Engineers Elite Crew

d8veh · Oct 31, 2016

I managed to get an Elite co-pilot. Finally, I can trust somebody to fly my Corvette while I'm having fun in the fighter, though she takes 15% of the money I earn. I guess she's pleased that I hired her because she's made 20 million already.

Is there anywhere where you can hire Elite crew? The highest rank I've seen is expert.

Is there any difference between the crew apart from their rank?

Is there any point in training up another crew?

goemon · Oct 31, 2016

i have only seen experts, too.

how did you train her? i assume you will have found a most efficient way?

a second one would be a "spare" --- and you would pay 30% of all income...

Chris Simon · Oct 31, 2016

Right on commander, I only managed to get mine from Harmless to Competent, so far.

Are there any differences between individual pilots? I don't think so. My pilot can't dock a Condor when we are above the planet (even low G), though. I wonder if it's a one of her quirks or it's due to Condor's total vertical thruster suckage.

d8veh · Oct 31, 2016

goemon said:
how did you train her? i assume you will have found a most efficient way?

I took her to the HazRES and showed her how it's done.

She was a good learner - always listened to what I said, and she practised hard. Also, she always studied all the stuff that I gave her to read for her homework.
Like any employee, keenness is the best attribute.

TargetLost · Oct 31, 2016

Congrats.

If you could already Train a Crew from (??) to Elite in that short time than they lvl much too fast.
I have lvled one from mostly harmless to master. (and 2 novice to competent) but I was in war zones all the time. Not sue why you do not have trust in your lower lvl Crew. I had my competent faceing an elite anaconda while I was out with the fighter and she did very well. (fly an engineered lvl 3 anaconda)
Also I have them Controlling my anaconda in the war zones 50% of the time or more.
Fighting in the fighter is hella fun!
I mostly alternate at the Moment. Whenever the fighter gots shredered we Change Position.(fighte mothership)..like a Team! Lots of fun.

would liek to know from what lvl you trained your elite to judge what they will cost me at the end.
It's a big difference if you Train a harmless or one from expert in the % they earn and will earn when grown up.

Heavenly-Hammer · Oct 31, 2016

I'm impressed you got one to Elite so quickly. I expected it to take considerably longer. How many hours did you spend?

And no, no real need to train another pilot until that one dies.

domaq · Nov 1, 2016

That's quick work OP. I've seen better results working in a HAZres than a CZ. Maybe their rank is tied to kill values like our ranks are?

UnhappyDev · Nov 1, 2016

Wow, I'm impressed

I would still train a backup NPC in case a disaster should happen (e.g sneak attack by a CMDR etc.)

Would you trust your NPC in a CZ?

[VR] Mad Mike · Nov 1, 2016

15%

is that from taking one as a baby (harmless) and going all the way to adulthood (elite)

or is she trained up from Expert (I was hoping a harmless pilot trained up to elite would only charge 10% ).

Ben_BigBen · Nov 1, 2016

I take it crew aren't persistent either ? i.e. if you end their contract they disappear rather than become available for hiring by another lucky commander

Chris Simon · Nov 1, 2016

Ben_BigBen said:
I take it crew aren't persistent either ? i.e. if you end their contract they disappear rather than become available for hiring by another lucky commander

Ha! That would be awesome. We would have flight schools for them, slowly raising the whole fighter pilot pool quality,...

SoulScar · Nov 3, 2016

I trained my single crew member from harmless to master and she has been paid 38 million and takes 7%. 3 more ranks to elite she will take 10% I guess.

OP - you been killing ungodly amounts in anarchy systems I guess

.

Edit: only reason to have more crew is if you want a spare. If your mothership dies your active crew bites the big one. (AFAIK not died yet).

Ben_BigBen · Nov 3, 2016

I'm sure I've paid less than a million in commission to get my hired-as-Expert to Master with them now taking 14% - 38 million to have a pilot take 7% less earnings is a big difference and might take a while to earn back.

I'm making the assumption that's only when she says "That's one for me commander" does it count to her progression - so I guess you've been taking a lot of the kills focusing on leveling yourself up rather than your crew? I've been "winging" pirates and letting her cook them up with the fixed beams - seems to boost progression a lot.

Do they actually hit anything when they are newbies or do they struggle ? Expert out of the box seem to do a pretty good job with a Taipan Gelid F and seem well worth the extra hiring and commisison. Might try out the Aegis F next she might be even more lethal.

Mr_sukebe · Nov 3, 2016

Nice work CMDR.
I was feeling good about getting mine to Master, but Elite is a serious achievement.

[VR] Mad Mike · Nov 3, 2016

my crew lady must me thinking she won the lottery. she is still harmless (72%) but thanks to me doing 35 million in passenger missions last weekend, she has currently took almost 800K credits from me.

she better appreciate it!.... sure she may have a kid to feed but she is 1 rich "harmless" pilot now.

Ben_BigBen · Nov 3, 2016

Doh, I'd forgotten they take your trade + passenger profit too !