Hi guys I was wondering since we are starting a game at Rank 2 I was wondering how many bonus SP should I give the players to take this into consideration. Also any narrative ideas to bring them together and creating a more unified theme on the players would be welcomed. Specifically I am refering no so much as how to bring the players into the game but more like plot devices and story ideas to create the common theme as a background.

Asajev said:

considering SP and profit factor? personnally, I'd leave the standard amount, but I'd offer some more "free" acquisitions : upgrades on the ship, fancy toys and items.

For a unified theme, gather all your player together first, and let them create their Dynasty through the chart in Into the Storm, and then their characters. on the Origin path, select a line that shall be " free" (character can enter and get out from this line on any point) but, all together, every single player must share the same event on this line. IE : every player were Press-ganged or Stubjack.
From there, it would help you all find together a theme. On the same subject, create a small list of elite advance that every player have access, to represent experience they have shared. It will also help to give your players to get some usefull skills they don't have at the beginning ( for instance, Scrutiny for a Rogue Trader. **** useful to know for him when someone lies, isn't it ?)

I grant the group 5 points to split between PF and SP per extra starting Rank. Since my group started at Rank 4, that gave us +6 PF and +9 SP. I also allow each character an added free starting Acquisition per Rank (so my Rank 4 characters each selected 4 items).