lol! Most of that I agree w, & don't have trouble w.
Except the "meat shield" part. Can't control who gets hit, & sometimes you're unlucky, & they hit same person 3x & boom!
Bounties: 6 levels? So then, anything 4+ is extra hard?
(I think took some, but probably have 100% health & AR 4 everybody. Not sure who it was, but 1 Coil + 2 MG [or, 2 w DURAPLATE!] was too much for me to handle. Yes, means 5 incl 2 mercs. [but av or less stats])
You're forgetting: I have a bunch of Brawlers. (literally!) Melee is they only thing they're "good" at. [good relative here, some suck @ EVERYTHING! lol]
Even the mercs (Ansel/Loren/etc) Training is "random?" Anyway I've see it train up MELEE 10+, while not touching ranged at all, so, sometime you have to use what you get. [assuming so cheats.]
Typically, I use whatever stat's highest. (B's 4 example, Melee.)
Sidenote:
FRIGID + PERVERTED: Any advice? [they love sex, but just not w you?!?]
[Reb + crappy Charm/Manip, brings everybody down]
Hard to practice "Caress" (your idea, raise Charm) if u have 2 fight tooth/nail , & even then they often get turned down or they want 2 quit.
Respect: Really *REALLY* hard to get this above 20! (STILL don't have anybody above 25 yet!)
I can't imagine how you got yours into 40's... [lots & lots of battle, that profit nothing (or at least no Respect)]
"Ashes" run doing now very similar to yours---even the "Grimdark" part---& yes starting @ very low Charm/Manip, is pathetic & SUCKS!
Didn't your run get the T2 slave?
Current:
D 55; Was a *LOT* more careful w Infl this time, still slow/sucked, but FINALLY got that 1500-----didn't fight quite as much [You're right about stims costing a lot!!!] So saved up some, now have Kat's + good Ar for MC [lol! Train 3x B's, & get what goes up fastest on MC?] & best Brawler. Reb (the only "non-Brawler) has ~ = stats, 47M/51R but except for top B, others R worse.
Really have 2 watch $$, but that 1st part [until 1500 Infl] was toughest.
Charm: 59/ Manip: 54
You tell your little 'Brawler' bitches that those who don't use guns can still die from them and that they are grade 'A' Prime pieces of fuckflesh and you're not risking them getting too many marks on their smoking hot bodies. That, and that you have a whip!
Then give them all a rifle--regardless of how low their ranged combat is--and let them get their increases from crits, and buy a lot of thirty-ought rounds. Lots. That and combat armor and they're a valuable asset to your team, get them Durasteel asap too. They will be more effective than you seem to think and get better every week from crits.
In my estimation melee should merely supplement your tactics, everyone should fire at least a rifle until everyone on their side with a rifle, auto-rifle, coil or plasma gun is down. Then close and finish them off with swords or katanas, except for the ones with low Ranged Combat still--keep them firing the rifles for target practice. Thirty-ought ammo is cheap.
Try it this way from the very beginning sometime and see just how fast your regulars get better and how relatively effective they are despite starting with ranged combats of about 15. That's with the thirty-ought, don't use anything else outside the first day or so when you don't have enough rifles yet. Handguns and shotguns are pretty much worthless against anything armored, and only the armored targets are going to give you a problem after the first few days.
You've got to be willing to try to charm them even when your chances are low, say 25-35%. When I say 'charm' I mean specifically 'affect'-->'compliment' then 'beauty'/'sex appeal'/'intelligence' as well as 'encourage.' Those failures don't hurt you and with an upgraded house your gains will stay with you even if you fail two or three times as often as you succeed. Just keep at it and don't go pissing them off if you don't have the high manip/charm to get away with it at first.
Frigid/Perverted: They're standoffish at first until they know you well and then go 'all in' to your benefit. Not that unusual really, I've known chicks like that.
Lots of combat will solve the money and respect problems you appear to have sometimes. That means you clear the board as soon as possible and you keep it clear. You'll have to wait a little to take out the Space Hulk, the Black Gunner and Guardsmen with the mind thingy and the Highwaymen of Darkmere, but once you have two or three of Ayden/Space Marine/Black Guardsmen you can take those down regularly too. Always keep Stokke Hill and the Fort off Marston Avenue clear.
I've not seen a level six bounty in the 212 I've done, but in my experience you can start taking out the level fours and even fives once you have the Space Marine. Sometimes it's just one guy; You having at least three rifles, an auto rifle and coilgun can pretty much ensure you'll just about execute them before they have a chance to fire. Even with Durasteel they'll only get one or two shots.
If you can't make 450 a day, you're not trying hard enough. Keep that board clear--especially Stokke Hills.