MechWarrior 5 Where to Hire Pilots: Here’s a table summarizing where and how to hire pilots in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, followed by detailed explanations for better clarity.
| Location | Description | Hiring Method | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Hubs | Safe zones across the map connected by dotted lines. | Go to Barracks from the hub’s menu to view and hire available pilots. | Offers the widest selection of pilots with varying skill levels. |
| Reputation Rank Progression | Higher-skilled pilots (like Captains and Majors) appear as your reputation increases. | Visit hubs near the core planets or areas such as Terra as reputation improves. | Major pilots unlock at around Rank 13+ with higher initial costs and salaries. |
| Barracks Menu | Available in Industrial Hubs only, not in Conflict Zones. | Select and review pilots’ skill ratings across Ballistics, Energy, Missile, Heat, Evasion, and Shielding. | Pay attention to both current skill levels and potential skill caps to avoid underperforming hires. |
| Traveling Strategy | Traveling to different hubs refreshes the pilot roster. | Move between distant star systems to generate new pilot options. | Costs travel expenses, but essential to find the right candidates. |
| Campaign/Rewards | Some missions offer pilots as rewards, though rare. | Complete campaign missions or high-level contracts. | These pilots might have pre-set stats, making them less customizable. |
Detailed Explanation
In MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, Industrial Hubs are the primary locations where pilots are hired. These hubs serve as safe areas between missions and are connected by dotted lines on the map. When you enter a hub, you can open the Barracks menu to see the available pilots. Each pilot will have different skill ratings, and the game displays both their current levels and maximum skill potential across six different combat attributes.
Reputation Progression impacts pilot availability. As your rank increases (particularly after Rank 13+), you will unlock higher-tier pilots, such as Majors, who are known for their elite abilities. These pilots have higher initial hiring costs and salaries, but they significantly outperform others during difficult missions. You can also increase your chances of finding high-level pilots by traveling near core systems like Terra.
If you’re looking for better recruitment opportunities, traveling between hubs periodically is a useful tactic to refresh the available pilot roster. Additionally, some pilots can be earned as rewards for campaign missions or side missions, though these opportunities are less frequent and come with pre-set skill configurations.
By carefully managing the recruitment and training of these pilots, you can ensure your lance is battle-ready for the tougher missions ahead, avoiding expensive equipment repairs and replacements.