SUBTERFUGE Forums

The game is telling me I can't hire the pirate specialist, yet I can still deploy them with the double agent somehow. Afterward taking the Mine doesn't end the scenario

If this is a question about one of the Tactical Puzzles, you should probably refer to the proper board about that. Here is a link. I'm not sure which one you are referring to, so look around.

As for why you can't hire the pirate yet, at the beginning of the puzzle you have only the first hire available (Thief, Double Agent, Infiltrator). Only 4 hours later, the next hire becomes available (Infiltrator, Pirate, Thief)

Indeed we'd like to keep discussion about the tactical puzzles in the dedicated subforums.
Here is the topic about this specific puzzle: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=494
It already has some discussion which might help you. If not, feel free to ask further questions over there.