Nanotrasen Port Authority Job

[Eagletanker]

I think you might have a point.

Chief Engineer presides over, Mechanics, Mining, and Cargo

But I think there's a difference between the aspects of Engine and Station maintenance that Engineers and Mechanics fall under, and the Logistics and Commerce aspects of Cargo and Mining. While they're closely related, it's a different skill set.

Maybe this role would take a larger part in doing the planning of both what merchants QM was buying from and selling to, and what was being targeted by the mining magnet?

Exploring this aspect a bit (along with adding my own critique) I think there’s definitely more than two different skill sets required for Chief Engineers to handle engineering. You have to know the engine semi decently, know how to debug/stop mech comp stuff, watch the budget and pick up the slack with cargo, and to take up a pick and help with mining so you can get rarer ores and stuff for engineers to make lateish game materials (engineering doesn’t really have any progression beyond the line go up game of running the engine to dumb power levels for bragging rights while the station blows up), and coordinating/trying to get any sort of response out of four groups that all have different priorities and who don’t want to do what you need to most of the time, leading to gaps that need to be filled and usually while overshadowed by Borgs who can do everything your department does in one neat package. Adding a XOish role that takes care of the logistical side of things and can help you direct the flow of engineering would be a good thing in that regards, along with tying the department so they have to rely on each other or else they will not be able to function fully is a good thing and hopefully would reduce the apathy that’s experienced on goon. I don’t think they should be separated, due to needing to get things done and having to grab something from cargo only to be stopped by QMs not giving a shit and you not having access to order aid or metal or what have you, or not being able to get more Molitz B or more plasma stone/char for the engine from mining after they disappear into the void halfway in a round (especially on RP).

The direction of having the harbourmaster also directing what traders QMs Receive and what supplies are in abundance would help with that a lot and having a check in the CE would be good to make sure they don’t abuse it.

Also edit: I think the more ways to push engineering away from just making line go up for power is good. 5 slots for engineers are good but most of the time only 1 is needed and 4 end up in cryo and subsequently miss the times they are needed. Maybe at some point I’ll post a thread on a idea I had rolling around to make a more modular engineering.