Ships
Chieftain, Crusader, and Challenger are open to anyone with the credits, no rank required.
Guides // Ranks
Faction Ranks
Climb the ranks of the Federation and Empire to unlock permits, ships, and other rewards across the Bubble.
What Faction Ranks Are
OverviewThree major factions run the Bubble (The Bubble: Inhabited space around Sol, roughly 400 ly across. Everything outside it is the black.) — the Federation, the Empire, and the Alliance.
The Federal Navy and the Imperial Navy each unlock system permits and ships as you climb them. The Alliance keeps no such ladder.
The Alliance
The Alliance has no navy rank to climb and no rank-locked ships. Its combat hulls — the Alliance Chieftain, Crusader, and Challenger — sit in the shipyard for anyone with the credits, and Alliance space is not gated behind a navy rank.
So there is nothing to grind here. If the Alliance hulls are what you want, buy in and skip the ladder entirely — you trade the two navies' exclusive ships and permits for never touching a promotion mission.
Alioth Permit
The Alliance capital is unlocked with reputation, not rank.