The Crimson Fleet is one of the most troublesome groups to litter and plague the Settled Systems in Starfield. A unique faction of space pirates, every member of the Crimson Fleet abides by the lifestyle until the day they die. You live by the Fleet, you die by the Fleet. This ultimately brings interest to anyone who is looking to join the Crimson Fleet.
How does one receive an invitation to join the notorious force, though? While it may not be as streamlined as the United Colonies and Freestar Collective factions and their questline activities, the Spacefarer will be eligible to become a part of the feared group with just a few steps. Whether you’re looking to infiltrate the infuriating armada of pirates or truly join their ranks to oppose the governments of the Settled Systems, this guide will provide the necessary steps to get into some action with the Crimson Fleet in Starfield.
How to Join the Crimson Fleet Faction
To join the Crimson Fleet in Starfield, players will need to explore the faction’s questline, beginning with the Deep Cover quest. Any player can initiate this quest by either getting into trouble with the United Colonies or assisting them with the completion of the Grunt Work quest as a part of the Vanguard line of work. Both cases will lead the player to the game’s introduction of Commander Kibwe Ikande of the UC SysDef, a division that specializes in Crimson Fleet elimination tactics.
Commander Ikande will give the Spacefarer an offer, and it’s their decision that determines the game’s trajectory to join the pirates. What he wants is for you to penetrate enemy lines to eventually bring down the antagonistic family of flotillas. All that is needed is the refusal to work for the SysDef to help take down the Crimson Fleet. This action will lead to the acquaintance of Adler Kemp at the Broken Spear bar in Cydonia on Mars in the Sol system, which is where you’ll find Earth. Kemp is your ticket to meeting Delgado, the leader of the Crimson Fleet.
Essentially, refuse to aid the SysDef and instead work with Delgado, Naeva Mora, and the rest of the Fleet to officially side with them. In truth, it isn’t until the Rook Meets King mission that Delgado makes the Spacefarer a Crimson Fleet newbie, making it an official status. The ultimate decision to join the pirates rests upon the player’s decisions during the final mission of the Crimson Fleet questline, Legacy’s End, where tensions are at an all-time high between the SysDef and the pirates.
The Deep Cover quest kicks off the Crimson Fleet narrative, which is essential for safe accessibility to The Key and other benefits that come with the territory of space pirates. There are nine quests in total for the Crimson Fleet storyline, and they are as follows:
- Deep Cover
- Rook Meets King
- Burden of Proof
- Echoes of the Past
- Breaking the Bank
- The Best There Is
- Absolute Power
- Eye of the Storm
- Legacy’s End
To finally solidify your position as a member amongst the other vicious criminals of the Crimson Fleet, side with Delgado and not with Commander Ikande. We’re avoiding spoilers here, but this is what you basically need to do if you’re looking to spread further chaos across the Settled Systems.
Expert Tip
Speaking with either Commander Ikande or Delgado might result in some persuasion tactics to utilize. While this might include the Persuasion Novice Skill (Rank 1) under the Social skill tree, you can further increase your silver-tongued talents by inhaling the Paramour chem. Doing so will increase Persuasion Chance by +25% for 10 minutes. It’s a bit stronger than the popular Hippolyta, which offers Persuasion Chance by +20% for five minutes.
End of Crimson Fleet Questline Rewards
Due to your actions, your fellow pirates will no longer become hostile toward you. The spoils and thrills of being a criminal are now all yours. Delgado says it best at the end of the Legacy’s End mission: “There are still jobs to run, things to steal, and places to wreck. So celebrate, get wasted, then get back out there and make us some money.”
Along with a hefty amount of Credits with 250,000 to take home, you’ll also have access to The Key’s Trade Authority vendor, personal quarters, and a potential companion. There’s additionally the Crimson Fleet Mission Board that allows the player to further embrace their criminal energy in Starfield.
Of course, the choice is up to you. If you side with the SysDef, the Crimson Fleet will go into complete disorder, with no leader to guide them. The SysDef will reward you with the same amount of Credits to complement some decent gear. Furthermore, Constellation will be pleased with your actions, for being a heroic force against a threat of the Settled Systems in Starfield.
