Grow Your Crew / More Crew Members

Game customization

You might want to start with more crew members than the set default. You can do this using the game customization tool, which is found in the same menu where you select the difficulty for the game. Choose a difficulty and then click edit to change the various game parameters. Find the field for crew members and choose how many you want to start with.

In-game ways to grow your crew

There's a few ways you can acquire more crew members:

1. Exploring derelict ships and stations, and finding hypersleep chambers with someone inside. You can free them from hypersleep by using your drafted crew member and interacting with the hypersleep chamber.
2. By taking other faction crew members as prisoners, and recruiting them over time. You can do this by boarding another faction spaceship, and then winning the crew combat that ensues. You know you have won the battle when speech bubbles appear over the heads of the other faction crew members, indicating they are willing to talk and give up. Use your drafted crew member to talk to one of them, and choose to take all crew members still alive as prisoners. Read more about crew combat and prisoners.
3. By exploring the galaxy and finding a leisure station somewhere. Visit this station with one of your drafted crew members and you might find someone willing to talk to you there, a spacefarer willing to join your crew for some credits in return.