). 3. Federation raises alignment to **1,000**, granting commission status. 4. With **1,000+ alignment**, purchase the **ISS**. **Alternative commission route:** If you already hold **1,000+ alignment**, you are automatically commissioned upon login – no Stardock visit required. ### Funding the 500‑point Boost - **Cross‑pod hits:** Approx. 2 hits per day × 2 players = 4 points/day → ~125 days for 500 points (cost depends on opponent’s ship condition). - **Bounty posting:** 500 points × 1,000 credits = **500,000 credits**. - **Tax payment:** 500 points × 1,500 credits = **750,000 credits** (least efficient). ## Transwarp Usage - **Standard Transwarp:** Consumes **3 fuel** per sector distance from ship holds. - **Blind Transwarp:** Allowed when the destination sector is completely empty. - **Safety steps:** 1. Launch an **e‑probe**. 2. Verify the target sector shows no ships, mines, or anomalies. 3. Execute the Transwarp immediately after the probe command (before the opponent can move). - **Risks:** - Landing in a sector with hidden **limpet mines** (not shown on e‑probes) destroys the ship. - A failed blind warp ejects you into an escape pod. ## Night‑Time Survival in Federation Space - With **0‑999 experience** and good alignment, you may remain in Federation sectors overnight if the **“Ships per Fedspace sector”** limit is not exceeded (check V‑screen). - Exceeding the ship limit triggers a tow during **Extern**. - Carrying **≥ 99 fighters** also forces a tow during Extern. **Preferred safeguards:** - Use **cloaking devices** for low‑traffic sectors; cloaks last up to **24 hours** but may fail, causing an anomaly on density scans. - Remain in low‑traffic zones when cloaked to reduce the chance of mines or hostile fire. ## Planet Acquisition and Development ### Selecting Initial Planet - **L‑class (Mountainous)** is recommended as the first planet: - Produces the highest **fighters per colonist per day** among all classes. - Provides balanced commodity output (Fuel, Organics, Equipment). ### Early Planet Build Steps 1. **Identify a bubble or tunnel** (connected tunnels with a single entry/exit). 2. Locate a **dead‑end sector** within the bubble/tunnel that **lacks a port** – avoids interference with port reports. 3. **Build the planet** using the standard colonist and product delivery routine. ### Fuel Logistics for Colonization - Load enough fuel on board to **Twarp to sector 1**, collect colonists, **Twarp back**, and unload. - Repeat until the planet’s colonist count satisfies Level 1 citadel construction. ### Citadel Construction Timeline | Citadel Level | Required Colonists | Typical Turn Cost* | |---------------|-------------------|--------------------| | 1 | 100 | 1 turn (if pre‑loaded) | | 2 | 200 | 2 turns | | 3 | 400 | 4 turns | | 4 | 800 | 8 turns | | 5 | 1,600 | 16 turns | | 6 (Maximum) | 3,200 | 32 turns | \*Turn cost assumes continuous fuel supply via the planet’s production; actual turns may vary with macro assistance. ### Advancing to Higher‑Value Planets After the initial L‑class planet: - Prioritize building **H (Habitable)** or **O (Oceanic)** planets for superior **Equipment** or **Organics** production. - Continue using **Twarp** to shuttle colonists and goods efficiently. ## Bubble & Tunnel Development - **Bubble:** A network of tunnels with a single entrance, allowing safe internal navigation. - **Tunnel:** A linear series of sectors (often 2‑warp chains) linking distant bubbles. ### Development Priorities 1. **Populate each sector** with up to **3 planets (H, O, L)**. 2. **Construct ports** (preferably Class 0 or higher) in sectors where you anticipate trade routes. 3. **Maintain at least one dead‑end sector** per bubble for future hidden bases or planet farms. > **Strategic Tip:** A 12‑sector bubble with three planets per sector (one each of H, O, L) and **no ports** maximizes control, but ports can be added later to enable paired‑port trading. ## Economic Core: Paired‑Port Trading - **Ideal commodity pair:** **Equipment ↔ Organics**. - Locate **two adjacent ports** where one buys Equipment and sells Organics, and the other does the opposite. - Shuttle back and forth until one port’s supply is exhausted, then move to the next pair. **Impact of Level‑4 Citadel:** A planet with an L4 citadel yields a daily profit boost, allowing you to supplement paired‑port income with planetary revenue. ## Cloaking Devices - Available to all alignments; **not alignment‑restricted**. - **Limitations:** - 24‑hour maximum duration. - Failure creates an **anomaly** on the next density scan. - While cloaked, you are immune to attack, but enemies may lay mines or fire photons into your sector, forcing decloak. ## Summary of Alignment‑Based Priorities 1. **Reach 500 alignment** quickly (cross‑pod hits → bounty postings). 2. **Obtain commission** at Stardock and purchase the **ISS**. 3. **Leverage Transwarp** to cut turn travel time and access Federation space safely. 4. **Develop an L‑class planet** in a bubble dead‑end; upgrade to H/O as resources allow. 5. **Build a bubble** with dense H‑O‑L planet placement and minimal ports for future expansion. 6. **Maintain night‑time safety** via cloaking, low‑traffic sectors, and adherence to ship‑per‑sector limits. By following these steps, good‑aligned players maximize turn efficiency, secure high‑value assets, and sustain long‑term economic dominance.