The bottom line is, players won't get attached to allies they expect to leave. Depending on the bonuses you give for every retired ally, they may prefer to use them as bait or shield. You will have to add a reputation system to prevent that.

Players want and need a reliable posse. They want a gang family. If you continue to take away these allies, I believe many players will begin trying to avoid them. Doing things on their own.

My advice is to not give the player direct control over allies that will depart on their own. Make them a different kind of asset. One that the player can interact with only in an immediate sense. Like two starships meeting in space and encountering a problem during the very brief hello. The player automatically assumes the ship will leave once the problem is solved.

If allies show up, integrate themselves into your fleet, then break off and leave after a timer countdown, I would find it annoying. I would avoid the integration entirely, and rely on assets that I have real control over.

Quote:Original post by hymerman
...allowing the ship captain's family or close acquaintances to offer their services in their place, which could be quite interesting if the links between characters were made evident.

Quote:Original post by Kest
Make them a different kind of asset

I could see myself really enjoying this kind of system; allowing players to form long-term allies, with more temporary crew drawn from their ever changing social circle. I'd suggest a certain level of micromanagement for your hirelings, but not as in-depth or costly as that of your more permanent crew.

The (semi)permanent crew would allow tie-ins to any overarching plot lines.