Captive Skills - How to improve they ?

[takiye]

As playing Trop2, I had a misunderstanding about Captive Skills. How to improve their skills ? I see the more they work, the more the levels increase, but to the
unskilled captive, their maximum levels are only 4/5 ??!!! although i had chosen the bonus: "Captive Skill +1" (it's not different with when I didn't choose Captive Skill +1). I really don't know what the reason is

[Severous]

If I remember rightly unskilled captives all start with no skill. Once they work it becomes 0 skill. It goes up from there....as you say.

Three is the maximum unless your scenario design or leader bonus increases or decreases this maximum.

I dont think unskilled ever become skill 5. 

[takiyee]

Oh no, I had played some sandbox game that highest level of my captives is 5 (Captive Skill +1)!!! They are unskilled, though ! I'll soon post some shots...

[Coconut Kid]

... I see the more they work, the more the levels increase, but ... the unskilled captive ... maximum levels are only 4/5 (?) although i had chosen the bonus: "Captive Skill +1" (it's not different with when I didn't choose Captive Skill +1). ...

... I had played some sandbox games that highest level of my captives is 5 (Captive Skill +1)! They are unskilled, though ! ...

Let me speculate as a novice player.

A couple of principles:

• Captives improve their skills only through work. (Schools are for Pirates only.)

• Captives come in two "flavors" - Unskilled (may take many occupations) & Skilled (only one occupation)

[li]Unskilled Captives may never exceed level 3 through their own learning.[/li][/list]
Therefore, Unskilled Captives may get to levels 4 or 5 only by the operation of the bonuses mentioned. They will never function at the higher (if any) levels of the Skilled Captives.

 

[Clever duck]

  Overseers increase captive skills by 1 while the overseer is there.  This increase does not seem to show up on the individual captive stats.

 The book o' lore (p61) says that skilled captives arrive with a skill level of 3,4,  or 5,  which increase to a miximum of 5 through practice.

 (Also p61)  unskilled captives improve up to a maximum of 3.     I'm sure I've seen miners go up to level 4.

  Skeletons are skilled haulers.
 

[Severous]

This screenshot is from my last game (Supply Base by TJ).  My pirate island ruler had the industrious trait.

Captive skills are all +1

So even a new captive will be skill 1 in everything.

They can progress to skill 4.

Only skilled capitves can reach skill 5.

I micromanaged my captives. Not usualy to make use of skills..usually to make them do two jobs at once.  Resulted in captives becoming multiskilled over time.

[Coconut Kid]

I wonder if takiyee has had the question answered?

 

Would it be fair to summarize thusly:

• Pirate King with Industrious Trait makes a +1 on captive skills
• "Present" Overseer makes a +1 on captive skills
  • Probably not a simple +1, but more complex - comment other post
• Pirate King & Overseer "bonuses" are not cumulative (you don't get both at once)
  • Perhaps you do - comment other post
• Captive Skills never register above 5 or 4 - comment other post
• Haulers have no advantage from skill
• Dock Overseers are nearly worthless - comment other post

 

[Severous]

Hi CK

Good summary of facts which seem pertinent but....

An overseer adds effeciency...but im not sure its the equivalent of +1 to the workers skill.  As said elsewhere it doesnt display as +1 to the workers skill.

I have posted much research on captive efficiency and apart from Miners I seem to recall that overseers increased productivity even when using skill workers already at skill 5.

I do know an overseer assigned to watch over workers does not have to be present to instill the benefit. Overseer can be clear over the other side of the island walking in the wrong direction yet overseer advantages accrue.

I believe the +1 Industrious trait and an overseer are cummulative. Skill can never be more than 4 (unskilled) or 5 (expert) but overseer bonus is additional even if not visible on displays.

Overseers do not offer any advantage to dock haulers. Haulers have no advantage due to skill.  Its handy having pirates as dock overseers as they are near ship and in what is the high chaos area.

[takiye]

I wonder if takiyee has had the question answered?

Yep, I discovered the answer Now all farmers (even unskilled) on my island have skill at 5 

@Serverous: I believe your saying: "overseers increased productivity even when using skill workers already at skill 5", but now almost my pirates have rank at upon 8 => Nobody wants to be an oversee !!! What can I do

[Coconut Kid]

... now almost my pirates have rank at upon 8 => Nobody wants to be an oversee! What can I do?

Does the total number of pirates equal the number needed for a full crew on each of your ships plus the number of Overseer positions you wish filled?

You will never be able to fill a shore job when there is a ship job vacant (and open).

If you do have pirates surplus to your ship jobs and they still hang out in the "recreation" buildings rather than working, perhaps you need to pay more.

 

[Severous]

Pirates want to be crew more than anything else. As CK says ..you wont be able to keep a overseers job filled if there are vacant ship jobs.

Your pirates will take an overseers job if no crew job is available. There is no 'doing nothing' and 'hang out in recreation option'.    Pirates will take an overseer job but might continue to hang out in a tavern (etc) but the pioint is they have claimed the overseers job and the efficiency gains that it generates.

If you are short of overseers then:
1) press gang some captives
2) offer more generous crew shares when cruising. Should lead to more pirates joining you cause.
3) Fire overseers and close their jobs at buildings that are not so important to you at present.
4) Close crew jobs in ships.

[takiye]

The trouble is that: 9-rank-pirates don't wish to be oversees unless I set high priority (I can't do that 'cauz my island is broking ). If there is no more place in ship, their jobs will become "no work" !

[Coconut Kid]

The trouble is that: 9-rank-pirates don't wish to be oversees unless I set high priority (I can't do that 'cauz my island is broke). If there is no more place in ship, their jobs will become "no work" !

Pardon me, but I think Severous just told you that is not true - and you don't have to set High Priority either.

... Your pirates will take an overseers job if no crew job is available. There is no 'doing nothing' and 'hang out in recreation option'. Pirates will take an overseer job but might continue to hang out in a recreation building ...

 

[Severous]

I was quite interested in what you said takiye.  About rank 9 pirates not wanting to be overseers.

Ive not played many games long enough to promote pirates that much. I cant rule it out what takiye has said.

You can fire a pirate from a ship and from an overseers job.  If no other job is open they will be without work.  After a short time they will take up a job you fired them from. But there is a period, in situations you have created,  when they will not take a job that is available.

[Coconut Kid]

... About rank 9 pirates not wanting to be overseers.

... there is a period, in situations you have created,  when they will not take a job that is available.

@ Severous,

I take it that the last sentence I quoted above is intended as a question for takiye.

You are saying that there is a hole in your play experience which allows the possibility that his statement is accurate. There may be an alternative non-work "hang-out" for very high ranking pirates.

 

[Severous]

Yes CK it could be true.  Ive not seen a level 9 pirate refuse to become an overseer.  Yet neither can I recall ever asking one to do that.

Takiya...how about you posting a saved game of yours where you have your problem high ranking pirates and lazy farmers?  Anyone who wanted to could download and have a look.  I will look and comment if you post it.

[takiye]

Let's see my most talented captive