I just got the base Elite
angerous last week and have started to get the hang of docking (hate outposts, love the original coriolis stations).
I'm an Elite player from way back on the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro so I'm in love with this (now need to save up for Vive...)
Right now I'm taking data delivery missions from LH3xx to whereever, then when I get to my destination seeing if there is another mission within jump range. I repeat this until I'm out of missions I can do (1 or 2 at most), then launch and self-destruct to get back to the start (yay free insurance).
I really would like to try some 'starter' combat, something possible in the free sidewinder - no interdictions, assassinations, fleet warfare etc. What is the simplest way to have a go at this (and collect v small bounties along the way)?
Right now I'm not aligned with Empire, Federation or Independent although I think I have 15% towards Federation due to the starter system I was placed in and doing the missions there. Should I align with a faction or wait until I'm a bit further along?
Finally, is it possible to trade effectively with just the 4 cargo space you start with? Are there any trade routes like in Frontier where some crazy religious group would pay you to take away precious gems which you could then sell in a capitalist system? Some back of a napkin maths makes me think that you can only really trade effectively between very different systems (agri -> advanced industrial) etc. In system trading doesn't seem like it would be worthwhile.