Thank you!
The loss of Influence mechanics from one part to the other has a reason: it is there to represent the brutal change from Academy to battlefields. At first, I wanted to make it an upgrade, add +1 to attributes or similar but didn't feel quite right:
The 2d6 mechanics don't give you much space for numbers. If you hit +3/+4, you basically can't fail and that doesn't feel right. I could make the cadets worse from the beginning but then it is really hard to pass exams.
They get a damn mecha each after the Academy. That's a big improvement.
In the Unit, the former Cadets are on their own and the stakes are much higher and you can't rely on the same resources and contacts that in the Academy (you can't call dad or having a copy of the keys of the Commander's office is of little use). It is a bit of poetic justice for those characters (thinking of the Cool Guy and the Rich Kid) who are in the Academy for fun cheating on the exams.