Overseer quests - Level 4 elite recovery

Had 2 over the last 2 days. First required lvl 5 dark elf spy in first slot, then another level 5 spy dark elf in 2nd slot. i bypassed that slot and filled in the remaining slots, could not start the quest. so am i not supposed to start the quest without full slots? and how can i have 2 lvl5 dark elf spies when there is omly D'vinn

today i get another lvl 4 elite recovery, first slot lvl 5 orc marauder, 2nd slot lvl 5 orc marauder ...

im seeing a pattern which i think is broken and why cant i start the quest with free slots?

If it has an exclamation mark, the slot is required. If it has a question mark, it is not.

and needing 2 level 5 spiees or marauders? what am i missing?

Harder quests, need harder to acquire agents.

I think the issue is, that there is only one level 5 spy, and he is iconic...

While the second spy might not be needed? it still smells like a bug to me that you can't fulfill the recommended "requirements".

Right now I have an Overseer task for "Recruit Phinigel Autropos" which requires an Elite Harvester (5) and an "Elite Explorer (5) - Wizard - Kedge". Ok it's bad enough that you're required to already have two very specific elite agents in order to recruit a new elite agent. But a task to recruit an elite agent should never require the same elite agent that you're trying to recruit.

That recruit phinigel quest you mention, does not require phinigel in the first place.

"traits" are an optional bonus if I understand correctly, and both requirements "elite explore(5)" and "elite harvester(5)" can be met with other elites.

I am not sure if "wizard-kedge"-trait refers to the 2 elites or a third spot in that quest(that some random common can fill), it was unclear in your post.

But if not, then it does look weird if they expect you to use phinigel to recruit phingel.


I wonder: does there for all quests, exist a configuration that gives a 100% success-rate?
or are the quests just procedurally generated with some more or less meaningful constraints?