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The Starfield United Colonies faction are looking like a likely contender for the most important faction in the game. While there’s still plenty we don’t yet know about Bethesda’s space adventure RPG, what we’ve seen indicates that players should look to learn all they can about the factions in the upcoming game.
Here then, we’ll go over the Starfield United Colonies faction, who they are, what they want, and how to join them. They’re far from the only faction you’ll be able to join though, so if the Starfield Crimson Fleet faction end up sounding more like your cup of tea, check out everything we have on them as well.
Who are the United Colonies faction in Starfield?
The United Colonies are the largest faction in Starfield, a centralized republic representing the pre-eminent military and political power within civilised space. Established back in 2161, the faction is a 169-year-old group by the time of the game’s events, making them even older than the Starfield Constellation faction.
The arm of the faction specifically that you join in Starfield is the UC Vanguard, effectively the military and policing arm of the faction, who are tasked with protecting UC territory across the Settled Systems from spacers, space pirates and more. One of your Constellation companions, Sarah Morgan, was previously a member of the UC Vanguard in her youth.
The United Colonies are overseen by a council known as the Military, Administrative, and Scientific Triumvirate, or MAST. They stand for law and order above all, with stability being a high priority. Their ambitions beyond this are as yet unclear. It’s a largely cosmopolitan society, described as a ‘melting pot with citizens from every race, creed, and ethnicity’ by Bethesda.
This focus on the rule of law is one of a few reasons why the United Colonies are direct rivals to the second largest entity, the Starfield Freestar Collective faction. The two spent a while embroiled in a bloody conflict called the Colony War, which came to an end with an uneasy truce around 20 years prior to the start of Starfield’s story.
Just because they’re at peace though doesn’t mean tensions aren’t running high. The UC do have other enemies though, and are openly hostile to the Crimson Fleet, taking a kill-on-sight approach to the faction.
United Colonies location
The Starfield United Colonies fraction call New Atlantis their capital, a bustling city on planet Jemison in the Alpha Centauri, which their share with Constellation. The city of Cydonia on Mars is a key asset within the UC, thanks to its major mining infrastructure that supplies the faction with raw materials.
Can I join the United Colonies faction in Starfield?
You can join the Starfield United Colonies faction.
To join the faction, you’ll need to locate the Vanguard recruitment desk in New Atlantis, where enlistment takes place, talk to Commander John Tuala, and take a quick exam. You can find their recruitment desk in the MAST building, the main headquarters for the UC institute of the same name, found in MAST district of New Atlantis. Be aware that this is different from UC SysDef, which is the organisation you work with in the Crimson Fleet questline.
Upon completing all of the missions in the UC Vanguard questline, among other things you will earn yourself UC citizenship, allowing you to buy property in New Atlantis as well as netting you discounts at local shops.
That’s everything we’ve got for you on the Starfield United Colonies faction, what they’re about, and how to join them. There are lots of other factions to explore though, like the Starfield Ryujin Industries faction. There’s also plenty to do outside of the factions and organisations fighting for dominance on the galactic stage, so make sure you’re clued in on all the Starfield star systems, if you’d rather head out into the great unknown and explore.
For some early game pointers, read up on where to get Digipicks, where to get the Mark 1 spacesuit, the best Starfield reactor, the Jemison Mercantile location, and our Starfield tips and tricks. We also have walkthroughs for the Sabotage, Alternating Currents, Absolute Power, and Delivering Devils side quests.
Are the United Colonies a good faction?
Players might consider the United Colonies in Starfield as the default ‘good’ faction in the game. However their somewhat authoritarian approach could be a cause for concern.
Who are the enemies of the United Colonies?
The United Colonies are on openly hostile terms with the Crimson Fleet, and ideologically opposed to the Freestar Collective. They are also on hostile terms with some of the more violent minor factions, like the Va’ruun cultists that worship the Great Serpent.
