General Gameplay Advice

Terminology:

For the purposes of this guide, resources Ordnance, Energy and Mass will be referred to by their colour abbreviation. Ordnance is R (Red), Energy is G (Green), and Mass will be B (Blue). Depletable cards are interchangeably referred to as Consumable cards.

Pathing Tips

Fuel is only consumed when traveling to a secondary node. Fuel is not consumed when moving from an optional path back to the main path.

As of the current early access patch, reward wise, the “optimal” strategy is to path into as many enemy ships and Elites as possible.

Pathing into ships offers both a credit reward AND a chance to improve your deck via card drafting.
Completing the data broker’s quest offers a reward of 150 credits. This usually allows you to buy the next Reactor upgrade, which is an immediate power spike

Elites are particularly valuable, as they offer both double the regular credit reward (70+), AND offer guaranteed subsystem drop.

Subsystems typically cost 100-200 to buy from a Shop, and thus offer a lot of value
Unlike Slay the Spire relics, subsystems not applicable to your build can be sold at Station shops for half value. So on average, the subsystem can be sold for 70-100.
Thus the value offered by taking an Elite fight is potentially somewhere between 150-300 credits.
Of course, you must take into the account the extra damage you will receive from fighting the Elite. Repairs at a neutral station cost 2 (3 in Sector 2) credits per 1 hull repaired. And of course if the Elite kills you, the run is over.
That being said, similar to Slay the Spire low ascensions, taking as many Elite fights as possible is the preferred strategy to build advantage