Crew members are there correct locations?

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Spiderbox
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Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:25 pm

Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby Spiderbox » Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:40 pm

Over the course of my playthroughs i find that i always place the humans in the cockpit the, engi in the engine room the slug in the shield room, the mantis in the weapons room, the rock in the O2 room, and a zoltan in the drone room. is this a correct order or is there a better way to place the crew members?

*Note I am using "The Torus"
The Captain
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby The Captain » Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:56 pm

There aren't necessarily "correct" locations - it's mostly personal preference. I do often have a Human as the pilot, but I might put a Rock there (if not using it as a boarder), because I don't expect to move the pilot much, and Rocks are slow.

I often put an Engi in shields, as I prefer to leave the shields unmanned (compared to other stations) if I'm pulling the Engi to do repairs. Once I have enough crew, I might put someone else on shields and leave the Engi as free floating damage control.

If I have extra crew to act as security, I place them where they can respond quickly to boarders. One gets placed centrally, two might get split up. They might also get placed a little closer to weak fighters.

I prefer to put a Zoltan in shields or engines; two Zoltans go in shields, if I have enough crew, as then you always have one shield layer powered. If I have a Zoltan in weapons, I might put a 1-power weapon in the first slot, so if I have to move the Zoltan out and forget to have an used reactor power to replace its power, then it's only a fast charging weapon that is unpowered.

Of course if an existing crew member is leveled up, and a new crew member gets added late, I might not replace the experienced crew if there isn't time to level up the new guy. (Though if a crew member is two-star, then I might give someone else some experience at the station, then put the two-star back for the final battle.)
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5thHorseman
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby 5thHorseman » Fri Dec 13, 2013 2:40 am

I have thinking similar to The Captain.

Pilot is someone I never want to move. Rocks are good for this if you're not boarding, but Humans are fine too. The nice thing about a Rock, if you get a breach in the room or boarders beam in, he can hold his own a bit longer due to increased health and maybe get that critical dodge or two in that you wouldn't have gotten otherwise.

The next most critical system to man is the Engines, and I generally put a Human in there. I'm willing to abandon those so someone who can both fight and fix is always good.

Weapons is next, and I frequently put Mantises in there just for the appropriateness of it. However, I prefer a Human for the same reason as Engines.

Finally, Shields. I will leave these unmanned if I only have 3 crew, and man them with the crew member I'm most likely to need to send somewhere. So, my Engi or Mantis. Or a Human if I have extras.

Extra crew over 4, if I don't have a teleporter, go either in the middle of the ship or spread out so I've got a "front of the ship guy" and a "back of the ship guy."
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Spiderbox
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby Spiderbox » Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:23 pm

Thanks for the advice after you help i finaly beat the boss thanks alot :lol:
GPuzzle
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby GPuzzle » Sat Dec 14, 2013 1:30 pm

Humans tend to be pilots or man Shields, Mantis deal with boarders, Slug (if I have any) ends up helping the Engi in the repairs, as it allows me to see wheter or not the room has a breach or is on fire (but sometimes they go Boarding). Rocks play a mix - they repair areas pretty damn well and allow for some extra help in the fights or repairing somewhere without oxygen. Zoltans stay at Engines and Weapons, ocasionally Shields. Engines and Weapons are the first systems I prioritize when starting a new game. Engi stays manning a station that they can be away (such as Shields) or are placed in a central position, if I have two, they are in opposite ends (for example, in the Kestrel, one would be near the Pilot and Shields, the other near Weapons and Engines).
Iranon
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby Iranon » Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:20 am

Assuming no Crystals are available, I'd like: a Slug in the cockpit, 2 Rocks in the Teleporter, 1 free Engi, 4 Zoltans manning systems (2 in shields).
Humans are cannon fodder, 1 Slug is good to have for blue options.

Cockpit: Slug>Rock=Engi
Weapons: Zoltan>Engi
Shields: Zoltan>Engi>Rock
Engines: Zoltan>Engi
Teleporter: Crystal> Rock>Mantis>Human
Response Team: Engi=Mantis=Slug>Human
zeek
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby zeek » Mon Feb 03, 2014 8:26 pm

Spiderbox wrote:the rock in the O2 room, and a zoltan in the drone room


O2 and Drone rooms do not gain any advantage by having them manned. The only real advantages would be having someone in the room to being repairs immediately if the room gets damaged or begin fighting immediately if the room gets boarded. The zoltan will provide 1 bar of power to drones by being in the room like he will in any other powered system room.
red23
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby red23 » Sat Feb 22, 2014 5:56 am

Engis MUST go in weapons. If your weapons get damaged you need them repaired asap. No other system is nearly as critical and can generally have their repairs delayed if needed. I like my first Zoltan on engines because if they have to leave, for some reason, losing 5% dodge is something I can live with as opposed too, say, loosing an entire level of shields if he were placed there and had too vacate.
The Captain
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby The Captain » Sat Feb 22, 2014 9:07 am

There is no "must." It may help to have an Engi already in weapons if they get damaged, but they are not necessarily the most critical. If you have L1 Piloting, and it gets damaged, you have no dodge, nor is your FTL charging. Maybe you think Shields will protect you, but if they get damaged, the enemy lasers will now do more damage to you. What if your doors get damaged, and there are fires on your ship?

IMO flexibility is key: being able to move an Engi around as a damage control party is more valuable than tying one down in weapons.
Iranon
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Re: Crew members are there correct locations?

Postby Iranon » Sat Feb 22, 2014 11:19 am

I agree.
If I don't have Zoltans, shields are a good place for an Engi: a high repair priority, but a low priority to be manned. If my Engi is also my highly-trained weapons officer, in-combat repairs hurt my fighting ability too much for my liking.