In my last game, there were zero neutral Generators. The only Generators were those people started with. Obviously, Tinkerer was a popular hire, though most promoted to Minister of Energy.

Anyway, for a part of the game, I had my Queen, a Tinkerer, an Inspector, and a Navigator at the same outpost. If anybody attacked, shortly before the enemy sub arrived I would send out the Navigator + Inspector, then immediately turned it around. The Inspector would arrive at the outpost, recharging the shields just before combat.

Of course, I eventually promoted my Inspectors (3 of them by the end of the game) to Security Chiefs, so I only had the combo for a short time. It was neat while it lasted, though. An interesting way to counteract the Tinkerer's negative effect.

Another way to counteract the Tinkerer's effect, without even needing the Navigator, would be to have an ally send a stream of 1-driller subs at you in order to keep the shield topped up.

lackofcheese wrote:Another way to counteract the Tinkerer's effect, without even needing the Navigator, would be to have an ally send a stream of 1-driller subs at you in order to keep the shield topped up.

Seems like a bit of a waste of drillers to me, though. I know I wouldn't be willing to throw drillers at an ally's base for a reason like that.

roadkiehl wrote:

lackofcheese wrote:Another way to counteract the Tinkerer's effect, without even needing the Navigator, would be to have an ally send a stream of 1-driller subs at you in order to keep the shield topped up.

Seems like a bit of a waste of drillers to me, though. I know I wouldn't be willing to throw drillers at an ally's base for a reason like that.

And would be enough if that ally would send a single driller shortly before combat begins.

I wouldn't want to have to trust an ally for that. How do you know they haven't made a deal with the enemy, and are planning to turn the sub into a gift at the last possible second?

kalzekdor wrote:I wouldn't want to have to trust an ally for that. How do you know they haven't made a deal with the enemy, and are planning to turn the sub into a gift at the last possible second?

You can't. But without a navigator there are not much other options in this setting.