Well correct me if I am wrong (as I have not had as much time to digest all the facts) I see the system based on the Organizations you interact with on both a personal and guild level, colored by the type of organization your guild wishes to represent itself as.

Meaning if you are Private Military Company (PME) then most likely many of the NPC driven organizations you will be able to interact with will be associated along those lines, and many of the skills/mods/upgrades/ships/ and unlocks will be tailored to those same general play styles and factional drifts. Your strengths (depending on NPC allegiances) will be key in any PvP. No Merchantman will be able to stand toe to toe against a dreadnought type ship for example, however a Merchantman will have abilities and upgrades that no dreadnought will.

I am Wrath, I am Steel, I am the Mercy of Angels.
mors est merces mea – death is my reward
morte in vitam non habet tenaci - Death has no grip on Life.
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