Episode 325 - Bloomingwind is the Bread in Our Meatball

It’s #325rd for 26st March, 2026 or 3312! (33-Oh twelvenish)Squadron Briefing:  updated by bloomBGS highlightsThe Loose Screws are in 406 star systems, controlling 120!We lost the war for control of Alexandrinus to Alexandrinus MissionWe have expanded out of NLTT 2969 and now expanding out of 6 AndromedaeStates of interest - Pirate Attack in AlexandrinusLockdown in Cephei Sector MC-V b2-1Civil Unrest in Col 285 Sector HT-W b16-3 and V518 CarinaeConflict in BD+67 1409 - LeGuin Terminal in jeopardyShort PP Report: updated by bloomLifted with unspoken consent from KrugerFive on the LS discordCycle 73:The relics hangover kicks in and you can't always hang on to all the newly acquired systemsA good week for Antal, Mahon, Kaine, and Grom. All close in points for the top 4Antal takes the most points in the K5 board AND takes P6 from Archer!Kaine adds the most systems with +9 overall and 1 new strongholdNegative weeks for Archer, Torval, And Aisling.Aisling losing 7 systems, but a drop in the bucket of the 116 they added the last 2 cycleshttps://www.k5elite.com/Dev News: ???Galnet News: Galnet News | Elite Dangerous Community Site  updated by bloomCaspian Explorer under full productionExploration Data Requested for New Deep-Space Station - ending tomorrow2600 contributorsDiscussion :More ship stuffCommunity Corner : updated by bloomMidnite Black – “The 7 Levels of Elite Dangerous Players (Most Get Stuck at 3)” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RMm5vA0FfoChapter 2: Level 1If you spent more time watching Elite Dangerous than flying it, you're probably here. Every commander starts out as an observer. At this stage, you're not really playing the game yet.Chapter 3: Level 2At the button master stage, you're finally flying, but you're mostly reacting.Chapter 4: Level 3If your entire sense of progress is tied to your credit balance, this stage might feel familiar. Eventually, every commander discovers efficiency, credits, ship progression, grinding. This is where players start focusing on optimization, mining runs, mission stacking, trade loops. Chapter 5: Level 4If you rebuild the same ship three times in a week because you learned one new thing, you've reached level four, the builder stage. This is where Elite finally starts making sense. Instead of chasing ships, players start designing them. You begin thinking about purpose.Chapter 6: Level 5If you can explain exactly why you want to fight, not just that you did, you're probably here. By the time players reach the specialist stage, they found something they're really good at. Maybe it's combat, maybe it's exploration, or perhaps it's deep space travel. Chapter 7: Level 6If you disengage from a bad fight early with zero ego, that's usually the sign of a veteran. Veteran players stop chasing after mastery. Not because they can improve, but because they've already learned what matters. They flown most ships in game. They've tried most activities. They understand the risk.Chapter 8: Level 7If you log in with no destination and still have a great session, welcome to the final stage, my friend. The final level of an elite pilot is hard to define. Some become mentors, helping newer pilots, teaching mechanics, sharing knowledge they wish they had earlier. Others become drifters, pilots who log in simply to exist in the galaxy. They fly without a strict goal, exploring systems, running odd missions,Perhaps level 8 (7A) Flying with space buddies. Working as a squadron or dare i say it Powerplay ‘leadership’ so called.Store SaleCaspian Explorer Paints including Midnight black and Eternal Copper and holokits