The Combat Gauntlet 7-6-5 rotation pays 513,000 aUEC gross using the listed mission rewards. We reach 2.05 million aUEC per hour only if each complete rotation takes 15 minutes, including travel and time waiting for contracts.

The demonstrated setup uses a Constellation Mk V Centaurus with four M7A cannons. The route's earnings and equipment prices are patch-dependent; check the official 4.10.2 patch notes and your in-game offers before spending.

Payouts and Rotation

Scenario 7 pays the most, but it may not be ready when you finish Scenario 5. We check the board after every mission and take the highest available offer rather than waiting at a station.

These are the rewards used for the route's calculations:

Take Scenario 4 if the alternatives are unavailable; waiting earns nothing.

The Scenario 7 mission listing also lists a 227,000 payout, though offers can change between builds.

What 2M per hour requires

Completion speed—not the reward screen—determines your hourly rate. These figures assume uninterrupted rotations and exclude expenses.

Use the 20-minute figure or slower for planning until your own timed runs prove otherwise.

Here is the catch: in the gameplay demonstration, Scenario 7 was not immediately available after the first rotation. Four uninterrupted rotations are a target, not a guaranteed result.

For your real rate, record your starting balance and time, then divide your balance increase after expenses by elapsed hours. Include travel, repairs, waiting, and failed missions.

Centaurus Setup and Costs

The Hammerhead is the obstacle that makes Scenario 7 different from the lower-tier loop. The demonstrated Centaurus setup uses four M7A cannons, with the CF-337 repeaters disabled through diagnostics and power directed toward weapons.

Budget for the cannons before counting mission profits:

Prioritize the demonstrated Centaurus setup over a Corsair rental if your goal is to reproduce the Hammerhead run.

Three full rotations gross 1.539 million aUEC, just above the high-end cannon estimate. That does not include repairs or other costs, so three rotations are a minimum gross payback calculation, not guaranteed profit.

Contract Preparation

If Scenario 7 is missing from your board, work through the earlier Combat Gauntlet offers first. We use Crusader as the operating area and Seraphim Station as a nearby respawn point.

1. Open the Mercenary contract tab.

2. Complete Scenario 1, then work through Scenarios 2–6 as they appear.

3. Check Scenario 7's reward and location before accepting.

4. After each mission, check the board for the next highest-paying offer.

The exact prerequisites and offer timing are not independently confirmed for every account. If a mission does not appear, check your contract progress rather than assuming a fixed respawn timer.

Combat Tactics

Each mission has a different time sink: the Hammerhead's durability, fast fighters, or a second wave. We adjust target priority to the encounter instead of treating every contract as a straight damage race.

Scenario 7: Concentrate fire on the Hammerhead

In the demonstration, the pilot attacks the rear of the Hammerhead, keeps firing into that area, and clears the smaller ships afterward. We follow that pattern when the rear is exposed, while watching our shields and hull.

Do not rely on immunity. The Centaurus survives the demonstrated engagement, but lag, other enemies, armor condition, and balance changes make that one fight a poor guarantee for your next run.

Scenario 6: Take clean fighter shots

The demonstrated encounter includes two Gladius fighters and a Constellation. The pilot removes the fighters first, then turns sustained fire on the larger ship.

If a Gladius presents a clean approach, shoot it; if it is difficult to track, reposition instead of draining the weapon capacitor on misses. A brief pause to regain charge is cheaper than losing time to inaccurate fire.

Scenario 5: Stay for the second wave

Scenario 5 has two waves, so the first kill is not the finish. In the demonstration, a short pause follows the first wave before the remaining enemies appear.

Stay alert and clear the second wave before checking the payout. The encounter may offer a chance to recover a Deadbolt V, but tracking wreckage adds time that the 7-6-5 earnings calculation does not include.

Can we make 2 million aUEC per hour with this route?

Yes, at a 15-minute average per complete 7-6-5 rotation, using the listed payouts. That is gross income and depends on contracts appearing in time; repairs and delays reduce the result.

Can we use a rented Corsair for Scenario 7?

The Corsair's Scenario 7 performance is unverified for this route. The cited rental price is 155,000 aUEC, but the demonstrated Hammerhead kill used a Centaurus.

How long do four M7A cannons take to pay for themselves?

Three complete rotations gross about 1.539 million aUEC, enough to cover the quoted high-end cannon cost before expenses. At 15 minutes per rotation, that is 45 minutes of ideal runs; repairs and delays extend it.

What should we do when Scenario 7 is unavailable?

Run Scenario 6 or 5, then use Scenario 4 as a fallback. Check the board after each mission and calculate your rate from the contracts you actually complete.

Should we use M7As or Deadbolt V cannons?

Use M7As to follow the demonstrated route without ballistic restocks. Deadbolt Vs are an alternative, but the available evidence does not establish that their damage advantage outweighs ammunition and recovery time for this loop.