[Seriona]

So this never dawned on me but how exactly do pilots rank up? I always assumed it was pilot kills of mechs but I would like to know for sure.

Is it kills?
How many times they are in a mission?

Also, does it matter from version to version? I can't play 628 due to Windows 10 so I have to go as far back as 424.

[ThorC]

As a far as I can tell, Mechwarriors earn xp by how many kills they get per mission. It might also include shots that connect with each target. Depending on the number of Gunnery and Piloting skills combined they rank up from Green all the way to Ace. So if your Mechwarrior has a combined number of 110 they will be promoted to Regular. If a Mechwarrior is airborne(jump jets) and makes a kill or connects with a target, they gain more piloting xp. If a Mechwarrior makes a kill or connects with a target on the ground, they gain more gunnery xp. In my experience that's how I was able to get Ace rank Mechwarriors.

[Seriona]

Yeah I can't figure it out and sometimes I wonder simply having them there adds to skill as I've had pilots rank up just salvaging mechs before the mission end. I tend to run half of what I deploy with Regulars and the other half Green so I don't have a Green Lance being deployed.

[ThorC]

Campaign participation might also be a factor. I forgot that pilots earn medals and certain honors for different exploits. It could also be that pilots gain xp for piloting a mech in a weight class they've never piloted before.

[Seriona]

Yeah I don't know. I am just trying to find the quickest way to get the pilots to Elite.