While it’s not a requirement to enjoy all that Starfield offers, joining a faction opens many doors and numerous side quests. One of your most prominent choices is between the Crimson Fleet and UC SysDef. Both have unique benefits, along with more than a handful of credits to offer, but players can choose but one.
If you opt for UC SysDef, there comes a point in the faction quest line that involves a full-on assault against the Crimson Fleet home, known as The Key, and it’s quite the doozy of a space battle before a close-quarters gunfight. This guide will help you decide whether to join SysDef in their assault.
Helping SysDef Attack the Crimson Fleet in Starfield
The choice to side with one faction over the other ultimately crops up during the ‘Eye of the Storm’ quest, in which you must either pledge your loyalty to the Crimson Fleet or join SysDef in assaulting The Key. If you choose the latter, the whole quest culminates in an extraordinary space battle involving fighters and ships on both sides. Once combat in space concludes, it’s time to attack The Key on foot. It’s a tight battle down numerous corridors against countless pirates. You will want multiple weapons, plenty of ammunition, and a handful of grenades to see them through the fight.
First and foremost, the goal of the space battle is to eliminate three laser batteries that protect The Key. These lasers hit like a truck, so avoid getting shot. It’s best to remain fast, constantly on the move, and fly aggressively to nail each laser battery. But alongside the batteries, numerous Crimson Fleet ships are gunning for you. It’s a frantic and confusing battle. Seriously, I think I lost my ship in a fire blaze of glory at least five times. Thankfully, you will only need to fight about half of the Crimson Fleet force before SysDef enters the system and helps turn the tide of battle.
Again, once the space battle is complete, it’s time for The Key. The goal here is to fight through the remaining ground forces of the Crimson Fleet, find Delgado, and either kill him or convince him to surrender and spend his life in a prison cell. I hope you brought a lot of ammo. You’ll need, at the very least, a few grenades, a shotgun for close-quarters hallway battles, and an assault rifle with a high rate of fire.
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Rewards for Siding With SysDef
If you ultimately decide to remain with UC SysDef and take down the Crimson Fleet once and for all, there are numerous rewards on the table. These include:
- 250,000 credits
- Constellation companion approval
- Access to the UC Vigilance
The downside, however, is that siding with the United Colonies means making a lifetime enemy of the Crimson Fleet. As such, you cannot fly through Crimson Fleet-owned space without coming under assault, and their pirates will gun for you anytime they’re around. But hey, the UC won’t place a bounty on the player’s head, either!
If you want more Starfield guides, keep an eye on Prima Games! We’re constantly helping players through the game, like with our guide on How to Complete Maintaining the Edge in Starfield!
