Bethesda is famous for paying extra attention to side quests and activities. It is evident from their previous releases, like Skyrim, that you can never run out of activities in their games. Starfield is no different from their previous works; in some cases, it sets the bar too high, even for other Bethesda games. For instance, there are 18 main story quests that you can beat in almost 30 hours. However, the fun doesn’t end there, as you can start side missions like the Crimson Fleet questline to squeeze out even more juice.
There are 5 major factions in Starfield, and Crimson Fleet is the most controversial among them. They are basically space pirates who oppose all ideas of space government and laws. Moreover, completing their quests will unlock about 10 extra gameplay hours. Therefore, this article explains all Crimson Fleet quests, their rewards, and some major outlines.
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How to Unlock Crimson Fleet Quests?
You can join all Starfield factions simultaneously, as the game doesn’t penalize you for this task. However, your decisions and actions in their missions will affect your standing in the rival faction.
For example, UC Vanguard is the space police that hunts down pirates, i.e., Crimson Fleet. The good news is that with some consideration, you can play on both sides without hurting your respect.
You can join Crimson Fleet either by helping law enforcement or by breaking the law. Moreover, the initiation becomes available as soon as you land on the Jemison planet (earth). Next, either get arrested by the police (a few contrabands will get the job done) or join UC Vanguard.
In the first case, the pirates will contact you in jail, and you are given a choice to join them. Alternatively, UC SysDef will send you on a Deep Cover quest to infiltrate Crimson Fleet while working as a double agent. Regardless of the path you choose, you will unlock the Crimson Fleet questline.
All Crimson Fleet Quests & Their Rewards:
Once you join Crimson Fleet, you will gain access to their questline. There are 9 missions in the Crimson Fleet; the third quest depends on whether you join UC Vanguard or not. So, the main Crimson Fleet missions are either 8 or 9, depending on your playing style. Here is a list of all Crimson Fleet quests, their rewards, and some basic outlines:
Deep Cover: Starting Crimson Fleet Questline
Rewards:
- 4,800 Credits
- 250 XP
You will inevitably start the Deep Cover mission at one point or another. Basically, when you get caught on the Jemison planet, you will be taken to jail. Here, the UC SysDef commander Ikande will interrogate you and ask you to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet. Once you agree to work as a spy, you will be briefed about the space pirates and your priority target.
Next, head to Cydonia, where you must do whatever it takes to make contact with the informant (a corrupt trade leader). Finally, speak with the leader to make your way into the Crimson Fleet.
Rook Meets King Quest:
Rewards:
- 5000 Credits
- The Pirate Swashbuckler Gear
- 250 XP
Your first assignment as a Crimson Fleet pirate is to hunt down a former pirated named Austin Rake. He captains a ship called the Ragana. So, your task is to track down the traitor and confront him. Next, it’s up to you whether you kill him or fake his death (following Vanguard’s orders).
In any case, this first quest will prove your worth in front of the Crimson Fleet leader Delgado. So, he will appreciate your raw talent, initiate you into the order, and give you The Key to the Fleet’s base station. That’s it; you are now free to match your decisions with Vanguard or play as a space pirate; the Fleet will never suspect you anymore.
Burden of Proof: Double Agent Quest
Rewards:
- 1,400 Credits per Evidence (x20)
- Momento Mori legendary weapon
- 250 XP
The Burden of Proof is an ongoing mission that starts with Deep Covers and lasts until the last Crimson Fleet quest. During your interrogation, the UC Vanguard commander tasks you to infiltrate the Fleet and collect as much evidence as you can find.
You will find these pieces of evidence inside The Key and during Fleet faction quests. Once you find all 20 pieces, give them to Lieutenant Toft to collect your rewards. However, this mission is optional, and the Crimson Fleet questline doesn’t get affected if you don’t pursue it.
Echoes of the Past:
Rewards:
- 20.000 Credits
- Keelhauler
- 350 XP
Echoes of the Past is a major turning point in the Crimson Fleet questline. Delgado, the Fleet’s Leader, won’t trust you immediately. Moreover, you must prove your loyalty from time to time to maintain your standing in the group. For this mission, you must find the hidden secret of Jasper Kryx, the Fleet’s founding father.
Rumor is that he has hidden some major treasure inside his prison cell. However, it’s all locked behind a vault, and no one has managed to unlock it. So, you will collaborate with Mathis and travel to the planet Suvorov. Next, make your way to the prison cell and listen to the audio hidden inside the lamp. Finally, make your way to the depths of the tunnel and report everything to the boss.
Here, you will also find Mathis’ proposal to take down Delgado and betray the order. However, your choice doesn’t really matter as Mathis will ask you to forget about the whole idea, and he will lay low for the rest of the questline.
Breaking the Bank:
Rewards:
- 3,000 Credits (conditional)
- 500 XP
This next quest is mainly related to the Echoes of the Past mission. Basically, the information that you gathered pointed out a huge stash secured inside the Galbank. So, your job is to travel to the wealthy ship during a Charity Gala, get the login credentials, and steal a valuable trophy.
However, it is a complex, stealth-based mission. The ship will automatically lock down all doors if you fire even a single bullet. So, you must speak with a lot of ship personnel, gather information with your investigation skills, and get the credentials without raising an alarm.
The good news is that you will be going as a guest, so no one will suspect your movements. Once you successfully blackmail Larry Dumbrosky and defeat the ambush, you will gain access to the login credentials. Finally, conduct your research on Jasper Kryx and report back to the Fleet’s Leader.
The Best There Is:
Rewards:
- 9600 credits
- 250 XP
This next quest follows the footsteps of your findings on Jasper Kryx from the Galbank maneuver. However, to proceed with the footsteps, you will need the best ship that you can find. Unfortunately, Naeva tells you that the experimental ship ComSpike is locked inside a heavily guarded facility.
So, your job is to get all the details from Naeva, head to SY-90, and disguise yourself as one of the security members. Next, contact Jade Swan and find out more about Dr. Vogel.
In doing so, you will find the keys to the ComSpike. Finally, you can either betray Jade or persuade Vogel to let you take the ship for a test ride. In any case, you must take the ship to The Key while avoiding SysDef patrols to earn your reward.
Absolute Power:
Rewards:
- 12,400 credits
- 350 XP
Next up on the list is the Absolute Power. This Crimson Fleet quest follows the footsteps of your previous findings. You are very close to finding Kryx’s treasure; you know the location and have the means of transport, but there is a small little catch. This treasure is hidden behind a gas giant, and the only way through is to use the Power Grid from Neon.
So, you must head to Neon and speak with Estelle Vincent to gain access to the Generdyne facility. Next, make your way to the facility’s control center and upload Estelle’s virus. Finally, return to The Key with the Power Grid data and speak with Naeva to complete the mission.
Eye of the Storm: Heist Quest
Rewards:
- 8400 Credits
- Revenant Rifle
- 350 XP
Eye of the Storm is the main heist of the Crimson Fleet questline. Now that you have all the tools to access Kryx’s treasure, you are ready to set sail for your final voyage. As soon as you start the quest, Delgado will send you to Bannoc IV to recover the artifacts from Jasper’s Legacy Ship.
Next, dock with the Legacy ship stuck amidst a raging storm and enter through the door. Use the Galbank module to open the vault and loot all the artifacts. As soon as you pick up the loot, the ship will start collapsing.
So, hurry out of the ship while dealing with the enemies and turrets. Finally, you will have what you came for. So, you can either take the artifacts to UC Vanguard or Grav jump back to The Key. Siding with one will permanently make you an enemy of the other faction.
Legacy’s End: Crimson Fleet Final Quest
Rewards:
- 250,000 credits
- US SySDef Uniform (conditional)
- 350 XP
Legacy’s End marks the turning point in the Crimson Fleet questline. If you take the artifacts to UC Vanguard, they will destroy the three batteries that power up The Key. Moreover, you will be forced to fight against your supposed allies in the Fleet.
Similarly, if you take the artifacts to The Key, UC Vanguard will become your enemy. So, you must protect the batteries, infiltrate the UC Vigilante, kill everyone, and either persuade Commander Ikanda to surrender or kill him.
In any case, you will receive your rewards after the bloodbath and settle the matter once and for all. So, the best way to pick sides is to check the remaining quests for each faction. For example, if you still have some available quests from Vanguard, you can side with them and earn some extra rewards. Otherwise, Crimson Fleet will be your best shot.
Conclusion:
Crimson Fleet is a band of space pirates who oppose the idea of space government. They even have a Nassau-like space station where everyone has complete freedom. Once you join Crimson Fleet either as a double agent or a full-fledged pirate, you will unlock the quest line. Therefore, this article provides the entire Crimson Fleet questline, its rewards, and an outline of your objectives.
