Effects of Crew promotions and awards

[fidget]

Perhaps somebody has some more insight into this, but I noticed something during my latest 'career'. I'm on the third patrol of my career and was recently given a brand new Gato. After the previous successful patrols, I noticed I could give crew members promotions and awards and did this just as a lark (in the crew management screen). I sprinkled the promotions around more or less randomly (and noticed I could only promote certain crew members). After that, I noticed a definite increase in performance of the boat. I could remain submerged for much longer periods of time than I previously could. The boat could crash dive significantly faster and torpedo reload times were significantly improved. Now, this wasn't very precise comparison and I can't be sure that the promotions did it (i.e., I could have been some kind of experience points awarded to the captain), but I had earlier careers that involved the a Gato where I just ignored promotions and the boat performance seemed to never change with respect to dive time, underwater duration, etc. Anybody else notice this or have insights into the effects of promotions and awards. It would make sense to me if it worked this way and the manual does mention efficiency bonuses based on the officer of the deck's experience but it doesn't go into any more detail than that.

[VonBlade]

Promotions add to the crew-members skill points.

They also get Global and Local bonuses. Look for a red icon in their specialisation area.

That probably accounts for what you're seeing.
VB

[Quillan]

I've found another effect. There are apparently categories of ranks: ordinary seamen, petty officers, and chiefs. They accumulate experience points during the mission, and will get a promotion to the next rank while at sea, but only within their current category. Once a seaman, for example, accumulates 1150 experience, he stops getting any more. If you give him a promotion (which has a side effect of you chosing a specialty for him) he becomes a petty officer, and now starts accumulating experience again. Once they top out in the petty officer category, you give him another promotion to make him a chief petty officer, and then he starts again.

Now, I have no idea if you can give a Master Chief Petty Officer a promotion and make him an officer. It's been the chiefs who get the bonus abilities thus far, in my experience.

[kikn79]

I had a sailor (officer, actually) get a "skill" of increased chance of fanatacism. What the heck is that?

Chuck

[SteamWake]

I had a sailor (officer, actually) get a "skill" of increased chance of fanatacism. What the heck is that?

Chuck

Turns them into rabid fanbois and they start posting on subsim forums. :p

[9th_cow]

I wonder if the fanatics ride the torps into the target ?

[VonBlade]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/VonBlade/Fantical.jpg

Just in case anyone doubted the Fanatical thingemy. Although I've misnamed it fantical lol.

I wondered what it meant too.
VB