Newcomer / Intro More engineering rolls needed than listed for grade progression?

Hi Guys

Are engineering rolls RNG? Just starting to engineer and It appears that I need more for (at least) the higher grades. INARA list said I needed 6 and 7 rolls for a G4 and G5 completion respectively but actually took 7 and 8? How do I plan my materials if that is case? What am I missing here?
 
If you're talking about the amount by which the progress wheel fills up, yes, it's RNG. Though I have to say you'd have to be really unlucky to need 8 rolls to fill it up.
 
Ok that's a lesson learned. I had to swap out my FDL twice to an Asp in a nearby shipyard to reach a trader w/o jumping forever.

Probably best practice to always have enough mats for (list + 1) for any higher level upgrade
 
First time you use a particular blueprint it always takes more attempts at each level after that the first three levels are pretty fast and consistent levels four and five show much more variation I tend to try and have more than enough materials available but if I can’t I just stop rolling especially if the rolls seem to be getting nowhere after all once you get about half way through G5 the stats are good enough until you can chase up more materials.
 
It appears that I need more for (at least) the higher grades. How do I plan my materials if that is case? What am I missing here?
First, collect WAY more materials and data than you think you need. You are always going to need materials and data so always collecting as much as possible means less work later. If you find a materials or data honey-hole top-up!
Second, when rolling for mods you do not need to complete a level before moving to the next level. At about 80-90% full the next level will unlock and you can move up to the next level without completing the present one.
There is a good reason for this because a CMDR might rather use a "filled/complete" G4 mod rather than moving up to G5 where a higher level of detrimental side effects will be introduced (more mass, more heat generation, less integrity, etc.).
 
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It's random, within a fairly tight range, and on a bell curve.

I've seen anywhere from four to twelve-plus rolls to complete G5. The average is probably seven, but six to nine is not at all rare.
 
The general rule of thumb I use when engineering modules (particularly if I'm engineering a whole bunch of them in one go) is that I will typically either unlock the next grade of upgrade or max out the grade of upgrade in:
  • G1 : 1 roll
  • G2 : 2 rolls
  • G3 : 3 rolls
  • G4 : 6 rolls
  • G5 : 9 rolls
There is quite a bit of randomness involved, but in my experience you will rarely require more than the specified number of rolls, in which case you will probably have spare materials from engineering other modules that did not need as many rolls. The main exception to this is when you visit a particular engineer for the first time and are leveling them up, in which case you may need up to 3 extra rolls for G1 to G4 (this is a one-time thing for each engineer though).
 
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