Mel Brandon
EDFM // Engineering / Engineers
A broad Grade 5 laser, propulsion, shield, and Frame Shift Drive specialist based at The Brig in the Colonia region, reached through Elvira Martuuk.
Mel Brandon is a ship Engineer based at The Brig in the Luchtaine system of the Colonia region. He is reached through Elvira Martuuk and provides an unusually broad range of maximum-grade Engineering across weapons, shields, propulsion, and Frame Shift Drive systems.[1]
Mel provides Grade 5 Engineering for Beam Lasers, Burst Lasers, Pulse Lasers, Frame Shift Drives, Frame Shift Drive Interdictors, Shield Boosters, Shield Generators, and Thrusters. He also provides Shield Cell Bank Engineering through Grade 4.[1]
Field note
Mel is one of the four ship Engineers based in the Colonia region. His unusually broad Grade 5 coverage makes him useful for completing several different ship systems during a single Colonia trip.
Location
- System: Luchtaine
- Facility: The Brig
- Body: Luchtaine A 1 c
- Region: Colonia
- Engineer type: Ship Engineer
- Referral required: Elvira Martuuk
- System permit required: No
The Brig is a surface Engineer base on Luchtaine A 1 c, roughly 1,500 Ls from the system arrival point.[2]
Important
Luchtaine is in the Colonia region, roughly 22,000 light-years from the core inhabited Bubble. Prepare any Colonia Engineer unlock requirements and Engineering materials before making the trip whenever practical.
How to Discover Mel Brandon
Mel Brandon is discovered through Elvira Martuuk.
Reach Grade 3 access and progress at least one-third of the way toward Grade 4 with Elvira to receive her referral to Mel.[3]
Elvira also provides referrals to Zacariah Nemo and Marco Qwent. Mel is a separate Colonia branch from those Bubble Engineers.
Field note
Receiving Elvira's referral makes Mel known to you. It does not complete his separate Colonia Council invitation requirement.
How to Receive an Invitation
Gain an invitation from the Colonia Council.[1]
Current Engineering guidance identifies the practical requirement as reaching at least Cordial reputation with the Colonia Council and obtaining the Engineer invitation mission from the faction.[3]
Raising Colonia Council reputation
Reputation with the Colonia Council can be increased through ordinary minor-faction activities, including missions completed for the faction.
Older Engineer guides frequently recommend selling exploration data at Dove Enigma after arriving in Colonia.
That remains a practical option: Dove Enigma is currently controlled by the Colonia Council and provides Universal Cartographics.[4]
Field note
Selling exploration data at Dove Enigma is a reputation method, not the actual Engineer requirement. Mel's requirement is to obtain the Colonia Council invitation.
Other Colonia Council-controlled stations can also be useful for faction missions and reputation work. Because faction control can change through the Background Simulation, check current faction information rather than treating one station as permanently mandatory.
See Colonia Council and Minor Faction Reputation for the complete reputation process.
How to Unlock Mel Brandon
To gain access to Mel's Engineering workshop:
- Reach Grade 3 access and at least one-third progress toward Grade 4 with Elvira Martuuk.
- Receive Elvira's referral to Mel Brandon.
- Travel to the Colonia region.
- Reach sufficient reputation with the Colonia Council and obtain their Engineer invitation.
- Obtain at least 100,000 CR worth of Bounty Vouchers.
- Travel to The Brig on Luchtaine A 1 c in Luchtaine.
- Provide Mel with 100,000 CR worth of bounty vouchers.
- Enter the Engineer workshop and begin increasing your reputation with Mel.
Important
Do not redeem the bounty vouchers intended for Mel's unlock before arriving at The Brig. The required 100,000 CR must still be available for the Engineer hand-in.[1]
Obtaining Bounty Vouchers
Bounty Vouchers are earned by destroying ships carrying valid bounties.
Suitable activities include:
- Resource Extraction Sites;
- Navigation Beacons;
- bounty-hunting missions; and
- other locations where Wanted ships can be legally engaged.
Mel requires only 100,000 CR worth for the final unlock, so this requirement is comparatively small once you have a combat-capable ship.
Tip
If you are already travelling to Colonia with a combat-capable ship, earning the required bounty vouchers in the Colonia region avoids carrying unredeemed vouchers throughout the entire journey from the Bubble.
See Bounty Hunting and Bounty Vouchers for the complete process.
Field note
Current Engineer data notes that station services may not become available immediately after Mel is unlocked. If the workshop or other expected services do not appear after completing the unlock, logging out and back in may make them available.[1]
Increasing Engineer Reputation
Reputation with Mel Brandon is increased by:
- crafting Engineering modifications at The Brig.[1]
Current Engineer data does not list exploration data, commodity sales, bounty vouchers, or another secondary method for increasing Mel's Engineer reputation after the unlock.
Higher Engineer reputation gives access to the higher grades Mel supports for each blueprint.
Mel does not currently provide a referral to another Engineer.
See Engineer Reputation for how ship Engineer reputation, grade access, blueprint progression, referrals, and alternative reputation methods work.
Tip
Because Mel's reputation is raised through Engineering itself, arrive with enough Engineering materials to perform several useful upgrades rather than travelling to Colonia with only the bounty vouchers required for the initial unlock.
Engineer Unlock Chain
Mel Brandon belongs to the Elvira Martuuk branch of the ship Engineer network.
The direct route is:
Elvira Martuuk └── Mel Brandon [Colonia]
Elvira's broader branch is:
Elvira Martuuk ├── Zacariah Nemo ├── Marco Qwent │ ├── Chloe Sedesi │ ├── Lori Jameson │ └── Professor Palin └── Mel Brandon [Colonia]
Mel Brandon does not currently lead to another Engineer in the active ship Engineer referral network.[5]
Field note
Mel's location in Colonia does not make the other Colonia Engineers part of his referral chain. Marsha Hicks, Petra Olmanova, and Etienne Dorn are discovered through different Bubble Engineers.
See Engineer Unlock Guide for the complete referral network.
Available Engineering
Mel has one of the broadest Grade 5 Engineering portfolios of any ship Engineer.[1]
| Module | Available blueprints | Maximum grade |
|---|---|---|
| Beam Laser |
|
Grade 5 |
| Burst Laser |
|
Grade 5 |
| Pulse Laser |
|
Grade 5 |
| Frame Shift Drive |
|
Grade 5 |
| Frame Shift Drive Interdictor |
|
Grade 5 |
| Shield Booster |
|
Grade 5 |
| Shield Cell Bank |
|
Grade 4 |
| Shield Generator |
|
Grade 5 |
| Thrusters |
|
Grade 5 |
Mel therefore provides maximum-grade conventional Engineering for every module type he supports except the Shield Cell Bank.
Operations-era Plasma Conversion
The Operations-era Engineering system added Plasma Conversion for Beam, Burst, and Pulse Lasers.[6]
Mel provides Plasma Conversion through Grade 5 for all three laser families:
Plasma Conversion increases weapon power draw and converts part of the weapon's thermal damage into plasma damage.
At Grade 5, the current blueprint applies:
- +40% power draw
- -11% overall damage
- conversion of part of the weapon's thermal damage into plasma damage[7]
The blueprint also uses Merc Coin as part of its Engineering cost.
Important
Live only: Plasma Conversion is part of the Operations-era Engineering system and is not available in Legacy.
Broo Tarquin also provides Plasma Conversion through Grade 5, while The Dweller provides it through Grade 3.[7]
Experimental Effects
Experimental Effects are separate from the main Engineering blueprint.
Mel can apply Experimental Effects to nearly every module family he engineers. The exception is the Frame Shift Drive Interdictor, which currently has no Experimental Effects.
Beam Laser
Available Beam Laser Experimental Effects include:[10]
- Concordant Sequence
- Double Braced
- Flow Control
- Oversized
- Regeneration Sequence
- Stripped Down
- Thermal Conduit
- Thermal Shock
- Thermal Vent
Burst Laser
Available Burst Laser Experimental Effects include:[11]
- Concordant Sequence
- Double Braced
- Flow Control
- Inertial Impact
- Multi-servos
- Oversized
- Phasing Sequence
- Scramble Spectrum
- Stripped Down
- Thermal Shock
Pulse Laser
Available Pulse Laser Experimental Effects include:[12]
- Concordant Sequence
- Double Braced
- Emissive Munitions
- Flow Control
- Multi-servos
- Oversized
- Phasing Sequence
- Scramble Spectrum
- Stripped Down
- Thermal Shock
Frame Shift Drive
Available Frame Shift Drive Experimental Effects include:[13]
Frame Shift Drive Interdictor
Frame Shift Drive Interdictors currently have no Experimental Effects.[14]
Shield Booster
Available Shield Booster Experimental Effects include:[15]
Shield Cell Bank
Available Shield Cell Bank Experimental Effects include:[16]
Shield Generator
Available Shield Generator Experimental Effects include:[17]
Thrusters
Available Thruster Experimental Effects include:[18]
See Experimental Effects for the effects, tradeoffs, and material costs of each option.
Important
Experimental Effects cannot be applied through ordinary Remote Engineering. The module must be taken to an Engineer who works on that module type.
Recommended Engineering
Mel's broad Grade 5 coverage makes him useful for several very different ship roles.
Thrusters
Mel provides Dirty Thrusters through Grade 5, matching Professor Palin and Chloe Sedesi.
For most performance-focused combat and general-purpose ships, Dirty Thrusters are a common choice because they provide a substantial increase in thrust and speed.
A common pairing is:
- Dirty Thrusters
- Drag Drives
Tip
Common performance choice: Dirty + Drag Drives
This combination is widely useful when maximum ship speed and manoeuvrability are more important than thermal efficiency.
Drive Distributors can be preferable on some ships or undersized-drive configurations where the Thruster's optimal-mass curve matters more than the additional multiplier from Drag Drives.
Frame Shift Drive
Mel provides Increased Range Frame Shift Drive through Grade 5.
A common general-purpose combination is:
- Increased Range
- Mass Manager
For smaller FSD classes, Deep Charge can sometimes provide slightly better range, but at the cost of increased fuel consumption.
Mel therefore provides a Colonia alternative to Felicity Farseer and Elvira Martuuk for maximum-grade conventional FSD Engineering.
Frame Shift Drive Interdictor
Mel is particularly notable for providing Grade 5 Frame Shift Drive Interdictor Engineering.
He can apply:
- Expanded Capture Arc — Grade 5
- Long Range — Grade 5[14]
Colonel Bris Dekker stops at Grade 4, making Mel the only current Engineer who takes conventional FSD Interdictor Engineering to Grade 5.[14]
Tip
If you regularly use interdiction equipment, Mel's Grade 5 Interdictor access is one of his most distinctive capabilities.
Expanded Capture Arc makes it easier to acquire targets that are not perfectly centred, while Long Range increases initiation distance. Neither is universally superior.
Because Frame Shift Drive Interdictors have no Experimental Effects, a pinned Interdictor blueprint can be completed entirely through Remote Engineering once Mel's reputation is high enough.
Shield Generators
Mel provides all conventional Shield Generator blueprints through Grade 5:
- Enhanced Low Power
- Kinetic Resistant
- Reinforced
- Thermal Resistant
The correct choice depends on the shield type and intended build.
For many Bi-Weave and balanced-resistance setups, Thermal Resistant is useful for correcting the shield's natural thermal weakness.
For builds focused on maximum raw shield capacity, Reinforced is often more appropriate.
There is no single universal Shield Generator blueprint.
Shield Boosters
Mel also provides every conventional Shield Booster blueprint through Grade 5.
Common shield configurations mix:
- Heavy Duty boosters for raw shield strength; and
- Resistance Augmented or damage-specific boosters for resistance balancing.
Tip
Do not automatically engineer every Shield Booster identically. Combining raw-strength and resistance-oriented boosters can provide considerably better effective protection than stacking one blueprint without considering the shield's resistance profile.
Lasers
Mel matches Broo Tarquin for Grade 5 Beam, Burst, and Pulse Laser Engineering.
Useful combinations include:
- Efficient Beam Laser for lower distributor demand and heat;
- Long Range Beam Laser + Thermal Vent for ranged combat and heat management;
- Efficient Burst Laser for general-purpose sustained use; and
- specialised Pulse or Burst Laser configurations using effects such as Emissive Munitions, Scramble Spectrum, or Inertial Impact.
See Laser Engineering for build-specific recommendations.
Blueprint Pinning
After earning sufficient reputation with Mel, one of his blueprints can be pinned for use through Remote Engineering.
Mel's unusually broad Grade 5 coverage creates several strong candidates.
Tip
EDFM recommendation: If you use Frame Shift Drive Interdictors, consider pinning either Expanded Capture Arc or Long Range at Mel.
Mel is the only current Engineer providing conventional Frame Shift Drive Interdictor Engineering through Grade 5, and the Interdictor has no Experimental Effects. This means a pinned blueprint can be completed remotely without needing to return to Colonia afterward.
For Commanders who rarely use Interdictors, Dirty Thrusters, Thermal Resistant Shield Generator, or a frequently used Grade 5 laser blueprint may provide more practical value.
Because Mel is located roughly 22,000 light-years from the Bubble, choosing a useful pin before leaving Colonia is particularly valuable.
Important
Most of Mel's modules still require a workshop visit for Experimental Effects. The Frame Shift Drive Interdictor is unusual because it currently has no Experimental Effects.
What Mel Cannot Fully Engineer
Mel provides maximum-grade Engineering for nearly every module type he supports.
His maximum grades are:
- Beam Laser: Grade 5
- Burst Laser: Grade 5
- Pulse Laser: Grade 5
- Frame Shift Drive: Grade 5
- Frame Shift Drive Interdictor: Grade 5
- Shield Booster: Grade 5
- Shield Generator: Grade 5
- Thrusters: Grade 5
- Shield Cell Bank: Grade 4[1]
His only supported module that stops below Grade 5 is the Shield Cell Bank.
No current Engineer provides conventional Shield Cell Bank Engineering beyond Grade 4.[16]
Mel therefore effectively provides maximum available Shield Cell Bank Engineering as well, even though the blueprint family itself ends at Grade 4.
For alternative maximum-grade specialists:
- Broo Tarquin provides Grade 5 Beam, Burst, and Pulse Laser Engineering in the Bubble.
- Professor Palin and Chloe Sedesi provide Grade 5 Thruster Engineering.
- Felicity Farseer and Elvira Martuuk provide Grade 5 Frame Shift Drive Engineering.
- Lei Cheung provides Grade 5 Shield Generator Engineering.
- Didi Vatermann provides Grade 5 Shield Booster Engineering.
- Colonel Bris Dekker provides Frame Shift Drive Interdictor Engineering only through Grade 4.[5]
Mel's distinguishing advantage is that he combines all of these specialties at a single Colonia workshop.
What Next?
Mel Brandon is the end of his Engineer referral branch and does not currently introduce another Engineer.
If you have already travelled to Colonia, it is usually worth considering the other three Colonia ship Engineers before returning to the Bubble.
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Mel Brandon — Engineer, Inara.
- ↑ The Brig — Station, Inara.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Engineer Highlight, New Pilots Initiative.
- ↑ Dove Enigma — Station, Inara.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Engineers, Inara.
- ↑ Elite Dangerous: Operations — Update Notes, Frontier Developments.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Beam Laser — Plasma Conversion, Inara.
- ↑ Burst Laser — Plasma Conversion, Inara.
- ↑ Pulse Laser — Plasma Conversion, Inara.
- ↑ Beam Laser — Efficient, Inara.
- ↑ Burst Laser — Efficient, Inara.
- ↑ Pulse Laser — Efficient, Inara.
- ↑ Frame Shift Drive — Increased Range, Inara.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Frame Shift Drive Interdictor — Expanded Capture Arc, Inara.
- ↑ Shield Booster — Heavy Duty, Inara.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Shield Cell Bank — Specialised, Inara.
- ↑ Shield Generator — Thermal Resistant, Inara.
- ↑ Thrusters — Dirty, Inara.