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[ayckoster]

The story is great for the first few runs, but it gets old eventually. What is the fastest way to get the ability to scan gates and use them in vanilla?

I know you can instantly fly to the academy and start working for Sebestyen and skip parts of Project Ziggurat (https://starsector.wiki.gg/wiki/Project_Ziggurat#Skipping_the_mission)

Are there any other ways to skip/speed up the story?

I'm only interested in in-game solutions that don't involve editing the configs or installing mods.

[Nettle]

Take navigation first thing and visit Alpha site (right upper corner of Hybrasil) to scan Ziggurat;
Skip all fights, all of them are optional;
Take the diplomatic path during "Finding Coureuse";
If you can afford it, raid Kanta's Den for Zal during "At The Gates" to skip the fetch quest.

[ayckoster]

I didn't know that the fights are optional. This would definitely speed up the process.

[robepriority]

I didn't know that the fights are optional. This would definitely speed up the process.

With the correct dialog options some are resolvable even if they catch you, but the better option would be to outmanuver them so they don't in the first place.

[Insolent Peon]

IIRC, the entirety of the gate storyline can be resolved while flying a single Dram. Just go places, skip text, avoid fights, and you're done.

[Hiruma Kai]

I personally like a solo Safety Override and Unstable Injector Hound with s-mod auxiliary fuel tanks instead of a Dram, at least when playing with the Ironman option.  Allows you to disengage most fights, and those you can't just run foe the top of the map at full speed.

[Nettle]

You don't really have to get away from things, as long as you've completed the objective. In fact, if your mission takes you to outer worlds, it might be quicker to intentionally sink your ships and emerge back in core worlds.

[Pizzarugi]

EDIT: I skipped the part the OP mentioned they don't want mods. Sorry.

[SCC]

Allows you to disengage most fights, and those you can't just run foe the top of the map at full speed.

That doesn't sound any different to my Dram experience.

[Hiruma Kai]

Allows you to disengage most fights, and those you can't just run foe the top of the map at full speed.

That doesn't sound any different to my Dram experience.

It mostly only matters against Pather fleets with fast SO frigates or if you play with mods, some mod factions.  Or if you are not using a Safety Override Dram since a basic Dram can be caught by most d-mod pirates fleets with some frigates.

From my experience, the ability to disengage without if fight is a comparison of your slowest speed, or your slowest burn speed ship to the enemy's fast speed or fastest burn speed.  Oddly enough, a Bulk Transport skill + civilian Dram (so no SO fallback) at burn speed 11 can disengage from most frigate fleets, while a Militarized Dram with Navigation skill at burn speed 11 can't.  Not sure what the interaction there is.  In any case, for a speed run of the campaign, I'd almost always pick Navigation first for transverse jump ability from the very start, which has me leaning towards the Hound, personally.

I attach two pictures of trying to disengage from the exact same opposing fleet to explain why.  An SO + UI Hound can do disengage and then leave without a fight, while the SO + UI Dram cannot and is forced into a retreat combat.  Essentially, if a Pirate fleet includes an Overdriven Hound (one of the target variants) or it is a Pather fleet with sufficiently fast frigates generally, means the SO + UI Dram can be caught, or at least forced to the battle map.  And an Overdriven Hound is speed 280 vs the Dram's 245.  It is admittedly a small sub-set of the game space, and Pather usually let you pay credits to be on your way, but as someone who has played a lot of early game on Iron man, I've at least regretted the Dram choice once.  And again, can matter more if mods are present.

I also happen to like the interaction of Rugged Construction, disengaging only costing 10% CR and 1.5 supplies (instead of 20% CR and 2 supplies) so I can chain escape, larger cargo bay and more crew which means I can take advantage of serendipitous salvage opportunities a bit better.

You don't really have to get away from things, as long as you've completed the objective. In fact, if your mission takes you to outer worlds, it might be quicker to intentionally sink your ships and emerge back in core worlds.

For me, it is more likely a hostile small frigate fleet patrolling the core I accidently land on while transverse jumping that gets me.  Or speeding through a slipstream into an ambush I can't react fast enough at 2x speed.

As for taking the fast way back from the black, getting destroyed also hits your accumulated credits somewhat, and is also precluded if you hit up some salvage opportunities while out in the black, which may or may not matter depending on why you are speed running the gate storyline in the first place.

[Amoebka]

Oddly enough, a Bulk Transport skill + civilian Dram (so no SO fallback) at burn speed 11 can disengage from most frigate fleets, while a Militarized Dram with Navigation skill at burn speed 11 can't.  Not sure what the interaction there is. 

When the game checks if an enemy can pursue you, it only checks individual ship burn levels, not the whole fleets. Bulk transport speeds up each ship it affects individually, so it works. Navigation affects the fleet as a whole, so it doesn't.

Anyway, just s-mod ADF on a Tempest, and never worry about fighting anything ever again.

[Siffrin]

If you can afford it, raid Kanta's Den for Zal during "At The Gates" to skip the fetch quest.

It costs about as much marines as a colony item raid iirc.

[serp]

Here's something I've wondered but never tested: if you commit to the raid plan during your conversation with Gargoyle and Scylla, does it make a difference on the raid difficulty or add some new flag or something? I remember Gargoyle saying something like "wait a week" or somesuch

[Brainwright]

You guys can stop now.  You've already convinced me to try this with a Venture LP.

So long as you load up the ship with salamanders, it might even work...

[Death_Silence_66]

You could also use a solo revenant, if you get lucky on a derelict spawn. With phase anchor, even if you get caught during a pursuit the auto-disengage effect of the anchor will let you escape from any enemy.